Home / Arts and Entertainment / Ancient Shapes Unlock UK History's Secrets
Ancient Shapes Unlock UK History's Secrets
1 Jan
Summary
- Researchers rediscovered forgotten meanings in UK architecture.
- Geometric shapes like rhombic dodecahedra symbolized harmony.
- Lost knowledge declined after World War I and modernist movements.
Heritage consultants James Wenn and James Syrett claim to have rediscovered forgotten meanings within historic British architecture. Their research focuses on geometric shapes, notably the rhombic dodecahedron, which they argue symbolized harmony and the universe's shape, referencing ancient Greek philosopher Plato.
This understanding of architectural symbolism reportedly declined around the First World War, as the educated elite who preserved this knowledge perished in the trenches, compounded by the rise of modernist movements. The pair's epiphany occurred in 2019 when the rhombic dodecahedron shape of garnet crystals illuminated the purpose behind their use in Anglo-Saxon jewelry and church towers.
The rediscovered meanings, found in structures from Westminster Abbey to Oxford University, are believed to have influenced the 2023 King's coronation. Researchers suggest this revelation could be 'massive' for the UK's tourism industry, inviting visitors to explore these previously hidden historical narratives.
