Dictionary of Symbolism: Cultural Icons And the Meanings Behind Them

Biedermann, Hans

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452011183 ISBN 13: 9780452011182

Publisher: Penguin, 1994

This encyclopedic guide explores the rich and varied meanings of more than 2,000 symbols--from amethyst to Zodiac.

About the Author:

Hans Biedermann (1930-1990) was born in Vienna, where he studied natural sciences and philosophy. Biedermann was a professor at the University of Graz in Austria. He was the author of Dictionary of Symbolism: Cultural Icons and the Meanings Behind Them, which Library Journal noted as being "valuable for its elucidation of both the esoteric and commonplace."

James Hulbert is a translator of German to English texts. His specialties include linguistics, philosophy, and social science. He earned a PhD in comparative literature from Yale University. He has published translations including Hans Biedermann's Dictionary of Symbolism, Wolfgang Lindig's Navajo: Tradition and Change in the Southwest, and Jacques Derrida's Parages.

Synopsis:

Explains the meanings for more than two thousand symbols from mythology, fair tales, religion, literature, history, and archaeology.