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The Illustrated Signs & Symbols Sourcebook
THE SIGNS & SYMBOLS SOURCEBOOK is an Ato Z treasure trove of facts, stories, and hidden meanings of symbols from cultures around the world. Where does each symbol come from and what does it mean? Learn about Native American hunting symbols, secret alphabets, and coded message. Find out the true meanings of Indian murdras, the Masonic compass, the Eye of Horus, the Caduceus, and hundreds of other ancient signs. Loaded with over a thousand lush images, this comprehensive sourcebook has everthing you need to unlock the secrets of the symboles of our world.
543 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
65 people are currently reading
1317 people want to read
About the author
Adele Nozedar
25 books34 followersAdele Nozedar has enjoyed a varied career, spanning TV presentation, being in a cult indie band, running highly-successful record labels (both independent and major) and a PR company, exhibiting her photography, writing soundtracks, and being owner/manager of a remote residential recording studio.
But the thread which underscores all these facets is an interest in matters occult and arcane; this might be as a result of having self-professed ‘wise women’ on both sides of the family.
Adele’s particular awakening to the language of birds, and their healing powers, came during her recovery from an operation, when a small hawk called a merlin appeared, which surprisingly allowed itself to be handled; although the bird disappeared after her recovery, it reappears from time to time. It was this incident which sparked a sudden realisation that birds can be the conduits to a ‘higher’ form of communication, a window to a world without words, particularly appropriate since she was deaf until the age of 7 and believes that this phase of her life has had a profound effect upon the rest of it.
Adele belongs to the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and is a healer and colour therapist. She is the author of the Illustrated Signs & Symbols Sourcebook.
But the thread which underscores all these facets is an interest in matters occult and arcane; this might be as a result of having self-professed ‘wise women’ on both sides of the family.
Adele’s particular awakening to the language of birds, and their healing powers, came during her recovery from an operation, when a small hawk called a merlin appeared, which surprisingly allowed itself to be handled; although the bird disappeared after her recovery, it reappears from time to time. It was this incident which sparked a sudden realisation that birds can be the conduits to a ‘higher’ form of communication, a window to a world without words, particularly appropriate since she was deaf until the age of 7 and believes that this phase of her life has had a profound effect upon the rest of it.
Adele belongs to the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and is a healer and colour therapist. She is the author of the Illustrated Signs & Symbols Sourcebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 12, 2015
This is a very pretty book, and as long as the author just discusses symbology, it seems pretty decent. So why the low rating? Because it is so packed full is misinformation and mystical rubbish. I gave up making notes of everything that was wrong, because I was filling up my paper too quickly. Some of the most egregious are the medical claims. For example on page 185 she claims "Homeopathy relies on the power of water to be able to dilute and yet strengthen the essence of the remedy" - This is of course complete bullshit. Homeopathy has been tested repeatedly. It does not work, there is no essence, and nothing to strengthen. Other "alternative" medicine claims accepted uncritically include cancer fighting properties of mistletoe (pg 304) and copper bracelets aid pain relief (pg 345), and this isn't a book about alt med. This shit is dropped like stinking turds in the middle of what could otherwise be a useful reference book.
page 191: She claims that squaring the circle is a fundamental part of secular geometry, which is not really correct at all. In fact it has been proven to be mathematically impossible, because pi is a transcendental number, which has nothing to do with flighty new-age notions of transcendence.
page 210: Apparently accepts the actual existence of fairies, pixies, elves and spirits as really existing in twilight.
page 214: Claims that there are enough sightings of Sasquatch and big cats to satisfy all but "the most hardened realists", simultaneously equating a mythical creature for which we have no verifiable physical evidence, with a class of creatures for which we have incontrovertible evidence, and subtly implying that anecdotal evidence is all we need to accept the reality of something.
Rant to be continued...
page 191: She claims that squaring the circle is a fundamental part of secular geometry, which is not really correct at all. In fact it has been proven to be mathematically impossible, because pi is a transcendental number, which has nothing to do with flighty new-age notions of transcendence.
page 210: Apparently accepts the actual existence of fairies, pixies, elves and spirits as really existing in twilight.
page 214: Claims that there are enough sightings of Sasquatch and big cats to satisfy all but "the most hardened realists", simultaneously equating a mythical creature for which we have no verifiable physical evidence, with a class of creatures for which we have incontrovertible evidence, and subtly implying that anecdotal evidence is all we need to accept the reality of something.
Rant to be continued...
February 4, 2015
Good resource book on signs and symbols with useful illustrations. I Will definitely be referring to this regularly. The book does come from a perspective of openness to the meanings of signs and symbols which I think is helpful in understanding how they have retained their meanings or evolved in various ways.
November 3, 2019
I just bought the book yesterday at Barnes & Noble. It's full of fascinating information, and I think I will like it and reference if frequently.
I have one major complaint, however: the typography is horrific. It seems that there was no proofreading before printing. Word spacing is very haphazard, there are end of line hyphens in the middle of the line. It takes some of the joy out of reading the text.
I have one major complaint, however: the typography is horrific. It seems that there was no proofreading before printing. Word spacing is very haphazard, there are end of line hyphens in the middle of the line. It takes some of the joy out of reading the text.
November 8, 2019
I bought this after a quick glance, and was a little disappointed as I tucked into it. What I hoped for was something well-written and academically backed, and that would help spark creative ideas or inform me about literary symbolism. On closer examination it doesn't totally meet that criteria.
Firstly, as another commenter pointed out, there's some typographical errors that distract from the content. In addition, the writing styles is all over the place, sometimes curt and encyclopedic, other times proclaiming the power of symbols with child-like whimsy.
More importantly, there is essentially zero academic value presented here. There are no citations besides image credits. There's anecdotal information that sounds completely unprofessional.
Like I happened to have the page open on "scorpions" just now, and here's how it opens:
"Because the scorpion is so dangerous - it has enough venom to kill a man - in the countries where it lives its name is often not mentioned in case the scorpion is somehow 'evoked'."
What the absolute hell. This is the kind of thing you have to just ignore while you read this book. I'm going to break down why this sentence makes zero sense.
1. The Scorpion is actually 1500 species, 30 of which CAN prove fatal, and these instances are rare. So that's literally something this guy made up.
2. The simplistic phrasing honestly, to me, sounds like they're writing to children, which I guess maybe they are, but it doesn't work for adult audiences.
3. This cracker probably thinks there's like five countries with scorpions. I know this guy thinks there's like exactly Five Desert Countries out there where the monolithic native cultures don't DARE utter the name of the scorpion lest they invoke it's terrible wrath.
4. This book discusses religion and belief systems a LOT, and unlike academic texts on the topic has a weak conceptual framework and vocabulary for describing religion itself. This passage proves that. They say that people don't utter the name of the scorpion unless they "somehow 'evoke'" it, with their choice of putting "evoke" in quotes. It's as if the concept of evoking a name or image to cause that thing to appear is at once a silly and a novel idea (and a concept specific to scorpion-fearing countries), while in actuality this is THE principle behind basically ALL magic in EVERY culture. Isn't this book about magic symbols? Shouldn't you have a section on how different cultures perceive magic and invocations, and about cause and effect and related fallacies? No, that would belong in a more educational book.
Most of the entries aren't as ridiculous as the scorpion's, of course. They typically do include a lot of (hopefully true) facts which I had never heard. If it's stuff I do know, I just glaze past it.
The overall tone is one of non-committal, mainstream mysticism, which reveals that the author believes in magic and the importance of magic without them expressly stating that fact, and I think I would find more entertainment value if they doubled down and went into detail on their recommended applications of these magic runes and herbs. That would be funny.
The author's preconceived notions of magic also hinder the facts here and there. Literally every symbol which involves a circle, no matter what the culture, the author will ascribe the aspects of eternity and wholeness. Now, the cauldron with its circular rim might have been written about as possessing those properties, but I'm also inclined to believe the author didn't have much to say about cauldrons and tacked on the circle symbolism from they're own gut feeling.
A more heinous inaccuracy brought about by mystic supposition arises at every mention of the sun and moon, where the author insists that the sun is masculine and the moon is feminine regardless of the culture containing the given sun/moon symbol. If the claim is, in fact, that this is universally how the celestial bodies are perceived, then the author is wrong (there are loads of cultures where the genders are swapped). But I think, because they believe in magic, that when they say that the moon has feminine energy, they are speaking literally about moon spells and not about any actual cultural beliefs. Taken this way, it's not even a false anthropological assessment, it's religious gospel.
In the end I learned things (I think) by reading this. And a lot of energy and time went into this book - this guy really loves symbols. I can't give it more or less than two stars. It's alright.
Firstly, as another commenter pointed out, there's some typographical errors that distract from the content. In addition, the writing styles is all over the place, sometimes curt and encyclopedic, other times proclaiming the power of symbols with child-like whimsy.
More importantly, there is essentially zero academic value presented here. There are no citations besides image credits. There's anecdotal information that sounds completely unprofessional.
Like I happened to have the page open on "scorpions" just now, and here's how it opens:
"Because the scorpion is so dangerous - it has enough venom to kill a man - in the countries where it lives its name is often not mentioned in case the scorpion is somehow 'evoked'."
What the absolute hell. This is the kind of thing you have to just ignore while you read this book. I'm going to break down why this sentence makes zero sense.
1. The Scorpion is actually 1500 species, 30 of which CAN prove fatal, and these instances are rare. So that's literally something this guy made up.
2. The simplistic phrasing honestly, to me, sounds like they're writing to children, which I guess maybe they are, but it doesn't work for adult audiences.
3. This cracker probably thinks there's like five countries with scorpions. I know this guy thinks there's like exactly Five Desert Countries out there where the monolithic native cultures don't DARE utter the name of the scorpion lest they invoke it's terrible wrath.
4. This book discusses religion and belief systems a LOT, and unlike academic texts on the topic has a weak conceptual framework and vocabulary for describing religion itself. This passage proves that. They say that people don't utter the name of the scorpion unless they "somehow 'evoke'" it, with their choice of putting "evoke" in quotes. It's as if the concept of evoking a name or image to cause that thing to appear is at once a silly and a novel idea (and a concept specific to scorpion-fearing countries), while in actuality this is THE principle behind basically ALL magic in EVERY culture. Isn't this book about magic symbols? Shouldn't you have a section on how different cultures perceive magic and invocations, and about cause and effect and related fallacies? No, that would belong in a more educational book.
Most of the entries aren't as ridiculous as the scorpion's, of course. They typically do include a lot of (hopefully true) facts which I had never heard. If it's stuff I do know, I just glaze past it.
The overall tone is one of non-committal, mainstream mysticism, which reveals that the author believes in magic and the importance of magic without them expressly stating that fact, and I think I would find more entertainment value if they doubled down and went into detail on their recommended applications of these magic runes and herbs. That would be funny.
The author's preconceived notions of magic also hinder the facts here and there. Literally every symbol which involves a circle, no matter what the culture, the author will ascribe the aspects of eternity and wholeness. Now, the cauldron with its circular rim might have been written about as possessing those properties, but I'm also inclined to believe the author didn't have much to say about cauldrons and tacked on the circle symbolism from they're own gut feeling.
A more heinous inaccuracy brought about by mystic supposition arises at every mention of the sun and moon, where the author insists that the sun is masculine and the moon is feminine regardless of the culture containing the given sun/moon symbol. If the claim is, in fact, that this is universally how the celestial bodies are perceived, then the author is wrong (there are loads of cultures where the genders are swapped). But I think, because they believe in magic, that when they say that the moon has feminine energy, they are speaking literally about moon spells and not about any actual cultural beliefs. Taken this way, it's not even a false anthropological assessment, it's religious gospel.
In the end I learned things (I think) by reading this. And a lot of energy and time went into this book - this guy really loves symbols. I can't give it more or less than two stars. It's alright.
December 3, 2016
This is a good light overview of signs and symbols.
If you are looking for something to give you ideas and then help direct where you might want to dig further, then you might want to consider this one.
If you are looking for something to give you ideas and then help direct where you might want to dig further, then you might want to consider this one.
February 15, 2017
A very useful guide that looked at the various symbols with a non biased or discriminatory outlook.
April 6, 2021
I only read a small portion of this before giving up because of the dubious information. I think this book might serve as an interesting jumping-off point, and the collection of such a wide variety of symbols may be helpful for identification (assuming the names are at least accurate), but I can't help but think some of the information on meaning is inaccurate or at the least skewed by modern interpretation. I don't have a problem with re-interpreting symbols, but one ought to draw the line between what it meant before, and what it means now, and also in what culture a symbol holds that meaning. The lack of references makes me suspicious and I don't feel the author is enough of an authority on the history of such a wide variety of symbols to get away without them. Proceed with caution if you are looking for an accurate historical reference.
July 17, 2024
I just can't rave enough about the exquisite comprehensiveness of this stellar book and forever guide in my life. From the gorgeous illustrations, to every possible thing you could think of in the realm of symbology, from numbers, to shapes, animals, plants, your own body, colors, mythology etc...this book has it all, explains it all, dives to the depths with it all...its just an amazingly thorough masterpiece work, and I thank the brilliant author for this. Literally my forever guide that I'll constantly revisit and come back to should I notice anything I come upon on daily basis that has meaning that this book brings to life; this book is now my compass 🧭
June 8, 2018
This has taken my knowledge of obscure things no one else cares about up to 11. 10/10 would heavily highlight again.
January 4, 2019
Great source for research. Colorful drawings and interesting information.
January 12, 2020
Cool reference book. In my opinion, it isn’t completely accurate.
March 16, 2020
Filled with false information and contains no sources except for the images, which are cited at the end of the book. Do not recommend this book at all. The cover is nice, I guess.
August 23, 2020
I like it
December 19, 2020
An excellent book. It was informative and I really enjoyed it.
January 24, 2022
Perfect reference book for all kinds of signs, symbols, and designs from many cultures across the globe. I am so glad I found this gem and will be referencing it for years to come!
August 20, 2025
I binge-read this last Saturday. It was a whole day deep dive. 🤓 Very interesting if you are into history and like to ask questions.
December 1, 2013
This is a wonderfully fascinating reference book for signs and symbols! A person can get lost in this book for hours at a time!
An A to Z compendium of very descriptive notes on all manner of signs, symbols and shapes.
This is a very well compiled serious work with detailed descriptions and beautiful graphics to represent each entry.
This book would be an asset to anyone's library or bookshelf as a ready reference guide, while at the same time being a fascinating book for even the casual reader to peruse at random....and, as it is so beautifully presented it would be just as much at home on a coffee table.
This is not a book you read and be finished with, rather it is a book to refer to again and again.
I love this book...Highly recommend 5*s
August 5, 2013
Very Interesting. I am interested in the Mandala. I have found after looking through this book, that most symbols used by most civilizations are based on the circle. The swastika, is actually a peace symbol used by many cultures. Hitler reversed the symbol and created probably the primary symbol of evil of our world. Interestingly, the Neo Nazis, tried to do the same with a Native American Symbol for peace. When this group flipped the peaceful symbol upside- down, it actually became the Native American Symbol for ELK. Not really so scary. This book is very unifying. All humans are connected. This book is proof, to me!
August 14, 2011
Sitting down and reading this book cover to cover is very tempting but obviously not necessary. Aptly titled, this tome is rife with symbols and signs that span time and creation, various cultures and traditions covered in this book. It's broken down into various sections and even has some instructions on how to make or use some of the signs. Virtually every symbol listed in the book is illustrated in some fashion and there is an index in the back which is a boon. In addition to the extensive catalog, it was very reasonably priced.
March 16, 2016
This is the most spectacular collection of ancient cultural, religious, and tribal symbols and language I have ever seen. A great resource and a fascination to read. There is so much history instilled in the signs and symbols. This book is listed as a paperback. The cover is actually much more study than your average paperback book. Seems to hold up well under repeated use. Definitely a must for anyone interested in understanding the basic concepts of symbology.
April 26, 2011
NOTHING SLAVIC HERE. This is a constant irritation. Slavic cultures do not view the world the same as Western/Northern European or Asian or Mediterranean do in all things, and just once it'd be nice if their symbols were included in such a "sourcebook". Otherwise, tho', it's a good reference for some of the things we see every day but don't always *see*.
July 5, 2013
I read this book over some time, and found it very enjoyable. If you sit down and read every single word in this book, I suspect it will become boring. There is much to learn about all different kinds of ideas and beliefs. The book works particularly well with a visual memory, because I can recognise the symbols and recall the information.
November 28, 2015
I've had this book for a while and found it endlessly helpful for a variety of things. It's colourful,divided into sections and provides lots of information on hundreds of symbols across hundreds of cultures.
It's not something you're going to sit down and read cover to cover, but certainly something you'll pull from the shelf often. Who knew there was so much to learn about circles?
It's not something you're going to sit down and read cover to cover, but certainly something you'll pull from the shelf often. Who knew there was so much to learn about circles?
January 9, 2011
Not a book a read cover to cover but one that is just a great sourcebook and well worth owning. Great illustrations
March 14, 2011
FANTASTIC book on symbols and thier origins Ill use this book alot. Bought it for my son Kevin but liked it so much I bought it for my libuary as well. Very very fun
February 1, 2014
I haven't REALLY finished this book but I've read most of it. It's a great reference for people into occult, metaphysics, spirituality, etc.
September 9, 2012
GREAT book.
I learned so much from this.
It is basically an encyclopedia but it's just so fascinating I found it extremely easy to just pick it up and read it like a normal book.
I learned so much from this.
It is basically an encyclopedia but it's just so fascinating I found it extremely easy to just pick it up and read it like a normal book.
October 8, 2012
This is by far the best accidental investment I made. Thank you Barnes & Noble bargain bin. I'm always looking to it for reference or a good starting point for research. Definitely worth the money.
December 18, 2012
Spectacular to use for references in my stories, I've used it well for means of symbolism and identification for many characters of mine :)
December 28, 2012
I use this all the time!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews