Dictionary of Symbols by J. C. Cirlot
At every stage of civilization, people have relied on symbolic expression, and advances in science and technology have only increased our dependence on symbols. An essential part of the ancient arts of the Orient and Western medieval traditions, symbolism underwent a twentieth-century revival with the study of the unconscious. Indeed, symbolic language is considered a science, and this informative volume offers an indispensable tool in the study of symbology. Its alphabetical entries–drawn from a diverse range of sources, including all of the major world religions, astrology, alchemy, numerology, heraldry, and prehistoric art–clarify the essential and unvarying meanings of each symbol. Whether used as a reference or browsed for pleasure, this informative volume offers a valuable key to elucidating the symbolic worlds encountered in both the arts and the history of ideas. 32 b/w illustrations.
DK, Smithsonian – Timelines of Science
From the discovery of penicillin to the advent of the Internet, science has been an invaluable part of the human experience.
Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution and highlighting the theories, breakthroughs, and key thinkers that shaped the history of science, Timelines of Science is an informative guide to the history of scientific discovery and technology that follows the path chronologically, and explores everything from ancient Greek geometry to quantum physics.
Filled with striking visuals, including specially commissioned photography, arresting infographics, and illustrations that illuminate technological discovery, Timelines of Science includes major advances in all the sciences, including biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy.