This is a compendium of symbols and their deeper meanings in individual human psychology and civilization. Tracing symbols to their cultural, religious or mythical origins, this encyclopedia explores a wealth of objects and concepts, as well as the hidden meanings that lie beneath their ordinary, outward appearance. Entries range from examples of metaphor and allegory to the symbolic meanings of numbers, letters, astrological and alchemical symbols, as well as an array of abstract concepts that find their tangible expression in the universal language of symbols.