Symbolism (anthropology)

Symbolism (anthropology), use of symbols to convey different meanings. Symbols may be anything: objects, words, colours, or patterns; their defining characteristic is that they stand for something other than their intrinsic property. For instance, while there is nothing intrinsically dangerous about the colour red, it has become a symbol for danger in a number of societies.

The anthropological study of symbolism developed in the 1960s to investigate what symbols stand for and the processes by which meaning is attributed to them. It drew upon a number of other disciplines such as sociolinguistics, semiotics (the science of signs), and literary criticism. There have been several different strands of inquiry, with differences particularly marked between the British, American, and French schools. The common agreement between them, however, is the need to explain the universal presence of symbols in all societies and to explain their importance. In human history, symbols have been used to express ideas, communicate meanings, and convey emotion. Language may be said to be the most obvious symbol. Combinations of letters create different words; these words when spoken are accompanied by sounds; and these sounds in turn stand for different meanings. The relationship between the sound of a word and its meaning is an arbitrary one, however, set by rules and social convention. Similarly, different languages of the world have developed different scripts as symbols of meanings. Hieroglyphs from the ancient Egyptian civilization are among the earliest examples. Archaeologists have unearthed coins from the ancient Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations in the Indus Valley, about which little is known. However, the coins have on them symbols such as a bull, and scholars continue to try to unscramble the meanings of these in order to learn more about these societies.

Symbols are equally potent in today’s world. For instance, a national flag or anthem, the crucifix, or indeed the colours of sports teams can be charged with meaning and emotion.