many questions. i've been pondering some and
a few memories were of the concentration of the
cross (as with mass crucifixions, as mentioned)
in military cemeteries, especially, where there is
a field of (mostly) white crosses, those i've seen.
(and stars of david and others, but overwhelmingly
crosses, a field of these symbols- what is the symbol
of, then? it is wondered if, as a christian symbolism
it is of 'the cross' or of the symbol of the 'crucifixion'.)
"X marks the spot" is a well known saying, often it
is associated with marking a buried treasure in some
popular-culture show or movie, so ubiquitous a saying
it is hard to imagine -- is it ancient. the idea, also, of the
idea of a marking or graffiti of symbols, was this used
to communicate like in urban cultures, then and now,
a type of cryptic (if that is the description) instruction.
as has been written, when hidden in meaning a cross
was symbolized by an anchor (ship-based, again, and
not sure about fish-symbols at all). yet then there has
been mention of later religious symbolism, i thought,
of the middle-ages and with knights and heraldry (if
this is the name) and ceremonial crossing-of-swords.
though, i think it was stated somewhere the 't' sword
is (like an anchor) in relation to the these same issues.
also, the tree of death or tree cross of whatnot would,
it was imagined, possibly be linked to the 'tree of life',
in that it is an equal-opposite juxtaposition. maybe of
no connection yet then i went into a symbol dictionary
and found this:
Cross: The complex symbolism of the cross neither
denies nor supplants the historical meaning
in Christianity. But in addition to the realities of Christianity
there are two other essential factors: that of the symbolism
of the cross as such and that of the crucifixion or of 'suffering
upon the cross'. In the first place, the cross is dramatic in
derivation, an inversion, as it were, of the Tree of Paradise.
Hence, the cross is often represented in mediaeval allegory
as a Y-shaped tree, depicted with knots and even with
branches, and sometimes with thorns. Like the Tree of
Life, the cross stands for the 'world-axis'. Placed in the
mystic Centre of the cosmos, it becomes the bridge or
ladder by means of which the soul may reach God. There
are some versions which depict the cross with the seven
heavens (17). The cross, consequently, affirms the primary
relationship between the two worlds of the celestial and
the earthly (14). But, in addition, because of the cross-
piece which cuts cleanly across the upright (in turn
implying the symbols of level and of the axis of the world),
it stands for the conjunction of opposites, wedding the
spiritual (or vertical) principle with the principle of the
world of phenomena. Hence its significance as a symbol
for agony, struggle and martyrdom (14). Sometimes the
cross is T-shaped, further emphasizing the near-
equilibrium of the opposing principles. Jung comments
that in some traditions the cross is a symbol of fire and
of the sufferings of existence, and that this may be due
to the fact that the two arms were associated with the
kindling sticks which primitive {wo|man} rubbed together
to produce fire and which {s|he} thought of as masculine
and feminine. But the predominant meaning of the cross
is that of 'Conjunction'. Plato, in ~Timaeus, tells how the
demiurge joins up the broken parts of the world-soul by
means of two sculptures shaped like St. Anthony's cross
(31). Bayley stresses the fire-symbolism of the cross, and
explains that all the words for 'cross' (crux, cruz, crowz,
croaz, krois, krouz) have a common etymological basis
in ~ -ak, -ur or -os ~, signifying 'light of the Great Fire' (4).
The cross has been widely used as a graphic emblem,
very largely the result of Christian influence but equally
on account of the basic significance of the sign; for it is
clear that all basic notions, whether they are ideas or
signs, have come about without the prompting of any
cultural influence. Hundreds of different shapes of
crosses have been summarized in works such as
Lehner's ~Symbols, Signs and Signets~, and it has
been found possible, by the study of graphic
symbolism to elucidate the particular meaning of
each one. Many of them take the form of insignias
of military orders, medals, etc. The Swastika is a
very common type of cross (q.v. ~Swastika). The
Egyptian, anserated cross is particularly interesting
in view of its antiquity. In Egyptian hieroglyphics it
stands for life or living (~Nem~Ankh) and forms
part of such words as 'health' and 'happiness'. Its
upper arm is a curve, sometimes almost closed to
form a circle. Enel analyses this hieroglyphic as
follows: 'The phonetic significance of this sign is
a combination of the signs for activity and passivity
and of a mixture of the two, and conforms with the
symbolism of the cross in general as the synthesis
of the active and passive principle.' The very shape
of the anserated cross expresses a profound idea:
that of the circle of life spreading outwards from the
Origin and falling upon the surface (that is, upon
the passivity of existence which it then animates)
as well as soaring upward towards the infinite. It
may also be seen as a magic knot binding together
some particular combination of elements to form
one individual, a view which would confirm its
characteristic life-symbolism. It may also signify
destiny. Judged from the macro-cosmic point of
view, that is of its analogy with the world, the
~Ankh-cross may represent the sun, the sky and
the earth (by reference to the circle, the upright
and the horizontal lines). As a microcosmic sign,
that is by analogy with {wo|man}, the circle would
represent the human head or reason (or the 'sun'
which gives {him|her} life), the horizontal arms
{his|her} arms, and the upright {his|her} body (19).
In sum, the most general significance of the cross
is that of the conjunction of opposites: the positive
(or the vertical) with the negative (or horizontal),
the superior with the inferior, life with death. The
basic idea behind the symbolism of crucifixion is
that of experiencing the essence of antagonism,
an idea which lies at the root of existence,
expressing as does life's agonizing pain, its
cross-roads of possibilities and impossibilities,
of construction and destruction. Evola suggests
that the cross is a synthesis of the seven aspects
of space and time, because its form is such that
it both maintains and destroys free movement;
hence, the cross is the antithesis of the Ouroboros,
the serpent or dragon denoting the primeval,
anarchic dynamism which preceded the creation
of the cosmos and the emergence of order. There
is, thus, a close relationship between the cross
and the sword, since both of them are wielded
against the primordial monster (Plate V)."
endquote pp. 65-68 A Dictionary of Symbols,
J.E. Cirlot, Philosophical Library, NY c 1962
tried a fairly decent etymological dictionary
though it did not have an entry for 'cross' itself.
so tried a thesaurus for a wide-ranging survey:
_cross
noun. adversity 729.1
affliction 866.8
cane 217.2
heraldic insignia 569.2
hybrid 44.9
impediment 730.6
insignia 569.1
instrument of execution 1011.5
memorial 570.12
sacred article 1040.11
signature 583.10
staff 1041.3
X 221.4
verb. bless 1032.13
contradict 790.6
counteract 178.6
deny 524.4
disappoint 541.2
hybridize 44.14
intersect 221.6
oppose 790.3
pass 313.8
sail 275.13
thwart 730.15
adjective. angry 952.26
crossed 221.8
crosswise 221.9
cruciform 221.10
disagreeing 27.6
hybrid 44.16
irascible 951.19
opposing 790.8
adverb. crosswise 221.13
in opposition 221.13
--end of quote, from international thesaurus index
here is the entry for 'X 221.4'
--> 221. Crossing
--> .4 _cross, crux, cruciform, staur(o)-; _crucifix,
rood; _crisscross, christcross; _X, ex, exing,
chi, St. Andrew's cross, ~crux ~decussata [L],
saltire [her]; T, tau, ~crux ~commissa [L], St.
Anthony's cross; Y, thieve's cross, fork cross;
_ankh, key of the Nile, ~crux ~ansata [L];
avellan cross, cross botonée, trefled cross
or cross of St. Lazarus; Calvary cross; Celtic
~or Iona cross; chi-rho, Christogram; crosslet,
cross-crosslet; cross fitché; cross fleury, cross
of Cleves; cross formée; cross fourchée; Greek
cross, St. George's cross; cross grignolée;
inverted cross, St. Peter's cross, Jerusalem
cross, potent cross; _Latin_cross, long cross,
~crux ~capitata [L], ~crux ~immissa [L], ~crux
~ ordinaria [L], God's mark; cross of Lorraine;
_Maltese_cross; cross moline, cross ancré,
cross recercelée; papal cross; patriarchal ~or
archiepiscopal cross; cross patée; cross
pommée, cross bourdonée; Russian cross;
quadrate cross; _swastika, gammadion [L];
voided cross; pectoral cross, crossbones;
dagger 586.20."
from symbol dictionary (great definition,
though this is only for the mast-cross
comparison...)
SHIP '...the most profound significance
of navigation is that implied by Pompey the
Great in his remark: 'Living is not necessary,
but navigation is.' By this he meant that existence
is split up into two fundamental structures: living,
which he understood as living for or in oneself,
and sailing or navigating by which he understood
living in order to transcend- or what Nietzsche
from his pessimistic angle called 'living in order
to disappear.' ....... 'The mast in the centre of the
vessel gives expression to the idea of the Cosmic
Tree incorporated within the symbolism of the
Ship-of-Death or 'Ship of Transcendence.' (50).
pp.280-282 j.e. cirlot (ibid)
wondering about language/letters, and the
references to crosses, there is an X, Y, T, etc.
'terror' is an interesting etymology though will
leave that for another compilation. only to say
that the taboo of using the word is in its origins
for tremor and to frighten. writing about it was
at first a destructive emotional experience, as
it was not realized how privatized this language
has become, where some use/abuse its power.
brian
--
The Design-L list for art and architecture, since 1992...
To subscribe, send mailto:design-l-subscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
To signoff, send mailto:design-l-unsubscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Visit archives: http://lists.psu.edu/archives/design-l.html
a few memories were of the concentration of the
cross (as with mass crucifixions, as mentioned)
in military cemeteries, especially, where there is
a field of (mostly) white crosses, those i've seen.
(and stars of david and others, but overwhelmingly
crosses, a field of these symbols- what is the symbol
of, then? it is wondered if, as a christian symbolism
it is of 'the cross' or of the symbol of the 'crucifixion'.)
"X marks the spot" is a well known saying, often it
is associated with marking a buried treasure in some
popular-culture show or movie, so ubiquitous a saying
it is hard to imagine -- is it ancient. the idea, also, of the
idea of a marking or graffiti of symbols, was this used
to communicate like in urban cultures, then and now,
a type of cryptic (if that is the description) instruction.
as has been written, when hidden in meaning a cross
was symbolized by an anchor (ship-based, again, and
not sure about fish-symbols at all). yet then there has
been mention of later religious symbolism, i thought,
of the middle-ages and with knights and heraldry (if
this is the name) and ceremonial crossing-of-swords.
though, i think it was stated somewhere the 't' sword
is (like an anchor) in relation to the these same issues.
also, the tree of death or tree cross of whatnot would,
it was imagined, possibly be linked to the 'tree of life',
in that it is an equal-opposite juxtaposition. maybe of
no connection yet then i went into a symbol dictionary
and found this:
Cross: The complex symbolism of the cross neither
denies nor supplants the historical meaning
in Christianity. But in addition to the realities of Christianity
there are two other essential factors: that of the symbolism
of the cross as such and that of the crucifixion or of 'suffering
upon the cross'. In the first place, the cross is dramatic in
derivation, an inversion, as it were, of the Tree of Paradise.
Hence, the cross is often represented in mediaeval allegory
as a Y-shaped tree, depicted with knots and even with
branches, and sometimes with thorns. Like the Tree of
Life, the cross stands for the 'world-axis'. Placed in the
mystic Centre of the cosmos, it becomes the bridge or
ladder by means of which the soul may reach God. There
are some versions which depict the cross with the seven
heavens (17). The cross, consequently, affirms the primary
relationship between the two worlds of the celestial and
the earthly (14). But, in addition, because of the cross-
piece which cuts cleanly across the upright (in turn
implying the symbols of level and of the axis of the world),
it stands for the conjunction of opposites, wedding the
spiritual (or vertical) principle with the principle of the
world of phenomena. Hence its significance as a symbol
for agony, struggle and martyrdom (14). Sometimes the
cross is T-shaped, further emphasizing the near-
equilibrium of the opposing principles. Jung comments
that in some traditions the cross is a symbol of fire and
of the sufferings of existence, and that this may be due
to the fact that the two arms were associated with the
kindling sticks which primitive {wo|man} rubbed together
to produce fire and which {s|he} thought of as masculine
and feminine. But the predominant meaning of the cross
is that of 'Conjunction'. Plato, in ~Timaeus, tells how the
demiurge joins up the broken parts of the world-soul by
means of two sculptures shaped like St. Anthony's cross
(31). Bayley stresses the fire-symbolism of the cross, and
explains that all the words for 'cross' (crux, cruz, crowz,
croaz, krois, krouz) have a common etymological basis
in ~ -ak, -ur or -os ~, signifying 'light of the Great Fire' (4).
The cross has been widely used as a graphic emblem,
very largely the result of Christian influence but equally
on account of the basic significance of the sign; for it is
clear that all basic notions, whether they are ideas or
signs, have come about without the prompting of any
cultural influence. Hundreds of different shapes of
crosses have been summarized in works such as
Lehner's ~Symbols, Signs and Signets~, and it has
been found possible, by the study of graphic
symbolism to elucidate the particular meaning of
each one. Many of them take the form of insignias
of military orders, medals, etc. The Swastika is a
very common type of cross (q.v. ~Swastika). The
Egyptian, anserated cross is particularly interesting
in view of its antiquity. In Egyptian hieroglyphics it
stands for life or living (~Nem~Ankh) and forms
part of such words as 'health' and 'happiness'. Its
upper arm is a curve, sometimes almost closed to
form a circle. Enel analyses this hieroglyphic as
follows: 'The phonetic significance of this sign is
a combination of the signs for activity and passivity
and of a mixture of the two, and conforms with the
symbolism of the cross in general as the synthesis
of the active and passive principle.' The very shape
of the anserated cross expresses a profound idea:
that of the circle of life spreading outwards from the
Origin and falling upon the surface (that is, upon
the passivity of existence which it then animates)
as well as soaring upward towards the infinite. It
may also be seen as a magic knot binding together
some particular combination of elements to form
one individual, a view which would confirm its
characteristic life-symbolism. It may also signify
destiny. Judged from the macro-cosmic point of
view, that is of its analogy with the world, the
~Ankh-cross may represent the sun, the sky and
the earth (by reference to the circle, the upright
and the horizontal lines). As a microcosmic sign,
that is by analogy with {wo|man}, the circle would
represent the human head or reason (or the 'sun'
which gives {him|her} life), the horizontal arms
{his|her} arms, and the upright {his|her} body (19).
In sum, the most general significance of the cross
is that of the conjunction of opposites: the positive
(or the vertical) with the negative (or horizontal),
the superior with the inferior, life with death. The
basic idea behind the symbolism of crucifixion is
that of experiencing the essence of antagonism,
an idea which lies at the root of existence,
expressing as does life's agonizing pain, its
cross-roads of possibilities and impossibilities,
of construction and destruction. Evola suggests
that the cross is a synthesis of the seven aspects
of space and time, because its form is such that
it both maintains and destroys free movement;
hence, the cross is the antithesis of the Ouroboros,
the serpent or dragon denoting the primeval,
anarchic dynamism which preceded the creation
of the cosmos and the emergence of order. There
is, thus, a close relationship between the cross
and the sword, since both of them are wielded
against the primordial monster (Plate V)."
endquote pp. 65-68 A Dictionary of Symbols,
J.E. Cirlot, Philosophical Library, NY c 1962
tried a fairly decent etymological dictionary
though it did not have an entry for 'cross' itself.
so tried a thesaurus for a wide-ranging survey:
_cross
noun. adversity 729.1
affliction 866.8
cane 217.2
heraldic insignia 569.2
hybrid 44.9
impediment 730.6
insignia 569.1
instrument of execution 1011.5
memorial 570.12
sacred article 1040.11
signature 583.10
staff 1041.3
X 221.4
verb. bless 1032.13
contradict 790.6
counteract 178.6
deny 524.4
disappoint 541.2
hybridize 44.14
intersect 221.6
oppose 790.3
pass 313.8
sail 275.13
thwart 730.15
adjective. angry 952.26
crossed 221.8
crosswise 221.9
cruciform 221.10
disagreeing 27.6
hybrid 44.16
irascible 951.19
opposing 790.8
adverb. crosswise 221.13
in opposition 221.13
--end of quote, from international thesaurus index
here is the entry for 'X 221.4'
--> 221. Crossing
--> .4 _cross, crux, cruciform, staur(o)-; _crucifix,
rood; _crisscross, christcross; _X, ex, exing,
chi, St. Andrew's cross, ~crux ~decussata [L],
saltire [her]; T, tau, ~crux ~commissa [L], St.
Anthony's cross; Y, thieve's cross, fork cross;
_ankh, key of the Nile, ~crux ~ansata [L];
avellan cross, cross botonée, trefled cross
or cross of St. Lazarus; Calvary cross; Celtic
~or Iona cross; chi-rho, Christogram; crosslet,
cross-crosslet; cross fitché; cross fleury, cross
of Cleves; cross formée; cross fourchée; Greek
cross, St. George's cross; cross grignolée;
inverted cross, St. Peter's cross, Jerusalem
cross, potent cross; _Latin_cross, long cross,
~crux ~capitata [L], ~crux ~immissa [L], ~crux
~ ordinaria [L], God's mark; cross of Lorraine;
_Maltese_cross; cross moline, cross ancré,
cross recercelée; papal cross; patriarchal ~or
archiepiscopal cross; cross patée; cross
pommée, cross bourdonée; Russian cross;
quadrate cross; _swastika, gammadion [L];
voided cross; pectoral cross, crossbones;
dagger 586.20."
from symbol dictionary (great definition,
though this is only for the mast-cross
comparison...)
SHIP '...the most profound significance
of navigation is that implied by Pompey the
Great in his remark: 'Living is not necessary,
but navigation is.' By this he meant that existence
is split up into two fundamental structures: living,
which he understood as living for or in oneself,
and sailing or navigating by which he understood
living in order to transcend- or what Nietzsche
from his pessimistic angle called 'living in order
to disappear.' ....... 'The mast in the centre of the
vessel gives expression to the idea of the Cosmic
Tree incorporated within the symbolism of the
Ship-of-Death or 'Ship of Transcendence.' (50).
pp.280-282 j.e. cirlot (ibid)
wondering about language/letters, and the
references to crosses, there is an X, Y, T, etc.
'terror' is an interesting etymology though will
leave that for another compilation. only to say
that the taboo of using the word is in its origins
for tremor and to frighten. writing about it was
at first a destructive emotional experience, as
it was not realized how privatized this language
has become, where some use/abuse its power.
brian
--
The Design-L list for art and architecture, since 1992...
To subscribe, send mailto:design-l-subscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
To signoff, send mailto:design-l-unsubscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Visit archives: http://lists.psu.edu/archives/design-l.html