Signs, Symbols, Ciphers: Decoding Communication

We invite you to decode your world

This exhibition explores our world as a place filled with codes. Signs that clearly direct our actions, symbols that represent concepts or affiliations, ciphers that encrypt private information. 

Note: This page is an accessible resource created for persons with low vision or blindness and therefore does not include images.

Language, dress, learning, even advertising, are all heavily encoded. Information is presentedand interpreted usingcodes that may be obvious, such as a written message, or subtle, like the subliminal cues of colour psychology.

Touch-based communication tools like braille, are a practical code that provides vital access to information. Indigenous art encodes complexcultural knowledges through visual symbols.

In the online world, all activity is powereby digital code, which evolved from mathematic logic and programming.

Instructive communication

How do we safely navigate the world around us?

A lot of communication is instructive.It helps us understand where to go, what to do, and how to do something the right way. Wayfinding trees help us survive on Country. Road signs help us navigate the streets safely.

Instructive communication can explain new concepts like the alphabet, which can help to form the foundation of how we learn.From the practical to the fantastical, ‘how to’ books or instructional videos can help us acquire new skills and teach us new things.

Objects displayed:

1. Chiromancy or The Science of Palmistry
Written by Henry Frith and Edward Heron-Allen
Published by G. Routledge and Sons, 1886
AHM009768
Purchase, 2019
This book is an instructive guide: A concise exposition of the principles and practice of the art of reading the hand by which the past, the present, and the future may be explained and foretold.

2. Embroidered sampler
Unknown maker, place, c. 1925
AHM/1994/006
Purchase, 1994
Stitching an alphabet sampler demonstrates the sewer' proficiency in both literacy and sewing – essential skills for a future teacher, domestic worker or homemaker in the 20th century. The finished work may then become an instructive tool for younger siblings or future students to learn from, or simply be displayed as a keepsake, showcasing a student's achievement.

Communication tools

Marianne Strauss, PhD student, sessional teaching academic and transcriber at Vision Australia

Braille is a touch-based communication tool that has been used since 1824. Invented by Louis Braille, himself blind, and dissatisfied with the French military system of nightwriting, a system of code used for educating blind students, he created a code that was easier to read and write. After significant resistance in the code’s early years, braille was widely adopted across the world. Today braille is used in numerous languages to read and write text, for mathematic and scientific notation, and music reading and composition.

The methods for writing braille have drastically changed over the last two centuries. Originally, braille was produced with a slate and stylus, however this proved to be slow and confusing. In 1951, the Perkins Brailler was developed to enable students at the Perkins School for the Blind to write braille more efficiently and remains in widespread use due to the machine’s efficiency and durability.

The improvement of computer technology has enabled the development of electronic braille devices such as the BrailleNote. These devices can function as stand-alone tablets, or as a second computer screen enabling the user to access a computer with a screen reader and braille.

Braille’s longevity and importance in our high-tech world is a testament to Louis Braille’s foresight in creating a system for his blind peers.

Objects displayed:

3. Auslan alphabet poster
Illustrated by Gonketa, 2021
Funded by the National Disability Insurance Agency
The Auslan alphabet helps deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals spell out words, names, or unfamiliar terms using hand signs, enabling clear, precise communication when signs are not understood. It bridges gaps in everyday interactions.

4. Perkins Brailler
Perkins School for the Blind, USA, developed 1951
Loan, Marianne Strauss, 202
A mechanical typewriter designed for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, the Perkins Brailler embosses Braille onto paper, enabling efficient writing and communication through touch.

5. BrailleNote Apex

HumanWare, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2009
Loan, Marianne Strauss, 2025
A portable electronic notetaker designed for people who are blind or visually impaired, the BrailleNote Apex features a Braille keyboard and display, allowing users to read, write, and access digital information independently.

6. Braille slate and stylus
Loan, Marianne Strauss, 2025
A paired tool for hand-writing Braille. The slate holds the paper and guides dot placement, while the stylus is used to emboss Braille characters from right to left. Invented in the early 1800s, this affordable and portable writing method remains in use worldwide.

7. Signalling, edited by Captain E. J. Solano
Published by John Murray, London, 1918
UG575.G7.S5/1918
Loan, Waranara Library at Macquarie University, 2025
Developed during the 19th century, flag semaphore was created as a communication tool for visual signalling to improve transport safety. The signaller, holding two flags in certain positions, could represent different letters and numbers. Today, semaphore has commonly been replaced by coloured light signals, however it remains useful in some settings.

8. Map of New South Wales and coastline
Litographia Artistica Cartografica, Italy, founded 1949
AHM/1990/067
Purchase, 1990
Raised relief maps, vividly depict the three-dimensionality of different territories. These maps effectively communicate the distinctive features of landscapes, including intricate details of geographical features at a glance, or through touch.

Personal expression

We express ourselves in many ways. Our daily dress can communicate identity, religious faith, our aspirations or mood. A hat is more than just a way to keep the sun off our heads. It can signal style, a profession, or an affiliation to a school or sports team. In the digital space, we sprinkle our texts with emojis to enhance our messages with affection and personality. How we present ourselves, in person and online, expresses who we are and how we want to be seen.

Objects displayed:

9. Felt hat
Maker unknown, c. 1950
AHM2418
Donation, Carlene Kirvan, 2009
This elegant hat, adorned with delicate peach mesh and feather embellishments, harks back to a time when such accessories were essential for dressing in one’s 'Sunday best' or attending formal occasions.

10. Cigarette holder
Maker unknown, c. 1950
AHM/1989/120
Purchase, 1989
A cigarette holder protected the users gloves from unsightly stains. More than practical, it signalled refinement and attitude, turning a common habit into a stylish, intentional act.

11. High-heeled shoes
Ferncraft, 1970s
AHM009619
Donation, Jaye McKenzie-Clark, 2017
These shoes signal the wearer's confidence and flair for glamour. Using Hollywood-inspired branding, Ferncraft marketed sophistication to fashion conscious buyers seeking a touch of star-quality in their style.

12. Enkolpion
Byzantine, 700 C.E. - 1000 C.E.
MU4625
Purchase, 2011
Enkolpia were Christian devotional pendants worn over the chest serving as an outward display, and an inward reminder, of faith.

13. Gold brooch with carnelian centre
Hellenistic period, 2nd - 1st centuries B.C.E.
MU4578
Purchase, 2010
Elaborate gold jewellery, like this example, were a popular signifier of wealth and status in many parts of the ancient world. Worn in life and death, jewellery often appears in funerary contexts.

Psychology

Marketing and advertising draw heavily upon understandings of human psychology to create desire and generate positive feelings about a product or idea. The use of sensory cues, including colour, sound and associations, emotionally resonate with us. They may evoke nostalgia or aspiration. Advertising attempts to guide our decision making, sometimes at a subconscious level.

Listen to one of the iconic sounds of Australia, captured by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

Objects displayed:

14. Aeroplane Jelly packaging
Manufactured Sydney, date unknown
AHM008296
Donation, Lois Beale McEvoy, 2017
Aeroplane Jelly started as an Australian family business in 1927 and was acquired by an American company in 1995. Its lasting popularity is partly due to psychological cues in its design. The packaging often brings to mind the well-known jingle, evoking nostalgia. The vintage images of children convey trust and happiness. Additionally, the use of colour psychology links colours to flavours, enabling young children to choose.

15. Mum's Baking Powder
Location unknown, c. 1930
AHM000896
Donation, 2008
For many, the name Mum’s evokes feelings of warmth, care, and home-cooked meals, suggesting wholesome, comforting foods. The packaging uses an attention-grabbing black and white background which references 1950s kitchens, subtly communicating that the product has stood the test of time and is a trusted choice.

16. Advertisement for MacRobertson's in The Australian Women's WeeklyAustralia, 16 December, 1953
AHM9096
Source unknown, 2017
By framing the chocolates as a special Christmas gift, this advertisement creates urgency through limited time availability. At the same time, phrases like “Australia’s favourite” and “The Great Name in Confectionery” are a good example of authority bias in action, creating a perceived weight of public endorsement.

17. MacRobertson's Old Gold Chocolates box
Melbourne, Victoria, c. 1953
Non-accessioned

Encoding communication

Visual communication allows us to convey complex ideas and narratives. It can pictorialise vast amounts of information through the use of symbols. An individual symbol can become a shorthand way to describe something. For example, the owl, as an attribute of Athena, often symbolises the goddess herself.

Indigenous artwork conveys complex information, some of which may be obvious at first glance, while other details require specialist knowledge to fully understand. These knowledges may be secret or sacred, concealed in plain sight.

Objects displayed:

18. Three photographs of artworks, created by Georja Bennett (titles top to bottom)

• Gulyangarri Galuwa Nura “Children Climbing Country”
• We Meet, we Learn, we Grow.
• Women in Dreaming

19. Papyrus fragment of The Iliad, Book 18 (partial)
Egypt, c. 2nd century C.E.
PAP/INV/100
Purchase, 1977
This papyrus fragment tells part of the story of the shield of Achilles, from Homer's The Iliad. Hephaestus forges a shield for Achilles, at the request of his mother, Thetis. Upon it is a symbolic construction which depicts all existence: cities at war and at peace; scenes of rural life; and a dancing scene evoking human joy and cultural traditions. Beyond all this is Oceanus, the river that surrounds the world.

The story encodes this extensive description onto the shield for a narrative purpose, encapsulating what Achilles will fight to defend, and what is at stake in human life.

See the original object on display in the perimeter drawers at the rear of the museum.

20. Louterion fragment
Greece, c. 600-500 B.C.E.
MU3306
Purchase, 1996
This fragment depicts a scene from The Iliad where nereids, sea nymphs, are shown bringing new armour to Achilles. The imagery reflects themes of protection and divine intervention, highlighting Achilles’ heroic status and the close ties between gods and mortals in ancient Greek culture. The artwork exemplifies the style and storytelling common in the Archaic period.

21. Figure of Athena
Roman, date unknown
MU4698
Purchase, 2012
The bronze figure of Athena is a good example of characteristics typically attributed to an individual, encoded in body language. Athena, the goddess of strategic warfare raises her arm conveying vigilance, dominance and protection, presenting divine authority and a commanding presence.

22. Silver tetradrachm
Attica, c. 449-413 B.C.E.
U323
Source unknown
The owl is encoded in antiquity as a symbol of wisdom, representing Athena, protector and patron goddess of Athens.

23. Print, Cultural convergence divergence Jack Davis
Raymond Arnold, Hobart, 1988
AHM006976
Donation, 2014
This portrait of a man is composed from language, topographic design, and symbolic forms. It encodes culture, language and meaning within the artwork. At it's base is a poem, Integration by Jack Davis, published in Jack Davis, The First-Born And Other Poems (Sydney, 1970).

Coding communication

Hassan Jameel Asghar, Senior Lecturer, School of Computing

Evolution of code

If you enjoy movies, you’ve likely heard of SOS; a famous Morse code distress signal. Morse code, created in the 1840s, uses dots and dashes to represent letters. Before smartphones, people used the telegraph to send these signals over long distances. It worked by sending electric pulses through wires. For example, SOS is written as: ... --- .... This allowed messages to travel across the world in minutes.

Over time, communication technology has improved. Since the 1940s, scientists and engineers began to focus not just on sending messages, but also on making sure messages are received correctly, even if there’s noise or interference. Think about shouting to your friend on a windy day; you may have to repeat yourself. Similarly, when sending signals from Mars to Earth, we use error-correcting codes to make sure the message isn’t lost or messed up on the way. Today, even the most advanced computers, like quantum computers, use special kinds of error-correcting codes to work properly.

So, from dots and dashes to deep space communication, coding has come a long way!

Evolution of programming

Computer programming began long before today’s smartphones and laptops. In the 1800s, Charles Babbage designed a machine called the Analytical Engine. This was one of the earliest ideas for a general-purpose computer. Although it was never built, a mathematician named Ada Lovelace, in the 1840s, created what many consider the first computer program, using maths to describe how the machine could calculate a special type of number called Bernoulli numbers.

In the 1940s, early computers were programmed using only 0s and 1s, called machine language, which is very hard to use. Assembly language followed, using short words like ADD or JMP. In the 1950s, high-level languages like FORTRAN made coding easier and more human-readable. Code was typed on punch cards, each holding one line, and had to be fed into computers in order. Over time, languages like C, Java, and Python emerged. Today, Python is popular in areas like AI, and tools like ChatGPT can even help write code.

Encryption and privacy

Encryption is the backbone of how modern apps like your banking app or messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, protect your data from falling into the wrong hands. When you open your banking app, it usually asks for your PIN or password. If entered correctly, the app uses this to derive a secret key: a random string of 0s and 1s that’s extremely difficult to guess. Any transactions you make are then encrypted, locked using this key, before being sent to the bank. This ensures that even if someone intercepts the data, they can’t understand it. Similarly, apps like WhatsApp use end-to-end encryption to protect your chats. Only you and the person you’re chatting with have the keys to read the messages. Even WhatsApp itself can’t read your conversations.

However, it’s important to understand the limitations of encryption. It mainly protects your information in transit. Once your phone is unlocked and you're inside the app, anyone with physical access can read your data. So, encryption doesn’t prevent all leaks. Also, not everything is encrypted. Apps still collect metadata. Information like when you opened WhatsApp or who you messaged. Even if they can’t see what you said, they can infer patterns, such as who is talking to whom. Finally, most real-world attacks on encryption don’t break the encryption itself. Instead, attackers find ways around it: stealing passwords through scams, tricking users, or exploiting bugs. So, while encryption is powerful, staying safe also means being cautious and aware.

Objects displayed:

24. Fortran statement cards
IBM, 1957
Loan, Macquarie University School of Computing, 2025
FORTRAN, short for Formula Translation, was one of the earliest programming languages, developed in the 1950s. Each punch card contains a single line of code, with holes representing specific characters. Programmers would stack hundreds of these cards in precise order to be read by a computer. Drop them, and you'd lose your entire program.

25. Inside the IBM PC Access to Advanced Features and Programming
Written by Peter Norton, published by Brady Communications Co, 1983
Loan, Macquarie University School of Computing, 2025
This influential guide opened the door to the inner workings of one of the most iconic personal computers of the 1980s - the IBM PC. This book's clear explanations and technical depth helped a generation of programmers and hobbyists understand and harness the full power of their machines. The book became a staple reference during the rise of home computing.

26. VT520 Video Terminal
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), USA, 1993
Loan, Macquarie University School of Computing, 2025
The VT520 is a video terminal, not a computer. It has no processor or storage of its own. Instead, it serves as a screen and keyboard interface for a remote computer, often a powerful mainframe or server located elsewhere. Used widely in universities, labs, and offices, terminals like this one allowed users to write code, run programs, and access data without needing their own personal computer.

27. Iomega Zip disk
Iomega Corporation, USA, 1994
Loan, Macquarie University School of Computing, 2025
Introduced in 1994, the Zip disk was a removable magnetic storage medium. Similar in concept to a floppy disk, it offered much higher capacity, typically 100 MB or more, at a time when most floppies held just 1.44 MB. Zip disks became popular in the late 1990s for backing up files and transferring data. Their use declined in the 2000s with the rise of CD-RWs and USB flash drives.

Translation and Interpretation

Written language is a way people can share knowledge and information across time and place. If you can read the language, you can understand the message.

Writing systems take many forms. They may be logographic, a sign or character representing a word, like hieroglyphs and cuneiform; pictographic, a picture symbol for a word or phrase; or phonetic, symbols that correspond to sounds, like the English and Zaghawa alphabets. Occasionally, pictographs transcend language barriers, like our universal media control symbols: ▶⏸■

If you can’t understand the language, how do you get the message? A direct translation may give you the words, but it’s interpretation that reveals the meaning, providing context and cultural relevance.

Objects displayed:

28. Zaghawa alphabet
The Zaghawa (Beri) people developed an innovative alphabet, developed between the 1970s and early 2000s. The Beria Giray Erfe alphabet is derived from clan symbols, known as Erfe. Using a principle known as acrophony, the first sound of the word becomes the phonetic sound represented by the letter.

29. Funerary cone
Egypt, 18th Dynasty (c. 1550-1295 B.C.E.)
MU4858
Donation, Dary Erle Dibley, 2014
Funerary cones were traditionally inserted above the entrance to tombs in Thebes. The inscription identifies the person interred, reading: "The venerated one in the presence of Osiris, the king's scribe Huy of Hut-heret-ib, true of voice".

30. Brick with cuneiform inscription
Location under investigation, 605 - 562 B.C.E
MU2145
Purchase, 1983
This temple foundation brick bears an inscription attributed to Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon (605 - 562 B.C.E). Foundation bricks generally state the name of the king who directed the construction, and the deity to whom the temple was dedicated.