Signs and Symbols: An Illustrated Guide to Their Origins and Meanings (DK Compact Culture Guides) - Hardcover

DK

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0756633931 ISBN 13: 9780756633936

Publisher: Dorling Kindersley, 2008

Synopsis

Discover the fascinating origins and meanings of over 2,000 signs and symbols from mythology and religion to astrology and ancient tribes in this comprehensive guide.

For centuries, symbols have been imperative throughout the world, signifying ideas, relationships, and objects across different cultures. Find out why a flag at half mast is a symbol of mourning, why toads have got a bad name while frogs turn into princes, and why a heart pierced by an arrow is a classic symbol of love.

Delve into the meaning of each symbol and investigate how they have been interpreted in myth, religion, folklore, and art over time, with authoritative text from experts in the field and striking line drawings and photography that emphasize the visual strength and beauty of signs. Divided into six thematic sections - the cosmos, the natural world, human life, myths and religions, society and culture, and symbol systems - this guide to the secret language of signs and symbols is a must-have for those who want to understand the world around them.

About this title

About the Author

Miranda Bruce-Mitford is a graduate in social anthropology and Burmese language and literature and also has an MA in Oriental religious studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London University. For some years she has been tutor for the Post-Graduate Diploma in Asian Arts at SOAS. She has lectured and given gallery talks at the British Museum, London, and has escorted numerous groups to Southeast Asia.

DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic nonfiction for adults and children. DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and in 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Toronto. DK's aim is to inform, enrich, and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products. Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery, and parenting. DK's extensive children's list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers, and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the bestselling LEGO(R) books. DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot's Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher, Rough Guides.

Edition details

• Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0756633931
• ISBN 13: 9780756633936
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 352