The chapter examines the pervasive symbolism of medieval culture, arguing that understanding medieval texts requires acknowledging their rich semiotic system. It explores the concept of mentalité, or the collective mindset of medieval people, which was shaped by both oral and written traditions, particularly Christianity’s influence on the interpretation of signs and symbols. The chapter introduces the concept of the littera, a term used by post-classical artes grammaticae to underline the unified visual and linguistic aspects of medieval writing. Finally, it advocates for a cultural-semiotic approach to analyzing medieval abbreviations, highlighting the importance of understanding cultural codes to interpret their meaning accurately.