From the doorways of farmhouses to the delicate chains of necklaces, the horseshoe is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. Its simple, arched shape … Read more

The Passover Seder table is a landscape of symbols. Each food tells a part of a story that is thousands of years old. The unleavened bread, or … Read more

Think about the moments that define who you are. Pulling on a team jersey before a big game doesn’t just identify you as a player; it connects … Read more

Have you ever wondered why the Mad Hatter’s tea party in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is so wonderfully chaotic and nonsensical? Or why a simple chocolate frog … Read more

From the glimmering death mask of a boy pharaoh to the radiant dome of a sacred temple, and from the sacred chalice of a king to the … Read more

In the vast and varied kingdom of literary animals, few creatures carry the symbolic weight of the rat. Living in the shadows of human civilization—in our walls, … Read more

For centuries, the raven has flown through our stories and poems, a figure of mystery and shadow. With its glossy black feathers and intelligent eyes, it often … Read more

In the lush tropical rainforests of what is now southern Nigeria, the Kingdom of Benin, also known as the Edo Empire (c. 1440–1897), rose to become one … Read more

It is a common experience: a person glances at the clock and it reads 1:11. Later that day, they notice a license plate with 111, and the … Read more

In her 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale, author Margaret Atwood created a chilling vision of the future that she calls “speculative fiction”. The story is set in … Read more