The symbols in the SSoaSS booklet

gor

Ancient Mariner
It is noteworthy that Maiden have included these symbols in any format that has come out of this album (vinyl, CD, 98 CD reissues). I believe there is a significance to them and it'd be nice to collect some data on them. The only one I could find anything about was the tail eating snake, ouroboros:

[a href=\'http://www.crystalinks.com/ouroboros.html\' target=\'_blank\']http://www.crystalinks.com/ouroboros.html[/a]

feel free to chip in if you find something else!
Moonchild symbol​
[img src=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures07_ssoass/ssoass_book01a.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]​
 
this is really getting somewhere... I found this on the symbol bellow the lyrics of the clairvoyant:

Chalice containing three snakes

[a href=\'http://www.geocities.com/publicmosaic/st_john_evang.htm\' target=\'_blank\']http://www.geocities.com/publicmosaic/st_john_evang.htm[/a]

The Clairvoyant symbol​
[img src=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures07_ssoass/ssoass_book04a.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]​
 
Great idea Gor! (as usual! [!--emo&^_^--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/happy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'happy.gif\' /][!--endemo--] )

I've edited your posts to include the pictures from the original CD booklet [!--emo&B)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'cool.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
new find! [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

[a href=\'http://www.directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/gallery/view-photo.php?photo_id=290&sort=\' target=\'_blank\']http://www.directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/g...to_id=290&sort=[/a]

[a href=\'http://tudorshoppe.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TC-106-0622&Category_Code=BR\' target=\'_blank\']http://tudorshoppe.com/Merchant2/merchant....ategory_Code=BR[/a]

[a href=\'http://www.precision-guesswork.com/Sacred-Heart/pages/PICT0112.html\' target=\'_blank\']http://www.precision-guesswork.com/Sacred-...s/PICT0112.html[/a]

The Evil That Men Do symbol
[img src=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures07_ssoass/ssoass_book02b.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]​

I think it's obvious that the symbols are indicative of the part of the story each song describes
 
It looks more like a swan or a goose though... [!--emo&:blink:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

In any case, excellent find, Gor! [!--emo&B)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'cool.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
[!--QuoteBegin-gor+Nov 23 2004, 01:36 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(gor @ Nov 23 2004, 01:36 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]new find! [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

[a href=\'http://www.directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/gallery/view-photo.php?photo_id=290&sort=\' target=\'_blank\']http://www.directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/g...to_id=290&sort=[/a]

[a href=\'http://tudorshoppe.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TC-106-0622&Category_Code=BR\' target=\'_blank\']http://tudorshoppe.com/Merchant2/merchant....ategory_Code=BR[/a]

[a href=\'http://www.precision-guesswork.com/Sacred-Heart/pages/PICT0112.html\' target=\'_blank\']http://www.precision-guesswork.com/Sacred-...s/PICT0112.html[/a]

The Evil That Men Do symbol
[img src=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures07_ssoass/ssoass_book02b.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]​

I think it's obvious that the symbols are indicative of the part of the story each song describes
[snapback]92147[/snapback]​
[/quote]

This is in obvious connection to the song: "I would bleed for her"...
 
The Prophecy symbol : The Winged Globe of Ra :

[img src=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures07_ssoass/ssoass_book03b.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]​

I've founded a lot of pictures, but this one (the second from the top) is the only that I've founded which really looks like the booklet's one.

[a href=\'http://www.iwonderproductions.com/comet2.htm\' target=\'_blank\'][img src=\'http://www.iwonderproductions.com/wngdglb.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /][/a]

And about Moonchild, I've also founded this picture which is almost the same than in the booklet.

[a href=\'http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/histor/t_alchym.htm\' target=\'_blank\'][img src=\'http://www.ckrumlov.cz/obr/mesto/histor/2996.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /][/a]
 
Oh! Forgot about this thread. I have found the meaning of all the symbols in the booklet. Or at least intresting spins at what might be the interpretations of the symbols. One thing is for certain. They haven't been placed in the booklet by chance. Most of the times I do not explain what I think the connection of each symbol has with the song, I leave it open to interpretation and might I say they really support my theory on the album's concept, at least how I see it.

in my opinion the whole concept is about the 7th son, certainly not about his father. the order of the songs is not the order the story develops in, there's a slight time glitch, which i presume occurred because ssoass (the song) was the centerpiece of the album and they didn't want to place it 2nd. if you place ssoass before infinite dreams, its the right time line of the story. My view of the concept is greatly supported by the meanings of the symbols that accompany the songs.


Moonchild: The 7th son is in his mother's uterus. Lucifer, knowing of his powers, through threats to her is trying to scare her into killing the unborn one, as he does not wish for a man who can bring a turn over in the balance between Good and Evil to be born. In the book, the seventh son is born in a boat in the middle of a river, onboard which is his whole family. Satan tries to drown them to prevent the birth. The Eldest brother falls in the river. If he would die before the Seventh Son was born, the child would be void of it's powers. The Eldest son manages to hang on long enough for the child to be born, and then dies. One more dies, one more lives, one baby cries, one mother grieves. This might have something to do with the water element on the front cover.
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/ouroboros3.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
Moonchild features the ouroboros ("tail eater" in Greek), a symbol that first appeared in Egypt in 1600 BC. From there it went on to the Greeks and other civilisations. The meaning behind this symbol is completion, the cycle of life, creation through destruction, life from death.

Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son: The birth of the 7th son takes place in the presence of the powers of Good and Evil and his 6 brothers.
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/InannaStarOnyxClose-upWEB.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
seventh son: this song, second according the order of the story, features an 8-ray star. Any 8 ray star symbolises the planet Venus, which is known in the night sky as the Morning Star. It is the first star to appear at night and the last to disappear at Dawn. It symbolises the divine supervision upon the birth of night and day, of evil and good. Initially it was the symbol of the Godess Inanna.

Infinite Dreams: The SS is now a young boy. He is seeing increasingly frightening dreams, which are the result of the dawning of his powers, which he does not know of yet. The nature of the dreams fills the 7th son with worries and unanswered questions.
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/Caduceus.gif\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/treeoflifecaduceus.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
Infinite dreams: The symbol here is a caduceus, symbol of Medicine deriving from Hermes' and Asclepius' Caduceus. The only Caduceus in history depicted being held by a hand is that of Johann Froben, who typed the first translation of the New Testament into Latin from Desiderius Erasmus. It also featured a bird ontop of the Caduceus. According to Erasmus, the meaning given to the symbol from Froben came from Jesus' warning to the apostolles in Matthew: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves".
The snakes do not face each other as usual, but in opposite directions. This is how the Caduceus is represented in the Kaballah, where the snakes rest their heads on the spheres of Mercy and Severity of the Tree Of Life (I had a much better image of that somewhere... I'll come back with a better one).

Can I Play With Madness: The accumulating questions as well as the increasing fear drive the 7th son to ask a prophet in search of answers. The prophet understands the young boy's nature and his ignorance of his powers. Thinking of the harms they could cause if the boy were won over to the "left side", he avoids answering and tries to scare the boy away from finding any answers, threatening him with the prediction that his soul would "burn in a lake of fire".
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/SunBlack.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/MoonBleedingDurer.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
Can I Play With Madness: This is just how the "red and bleeding" moon from the Apocalypse is depicted from the representation on Wood from Albrecht Durer, a great Artist Of the Reinnesence.

The Evil That Men Do: At this point, Satan tries to win the 7th son to his side. He sends his virgin daughter to him as bait to lure him over. The 7th son sleeps with the virgin which leads to "the slaughter of innocence". Just like in the case of Adam and Eve, the taste of the fruit of evil, in this case the devil's daughter, has brought self awareness, distinction of Good and Evil and opened the Seventh son's "third eye". He has now full knowledge of his powers and sees that his path is narrow and winding, he has to follow it alone for the sake of man kind. Thus, he sacrifices his love for the devil's daughter and leaves her behind in promises (of prayers, thoughts and some day even a reunion).
[img src=\'http://tudorshoppe.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000002/106-0622.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
The Evil That Men Do: Pelican In Her Piety, symbolises self sacrifice for the benefit of others. Comes from a medieval belief that the pelican feeds its youngsters that way when no food is available.

The Prophecy: The son has chosen the good side. Lucifer again tries to win him over, this time through other means. Lucifer prepares a disaster to the village, knowing that the 7th son will foresee it and try to warn the others. The Seventh Son predicts it and tries to protect the villagers from the oncoming disaster. Lucifer is depending on the nature of mankind, as the villagers disbelieve the 7th son and mock him. The people now turn against the 7th son accusing him that he "brought down a curse" with his false predictions. Lucifer hopes that this ungratefulness will push the 7th son to rethink about the side he has chosen. Disaster comes, as predicted.
[img src=\'http://www.iwonderproductions.com/wngdglb.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/wingeddiskorigin.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
The Prophecy: The winged disk. the most copied symbol in human history. anything from the american Eagle to the Orthodox Christian representation of the Ressurection stem from this image. Symbol of divine supervision, protection or reign. Most probably inspired from the rings around the sun which were visable during eclipses.

The Clairvoyant: Human ungratefulness and the futility of trying to use his powers for good have taken a great toll on the 7th son's heart. As his courage is diminishing, he understands the futility of fighting for the ungrateful humans and thus, having lost his cause, his great powers are beginning to overcome him, the young boy has started to be scared of them once again. he is scared that he will no longer be able to be in control of them. it is a great test for the power of the 7th son's fate...
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/3snakescup.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
The Clairvoyant: This refers to the legend in which St John's faith was tested by the Roman Emperor, who gave him a poisonous cup to drink. Two others had already died from drinking the poison but when St John tried to drinkfrom it the poison turned into 3 little snakes. He survived and also revived the others. Symbolises a crucible of Faith and Power, a testing.

Only The Good Die Young: The Seventh Son, in what seems like a suicide note, spits at humanity's hypocrisy, foretells the doom of all and questions the purpose of his own being. The Seventh Son proves the prophet from can I play with Madness right: He will burn in a lake of fire, in Hell, because he takes his own life. He commits suicide, and the song really sounds like a suicide note.
[img src=\'http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/gorbeast/sulphursymbol.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]
Only the good die young: this was the hardest one to find. God knows I must have went through a million google pages. It's the alchemy symbol for sulphur, which for alchemists used to symbolise purification through fire and damnation in hell.
 
Many Thanks for all those informations, Gor Google's God. [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
The whole thing will probably end up as a special page on the Commentary (with due credits, of course!)... when I get to it! [!--emo&^_^--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/happy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'happy.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
images and story outline added [!--emo&:)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
Great job, Gor! [!--emo&B)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'cool.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
Here's the symbols in the SSOASS booklet:

The Ouroboros - Moonchild
The Caduceus - Infinite Dreams
The Moon - CIPWM
The Pelican - TETMD
The Eight-Pointed Star - SSOASS
The Winged Disc - The Prophecy
The Chalice with Snakes - The Clairvoyant
The Alchemical Symbol for Sulphur - OTGDY

ss.jpg
 
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