The art of representing or illustrating by means of pictures, images, or figures; a , symbolic and metaphorical representation of a particular subject. It is sometimes considered a component of cognitive archaeology, in which artistic representations which usually have an overt religious or ceremonial significance are studied. Iconography is also the study of statues and images, bas-reliefs, busts, medals, etc. The earliest iconographical studies were published in the 16th century. Extensive iconographical study did not begin in Europe until the 18th century, however, when, as a companion to archaeology, it consisted of the classification of subjects and motifs in ancient monuments.