Symmetries of Culture

"Art historians have long been aware of recurring symmetrical patterns of form and color in ancient, tribal, folk and applied arts. Lately, anthropologists have begun using ‘symmetry analysis’ as a tool to explain how artworks reflect patterns of human behavior and basic values—-both within one culture and among far—flung peoples. This richly illustrated study brings to light dozens of intriguing examples of symmetrical designs, for instance, in a Zulu loincloth, a Japanese chopstick case, a New England quilt, a Tibetan ‘Plaque of a Thousand Lamas,’ a Hawaii water gourd. The same pattern found in a fantastical drawing of lizards by M.C. Escher is echoed in a Fiji basket lid and an Egyptian wall mosaic."

* Publishers Weekly *

"An archaeologist and a mathmatician have collaborated to write this extremely useful guide to classifying plane pattern designs. It should benefit any researcher who describes and compares designs. The authors suggest a means of recognizing aspects of symmetry as part of the process of classifying a design according to the cryptic symmetry notation used in crystallography. Question—answer flow charts enable the reader to correctly classify designs using a standard notation. The book is extensively illustrated with carvings, textiles, basketry, tiles, and pottery, which are used as examples of various symmetry patterns."

* American Anthropologist *

"An impressive book—-both in terms of its physical appearance and its content..[Symmetries of Culture] will undoubtedly become the major reference on the analysis of patterns in terms of symmetry properties."

* Antiquity *

"[Washburn and Crowe] show in rigorous..ways how symmetry classifications can..and should be applied to the analysis of cultures. The book not only summarizes symmetry classifications and presents a wealth of examples, but introduces generally applicable flow—chart techniques for the classification of one—dimensional and two—dimensional and one— and two—color designs..[It] will be of great use not only to the professional anthropologist but to all interested in plane pattern analysis."

* Symmet