The Lost Language of Symbolism: An Inquiry into the Origin of Certain Letters, Words, Names, Fairy-Tales, Folklore, and Mythologies (v. 1) [Paperback]

Bayley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1988

This remarkable book reveals the hidden meaning behind familiar images and words, from the origins of Santa Claus to the metaphoric significance of the unicorn and the fleur-de-lys. It draws upon mythology, folklore, religious texts, and fairy tales from around the world as well as upon the secret traditions of ancient cultures and sects. 1,400 illustrations.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: Citadel (September 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806511001
• ISBN-13: 978-0806511009
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,750,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life the universe and everything revealed by watermarks, April 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Language Of Symbolism Il: An Inquiry into the Origin of Certain Letters, Words, Names, Fairy-Tales, Folklore, and Mythologies (Paperback)

A weird, wonderful and cranky book. The author advises you to skip the first few chapters because they are a bit obsessive and not very interesting to most people (they are actually fascinating, but it's great to see modesty in an author). The symbolic meaning of watermarks is explained, but that's just the start, soon the book gets in full swing going off on fascinating tangents left right and centre. Ancient myths, the masons, rosicrucians & templars .Lots of highly speculative etymology of words like "cucumber" (translated as "mighty-fire-father" if I remember right). Smashing stuff. Read it and be confused

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This 2 volume set is a must for inquiring minds., July 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Language of Symbolism: An Inquiry into the Origin of Certain Letters, Words, Names, Fairy-Tales, Folklore, and Mythologies (v. 1) (Paperback)

Harold Bayley's work will imortalize this scholar. His global linking of myth, legend and fact is a milestone. This wreat work was written long before the word "diffusion" was outlawed from scholarly endevour. Bayley correctly points out the global scale and diffusion of myth, legend tales and symbolism. The sections concerning Lugh, Hu, Stonehenge and Avebury are must reading for every scholar of the ancients.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An interesting artifact, September 22, 2006

By 

Phelps Gates (Chapel Hill, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lost Language of Symbolism (Dover Occult) (Paperback)

This is an unaltered reprint of a book published in 1912. It's primarily interesting as an example of what amateur scholars (especially in Britain) were putting out in that era. Cranky and usually hilariously offbase, but often fun to read. The author's etymological speculations are remarkable: a supposed root AK is the basis of Heracles, zodiac, yak (the animal), akbar ('great' in Arabic): ironically, the correct etymologies of these items were already well-known in 1912, though not, it would seem, to Mr. Bayley. The author's analysis of the Cinderella story will leave your head spinning!