The Biohazard Symbol: Meaning, History & Inspiration
What comes to mind when you see the Biohazard symbol?
You have certainly seen it many times and now cannot remember where, but you would do well to keep it in mind.
The Rod of Asclepius and Caduceus: Two Ancient Symbols
The Rod of Asclepius is an ancient Greek symbol associated with medicine, consisting of a serpent coiled around a rod. In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing. His daughters are Hygieia (goddess of cleanliness), Iaso (goddess of recuperation from illness), Aceso (goddess of the healing process), Aglea (the…
The Marzocco, a Symbol of Florence
Statues of lions have been seen around Florence since the Middle Ages, and today you can spot them just about anywhere. Although they constitute a symbol of power all over the world, they hold a particular connection to Florence, the city in which Dan Brown’s Inferno is set.
Secrets and Legends of Florence
The undisputed charm of the city of Florence comes from the fact that it has the highest concentration of works of art per square kilometers in any city and from the imperceptible hidden details, elements that can escape the eye at first glance, and even upon close inspection. Often based on historical accounts, and sometimes…
Trust and Treachery and the Caduceus
Today’s post was written by our friend Kristen Elise, an American writer and expert on symbols. A Robert Langdon in the feminine? 😉 Thanks Kristen!
In Dan Brown’s Inferno, Elizabeth Sinskey’s amulet necklace serves as a plot device to foster trust between Sinskey and Robert Langdon. But in classic Dan Brown fashion, this trust is built in a convoluted way, and his choice of props is highly symbolic.
The Volto Intero Mask
Most were in the popular volto intero style – the stylized full-faced, white masks often worn by women during Carnevale.
(Dan Brown, Inferno)
Saligia
Sienna squinted at the text, reading it aloud.“Saligia?”
Langdon nodded, feeling a chill to hear the word spoken aloud. “It’s a Latin mnemonic invented by the Vatican in the Middle Ages to remind Christians of the Seven Deadly Sins.Saligia is an acronym for: superbia, avaritia, luxuria, invidia, gula, ira, and acedia.” Sienna frowned. “Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.”
The Map of Hell
The Map of Hell (in Italian La Mappa dell’Inferno) by Botticelli – regularly called The Abyss of Hell or La Voragine dell’Inferno – is one of the parchments that the famous Italian painter designed to illustrate an edition of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.
The Cylinder Seal
Cylinder seals are artifacts that appeared around 3400–2900 BC in ancient Mesopotamia.
A cylinder seal is a small stone cylinder engraved in intaglio on its surface in order to leave impressions when rolled on wet clay.