Symbology is defined as the study and use of symbols. The ancients were masters of symbology – wielding their knowledge of symbols to transfer knowledge to others. Today we use symbols just as powerfully as the ancients – we just use different symbols than they did.
It’s easy to consider a particular piece of Egyptian or Mayan Heiroglyphics as using symbols to convey meaning. But did you realize we use symbols all the time in our own way? Each letter that we use to form words and sentences is a symbol. A symbol is just some form or writing, etching, or carving that signifies something – whether it be a sound, an idea, or a concept.
The intrigue of symbols used in ancient writing stems from the excitement and mystery of re-discovering something that hasn’t been known for ages. It’s the same thrill you feel when you watch a movie where the cast has discovered an egyptian tomb, hidden passageway or ancient relic. We all find ourselves drawn to the excitement of discovery.
At COTA we’re breaking down the larger complex problem of decoding and deciphering ancient writings and heiroglyphics into the processing and understanding of symbols that ancient cultures used. By doing this, we’ll be better able to accomplish our mission.
The term “symbology” might be fairly new to you, but you might have seen or heard it in movies or novels. For example, Robert Langdon – the ficticious character in Dan Brown’s novels and their resulting movie adaptations – was a symbology professor.
