Nautilus Shell
"The most
beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the
source of all true art and science."
Einstein, Albert
Nautilus - Living Fossil
The Nautilus (in Greek
'sailor') has survived relatively unchanged for 450
million years and is one of the only shells to survive
from the Dinosaurs era. This is why the Nautilus is
sometimes referred to as a "living fossil". The Nautilus
is a nocturnal creature and spends most of its time in the
great depths of the ocean. The Nautilus shell, lined with
mother-of-pearl, grows into increasingly larger chambers
throughout its life and so has become a symbol for
expansion and renewal. |
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Nautilus shell and Phi
Dating back to Hindu myth, the Nautilus Shell was mentioned as a
symbol of many things in the creation. It is also a symbol of the
inner beauty of nature. The Nautilus shell is one of the known
shapes that represent the golden mean number. The golden mean
number is also known as PHI - 1.6180339... The PHI is a number
without an arithmetic solution, the digits simply continue for
eternity without repeating themselves. The uniqueness of the
golden mean is that it can be found in all living forms such as
the human skeleton, the shell, and the sunflowers seeds order.
Plato called this number - "The key for the universe physics".
A similar geometric shape like the Nautilus can be found in the
spiral patterns of the leaves in many plants, the arrangement of
the pine cone and in cauliflower. The Concept that Phi can be
found in all living things is amazing and mind-blowing. It somehow
suggests that our natural world is not just a random mess, but
instead contains logic and can be explained with mathematical
equations.
The Golden Mean number is widely used in art, architecture and
religious symbols. Artists like Da Vinci and Kandinsky have used
the golden mean in their paintings. The Guggenheim Museum, planned
by Frank Lloyd Wright, is shaped like the shell. Researchers found
that humans will consider beautiful artwork, architecture and even
a face that have the golden mean proportions. While it cannot be
worked out arithmetically, Phi can be easily obtained with a
compass and straightedge.
Finding the Golden Mean
Two simple ways of finding the Golden Section geometrically are as
follows:
Method one
If you take two equal squares, side by side, (a 1x2 rectangle),
divide one of the squares in half, and with a compass, swing the
diagonal down to the base of the other square, the point where the
diagonal touches the base will be phi, or 1.6180339+, in relation
to the side of the square, which is 1 (This formula also describes
exactly the rectangular floor of the King's Chamber).
Method two
The other method of determining the Golden Section is by dividing
a line segment, AB, at a point C, in such a way that the whole
line is longer than the first part in the same proportion as the
first part is longer than the remainder. AB/AC = AC/CB = 1.6180339
(notice the fractal and holographic nature of this ratio...).
Golden Mean in Architecture
The phi ratio is found in the architecture of the Great Pyramid in
the triangle formed by the height, half-base, and the apothem, or
diagonal. In other words, the basic cross-section of the structure
demonstrates the Golden Section. If the half - base is given a
value of 1, this gives the value of phi for the apothem, and the
square root of phi for the height. The Golden Section shows up
again and again in Giza and in much more baffling and tedious ways
(Entire volumes have been written on the geometries involved in
the pyramids construction).
Please visit David
Sacred Geometry jewelry section
About the Author
David Weitzman
The jewelry artist David Weitzman combines ancient and sacred knowledge into a unique line of jewelry designed to bring people both beauty and inspiration. David's artwork harnesses the power of spiritual symbols and sacred geometry from around the world to bring those wearing this sacred jewelry happiness, vitality, excitement, and love.