Symbols are the most international and timeless language. We see them every day and roughly know what they mean. However, during the course of their thousand-year history, symbols could change their meaning to the opposite.
Yin-yang
Appearance time: According to the famous Russian orientalist, Doctor of Historical Sciences Alexei Maslov, yin-yang symbolism may have been borrowed by Taoists from Buddhists in I-III centuries: “they were attracted by Buddhist hand-drawn symbolism - and Taoism developed its own “mandala”: the famous black and white “fish” of yin and yang.”
Where was it used?: The concept of Yin-Yang is key to Taoism and Confucianism, the doctrine of Yin-Yang is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine.
Values: In the Book of Changes, yang and yin served to express light and dark, hard and soft. As Chinese philosophy developed, yang and yin increasingly symbolized the interaction of extreme opposites: light and dark, day and night, sun and moon, sky and earth, heat and cold, positive and negative, even and odd, and so on.
Initially, “yin” meant “northern, shadowy”, and “yang” meant “southern, sunny slope of the mountain.” Later, “yin” was perceived as negative, cold, dark and feminine, and “yang” as positive, light, warm and masculine.
Being the basic (fundamental) model of all things, the concept of yin-yang reveals two provisions that explain the nature of Tao. First of all, everything is constantly changing. Secondly, opposites complement each other (there cannot be black without white, and vice versa). Purpose human existence, therefore, is the balance and harmony of opposites. There can be no “final victory”, because nothing is final, there is no end as such
Magen David
Appearance time: It is reliably known that the hexagram was widely used back in the Bronze Age (late 4th - early 3rd millennium BC) over a vast territory: from India to the Middle East.
Where was it used?: IN Ancient India the hexagram was called Anahata or Anahata chakra. The six-pointed star was known in the ancient Near and Middle East. In the Islamic tradition, in Mecca, the main Muslim shrine - the Kaaba - is traditionally covered with a silk blanket on which hexagonal stars are depicted.
The six-pointed star began to be associated with Jewry only in the Middle Ages, and in medieval Arabic books the hexagram is found much more often than in Jewish mystical works, and for the first time images of the hexagram appear in Jewish holy books precisely in Muslim countries, only reaching Germany in the 13th century. The six-pointed star is found on the flags of the Muslim states of Karaman and Kandara.
There is an assumption that the hexagram was the family symbol of the family of David al-Roi, who lived in Iran, one of the contenders for the role of Moshiach. This is sometimes used to explain the origin of the accepted name for the hexagram: Magen David, or “shield of David.”
The Rothschild family, having received the title of nobility, included Magen David in their family coat of arms. Heinrich Heine put a hexagram instead of a signature under his newspaper articles. It was subsequently adopted as a symbol of the Zionist movement.
Values: In India, the Anahata hexagram symbolized the attic chakra, the intersection of the masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) principles. In the Middle and Near East, the hexagram was a symbol of the goddess Astarte. The six-pointed star is included in the symbolism of Kabbalah: two triangles superimposed on each other are considered as a visual symbol of the sefirot.
In the twenties of the twentieth century, Franz Rosenzweig interpreted the Magen David as a symbolic expression of his philosophical ideas about the meaning of Judaism and the relationship between G-d, man and the universe.
The connection of the six-pointed star with the Jews was finally established as a result of Nazi policies in Germany. The yellow Magen David became a symbol of the Holocaust.
Caduceus
Appearance time: The exact time of appearance of the caduceus is unknown. Obviously this is very ancient symbol. It is also found on the monuments of Ancient India and Ancient Egypt, Phenicia and Sumer, Ancient Greece, Iran, Rome and even Mesoamerica.
Where was it used?: The caduceus is still one of the most common symbols in heraldry. In the form of a caduceus there was a staff of heralds among the Greeks and Romans (the rod of Hermes). When they were sent to an enemy camp, the caduceus was a guarantee of their immunity.
In occultism, the caduceus is considered a symbol of the key that opens the limit between darkness and light, good and evil, life and death.
Since the 19th century, the image of the caduceus has often been used in a number of countries (for example, in the USA) as a symbol of medicine, which is the result of a common mistake due to its resemblance to the staff of Asclepius.
The image of the caduceus as an attribute of the god of trade is traditionally used in the symbolism of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of a number of countries around the world, including Russia.
Before the revolution and for several periods after it, crossed caduceus were used as a customs emblem.
Today, the caduceus crossed with a torch is part of the emblem of the Federal Customs Service and is one of heraldic symbols arbitration courts, the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation and the State Tax Service of Ukraine. Since September 2007, the caduceus has been used in the emblem of the Russian Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund.
In heraldry, the caduceus was used in the historical coats of arms of the following cities of the Russian Empire: Balta, Verkhneudinsk, Yeniseisk, Irbit, Nezhin, Taganrog, Telshev, Tiflis, Ulan-Ude, Feodosia, Kharkov, Berdichev, Talny.
Meaning: The core of the caduceus is symbolically associated with the tree of life, the axis of the world, and the snake - with the cyclical rebirth of Nature, with the restoration of the universal Order when it is violated.
Snakes on the caduceus indicate the hidden dynamics in what is outwardly stable, symbolize two multidirectional flows (up and down), the connection of heaven and earth, God and man (the wings on the caduceus also indicate the connection of heaven and earth, spiritual and material) - everything that is born on earth comes from heaven and, after going through the path of trials and suffering, gaining life experience, must rise to heaven.
It is said about Mercury that with his staff - which has since been considered a symbol of peace and harmony - he separated two fighting snakes. Fighting snakes are disorder, chaos, they need to be separated, that is, distinguished, see opposites and unite, overcome them. Then, having united, they will balance the Axis of the World, and around it, Cosmos and harmony will be created from Chaos. The truth is one, and to come to it, you need to follow a straight path, which is symbolized by the axis of the caduceus.
The Caduceus in the Vedic tradition is also interpreted as a symbol of the Serpent Fire, or Kundalini. Wrapping around the central axis, the snakes connect at seven points and are connected to the chakras. Kundalini, the Snake Fire, sleeps in the base chakra, and when it wakes up as a result of evolution, it ascends along the spine along three paths: the central one, Shusumna, and two lateral ones, which form two intersecting spirals - Pingala (this is the right, male and active spiral) and Ide (left, feminine and passive).
Chrism
Appearance time: It is not known for certain, but researchers suggest that even during the life of the apostles, that is, in the 1st century. This symbol has been found in Christian tombs since the 3rd century AD.
Where was it used?: The most famous use of the symbol is on the labarum, the state banner of imperial Rome. The symbol was first introduced by Emperor Constantine the Great after he saw the sign of the cross in the sky on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312).
The labarum of Constantine had a chrism at the end of the shaft, and on the panel itself there was an inscription: lat. “Hoc vince” (slav. “With this win”, lit. “With this win”). The first mention of labarum is found in Lactantius (d. c. 320).
Values: Chrisma is a monogram of the name of Christ, which consists of two initial Greek letters of the name (Greek ΧΡΙΣΤΌΣ) - Χ (chi) and Ρ (rho), crossed with each other. The Greek letters α and ω are often placed along the edges of the monogram. They go back to the text of the Apocalypse: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
A number of later researchers discerned in the letters P and X, enclosed in a circle, an ancient pagan symbol of the Sun. For this reason, Protestants generally do not recognize the labarum as an original Christian symbol.
Appearance time: The symbol itself appeared during the formation of the Devanagari syllabic alphabet (“divine city letter”), that is, in the 8th-12th centuries.
Where was it used?: “Om” as a symbol denoting the sacred sound “Om” is used in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and yogic practices. Currently, “Om” has already become a part of pop culture; it is applied as a print on clothes and tattooed. "Om" is depicted on George Harrison's albums, the mantra "Om" is heard in the chorus of the composition The group Beatles "Across the Universe" and on the soundtrack to the film "The Matrix" in the composition Juno Reactor "Navras"
Values: In the Hindu and Vedic traditions, “Om” is a sacred sound, the primordial mantra, “word of power.” Often interpreted as a symbol of the divine triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
In Hinduism, “Om” symbolizes the three sacred texts of the Vedas: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Samaveda, and is itself an originally sacred mantra, symbolizing Brahman. Its three components (A, U, M) traditionally symbolize Creation, Maintenance and Destruction - categories of the cosmogony of the Vedas and Hinduism.
In Buddhism, the three sounds of the word "Om" can represent the Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddha, the Three Bodies of the Buddha (Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya) and the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). However, Buddhologist Evgeny Torchinov noted that the syllable “Om” and similar syllables (“hum”, “ah”, “hri”, “e-ma-ho”) “do not have any dictionary meaning” and pointed out that these syllables, unlike from other syllables of mantras represent “sacred untranslatability” in the Mahayana tradition.
Ichthys
Time and place of origin: Images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ (from the Greek Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior) or the fish symbolizing it first appear in the Roman catacombs in the 2nd century. The widespread use of this symbol is evidenced by the mention of it by Tertullian at the beginning of the 3rd century: “We are small fish, led by our ikhthus, we are born in water and can only be saved by being in water.”
Where was it used?: The acronym Ichthys was used by the first Christians because images of Christ were unacceptable due to persecution.
Values: The symbolism of fish was associated in the New Testament with the preaching of the apostles, some of whom were fishermen. Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew called his disciples “fishers of men,” and likened the Kingdom of Heaven to “a net thrown into the sea and capturing fish of all kinds.” Ichthys was also associated with Alpha from the words of Jesus Christ: “I Am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
At the end of the 20th century, ichthys became a popular symbol among Protestants in different countries oh, and opponents of creationism began to parody this sign by sticking a fish sign with the word “Darwin” and small legs on their cars.
Cup of Hygeia
Time and place of origin: Ancient Greece. III-I millennium BC
Where was it used?: Hygeia in Greek mythology was the goddess of health, daughter or wife of the god of healing Asclepius. The word “hygiene” comes from her name. She was often depicted as a young woman feeding a snake from a vial. The snake was also a symbol of the goddess Athena in Greek mythology, who was often depicted as Hygeia and vice versa.
Values: In Ancient Greece, Hygeia personified the principle of a just war for health as light and harmony on all planes. And if Asclepius began to act when order was disrupted, then Hygieia maintained the order-law that reigned initially.
The snake in ancient traditions symbolized death and immortality, good and evil. They were personified by her forked tongue, the poisonousness of her bites, along with the healing effect of the poison, and the ability to hypnotize small animals and birds.
The snake was depicted on the first aid kit of a Roman military doctor. In the Middle Ages, the combination of images of a snake and a bowl on the emblem was used by pharmacists in the Italian city of Padua, and only later this private pharmaceutical symbol turned into a generally accepted medical sign.
The bowl with the snake is still considered a symbol of medicine and pharmacy in our time. However, in the history of medicine in different countries, a snake entwined around a staff was more often considered the emblem of healing. This image was adopted by the WHO at the UN at the First World Assembly in Geneva in 1948. Then the international health emblem was approved, in the center of which a staff entwined with a snake is placed.
Wind rose
Date of origin: The first mention was in 1300 AD, but scientists are sure that the symbol is older.
Where was it used?: Initially, the compass rose was used by sailors of the Northern Hemisphere.
Meaning: The wind rose is a vector symbol invented in the Middle Ages to help sailors. The compass rose or compass rose also symbolizes the four cardinal directions along with the intermediate directions. Thus, she shares the symbolic meaning of the circle, center, cross and rays of the solar wheel. In the 18th – 20th centuries, sailors got tattoos depicting a wind rose as a talisman. They believed that such a talisman would help them return home. Nowadays, the wind rose is perceived as a symbol of a guiding star.
8 spoke wheel
Date of origin: around 2000 BC
Where was it used?: Egypt, Middle East, Asia.
Meaning: The wheel is a symbol of the sun, a symbol of cosmic energy. In almost all pagan cults, the wheel was an attribute of the solar gods; it symbolized the life cycle, constant rebirth and renewal.
In modern Hinduism, the wheel signifies infinite perfect completion. In Buddhism, the wheel symbolizes the eightfold path of salvation, space, the wheel of samsara, the symmetry and perfection of dharma, the dynamics of peaceful change, time and fate.
There is also the concept of “wheel of fortune,” which means a series of ups and downs and the unpredictability of fate. In Germany in the Middle Ages, a wheel with 8 spokes was associated with Achtwen, a magical rune spell. In the time of Dante, the Wheel of Fortune was depicted with 8 spokes of the opposite sides of human life, periodically repeating: poverty-wealth, war-peace, obscurity-glory, patience-passion. The Wheel of Fortune is included in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, often along with the ascending and falling figures, like the wheel described by Boethius. The Wheel of Fortune Tarot card continues to depict these figures.
Ouroboros
Date of origin: The first images of the ouroboros date back to 4200 BC, but historians believe that the symbol itself arose much earlier.
Where was it used?: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Mesoamerica, Scandinavia, India, China.
Meaning: Ouroboros is a snake devouring its own tail, a symbol of eternity and infinity, as well as the cyclical nature of life, the alternation of life and death. This is exactly how ouroboros was perceived in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.
In Christianity, the symbol changed its meaning, since in the Old Testament the snake symbolized evil. Thus, the ancient Jews established an equal sign between the ouroboros and the serpent from the Bible. In Gnosticism, the ouroboros represents both good and evil.
Hammer and sickle
Date of origin: in state heraldry - 1918.
Where was it used?: USSR and various communist parties of the world
Meaning: The hammer has been a craft emblem since the Middle Ages. In the second half of the 19th century, the hammer became a symbol of the European proletariat. In Russian heraldry, the sickle meant harvest and harvest, and was often used in the coats of arms of various cities. But since 1918, these two signs have been combined into one, acquiring new meaning. The hammer and sickle became a symbol of the ruling working class, the union of workers and peasants.
The moment of creation of the symbol was described as follows by Sergei Gerasimov, the author of the famous painting “Mother of the Partisan”: “Evgeny Kamzolkin, standing next to me, thought about it, said: “What if we try such symbolism?” - At the same time, he began to walk on the canvas. - Draw a sickle like this - it will be the peasantry, and inside the hammer - it will be the working class.
The hammer and sickle was sent from Zamoskvorechye to the Mossovet on the same day, and there they rejected all other sketches: a hammer with an anvil, a plow with a sword, a scythe with a wrench. This symbol was then moved to state emblem Soviet Union, and the artist’s name was forgotten for many years. They remembered him only in the post-war period. Evgeny Kamzolkin lived a quiet life in Pushkino and did not claim royalties for such a highly-rated symbol.
Lily
Date of origin: The lily has been used in heraldry since 496 AD.
Where was it used?: European countries, especially France.
Meaning: According to legend, the king of the Franks, Clovis, was given a golden lily by an angel after he converted to Christianity. But lilies became an object of veneration much earlier. The Egyptians considered them a symbol of purity and innocence. In Germany they believed that the lily symbolized the afterlife and atonement for sins. In Europe, before the Renaissance, the lily was a sign of mercy, justice and compassion. It was considered a royal flower. Today the lily is an established sign in heraldry.
Recent research has shown that the fleur-de-lis, in its classic form, is actually a stylized image of the iris.
Crescent
Date of origin: approximately 3500 BC
Where was it used?: The crescent moon was an attribute of almost all lunar deities. It was widespread in Egypt, Greece, Sumer, India, and Byzantium. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Muslims, the crescent became strongly associated with Islam.
Meaning: In many religions, the crescent moon symbolizes constant rebirth and immortality. Christians revered the crescent moon as a sign of the Virgin Mary, and in Western Asia they believed that the crescent moon was a sign of cosmic forces. In Hinduism, the crescent moon was considered a symbol of control over the mind, and in Islam - divine protection, growth and rebirth. A crescent moon with a star meant heaven.
Double headed eagle
Date of origin: 4000-3000 BC
Where was it used?: Sumer, Hittite kingdom, Eurasia.
Meaning: In Sumer, the double-headed eagle had religious significance. He was a solar symbol - one of the images of the sun. From about the 13th century BC. e. the double-headed eagle was used as a coat of arms by various countries and principalities. The double-headed eagle was minted on coins of the Golden Horde; in Byzantium it was a symbol of the Palaiologan dynasty, which ruled from 1261 to 1453. Double headed eagle depicted on the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire. To this day, this symbol is the central image of the coats of arms of many countries, including Russia.
Pentacle
Date of origin: The first images date back to 3500 BC.
Where was it used?: Since the ancient Sumerians, almost every civilization has used this sign
Meaning: The five-pointed star is considered a sign of protection. The Babylonians used it as a talisman against thieves, the Jews associated it five-pointed star with five wounds on the body of Christ, and the magicians medieval Europe The pentacle was known as the “seal of King Solomon.” The star is still actively used both in religion and in the symbolism of different countries.
Swastika
Date of origin: The first images date back to 8000 BC.
Where was it used?: In Eastern Europe, Western Siberia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and pre-Columbian America. Extremely rare among Egyptians. Among the ancient monuments of Phenicia, Arabia, Syria, Assyria, Babylon, Sumer, Australia, and Oceania, the swastika was not found.
Meaning: The word “swastika” can be translated from Sanskrit as a greeting and wish for good luck. The swastika, as a symbol, has a great many meanings, but the most ancient of them are movement, life, Sun, light, prosperity.
Due to the fact that the swastika was used in Nazi Germany, this symbol began to be strongly associated with Nazism, despite the original symbol of the sign.
All Seeing Eye
Date of origin: 1510-1515 AD, but in pagan religions a symbol similar to the all-seeing eye appeared much earlier.
Where was it used?: Europe, Asia, Oceania, Ancient Egypt.
Meaning: All Seeing Eye- this is the sign of an all-seeing and all-knowing god who watches over humanity. In Ancient Egypt, an analogue All Seeing Eye was Wadjet (the eye of Horus or the eye of Ra), which symbolized various aspects of the divine structure of the world. The all-seeing eye, inscribed in a triangle, was a symbol of Freemasonry. Freemasons revered the number three as a symbol of the trinity, and the eye located in the center of the triangle symbolized the hidden truth.
Cross
Date of origin: approximately 4000 BC
Where was it used?: Egypt, Babylon, India, Syria, Persia, Egypt, North and South America. After the birth of Christianity, the cross spread throughout the world.
Meaning: In Ancient Egypt, the cross was considered a divine sign and symbolized life. In Assyria, a cross enclosed in a ring was a symbol of the Sun God. Residents of South America believed that the cross drove away evil spirits.
Since the 4th century, Christians adopted the cross, and its meaning has changed somewhat. In the modern world, the cross is associated with death and resurrection, as well as with salvation and eternal life.
Anarchy
The combination “A in a circle” was used back in the 16th century by European alchemists under the influence of Kabbalistic magic as the first letters of the words: “Alpha and Omega,” the beginning and the end.
In the modern tradition, it was first used in the Spanish section of the 1st International as a designation for the famous anarchist J. Proudhon’s catchphrase “Anarchy is the mother of order” in capital letters “l’anarchie” and “l’ordre”.
Pacific
The famous symbol was developed in 1958 in Britain at the height of the movement against nuclear war as a combination of the semaphore symbols "N" and "D" (the first letters of the phrase "nuclear disarmament" - nuclear disarmament). Later it began to be used as a symbol of universal reconciliation and unity of mankind.
Card suits
In the classical (and most modern) French deck, the suit symbols were four signs - hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs, in the form in which they were widely used.
The oldest European deck, the Italian-Spanish one, passed down directly from the Arabs, depicted coins instead of diamonds, a sword instead of a pike, a cup instead of a red heart, and a club instead of a clover.
Suit signs came to their modern form through gradual euphemization. Thus, tambourines designated money as metal rattles (tambourines used to be diamond-shaped), clover was previously an acorn, the shape of a spade resembled leaves, which was reflected in the German deck, and the cup underwent a complex evolution from the image of a rose to a heart. Each suit symbolized the feudal classes: merchants, peasants, knights and clergy, respectively.
16.Anchor
Appearance time: first centuries AD.
Where was it used?: Everyone knows the anchor symbol as a maritime emblem. However, in the first centuries of the new era, the anchor was closely associated with Christianity. For the early Christians, who saw in it the hidden form of a cross, the anchor personified the hope of salvation and caution, safety and strength.
In Christian iconography, the anchor, as an emblem of security, is the main attribute of St. Nicholas of Myra - patron saint of sailors. A different meaning should be attributed to the anchor of the semi-legendary Pope Clement (88?-97?). According to church tradition, during the period of persecution of Christians, the pagans hung an anchor around the pope's neck and drowned him in the sea. However sea waves soon they parted, revealing the temple of God at the bottom. The body of the holy champion of the faith was allegedly discovered in this mythical underwater temple.
Values: There are several meanings for an anchor. The anchor is a sacred object to which sacrifices were made, because it was often the only salvation of sailors. On the coins of Greece, Syria, Carthage, Phenicia and Rome, the anchor was most often depicted as a symbol of hope.
In the art of Ancient Rome, the anchor symbolized the joy of returning home after a long journey. On the graves of the 1st century, the image of an anchor was associated with the image of the church as a ship that carries souls across the stormy sea of life.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, compared hope to a safe and strong anchor. The Greek word "ankura" (anchor) was associated with Latin expression“en kurio,” that is, “in the Lord.”
In Renaissance art, the anchor also signifies an attribute of hope. Particularly popular in Renaissance painting was the allegorical emblem, which depicts a dolphin with an anchor. The dolphin symbolized speed, and the anchor symbolized restraint. At the bottom of the emblem there was an inscription: “hurry slowly”
Olympic rings
Appearance time: The Olympic emblem was first introduced in 1920 at the Eighth Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
Where is it used?: One of the most recognizable symbols in the whole world consists of five rings; the uniqueness of the emblem lies in the simplicity of its execution. The rings are arranged in a W-shape and the colors are arranged in strict order: blue, black, red, yellow and green.
What were the meanings: There are several theories about the origin and interpretation of the Olympic Games emblem. The first and main version says that the Olympic rings symbolically depict the unity of the five continents, which was invented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1913.
Before 1951, it was believed that each color corresponded to a different continent. Europe was designated in blue, Africa in black, America in red, Asia in yellow, and Australia in green, but in 1951 they decided to move away from this distribution of colors in order to move away from racial discrimination.
Another version says that the idea of five different colored rings was taken from Carl Jung. During his fascination with Chinese philosophy, he combined the circle (a symbol of greatness and vital energy) with five colors reflecting the types of energies (water, wood, fire, earth and metal).
In 1912, a psychologist introduced new image Olympic competitions, because in his opinion every participant olympic games must have mastered each of five sports - swimming (water - blue), fencing (fire - red), cross-country running (earth - yellow), equestrianism (wood - green) and shooting (metal - black)
The five rings emblem hides a deep meaning that reveals the essence of the sport. It contains the idea of popularizing the Olympic movement, equality of rights for each participating country, fair treatment of athletes, and healthy competition.
Compass and Square
Appearance time: Henry Wilson Coyle in the Masonic Encyclopedia states that the Compass and Square in an interlaced form appeared on the seal of the Aberdeen Lodge in 1762.
Where is it used?: Using a compass and square, you can draw a circle inscribed in a square, and this is a reference to Euclid's seventh problem, squaring the circle. But don’t assume that the Compass and Square necessarily refer you to math problem, rather, they symbolize man’s desire to achieve harmony between spiritual and physical nature.
Values: In this emblem, the Compass represents the firmament and the Square represents the Earth. The sky is symbolically associated with the place where the Great Builder of the Universe draws his plan, and the Earth is the place where man carries out his work. The Compass combined with the Square is one of the most common symbols of Freemasonry.
If everything is clear with the name, then the origin of the $ icon still remains a mystery. The following version is considered to be the most similar to the truth: the Spanish abbreviation “P"s”, which once denoted the currency of Spain, the peso. The letter P supposedly retained a vertical line, this made it possible to increase the recording speed, and the letter S remained unchanged. There is also a conspiracy theory, according to which two features are the Pillars of Hercules.
Mars and Venus
Appearance time: The famous sign of Mars ♂ and Venus ♀, borrowed from astrology, was introduced into use by the botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1751 to indicate the sex of plants. From now on, these two symbols are called gender symbols.
Where is it used?: The Venus symbol ♀ denotes the feminine principle and is used to denote a woman, the female gender. Accordingly, the symbol of Mars ♂ represents the masculine principle.
What are the meanings: The first symbols of Mars and Venus appeared in antiquity. Female sign Venus is depicted as a circle with a cross pointing downwards. Called the “Mirror of Venus,” this sign symbolizes femininity, beauty and love. Male sign Mars is depicted as a circle with an arrow pointing up and to the right. Mars means the power of the god of war, this symbol is also called the “shield and spear of Mars.” The combined symbols of Venus and Mars mean heterosexuality, love between representatives of different sexes.
MBOU "Nizhneangarskaya secondary secondary school No. 1"
Information project
What is a pictogram?
Completed:
students of grade 5 "b"
Math teacher:
Bochalgina Lyubov Anatolevna
December 2015
I.Introduction………………………………………………………………………………...3
II.Literature review.
What is a pictogram?........................................................ ........................4
What kind of pictograms are there?................................................... ....................5
Pictograms in ancient world……………………………………….… 7
Encrypted letter……………………………………………..…..7
Pictograms in the modern world………………………………….. 11
Pictogram method. Learning poems by heart………………..14
III. Materials and methods of research…………………………………….16
IV. Results of the study…………………………………………………………..16
V. Conclusion……………………………………………………………..17
VI. List of references…………………………………….17
VII. Appendix: our drawings – pictograms………..……………….....18
I . Introduction.
Pictogram –
stylized and easily recognizable
graphic image,
used as a symbol.
Pictograms that constantly surround us help us quickly navigate, make decisions, and perform certain actions. At home we see a variety of icons and symbols located on a gas or electric stove, on the panels of a refrigerator and washing machine, on a telephone and computer, on clothes... Walking along the street - signs for pedestrians and road signs for drivers, store emblems...
Relevance:
We decided to use mathematical figures (triangles, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, circles) to create pictograms in the form of various designs to show that we are surrounded by many things related to mathematics everywhere.
Hypothesis:
We believe that other people will like our pictograms.
Purpose of the work : learn what pictograms are, create pictograms, show that mathematics can be interesting.
Tasks:
Study the history of the appearance of pictograms.
Analyze different pictograms.
Learn the principles of creating pictograms.
Create drawings - pictograms.
Create an album with pictograms, place our drawings in the mathematics classroom and introduce our works to students in other classes.
Research methods:
Resources Internet;
analysis of the obtained data;
creating pictograms.
The project products are:
Drawings - pictograms.
Presentation of work.
II .Literature review.
1.What is a pictogram?
Even before people came up with the alphabet, they made notes or passed messages to each other, which depicted various signs and drawings. Moreover, each drawing had a certain meaning: people “wrote” what they wanted to say, not with letters that they did not yet know, but with signs and drawings. Every line in this message, every dot or circle, pose, and perhaps turn of the animal’s head had a very specific meaning. A drawing of a man running after a boar, for example, could mean an invitation to hunt or a message that there is good hunting somewhere. Which is basically the same thing. A person who received such a message could read it the same way we read letters. These drawings that make up a letter are called pictograms. And entire picture letters are pictographs. In Latin, "pictus" means "painted." Pictograms:
These are the drawings that make up the letter.
These are the emblems of various international congresses, conferences, Olympiads, and images on state flags.
These are drawings in children's magazines that make up entire series dedicated to the adventures of one hero.
2. What kind of pictograms are there?
There are pictograms: informational, medical, Olympic, road signs, emoticons, etc.
Information icons
Sports pictograms 
3.Pictograms in the ancient world
With the development of writing, pictograms do not disappear, their purpose simply changes. However, some tribes for a very long time maintained the tradition of transmitting messages in drawings. Of course, this was largely due to the fact that people were illiterate.
So, in mid-19th century, the President of the United States once received an unusual letter from the leader of one of the Indian tribes. It was a piece of birch bark, on which a crane and various animals were drawn, some lines, stripes were drawn, and other incomprehensible signs were depicted here.
The President instructed officials from his office to decipher this mysterious message. And this is what was written in it.
It turns out that the leader of the crane tribe, as well as the leaders of the marten, bear and sea cat tribes, appeal to the president with a request to allow them to leave their desert places. A thin line drawn from the crane's eyes to three circles meant that the Indians wanted to move to three lakes, around which there were lands more convenient for them. A long strip drawn under the feet of the animals pointed to Lake Superior, next to which the tribes were now located. The lines connecting the crane's brain and heart with the hearts and eyes of the animals showed that the request was supported by all Indian tribes.
We present an example of a pictogram written by ancient people.
Our ancestors - primitive people lived in conditions of a fierce struggle for existence. In an effort to survive, they tried to understand the world around us, giving “names” to objects and phenomena. Consciously and purposefully primitive man mastered the forces of nature. By performing dances, imitating animals and imitating them, he believed that he was ensuring a successful hunt. He used tattoos to frighten his enemies. He believed that jewelry-amulets would become his protection. For example, a necklace made of bear teeth served as proof of his victory over a strong beast.
It took many thousands of years for humanity to learn to record the sounds of its speech, and then create verbal concepts of everything that surrounded it.
Pictograms
on the stone
The man began to record the results of his observations in a drawing. Primitive images are knowledge recorded in contour drawings or figures made of clay, stone, bone.
The need to preserve and transmit the memory of events has become one of the important moments in the history of mankind. The next step, preserving the accumulated knowledge, was pictography - a story in drawings. The peculiarity of this method of transmitting information is that the drawing conveys the entire thought without isolating individual concepts. A pictogram depicts an event or action and can be understood by anyone, no matter what language they speak. It is publicly available.
Pictographic drawings were used for “correspondence” by many ancient peoples. Graphic messages were left in pre-arranged places so that those following would know their location and events in the area. Some tribes kept original historical chronicles, sketching the most important events of each year. Europeans, at the beginning of XX
centuries of travel in Africa, it was striking that all the walls of the huts were decorated with intricate patterns. Residents of the houses constantly updated the drawings, so there were no faded lines or peeling paint anywhere. It turned out that this ornament is an archive family history. Each house has its own ornament, which tells about distant ancestors, about the events of the family living here. And all this is in dashes, dots, broken lines and intricate signs.
American Indians depicted sacred animals in pictograms - the patrons of their tribe. The Wolf, who personified the strength of the spirit, enjoyed great respect. The eagle was considered a protector who, flying high in the sky, warns the traveler of danger. The raven was a symbol of worldly wisdom and knowledge. These animals were often depicted together on shamanic drums.
Shaman's drums northern peoples and American Indians
The most ancient pictographic drawings are the first attempts to preserve human thought for eternity. The Greek word grapho means both writing and drawing. Millennia pass, and two concepts - drawing and writing - begin to develop independently.
5. Pictograms in the modern world
Pictographs were popular in ancient times, but are still used today, but in more specialized areas. Let's take a closer look at what pictograms are and what they are intended for now.These are the emblems of various international congresses, conferences, Olympiads, images on state flags, etc. Remember also the drawings in children's magazines that make up entire series dedicated to the adventures of one hero.
Over time, pictograms have taken root in our lives; we use them without even thinking for a second. With the advent of personal computers, pictograms appeared here too. With their help, the interface of many programs is designed. Beginners experience some difficulties when mastering a PC, so the icons are also equipped with pop-up tips. Over time, computer icons are read automatically, and the user uses them without thinking.
Appearance mobile phones also attracted the use of a number of pictograms dedicated to the use of this means of communication. Even older people can easily master the menu, designed in the form of pictograms. Getting into medical institutions, users see the icon:
A pictogram is a conventional graphic sign.
Road signs
“Drivers! Be careful: children may cross the road here!” This warning can be expressed in different ways.
A poet can write poetry. A poster with such verses can be hung on the street. Only the driver doesn’t have time to read poetry while driving.
An artist can paint a picture: a restless mischief maker runs across the road right in front of the wheels of a large truck. This work of art can decorate a building near a dangerous place. But a complex picture will only distract the driver’s attention.
It is much more convenient to agree that such a fairly expressive, although very simplified, drawing will indicate the place where children may appear on the road. This picture is a pictogram indicating the warning: “Drivers! Be careful: children may cross the road here!”
Pictograms on a computer screen
There are no such number of icons as on a computer screen anywhere! The computer is a tool of modern computer science, a science that you are beginning to study. This means that you definitely need to learn how to navigate computer icons.
Icons for programs and documents are located on the computer desktop. These little sketchy drawings are, of course, pictograms.
One of the programs on the desktop is called Paint. It is difficult for someone who does not know English to understand the purpose of this program by its name. But as soon as you look at the pictogram icon, all doubts immediately disappear: this program helps you create computer drawings.
The purpose of this program is clear even to those who cannot read Russian.
This icon indicates a place where unnecessary documents and programs are placed.
6. Pictogram method.
We learn poems by heart.
For many, memorizing poems turns into a long and difficult task - individual words stubbornly refuse to be spoken, lines are constantly forgotten, and stanzas suddenly change places.
Memorizing poetry is indeed often difficult and long, but if you learn to memorize poetry correctly, you will be able to overcome a work of any complexity in a matter of time!
Here is advice on how to remember a poem so that it is not forgotten in a day, a week, or a month. Get ready to show your imagination, apply a little creativity and... draw!
We use the Pictogram method
What is a pictogram? This letter, which consists of signs and drawings, is perhaps the most ancient look writing, with the help of which people could transmit information to each other.
You may not have noticed, but pictograms are all around us. Signs, arrows, small drawings carry a lot of information - the image of a dumbbell is associated with a gym, a spoon with a fork is associated with a public catering place, etc.
How to remember a poem using pictograms?
It's very simple - you don't actually need to be an artist to do this. So, take a sheet of paper and try to learn poetry easily!
Draw an icon or images for the words or phrases of the poem that would make it clear what the poem is about. Especially
complex words can be drawn in more detail, but often one drawing can replace an entire line.
Use different colors, they will make it easier to memorize and allow you to learn the poem even faster.
If a word defies your artistic imagination, you can write the first few letters of it.
In the process of drawing, you will imperceptibly remember the poem, and at the end of drawing you will only need ten minutes to reproduce it several times from the drawings and remember it perfectly!
Memorizing with the help of pictograms allows you to learn poems easily by attracting imaginative thinking, which, as a rule, allows you to assimilate information several times more effectively compared to simple “cramming”.
Learn poems easily! Get creative with this process!
Any person, no matter what social niche he occupies and no matter what he does in life, is able to name the majority of geometric figures. Mathematics has been around for a long time fundamental science for other disciplines. No wonder the ancient Greeks said that mathematics is the key to other sciences. One way or another, all knowledge developed by humanity is based on it. One has only to look closely and we will see that everything around us consists of mathematical figures.
III . Material and research methodology
Research methods .
Using Internet resources, we collected the necessary information.
By observing and reading information, we analyzed various pictograms.
We studied the principles of creating pictograms.
Mathematical figures were cut out of colored paper and various drawings – pictograms – were made.
We analyzed our drawings and made conclusions.
IV . Research results.
Having studied Internet resources and literary sources, we found out thatpictogram
(lat. pictus - to draw and Greek γράμμα - record) - a sign that displays the most important recognizable features of an object, objects, phenomena to which it indicates, most often in a schematic form. A pictogram is a sign that refers to an object in order to provide clearer information highlighting some of its typical features. This is where pictography came from - a form of writing using pictograms. In the broad sense of the word, pictography began to be called the art of recording events or expressing ideas with drawings, as well as depicting statistical data and relationships with graphs, diagrams, symbols and similar methods. IN modern society Pictograms are found everywhere: in traffic signs, trademarks, packaging or warning signs.
Analysis of various pictograms
After analyzing various icons, we came to the following conclusions:
Pictograms can be found both on the street and in various institutions: hospital, library, school, on a computer, on road signs.
Basically, when creating pictograms, black and white are used. color scheme. Red and blue colors are less common.
There are informational, traffic, sports, computer and medical pictograms.
V . Conclusion.
Our research confirmed our hypothesis that it is possible to convey information to people using pictograms.
Using mathematical figures you can create beautiful drawings. http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%97%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B5_%D1%81%D0%B5%D1 %87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5
We are completing a series of articles devoted to the times of primitive people, their creativity, materials and subjects rock paintings. In the previous publication we talked about what and how ancient people depicted on the walls of caves. And today we will learn how primitive painting developed and what it served.
Message drawings
First, show your child two drawings and ask which one was made earlier and which one was made later.
What do you think? Is the second one earlier because it has less craftsmanship and detail? But no! This work belongs to people who are one step higher on the evolutionary ladder. Surprised? Together with your child, find the differences between them. The most important thing is the appearance of people in the composition. The man realized himself and took his rightful place in the picture.
Discuss what these pictures show. Which description is longer? In the first photo we see a deer. And on the second there is a hunting scene: people surrounded the herd, they are shooting at the bison with a bow, one of the hunters was probably trampled by the animal in an unequal fight... There is a whole story here, a drawing-story. What was his goal? Why did ancient people start creating such paintings? To convey information to his fellow tribesmen, to tell the children remaining in the cave about the hunt. Therefore, the drawings were depicted quickly, schematically, using paint of only one color; and they are called pictograms.
How else could people convey information to each other, because they did not know how to talk. Gestures? Right. You can play with your young explorer by asking each other a phrase and imitating it with gestures. For example: “I’m hungry,” “My leg hurts,” “I was hunting a huge mammoth.”
Offer your child a problem. The primitive tribe urgently needs to leave the cave, because saber-toothed tigers have settled nearby. But not all fellow tribesmen are “at home.” How to warn those who are not there about threatening “neighbors” and about a new place of residence? Gestures won't help here. But the picture-message will just warn of danger and tell you where the tribe has “moved”.
Invite your child to prepare the same drawing with a story for you. This could be a scene of a primitive hunt or an event from his life. The picture must contain a human figure, and the image must be silhouetted and monochromatic.
Humanity has been using pictogram writing for a very long time. Until the pictogram of a bull (aleph), for example, was simplified so much that it turned into the letter A. That’s how the drawings and stories of ancient people gradually laid the foundation for writing.
Transforming letters into drawings and, vice versa, searching for the outlines of letters in a picture is quite an exciting activity for children. Take your child's initials and draw something in so that the letter is still recognizable. In this case, the image should tell about an event in your life. Can the child guess what and who this pictogram is about?
Mysterious Cave of Hands
Tell your child about the Cave of Hands found in Argentina, all the walls of which are covered with handprints. Think together what this could mean? Why was this done?
Scientists have found that the prints belonged to the hands of teenagers. This was probably some kind of ritual symbolizing the child’s transition to adulthood. Basically, left palms are depicted on the wall. Why? Yes, because the drawing instrument was held in right hand. We used the same bone tube. But now they were taking paint into their mouths and blowing it through this tube, splashing it along the contour of their palm.
How can your child draw their hand? Simply dip your palms in paint and make an imprint with them. Or, like a primitive artist, he will put his hand to the paper, and beet juice will splash around it, blowing it out of a tube (a chicken bone or a cocktail straw).
Relief drawings
Ask a young researcher if it is possible to create an image on a rocky surface without paints, without anything that could leave a colored mark? And look at the following photos.
The images are convex and voluminous. They were carved with sharp tools made of stone. And this is no longer painting, but relief.
Invite your child to scratch his drawing on a cobblestone with a pebble. He, of course, will not achieve relief, but he will be imbued with the spirit of primitive creativity. But convexity can be achieved using foil stamping. Place it on felt or other dense material, but enough soft cloth. And use a rounded stone (not sharp) to make a design, pressing out the lines. Did you like it? Foil can also be used as a “canvas”, which serves as disposable lids for plastic cups with dairy products.
Where else can you leave relief images? On disposable tableware or ceiling tiles made of polystyrene foam. For a brush, take, for example, a dull pencil or other tool with a rounded end.
This concludes the series of articles about the primitive creativity of people. The history of mankind is fraught with many mysteries, which are so exciting to discover! Therefore, next time we will turn to the art of Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
Oksana Yaremchuk, teacher additional education, psychologist
Man finally isolated himself from belonging to the fauna, inventing writing to express his thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
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Alphabets (from the Greek alphabetos, derived from the names of the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: a-alpha and p-beta) are the latest phenomenon in the history of writing. Before a series of written signs (letters) conveying the individual sound elements of a language (which is the alphabet itself) was built in a permanent order, man first tried to come to them through images and drawn symbols.
The prototypes of the first letters are symbolic objects and conventional mnemonic signs, which are still used today among peoples who are not far removed from the primitive state: among the Malays of Sumatra, pinches of salt and pepper serve as symbols of love, hatred, etc., among the American Indians - multi-colored beads (wampum ), Melanesians have sticks with notches. |
Actually ancient writings begin with images representing a whole chain of concepts - with figurative (dramatic) writing, so-called pictography. This type of writing is found among the Melanesians, Eskimos, Australians, and especially among the Indians North America. This letter displays messages in the form of a picture or a sequence of pictures. Pictography is not writing in the full sense of the word, since it does not record the speech itself, but reflects its content, usually mnemonically (reminder); the drawing or set of images does not predetermine either the words in which the message should be expressed or the language of the message.
Pictographs have been known since Neolithic times. On the one hand, such ancient writings sometimes indistinguishable from aimless drawings drawn on rocks, cave walls, fences, classroom tables, etc., or from images and patterns reproduced on various objects for decoration purposes; on the other hand, they turn into real ideographic and then phonetic writing, as evidenced by the analysis of Egyptian, ancient Chinese and some other hieroglyphs.
There are many examples of pictographs from Africa (Wadi Mokatteb in Sinai, Wadi Telissare in Fezzan, Algeria, Kordofan, Somalia, Transvaal), Northern and South America, Australia, Asia and Europe. Known are rocks covered with concentric circles and crosses in Northumberland (England), images on rocks in Sweden, Ireland, on Lake Onega, “pisanitsa” (images of animals, people, etc.) along the Yenisei, Tobol, etc., “deer stones” "in Mongolia, etc. It can be assumed that the first Neolithic pictograms with hunting scenes had a magical purpose and served to advise hunters on a successful hunt or were painted on walls in order to thank the deities who sent an abundance of animals to the region.
One way or another, the pictograms fulfilled their purpose - they displayed a certain concept. And from the image of a bull’s head as a symbol of an animal it was not far from the letter “alef”. However, many nations were never able to take this step. Somewhere, writing was so revered that it was of a ritual nature and only people of the priestly class were initiated into it (as, for example, among the ancient Egyptians or Celts).
These are the most studied ancient writings- images North American Indians. Even the name of the inventor of Indian writing is known - this is the leader of the Cherokee Indian tribe named Sequoia (the tallest tree of the American continent was named after him).
Almost all Indian drawings depict real objects; symbols and emblems are very rare. Many of them recall events important for individual tribes (wars, treaties, famines, abundance of game in a certain year, the death of a famous leader, relocation, etc.); some are associated with myths and religious practices, others commemorate visits to places by individuals.
The manner of depiction (of people, animals, etc.) is almost the same among all Indians, as well as the usual designations of death (for example, from a wound in war), union, belonging to a known clan or clan, the descent of one person from another, etc. d.
We offer the reader several symbols that are common to the Navajo, Hopi, Puni tribes and depicted on pottery of the Pueblo Indians.
Many of these pictograms had a clearly magical meaning and were intended, in addition to writing signs, to serve as amulets.
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Arrows. This symbol has many meanings. Usually arrows mean strength, movement, power and indicate the direction of travel, as well as the force of life, the life-giving spirit. |
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Feathers. Feathers, depicted on many Indian pictograms, are symbols of petitions, a sign of honor, dignity, etc. They symbolize creative power and their meaning varies depending on which bird the feathers belong to. |
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Pahos, or Sticks of petitions, were attached to the ground, on specially designated sacred rods, in the spring serving to offer prayers to the deity. Similar images were found in many villages Pueblo and Navajo tribes. |
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feather circle often depicted on pottery, masks, dance costumes, and military headdresses. In symbolism, feather circles are associated with the sun and therefore with the Creator. Feather headdresses are common among many Indian tribes and therefore their images could indicate tribal leaders. |
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Frog- an aquatic animal, means renewal (due to its fertility), and also indicates spring and abundance. |
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Bear symbolizes physical strength, it is also often referred to as the "first mate" in creation stories. It was a totem animal for many Indian clans, and therefore its image has a sacred meaning. |
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Deer. While hunting this animal, the hunter also made sacrifices to it, since individual clans and clans of Indian tribes often chose the deer as a totem animal. |
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Horned lizard V Navajo legends symbolizes perseverance and keeping ancient secrets. Some peoples warn: “They will steal your eyes if you look at them too long!” |
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Tadpole- frog embryo, also means abundance and renewal. Because tadpoles change, they are seen as very powerful reproductive tools. |
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Turtle- an aquatic animal symbolizing strength, femininity, abundance, long life, perseverance. Capable of defying death and standing up to a coyote. |
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Coyote- a trickster, also a powerful patron god of hunting and fetish. Often seen as a bad omen of trouble to come. |
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waterfowl- a symbol of renewal of life, wet seasons, rivers, distant travel, foresight and wisdom. |
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Hummingbird, like sometimes waterfowl, act as a symbol of devotion, constancy and eternity, the cyclical nature of life. As you know, hummingbirds are desperate defenders of their own territory, entering into battle with a stronger enemy. |
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Parrot in Indian symbolism it is associated with both the sun and the beginning of the rainy season. Parrots were seen as messengers delivering people's requests to the spirits. Pueblo Indians Parrot feathers were highly valued as an amulet of prosperity. |
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Cranes also associated with water and the end of summer. A common motif in pottery and petroglyphs Mimbrian culture in southwestern New Mexico. |
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Turkeys as an important source of food are also mentioned in several Pueblo legends. Their feathers were often used in rituals. |
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Owl among the Pani and Pueblo tribes it is revered as a symbol of the wisdom of the elders. A quiet hunter, she is associated with darkness and night with both her keen eyes and her skillful hunting. In most other cultures, the owl is a bad omen, foretelling death. |
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Eagle, the master of the sky, is considered in Indian culture as a messenger delivering people's requests to the spirits. Indians of different tribes revere this bird, believing that it has courage, wisdom and has a special connection with the Creator. |
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Snake in Indian symbolism it is associated with lightning, the male organ, speed and the ability to remain invisible when moving, although the nature of this symbol is usually more sinister. |
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Avanyu, winged celestial serpent. It is often found on pottery and in some Tsani jewelry. He is a harbinger of storms and changing seasons. Associated with lightning, thunderstorms and strong, sudden changes in weather. |
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Dragonfly, associated with water and spring, symbolizes abundance, renewal; seen as a messenger with people's requests to the spirits. Below is a stylized image of a dragonfly, which was used as a talisman, especially among the southern Pueblos, where it became a double Catholic cross with a pommel. |
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This was interpreted as a symbol of the Catholic faith and respect for tradition. |
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Modern pictogram - road sign "No passage" |
In pictograms, metaphorical or conventional symbolism is possible (for example, among North American Indians, a smoking pipe means “peace”; in modern pictograms, two connected hearts symbolize “love”, a rectangle in a circle - “No passage”).
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Modern sign - pictogram meaning "Love to death" |
Graphic pictograms and symbols are found almost everywhere these days, in all areas of production and everyday life. We are so accustomed to them that, as a rule, we do not notice them. But they are very important, since with their simplicity and clarity they replace entire concepts, almost at the subconscious level, telling us certain conditions, the location of objects, the direction of movement, etc.
Today, people resort to pictograms in order to convey to other people, as quickly and clearly as possible, a significant amount of very important information that is accessible to a person who does not even speak a common language.
With the development of speech and intelligence, man realized that not all knowledge can be stored in memory - as it is passed on from generation to generation, it will inevitably be distorted and lost. Then writing arose, which made it possible to record various information for relatives and descendants.
Pictography: the oldest writing system
One of the first types of writing is a pictogram. This is a special sign, a drawing that displays recognizable features of an object or concept, phenomenon or object to which it points. Most often, ancient pictography had a schematic appearance. Such messages looked like a set of pictures - images of various actions, events, objects, etc., and a person who knew how to interpret them received something like help on some issue.
It should be noted that pictography was not a phonetic recording system, that is, such writing conveyed images of perception, being deprived of a direct connection with language. But the pictograms always conveyed specific information, and the one who read them formulated the content verbally.
At the same time, the interpretation of the pictographic record between the author and the reader was quite different. This led to the messages becoming more and more detailed. By the way, some historians believe that mythology appeared as a result of this phenomenon - historical events, rituals, various techniques etc., recorded using pictograms, over time acquired a heroic, in a sense, even mystical coloring.
Development of pictography
Over time, pictographic writing began to include more and more symbolic elements. For example, among many ancient peoples, a pictogram conveyed some concept that personified one of the characteristics inherent in the object drawn on it. So, during the formation of ancient states, it arose. It is a letter with a greater degree of orderliness and precision than pictography. Ideography is characterized by an increase in the number of characters and a simultaneous simplification of the style, as well as stabilization of their form.
An ideogram, which was later called a hieroglyph, is a combination of several icons. They meant individual concepts, objects or categories, and together they received a new meaning. For example, in Ancient China, “light” was used, which consisted of conventional images of the sun and moon. In Egyptian ideographic writing, figurative and symbolic meanings were widely used. For example, an action such as walking was depicted by the Egyptians extremely simply - in the form of walking legs. But the polysemy of hieroglyphic forms gradually developed, which could already have not only direct, but also figurative meaning.
In its most distinct form, ideographic writing is used in modern China. The local writing system is very cumbersome, but it ensures understanding of what is written, regardless of the presence of numerous dialectal differences in pronunciation.