The Mammoth Book of Lost Symbols
By Nadia Julien
First Published 1989 by Marabout, Alleur. Belgium
English translation 1996 by Robinson Publishing
Edition discusses here is the English reprint 2012, reprint 2019 by Robinson in US
Paperback 508 pages
The book is an extensive encyclopedic guide to symbolism, mythology, occult traditions, religion, and esoteric philosophy. First published in earlier forms in the late 20th century and reissued in 2012, the book is essentially a large A–Z dictionary of symbolic meanings drawn from cultures and spiritual traditions around the world.
Rather than being a narrative book with a single argument or story, it functions as a reference work. Julien explores symbols connected with:
- Alchemy
- Tarot
- Astrology
- Kabbalah
- Freemasonry
- Ancient Egyptian religion
- Greek and Roman mythology
- Eastern spiritual traditions
- Sacred geometry
- Animals, plants, colours, metals, and numbers
- Dreams and archetypes
The work examines how symbols act as a hidden language through which cultures express spiritual truths, cosmic principles, psychological ideas, and mystical teachings.
One reason the book appeals to occultists, pagans, tarot readers, and students of esotericism is that Julien blends several approaches together:
- historical symbolism,
- mythological interpretation,
- Jungian-style archetypal thinking,
- occult correspondences,
- and mystical philosophy.
For example, an entry on a serpent may discuss:
- its role in ancient religions,
- its alchemical meaning,
- associations with wisdom or rebirth,
- kundalini symbolism,
- and appearances in dreams or magical traditions.
The tone is scholarly but accessible. It is not strictly academic history, nor is it purely occult instruction. Instead, it sits somewhere between a mystical encyclopedia and a symbolic handbook. Readers often use it for:
- tarot interpretation,
- magical correspondences,
- meditation and pathworking,
- dream analysis,
- ritual symbolism,
- or simply researching the hidden meanings behind ancient symbols.
Book strengths I noted were the enormous breadth of material, cross-cultural comparisons,useful concise entries,and its value as a sourcebook for esoteric study.
It’s a good reference book for dipping into rather and serves me well as such.
It’s not without faults however; the entries can feel dense or uneven and it sometimes mixes mythology and occult interpretation without clearly separating historical fact from esoteric speculation, and it can occasionally read more like a mystical correspondence guide than a critical academic text.
The book is still in print and available at very reasonable prices.
https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/nadia-julien/the-mammoth-book-of-lost-symbols/9781780331263/
ISBN-13: 9781780331263
About the author
Nadia Julien ; a Belgian writer and researcher best known for her work on symbolism, mythology, astrology, and esoteric traditions. Although relatively little biographical information about her is publicly available, her published works reveal a lifelong fascination with the hidden meanings embedded in myths, symbols, dreams, religion, and occult philosophy.
Before becoming known as an esoteric author, Julien worked as a teacher with the Alliance Française. She later practised graphology — the study and interpretation of handwriting — for a number of years. Graphology was especially popular in parts of Europe during the 20th century and was often linked with psychology, personality analysis, and symbolic interpretation. This background appears to have strongly influenced her later writing style, which frequently explores hidden patterns and symbolic meanings beneath ordinary appearances.
Over time, Julien became deeply interested in esotericism, comparative mythology, astrology, symbolism, folklore,mystical traditionsand the archetypal language of dreams and images.
She went on to publish numerous reference-style books and encyclopedias, particularly in French and English. Her writings tend to blend historical research with occult interpretation, Jungian-style archetypes, spiritual symbolism, and cross-cultural mythology.
Among her best-known works are:
- The Mammoth Book of Lost Symbols
- Grand dictionnaire des symboles et des mythes
- Encyclopédie des mythes
- Dictionnaire des superstitions et des présages.
Her books often examine how symbols recur across different civilisations and religions. For example, she explored how images like:
- serpents,
- trees,
- stars,
- labyrinths,
- dragons,
- colours,
- metals,
- and sacred numbers
carry layered meanings that evolve through mythology, alchemy, religion, magic, and psychology.
Julien’s approach was not strictly academic in the university sense. Instead, her work sits in a space between:
- reference scholarship,
- mystical interpretation,
- and metaphysical exploration.
Because of this, her books became especially popular among readers interested in a range of backgrounds.
Her writing style is often described as dense but rich — more like wandering through an occult encyclopedia than reading a conventional narrative book. Readers who enjoy symbolic correspondences and hidden meanings tend to appreciate her work, while more academic historians sometimes criticise it for blending folklore, mysticism, and speculation together without sharply separating them.
