Brian Hobley F.S.A. The Circle of God An Archaeological and Historical Search for the Nature of the Sacred A Study of Continuity Line Drawings: N. A. Griffiths F.S.A. IT/Digital Imaging: Lee Taylor BSc (Hons) Latin & Greek Editor: Giulia Baronti M.A. Firenze (Florence) Over 400,000 words (excluding appendices) 800+ pages 1,050 illustrations (80 in colour) Bibliography 1,500 words Indexes 7,500 words The Circle of God: Table of Contents 1 Part One: The Circle as a Symbol Chapter One: The Nature of Symbolism ...................................................................................................................... 1.1 – 1.7 The definition of a symbol ................................................................................................................................................... 1.1 Methodology, meaning and verification ............................................................................................................................ 1.2 Cognitive archaeology: a new approach to symbolism ................................................................................................... 1.4 The symbolism of myth, religion and the otherworld ..................................................................................................... 1.5 Chapter Two: Symbolism in the Greco - Roman World............................................................................................. 2.1 - 2.8 Greek and Latin terms for the symbol ................................................................................................................................ 2.1 Greek and Roman pagan and early Christian views on symbolism .............................................................................. 2.1 Invoking the gods: sympatheia and talismans .................................................................................................................. 2.6 The use of iconography to explore the talismanic function of buildings ....................................................................... 2.9 Prophecy and divination .................................................................................................................................................... 2.10 Astrology .............................................................................................................................................................................. 2.12 Illustrations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2.18 Chapter Three: Imaging the Gods .................................................................................................................................. 3.1 - 3.5 Greco - Roman myth and religion ....................................................................................................................................... 3.1 Cosmic piety .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3.3 Part Two: The Sun as a Universal Symbol Chapter Four: Solar Symbols in the Middle East ........................................................................................................ 4.1 - 4.9 The power of the Sun ............................................................................................................................................................ 4.1 The Sun in Babylon and Assyria ......................................................................................................................................... 4.3 The Sun in Egypt ................................................................................................................................................................... 4.4 Illustrations: Images ......................................................................................................................................................... 4.8 Subject ......................................................................................................................................................... 4.9 Sources ............................................................................................................................................... See 49.3 Chapter Five: Solar Symbols in Megalithic Europe .................................................................................................... 5.1 - 5.6 The circle ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5.1 Spirals ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5.4 Circles ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5.5 Sun - discs and solar crosses. Pyramidal and wedge - shaped sun triangles ................................................................ 5.5 Rhomboid or lozenge and zig - zag motifs ........................................................................................................................ 5.6 Swastikas, solar whorls, meander patterns and gold cones ................................................................................... 5.6 - 5.7 Illustrations: Images .............................................................................................................................................. 5.8 - 5.15 Subject ............................................................................................................................................ 5.15 - 5.16 Sources ..................................................................................................................................... See 49.3 - 49.4 Chapter Six: The Sun and the Celts ............................................................................................................................. 6.1 - 6 11 Wheels and swastikas ........................................................................................................................................................... 6.1 Stags ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6.2 Water - birds .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6.3 Bulls ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6.3 Lions........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6.4 Horses ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 6.5 Gold ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6.6 Amber and Faience ............................................................................................................................................................... 6.6 Illustrations: Images .............................................................................................................................................. 6.7 - 6.11 Subject ...................................................................................................................................................... 6.11 Sources ............................................................................................................................................... See 49.4 Chapter Seven: Sun - symbols in Mycenae and Crete ................................................................................................ 7.1 - 7.9 Mycenaean circle and cross symbolism ............................................................................................................................. 7.1 Minoan crosses and swastikas at Knossos ......................................................................................................................... 7.1 The solar labyrinth, the Cretan labyrinth and the Minotaur ........................................................................................... 7.2 The Mycenean megaron (royal palace) and circular hearths .......................................................................................... 7.3 The royal cemetery of Mycenae: grave and tomb circles ................................................................................................. 7.4 Illustrations: Images ................................................................................................................................................. 7.5- 7.9 1 The Circle of God: Table of Contents 2 Chapter Seven: Sun - symbols in Mycenae and Crete (continued) Subject .......................................................................................................................................................