This comprehensive handbook, intended for anyone whose work involves the use of ornamental art, contains 1,000 representative examples of decorative designs. Identified by time and place of origin, they span the centuries and cover a wide diversity of cultures, with such primary forms represented as the square, circle, and triangle, as well as a variety of flora and fauna. Included among other images are a 20th century swastika alongside a similar pre-Hittite gold ornament from Asia Minor dating from 3000 B.C.; floral motifs from a Ming textile of the 16th century; woven geometric patterns from the Congo, Cameroon, and ancient Egypt; a ceramic motif from ancient Greece, and similar patterns from pre-Columbian Peru and Mexico; and much more. Accompanying this excellent compendium of copyright-free designs, is a thought-provoking text that examines the various symbols and their uses, the evolution of designs, and the psychological significance of patterns. In essence, this book provides the reader with a guide for making thoughtful and discerning choices about the use of design elements, while offering 1,000 wonderful patterns and ornamental motifs from which to choose. Sure to be welcomed by artists and illustrators, the collection will also appeal to craftworkers and devotees of the decorative arts.