Iconography

As a traveler in a foreign country, symbols or icons are the main source of relief and navigation. For example, the fork and knife symbols are widely used and tell the observer that food is in such a direction. The simplified figures of male and females are the universal sign for bathrooms. There are symbols out there that are so well known that the brain recognizes it and the connotations that go along with it. These commonly used symbols are known as Icon’s and humanity has been using them to communicate with one another for centuries.
Christianity used icons in the medieval ages to teach the illiterate lower class religious values and lessons from the Bible. Other religions used icons in the same way. Today their own distinct icon can identify different religions. Christianity is the cross; Judaism has the Star of David, and so on. An icon can link to completely different worlds. A Muslim can recognize another person as a Christian without ever having to say a word. A necklace with a crucifix is enough.
Aside from religion, people have used icons in advertising. People are more likely to know your product and buy it if they can immediately recognize it. Children grow excited when they see their favorite character on cereal boxes, or their favorite cartoon character on apparel. The more people know you, the more success you will have. Being able to make that immediate connection with your audience is vital.
Basically, the study of Iconography is about how human beings can communicate with the use of symbols that are universally known instead of spoken words. It is a language in itself that almost every human being on the planet knows. From personal experience, simple communication with the use of pictures works beautifully. Three years ago, I had a young Japanese exchange student come and stay with my family and I for a month. The two of us got along perfectly by drawing what we wanted to do on a notepad that we carried along with us. Humanity is amazing in that it can be so completely divided by nationality, race, and tongue, but at the same time inevitably connected by the fact that we are human, and have a brain.

*there are no citations because this blog is based off of my own observations and common knowledge.