Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Symbols in Old Illustrations


I'm wanting to learn more about symbolism so I've been looking through random occult artwork scattered throughout the Internet. I found this image on Flickr, with no information to tell me what it is or what it means. Just picking out the obvious - the Ferdi at the top and the Nandvs at the bottom go together well as Ferdinandvs which is Ferdinandus when you change the old v to the modern u. The crown seems to imply a monarch, so... King Ferdinand? There is also the symbol for Vitriol on the crown. (Not that I know what that is at this moment but I've seen that symbol in the past somewhere else.) This thing is screaming alchemy but I don't know much about alchemy yet, being the rookie I am. And there are all these fascinating numbers and the shape in the center which seems to imply some kind of sacred geometry.

Anyway, I'm posting it here for further examination by myself or anyone else who cares to join in. I'd love to hear some ideas. I'd look further into it now but it's almost 3:30am and I must go to sleep. Tomorrow, Google awaits.

Goodnight.

23 comments:

Kathy Trejo said...

I love learning about symbols...i too find them all fascinating. I can hardly keep up with modern-day symbols and meanings...always wondering what it means...for example why did "76 ball" gas station symbol turn from orange to red? since i was a child the ball was orange. Remember the orange 76 balls on peoples car antennas? (maybe nothing)

your illustration post picture is really interesting to look at...i have no idea...but would love to learn what it all means...the numbers? The crescent is really interesting....someone tell me...fun to learn.

Kathy Trejo said...

Maybe its a map of some kind?

Kathy Trejo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

It is similar to the Standard of the President of the Russian Federation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Russia

Sophia said...

Hi Kathy,

Did you begin to feel shy regarding your dream? I won't comment on it unless you wish.

I found just the site for you, Kathy. http://www.savethe76ball.com/ On that page is some information regarding the color change.

Sophia said...

I noticed that the number 24 seems important in this image. In the center of the crest the numbers go from 1 to 24 over and over again. I wonder if it has anything to do with there being 24 hours in a day?

I could be tempted to write it off to just the usual common heraldic symbol. You can find the double-headed eagle all over the place on flags and crests, but it's that symbol for Vitriol which lead me on to its alchemical nature.

I haven't had time today to look into this more. Maybe I can dig around in Google for a little bit before going to bed.

Sophia said...

Oooo just thought of something. I know these double-headed eagles can symbolize the union of opposites. Two in one. And there are two numbers I'm focusing on in this image - there are 12s and there are 24s. 12 goes into 24 two times. There's that two again.

I don't know. Someday I will.

Sophia said...

The androgyne.

Sophia said...

I've been collecting images like this without knowing what they meant but I want to learn more now.

Here is a great article about the androgyne in alchemical art:

http://western-philosophy.suite101.com/article.cfm/androgyny_in_alchemy_and_mysticism

I should have put two and two together and remembered the sun and moon.

Kathy Trejo said...

Thanks Sophia

Yes i got shy...didn't want to bother you...but yes i would love to hear your thoughts on the dream. Sorry i deleted...I'll try not to do that in future.

Thank you so much on the 76 ball info...I've been wondering about this for some time! Its great to find answers :-) O by the way...that Red color that Texas has is alarmingly awful...i hate it.

I enjoy your curiosity on symbols and dreams and whatever you come up with in your blog! (((Hugs))) to you.

Kathy Trejo said...

I looked at Anonymous link...and he/she is right! interesting...

human being said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
human being said...

hey Sophia this is so amazing...

i examined it for a while... the lines drawn from the tip of the feathers or the batons(?) and also from the beak of the bird seem to signify something... what?

also the numbers... in the circle we have numbers from 1-12 written two times... then out of the circle... we have them upto 24..

24= 12x2

and the numbers on the feather and aslo those written on the big letters above and below the paiting do not go farther than 12...

12 signifies a kind of completion... perfection... perhaps this shows different stages of a process...

and the bird is above the sea... with ships sailing on it... all is what happeing in our world within...

yes alchemic...

so interested now... what have you found?
let me know...
:)

human being said...

ha ha ha !
unlike other blogs you comment button is above the posts and i've posted my comments in wrong places!

sorry
:D

Sophia said...

Hi Kathy,

I would love to help you try to figure out the meaning of your dream. Of course no one can know more about your dream than you, but maybe some ideas will help. I have found that sometimes dreams follow certain patterns. Things in dreams can be symbolic of waking life events. A dream dictionary won't always get the meaning right. They are your symbols and your meanings. With that said, I like to try to find possible analogies in dreams. Yours has a couple that might correlate to your life right now.

First - when you dream that you can't float very high it could be that something is weighing you down. It's like being a bird trying to lift a fish that is much too big for it - it can't get up off the ground. So what is it that is burdening you? When you fly high you are flying free - nothing or very little is keeping you down.

Second - there could also be a more spiritual meaning. When you are stuck flying or floating at a low level you may feel in your waking life that you are not "ascending" high spiritually or that you are not reaching higher levels. The opposite is true of flying high - you may feel that you are soaring spiritually, that you are ascending higher and higher to the upper realms.

I hope these help!

Kathy Trejo said...

Yes i can see how this could apply to my life. thanks Sophia! (((Hugs)))

Sophia said...

The double headed eagle has its own special video series on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0U3yqzckb0 I haven't watched it yet but skimming through the first episode I saw that they mentioned my Ferdinand!

I have a big lot of artwork that is full of symbolism. I'm just starting out on the journey of exploring the meanings. It's exciting to have all this to look forward to. However, I find it very disturbing that the Nazis hijacked a lot of symbols and kind of ruined them for the rest of us.

Thanks for enjoying this blog, Kathy. I enjoy coming here and writing and interacting. I learn so much from everyone.

Sophia said...

Human Being, I wish I knew what they signify. I noticed that the lines are all webbed. They originate from a point.

The bird is a phoenix, I think.

Sophia said...

HB - you can post your comments anywhere you like. :)

Sophia said...

Kathy, by the way, did you notice that you described that red color as "alarmingly awful"? Actually, the color red is used on alarms. Notice how you took note of that subconsciously by using the word alarm-ingly.

Kathy Trejo said...

LOL you are very observant ...i didn't notice that! interesting! :)

V said...

Ferdinandus! The oppressors of Spain, the Americas, and the Philippines!

Mem Key said...

Prepared Journey - is a translation of FERDI and then NANDUS.
Safe Journey is also a translation of those names.
The Phoenix is the Great Work and the ships sailing on through the ages always means the Great Work that is carried through the Ages.
This is also Enlil and Enki.
"For wherever the carcass is, the eagles gather together." Mathew 24:28 referring to Enlil and Enki gathered together by the recumbent Lion, over the Great Pyramid.
(The lions head was chiseled down to a pharoahs head, which we call the Sphinx)
The obsession with showing the Geometry and Numbers behind the Creation is rooted in the saying "Omnia in numeris sita sunt." which means "Everything lies veiled in numbers."
Notice the tips of each staff is slightly different. One is the Destroyer, one is the Protector. Two as One, is what that says.
The X in the heart of the Shield is the true TAU before it was 'twisted and perverted' into the CROSS of today. This confirms that the artist speaks TRUTH and is not misled.
The Eagles at the bottom may FLY up, but the Lion who has "conquered the jungle" protects the Great Arcanum.
The Crown is Vitriol, the Kether of your Spine. The Fire Oil risen to the 3rd Ventricle through the 33Degrees or Chambers of your spine.
WOW.....loving this. Truth is pouring in from every direction.