translate English to German: The word "symbol" came to the English language by way of Middle English , from Old French , from Latin , from the Greek σύμβολον súmbolon from the root words σύμ- (sym-) meaning "together" and βολή bolḗ "a throw", having the approximate meaning of "to throw together", literally a "co-incidence" ( Zufall ), also "sign, ticket, or contract".
Die bildende Kunst verwendet seit den frühesten Beispielen von Höhlenmalerei bis in die Gegenwart hinein Symbole. In sakraler Kunst folgt die Symbolik dabei den Vorgaben von Religion und Theologie .