An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols

This is the sort of book which the internet has largely made redundant. In itself, it was quite an achievement as a single volume reference text covering a wide range of civilisations on many continents, albeit without much contextualisation.

It is a 'ready reckoner'. It stays on the library shelf to allow a quick check of possible meanings of symbols in probable contexts before going on to explore matters through far more useful online resources. If you have it, keep it but you probably don't need it if you do not.

This is the only "dream" reference book I have ever found useful because you can discover the diiferences between say Celtic, Christian, Judaic. Buddhist meanings and allow your unconscious to pick up on these. Also some facinating, if small, illustraions. A reference must.

In nearly 1500 entries, many of them strikingly and often surprisingly illustrated, J. C. Cooper has documented the history and evolution of symbols from prehistory to our own day.

With over 200 illustrations and lively, informative and often ironic texts, she discusses and explains an enormous variety of symbols extending from the Arctic to Dahomey, from the Iroquois to Oceana, and coming from systems as diverse as Tao, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Tantra, the cult of Cybele and the Great Goddess, the Pre-Columbian religions of the Western Hemisphere and the Voodoo cults of Brazil and West Africa.
Source: Publisher: 1987 eBook edition

With a glossary, extensive bibliography and 210 illustrations, some small, it covers many cultures, religions and esoteric doctrines with a fine impartiality.

badly fire damages