Customer Reviews

Symmetries of Culture: Theory and Practice of Plane Pattern Analysis

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Washburn is a mathematician and Crowe is an antrophologist. The book gives a very good description of both the mathematical ideas and the context around the art. The illustrations are great! As examples of the quality of the book, it gives the best description I've seen anywhere of the difference between p31m and p3m1 and a very interestig history of the study of patterns.

Only one minor complaint: On page 5 they mention that in 1987, all the 17 groups were finally found at Alhambra, but they do not give a reference. The place to go is J.M. Montesinos: Classical Tessellations and Three-Manifolds.

A handsome production from the University of Washington Press: large format trade paperback, 298 pp with something like 375 b&w illustrations. 12 p Bibliography. Index and Notation Index.

TABLE OF CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS
I. History and Theory of Plane Pattern Analysis
- Crystallographic and Mathematical History
- Applications of Geometry to Design
- Symmetry Analysis in Anthropological Perspective

II. Mathematical Principles and Terminologies
- Symmetries of the Plane: the Four Motions
- Designs, Repeated Patterns, and Dimension
- Recapitulation
- Notation for One-Color Designs and Patterns

III. Color Symmetry
IV. One-Dimensional Patterns
V. Two-Dimensional Patterns
VI. Finite Designs
VII. Problems in Classification

Conclusion
Appendices 1-3