Pattern symmetry and colored repetition in cultural contexts

AbstractThe application of a mathematical principle, symmetry, to an area so highly variable as human culture seems remarkable until one discovers that the principle uncovers hitherto unknown consistencies in human behavior. In Sec. 2, the types of analyses which have shown how symmetry is manifested in culture are discussed. However, not all patterns created by cultural groups maintain structural symmetry when combined with other stylistic aspects. In Sec. 3, colored patterns on pre-Columbian textiles from Peru, which have colorings inconsistent with their underlying structural symmetry are discussed