Table Of ContentTHE CLASSIC GUIDE TO THE HISTORY
AND MYTHOLOGY OF WOMEN'S SYMBOLS
T'*h is fascinating, one-of-a-kind dictionary features:
'* Unique organization by shape of symbol or type of sacred object
Twenty-one sections, including Round and Oval Motifs, Sacred
Objects, Secular-Sacred Objects, Rituals, Deities' Signs, Body Parts,
Nature, Minerals, Stones and Shells, and more
*
'* An introductory essay for each section
'* 753 entries and 636 illustrations
An index for easy reference
Three-Rayed Sun
The sun suspended in heaven by three powers, perhaps the Triple Goddess who
gave birth to it (see Three-Way Motifs)
Corn Dolly
An embodiment of the harvest to be set in the center of the harvest dance, or fed
to the cattle to "make them thrive year round" (see Secular-Sacred Objects)
Tongue
In Asia, the extended tongue was a sign of life-force, as the tongue between the lips
imitated the sacred lingam-yoni: male within female genital. Sticking out the tongue
is still a polite sign of greeting in northern India and Tibet (see Body Parts)
Cosmic Egg
In ancient times the primeval universe-or the Great Mother-took the form of
an egg. It carried all numbers and letters within an ellipse, to show that everything
is contained within one form at the beginning (see Round and Oval Motifs)
BARBARA G. WALKER is a researcher and the author of numerous books,
including The W!Jmans Encyclopedia ofM yths and Secrets.
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'•
THE WOMAN'S DICTIONARY
OF SYMBOLS
AND SACRED OBJECTS
' I
ALSO BY .BARBARA G. WALKER (BOOKS):
The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets
The Crone: Woman ofA ge, Wisdom, and Power
The Secrets of the Tarot: Origins, History, and Symbolism
Th~ Skeptical Feminist: Discovering the Virgin, ,Mother, and Crone
The Book of Sacred Stones: Fact and Fallacy in the Crystal World
The I Ching of the Goddess
The Essential Handbook of Women's Spirituality and Ritual
Feminist Fairy Tales
Amazon: A Novel
Restoring the Goddess: Equal Rites for Modem Women
A Treasury of Knitting Patterns
A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
Charted Knitting Designs
Sampler Knitting
Knitting from the Top
Barbara Walker's Learn-to-Knit Afghan Book
Mosaic Knitting
Women's Rituals: A Sourcebook
GRAPHICS:
The Barbara Walker Tarot Deck
The I Ching of the Goddess Card Deck
'
THE WOMAN'S DICTIONARY
OF SYMBOLS ·
~
AND SACRED OBJECTS
BARBARA G. WALKER
Illustrated by the Author
-
HarperO ne
n Imprint ofHarperCollinsPublishers
,
Harper()ne
GUIDE FOR USE: Symbols are arranged into sections by shape or type of symbol.
Within each section, entries are alphabetical. Words printed in the text in boldface
type indicate main-entry treatment of these subjects elsewhere. Index contains
alphabetical listing of all symbols.
Illustrations by Barbara G. Walker.
THE WOMAN'S DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS AND SACRED OBJECTS. Copyright© 1988 by
Barbara G. Walker. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part
of this book may be·used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written per
mission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walker, Barbara G.
The woman's dictionary of symbols and sacred objects.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Symbolis·m. 2. Women-Folklore. I. Title.
CB475.W35 1988 001.56 88-45158
ISBN 978-0-06-250923-9
11 12 13 RRD(H) 34
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ix 4. FOUR·WAY MOTIFS 45
Celtic Cross, Coptic Cross, Cross Crosslet,
1. ROUND AND OVAL MOTIFS 1 Cross Etoile, Cross Fourchee, Cross
Aureole, Black Sun, Circle, Cosmic Patee, Cross Pommee, Cross Potent, Cross
Egg; Diameter, .Dome, Double Wheel, Saltire, Cross Voided, Crux Dissimulata,
Elements, Globe, Halo, Horsesho~. Infinity Earth Diamond, Earth Sign, Earth
Sign, Mandala, Mandorla, Medicine Square, Earth Square Christianized,
Wheel, Orb, Ring, Rose Window, Sphere, Gammadion, Greek Cross, Interlaced
Spiral, Sun Sign, VesicaPiscis, Wheel, Yang Cross, Jerusalem Cross, Knot of
and Yin, Yoni . Eternity, Latin Cross, Lunar Swastika,
Lunate Cross, Magic Square, Maltese
2. LONG MOTIFS 19 . Cross, Mary, Morris Square, Nandyavarta,
Arrow, Athame, Axis Mundi, Dorje, Pointed Cross, Protection Cross, Quatrefoil,
Euclid's Rectangle, Fasces, Gnomon, Rattlesnake Swastika, Roman Swastika,
Ladder, Lingam, Maypole, Meru Rose Cross, Runic Swastika, Saint
danda, Obelisk, Perron, Pillar, Rod, Peter's Cross, Solar ~wastika, Square,
Scepter, Spear, Sword, Thyrsus, Triple Sunbird Swastika, Swastika, Tetrascele,
Arrow, Wand Wishing Well, Witch Charm, Wolf's
Cross, World Symbol, Wotan's Cross
3. THREE-WAY MOTIFS 33
5. MULTIPOINTED MOTIFS 65
Alpha, Double Triangle, Dragon's Eye,
Cinquefoil, Double Furka, Double
1 Fate, Furka," Love Charm, Mannaz,
Money Charm, Tau Cross, Three-Pointed Square, Eightfold Interlacement, Fixed
Star, Three-Rayed Sun, Trefoil, Triangle, Star, Flower of Aphrodite, Hexagram,
Triceps, Triple Alpha, Triple Ring, Magic Hexagram, Microcosmic Man,
Mystic Star, Ninefold Goddess, Octagram,
Tripod; Triquetra, Triskelion, Tryfuss,
Weird Sisters, World Triad, Yoni Yantra Penelope's Web, Pentacle, Pentacle
Flower, Ringed Pentacle, Spell Symbol,
Star, Star of the Muses, Star of the
Seven Sisters, Trigrams, Twelve-Pointed
Interlacement, Underworld Sign, Universe,
Vehmic Courts
v
UTCHAT POPPET
from Section 6, from Section 7,
"Sacred Objects" "Secular-Sacred Objects"
6. SACRED OBJECTS 79 8. RITUALS 165
Aegis, Altar, Anchor Cross, Ankh, Agape, Anathema, Baptism, Blessing,
Ansated Cross, Apex, Ark, Caduceus, Candlemas, Carnival; Churching,
Calvary Cross, Caryatid, Cathedral, Circumcision, Dance, Eucharist,
Chrism, Colors, Cornucopia, Eastern Exorcism, Fasting, Halloween,
Cross, Grail, Herm, Host, Idol, Incense, Handfasting, Hieros Gamos, Hocus
lsiac Table, Jewel in the Lotus, Labrys, ' Pocus, Incantation, Kiss, Lammas, May
Labyrinth, Mem-Aleph, Menat, Menorah, Eve, Midsummer, Mothering Sunday,
Mezuzah, Mural Crown, Om, Omphalos, New Year, Ordeal, Ritual Interlacement
Oracle, Palladium, Papal Cross, Patriarchal Patterns, Rosary, Sabbath, Tingeltangel,
Cross, Phylacteries, Sephiroth, Sheila Vigil, Yab-Yum.
na-gig, Shepherd's Cross, Shibboleth,
Sistrum, Sri Yantra, Tattvas, Throne, 9. DEITIES' SIGNS 193
Tjet, Tomb, Torah, Trident, Trisula,
Alpha-and-Omega Cross, Androgyne,
Uraeus, Urim and Thummim, Ur-text,
Anguipede, Asherah, Astarte-Tanit,
Vshnisha, Vtchat, Winged Sun Disc, Athene, Ceres, Cernunnos, Chrismon, ~-- ..~
Ziggurat Dagon, Djed, Eye Goddess, Eye of Horus,
Goddess, Good Shepherd, Hermes,
7. SECULAR-SACRED OBJECTS 115 Hermetic Cross, Hokmah/Holy Ghost,
Alphabet, Ashes, Athanor, Balances, Ishtar, lsis-Hathor, Janus, Juno, Jupiter, J
Basket, Bell, Boat, Book, Bowl, Kali Yantra, King of Kings, Labarum,
Broomstick, Candle, Capstan, Cauldron, Logos/, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Number
Chariot, Clothing, Coffin, Comb, of the Beast, Osiris, Pluto; Purusha,
Cord, Corn Dolly, Cradle, Crossroads, Saturn, Shekina, Sige, Sin, Sophia, Sun
Crown, Cup, Egg and Dart Frieze, Goddess, Tanit-Astarte, Tetragrammaton,
Feather, Flail and Crook, Furrow, Gate, Thor, Tyr, Uranus, Venus, Vesta-Hestia,
Hearth, Helmet, Hobbyhorse, Hogan, Zurvan
Horns, Jar, Key, Knife, Knot, Lamp, Lyre,
Mansion, Mask, Mirror, Money, Name,
Palace, Pit, Poppet, Pot, Purple, Razor,
Runes, Scarecrow, Scroll, Scythe,
Shield, Shoe, Tarot Cards, Thread,
Threshold, Torch, Valentine, Vase, Veil,
Vitriol, Web, Well
vi
CONTENTS
GARUDA.
GHOST
from Section 15,
Pueblo Indian ghost fogure
"Birds"
from Section 10,
"Supematurals" '
10. SUPERNATURAL§ 229 Position, Mouth, Navel, Palm, Phallus,
Placenta, Saliva, Skeleton, Skull, Thigh,
Akeru, Alborak, Angel, Anima Mundi,
Thumb, Tongue, Vagina, Voice, Womb,
Banshee, Basilisk, Baubo, Behemoth,
Yoni Sign
Centaur, Chimera, Cupid, Cyclops,
Dakini, Demon, Devil, Dragon, Dryad,
13. NATURE 333
Dybbuk, Elf, Fairy, Familiar, Fata
Morgana, Faun, Furies, Gargoyle, Genie, Air, Cave, Chaos, Clay, Cloud, Comet,
Ghost, Ghoul, Giant, Gnome, Golem, Dewdrop, Earth, Echo, Fire, Fountain,
Gorgon, Graces, Green Man, Gri~n, Island, Lightning, Milky Way, Moon,
Grotesque, Hag, Harpy, Hippocampus, Mountain, Night, Ocean, Planet, Rain,
Hobgoblin, Hydra, Imp, Incubus, Rainbow, River, Sea, Seasons, Shadow, Sun,
Kachina, Kobold, 'Lamia, Leviathan, Thunderbolt, Volcano, Waste Land, ·
Macabre, Mermaid, Minotaur, Muse, Water, Wind ·
Nixie, Norns, Nymph, Ogre, Ouroboros,
/
Peri, Pooka, Psychopomp, Revenant,
Saint, Satyr, Sea Serpent, Siren, Soul, 14. ANIMALS 359
Sphinx, Sybil, Sylph, Triton, Troll, Ass, Bat, Bear, Bitch, Boar, Bull, Calf,
Unicorn, Valkyrie, Vampire, Werewolf, Cat, Cow, Coyote, Crocodile, Deer, Dog,
Wyvern Dolphin, Elephant, Ermine, Ewe,
Fish, !.<ox, Frog, Goat, Hare, Hind,
11. ZODIAC 283 Hippopotamus, Horse, Jackal, Lamb,
Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Capricorn, Lion, Mare, Mascot, Monkey, Mouse, Ox,
Gemini, Leo, Libra, Pisces, Sagit Panther, Pig, Ram, Salamander, Serpent,
tarius, Scorpio, Taurus, Virgo Sow, Stag, Toad, Tortoise, Whale,
Wolf, Worm
12. BODY PARTS 297
15. BIRDS · 395
Blood, Bone, Breast, Breath, Caul,
Chakras, Devil's Horns, Entrails, Eye, Ba, Cock, Crow, Cuckoo, Dove, Eagle,
Feet, Finger, Fingernails, Foreskin, Falcon, Garuda, Goose, Hawk, Ibis;
Genitalia, Hair, Hand, Head, Heart, Kingfisher, Magpie, Owl, Partridge,
Hymen, Lingam-Yoni, Liver, Lotus Peacock, Pelican, Petrel, Phoenix, Raven,
Robin, Simurgh, Stork, Swallow, Swan,
Thunderbird, Vulcan, Wren
vii
CONTENTS
MISTLETOE STONE
from Section 18, ' holed stone
"Plants" from Sect ion 21 ,
"Minerals, Stones,
and Shells"
16. INSECTS 413 Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Laurel, Linden,
Myrrh, Nux Vomica, Oak, Palm,
Ant, Bee, Butterfly, Cicada, Fly,
Pine, Poplar, Rowan, Sycamore, Tamarisk,
Grasshopper, Mantis, Scarab, Scorpion,
Tree Alphabet, Tree of Life, Walnut,
Spider
Willow, Wood, Yew
17. FLOWERS 421
20. FRUIT AND FOODSTUFFS 477
Alchemic~] Rose, Amaranth, Anemone,
Apple, Apricot, Bean, Bread, Bun,
Asphodel, Bluebell, Columbine, Dande
Cheese, Cherry, Cloves, Fig, Garlic,
lion, Enclosed Garden, Fireflower,
Grain, Grape •. Honeycomb, Leek,
Fleur-de-lis, Flora, Hyacinth, Iris, Lily,
Milk, Nuts, Olive, Onion, Orange,
Lily of the Valley, Lotus, Narcissus,
Parsley, Peach, Pomegranate, Potato,
Orchid, Pansy, Passion Flower, Peony,
Quince, Rhubarb, Seed, Tomato,
Periwinkle, Poinsettia, Poppy, Rose,
Wine
Scarlet Pimpernel,. Sunflower, Violet
21. MINERALS, STONES,
, 18. PLANTS 437 \
AND SHELLS 497
Arum, Ayahuasca, Belladonna, Bulrush,
Agate, Amber, Amethyst, Bezoar Stone,
Cherry Laurel, Coca, Dittany, Fennel,
Black Stone, Bloodstone, Carbuncle,
Foxglove, Ginseng, Grass, Hemlo<;k,
Carnelian, Cat's Eye, Chrysoprase,
Hemp, Henbane, Henna, Ivy, Juniper,
Copper, Coral, Cowrie, Cross Stone, )
Mandrake, Meadowsweet, Mistletoe, ·
Crystal Ball, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet,
Monkshood, Mugwort, Myrtle, Oleander,
Gemstones, Gold, Hematite, Jade,
Ololiuqui, Pennyroyal, Peyote, Reed,
Jet, Lapis Lazuli, Lapis Manalis,
Rosemary, Rue, Rushes, Saffron, Sage,
Lodestone, Malachite, Millstone, Opal,
Shamrock, Squill, Thistle, Thorn
Pearl, Philosopher's Stone, Quartz,
Apple, Thyme, Tobacco, Verbena, Vine,
Ruby, Salt, Sapphire, Scallop, Serpentine,
Wormwood, Yarrow '
Silver, Stone, Stygian Stone, Sulfur,
Touchstone, Turquoise, Venus Hair Stone,
19. TREES 457
White Stone
Acacia, Alchemical Tree, Alder, Ash,
Aspen, Birch, Cedar, Christmas Tree,
BIBLIOGRAPHY 529
Cypress, Elder, Elm, Fir, Grove,
INDEX 537
viii CONTENTS
