06
Light marker / Field guide
Radiant Halo
Light becomes a boundary that marks status before a viewer reads any label.
Reference periodMany religious and imperial traditions
Typical materialGold, paint, glass, mosaic and metal
Visual structureCircular field · rays · high-contrast centre
What to notice
The halo may be a plain disk, ring or radiating field. Position, material and surrounding iconography determine its specific meaning.
Editorial reading
Do not call every glow a halo. Use the neutral term radiance until context supports a cultural interpretation.
Institutional references
Reading the reference responsibly
This profile describes public-facing characteristics documented by cultural or scientific institutions. It does not reproduce a specific artwork, claim access to restricted material or provide a pattern for copying protected ornament. Study the principle, consult the linked record and make a new visual system.