The Book of Symbols

Through pictures and text this book traces the forgotten meanings of earth and its gifts as represented in popular culture. Dealing with the occult and with traditional sciences, it explains, for example, why a stone symbolized the celestial origin of life to the ancients, and why the heart of man was a symbol of eternity to the Egyptian while only an emblem of salvation to the Christians Church centuries later. Chapters on animals and birds - such as the lion, bear, raven and scorpion - detail how some were worshiped for their shape, movement, and color while others were condemned as evil and cunning. There are also sections devoted to artifacts (the bell, the crown, the anchor, the arrow), trees and plants.