ARH 390
Methodology - 1
Animals are Good to Think
Chimu / Inca
Nasca
Huari
Sican
Kwakiutl
Human beings are symbolic animals, hence
both creators and creatures of culture.
The symbolic systems constructed by human
beings are not simply changes rung upon
some universal matrix, itself sprung from the
given of physics.
Israel Scheffler
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QuickTime™ and a
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QuickT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see t his picture.
QuickTime™ and a
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ar e needed to see t his pictur e.
QuickTime™ and a
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are needed to see this picture.
Quic kT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompres sed) decompres sor
are needed to s ee this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Quic kTime™ a nd a
TIFF (Un co mp res sed ) d eco mp re sso r
ar e n eed ed to see thi s p ictu re.
Quic kT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompres sed) decompres sor
are needed to s ee this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Quic kT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompress ed) dec ompress or
are needed to s ee this pic ture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
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are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
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are needed to see this picture.
It follows the same principle with symbolic and sacred
things, animals, plants or concepts. They all must have their
place. In fact, it can even be said that these subjects or things
have a sacred or symbolic value because, they are in their
place and it is their position, that make their value. If they
were taken out of their place, the whole symbolic construct
would collapse. Sacred objects therefore contribute to the
maintenance of order in the universe by occupying the places
allocated to them.
Lévi-Strauss, The Savage Mind
Hamatsa initiation 1902
Hamatsa Masks
Hamatsa Mask
What is the virtue of reduction either of scale or
in the number of properties? It seems to result
from a sort of reversal in the process of
understanding. To understand a real object in its
totality we always tend to work from its parts.
The resistance it offers us is overcome by dividing
it. Reduction in scale reverses this situation. Being
smaller the object as a whole seems less
formidable. By being quantitatively diminished, it
seems to us qualitatively simplified.
Lévi-Strauss 1996[1962]: 23
Signs stands for something else, for things
and ideas that they refer to. For example the
representation of a temple or an individual
in a given scene would stand for the real
object or human. Then the real thing
represented by the picture is known as the
signified, object or referent.
Signifier / Sign
Signified / Real Thing
Three basic units of a Sign
• 1- Iconic: the thing look like the thing
signified.
Three basic units of a Sign
• 1- Iconic: the thing look like the thing
signified.
• 2- Indexical: The index focuses the
attention to which it refers.
Three basic units of a Sign
• 1- Iconic: the thing look like the thing
signified.
• 2- Indexical: The index focuses the
attention to which it refers.
• 3- Symbolic: the symbol has no evident
connection to the idea it represents except
through a specific set of conventions.
Signs are organized together in the form
of codes.
Sign
Signifier
Sign
Signifier
Sign
Signifier
Sign
Signifier
Sign
A code is a pattern according to which
information is arranged in a meaningful
way by the maker of the message.