Heroes, Sphinxes & Sea Monsters
Deities holding lions by the throat, sphinxes flanking a sacred tree, and an octopus that loses two arms every few centuries.
Lotus, Lily & Arabesque
Sixteen plates following the lotus out of Egypt, the lily into Crete, and both of them into every border in the Mediterranean.
Rosettes, Suns & Radiate Forms
Everything round with petals or rays, filed strictly by how many of them there are — three, then eight, then thirty-two.
The Spiral
Twelve consecutive plates. Whorls, S-curves, trumpet ends, spurred Maltese forms. The largest single class in the book by a wide margin.
Twists, Plaits & Knotwork
Interlace from the two-strand twist up to the Norse dragon plait, with the chain, the guilloche, and one lonely plate of pentagons.
Circles, Skirls & Shields
The divided circle in every subdivision, whirligig skirls, the shields of Dacians and Scythians, and a plate given entirely to bands of balls.
Crosses & Triangles
Cross emblems sorted by age — before 2000 B.C., through the pagan and Christian transition, then into settled Christian usage — followed by triangles.
Waves, Swastikas & Steps
Wavy lines, matting and festoons; the swastika classified purely by which way its arms turn; then fluting, steps and pavement mosaics.
Keys, Frets & Chequers
The Greek fret and its complications, mazes, T-forms, chequers and decorated squares. The book’s last and longest run.