Iconography is used to determine the content of a work of art by: describing the meaning of specific figures and objects.

In this ancient Greek bronze statue of a standing male nude, the critical attribute, usually an identifying object, is missing. Either the statue is hurling a thunder bolt, the traditional attribute of Zeus, or he is Poseidon, the god of the sea, holding a trident. The statue's pose can be considered an attribute because it, too, might help determine the identity of the statue. The pose is consistent with that of a javelin thrower. As you can see, one cannot always come to an absolute certain determination of the identity and meaning using iconographic analysis.