The Ancient Significance of Numbers & Its Effect on Modern Branding: Number Four
Posted on: July 13, 2010
Avatar (2009) was one of the highest grossing films to ever hit the box office in the history of Hollywood; and rightfully so. It’s pioneering of the 3-dimensional technology combined with its beautiful CGI, cinematography, story line, and political relevance made it a wonderful 3D theater experience. Personally, I just really enjoyed my stylish horn-rimmed 3D glasses. So, you may be asking yourself, what does Avatar have to do with Black Jade Studio’s Ancient Significance of Numbers Blog? Answer: Besides BJC’s appreciation for art, what if I told you that the whole premise behind Avatar 3D was rooted in the ancient significance of the number 4? Would I have your attention then?
The Tetrad and the Birth of the Square
Bringing Life to Plane-ness: The Birth of Volume and the Third Dimension
Hard as a Diamond: The Tetrahedron
There are minimum of four planes necessary to create any three dimensional object. Take the tetrahedron for example. In two dimensions, the tetrahedron is simply just a triangle. However, a simple point at the center of an equilateral triangle allows you to draw depth to the three corners of the triangle. Coincidentally, the tetrahedron has four necessary planes that make it the strong, stable, and piercing figure that it is. Furthermore, there are four necessary and inherent elements to every three dimensional objects:
1.Points
2.Lines
3.Areas
4.Volumes
Engineer Like an Egyptian: The Pyramid
Inasmuch as the tetrahedron emulates the characteristics of fourness, the pyramid is a symbol of bringing life to the square itself. Michael Schenider writes, “Diagonals are the means by which a square may be extended beyond itself or into its own depths.” Thus, out of a simple square and the effective use of diagonals, the pyramid can come to life. Therefore, the square stands as the most stable and functional foundation on which a structure can stand. Don’t believe me? Take a look at one of the Seven Wonders of the World in the Great Pyramid of Giza. The ancient Egyptians built their timeless edifices using the insight behind the tetrad and fourness, a concept and engineering practice that continues to be true today.
The Building Blocks of Society: The Cube
Since we have established the square’s street credit with strength and balance, the cube’s make up of six squares seals its fate as one of the most self-sustaining and stable figures to be developed by the ancients. Whether it is the cube itself, or a manipulation of the cube, we encounter them everyday of our lives from sugar and ice, to houses, buildings, and architectural wonders. The cube stands as a stringent symbol for stability, strength, and efficiency in our psyches.
Finally, now back to Avatar. As you can now see, the roots of the third dimension were born with the ancients in their discovery of the number four, the square, and the tetrad. The third dimension is such an important part of human development as it changed the way that we perceived the world forever. Just as the movie Avatar stretched our perceptions through imagination, the number four enhanced the way in which we envision and understand our realities. So if you have seen Avatar, or still plan to, don’t only be mesmerized by the beauty and brilliance of the film, but try to wrap your mind around how the number four made it all possible.
The Number Four in Our Everyday Lives
Outside of Avatar and the engineering nature behind the square, the number four carries with it some other ancient understandings that we often incorporate into our everyday lives. Here are a few:
Four Corners of the Earth: Remember when you lost your keys? And you looked everywhere for them. Some people would even say that they looked in all four corners of the Earth. As corny as that may sound today, the “four corners” image is one that was developed in response to the natural observation of four hemispheres, four major oceans, four seasons, etc. In essence, the four bears with it the concept of worldliness and breadth.
Boundary: Remember when the world thought the world was flat? For Columbus, that meant boundaries. If the world was in fact flat, traveling too far in one direction would leave the Nina, The Pinta, and The Santa Maria to be the first vessels to discover space travel in addition to the exploration of the Americas. The square stands for boundary just as the boundaries of a building are established by the its square foundation; or how four-legged animals are earthbound. Traditionally, the number four and the square were symbols of boundary, just as the tetrad is engulfed in the boundaries of the vesica piscis.
We have all heard the term, “Home is where the heart is.” Well, Domicile Furniture may not adopt that saying into their personal brand, but they sure do emulate the concept. Domicile’s CEO and Founder, Larry B. says: “Our strength lies mainly in our products, the selection you are about to explore has been rigorously tested for quality and environmental safety. Our merchandise and prices are unparalleled. We put style and technology to each and every piece that we choose to carry. Our goal is to present you with products that are elegant, durable, and comfortable. Over 33 years, we have striven to offer the best combination of value and quality. Today, our clients are the daily proof of our success recipe.” Not only does Domicile help its clients fulfill their design needs within their home, they help them stabilize its inner and outer beauty. Domicile Furniture emulates the number four clearly with its logo, but more intuitively with the concept of bringing stability, balance, and a new dimension to their clients’ homes through Domicile’s stellar product selection and ingenuity.
Black Jade Creative 
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