Dictionary of Symbols (WW Norton & Co)

From early cave drawings to modern corporate logos, graphic symbols have been used to convey meanings both tangible and abstract. This dictionary covers approximately 2500 Western graphic symbols. Each entry includes the sign's history, its meanings and the systems in which it is used, along with cross-references to other signs with the same meanings and structurally similar signs with different meanings. Locating an entry is as easy as looking up a word in a dictionary, thanks to a system that classifies each sign on the basis of three of its structural features. Enhancing the dictionary is a series of discussions on various aspects of ideograms and two indexes to aid the reader: a word index specifying signs with a given name or meaning, along with subject headings, and a graphic index displaying symbols based on their structural features.