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[[File:Seal of Solomon.png|350px|thumb|The Seal of Solomon]] | [[File:Seal of Solomon.png|350px|thumb|The Seal of Solomon]] | ||
The '''Seal of Solomon''' (Hebrew: חותם שלמה, Ḥotem Shelomo; Arabic: خاتم سليمان, Khātam Sulaymān) is the legendary symbol attributed to [[King Solomon]] in medieval mystical traditions, from which it developed in parallel within Jewish mysticism, | The '''Seal of Solomon''' (Hebrew: חותם שלמה, Ḥotem Shelomo; Arabic: خاتم سليمان, Khātam Sulaymān) is the legendary symbol attributed to [[King Solomon]] in medieval mystical traditions, from which it developed in parallel within [[Judaism|Jewish]] mysticism, [[Islam]]ic mysticism and Western [[occult|occultism]]. It is the predecessor to the Star of David, the contemporary cultural and religious symbol of the Jewish people. | ||
It was often depicted in the shape of either a pentagram or a hexagram. In religious lore, the ring is variously described as having given Solomon the power to command the supernatural, including [[angel]]s and [[demon]]s, and also the ability to speak with animals. Due to the proverbial wisdom of Solomon, it came to be seen as an amulet or talisman, or a | It was often depicted in the shape of either a [[pentagram]] or a hexagram. In religious lore, the ring is variously described as having given Solomon the power to command the supernatural, including [[angel]]s and [[demon]]s, and also the ability to speak with animals. Due to the proverbial wisdom of Solomon, it came to be seen as an [[amulet]] or [[talisman]], or a [[sigil]] in [[ritual magic|medieval magic]], occultism, and [[alchemy]]. | ||
==Name== | ==Name== | ||
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The tradition of Solomon's Seal later made its way into Islamic Arab sources, as Gershom Scholem (the founder of the modern, academic study of [[Kabbalah]]) attests "It is difficult to say for how long certain definite names have been used for several of the most common seals. The Arabs made many such terms especially popular, but just the names Seal of Solomon and Shield of David, which are often used interchangeably for the two emblems, go back to pre-Islamic Jewish magic. They did not originate among the Arabs who, incidentally, know only the designation Seal of Solomon." | The tradition of Solomon's Seal later made its way into Islamic Arab sources, as Gershom Scholem (the founder of the modern, academic study of [[Kabbalah]]) attests "It is difficult to say for how long certain definite names have been used for several of the most common seals. The Arabs made many such terms especially popular, but just the names Seal of Solomon and Shield of David, which are often used interchangeably for the two emblems, go back to pre-Islamic Jewish magic. They did not originate among the Arabs who, incidentally, know only the designation Seal of Solomon." | ||
The legend of the Seal of Solomon was developed primarily by medieval Middle Eastern writers, who related that the ring was engraved by God and was given to the king directly from heaven. The ring was made from brass and iron, and the two parts were used to seal written commands to good and evil spirits, respectively. In one tale, a demon (either [[Asmoday|Asmodeus]] or Sakhr) obtained possession of the ring and ruled in Solomon's stead for forty days. In a variant of the tale of the ring of Polycrates from Herodotus, the demon eventually threw the ring into the sea, where it was swallowed by a fish, caught by a fisherman, and served to Solomon. | The legend of the Seal of Solomon was developed primarily by medieval Middle Eastern writers, who related that the ring was engraved by God and was given to the king directly from [[heaven]]. The ring was made from brass and iron, and the two parts were used to seal written commands to good and evil spirits, respectively. In one tale, a [[demon]] (either [[Asmoday|Asmodeus]] or Sakhr) obtained possession of the ring and ruled in Solomon's stead for forty days. In a variant of the tale of the ring of Polycrates from Herodotus, the demon eventually threw the ring into the sea, where it was swallowed by a fish, caught by a fisherman, and served to Solomon. | ||
The date of origin legends surrounding the Seal of Solomon is difficult to establish. It is known that a legend of a magic ring with which the possessor could command [[demon]]s was already current in the 1st century (Josephus 8.2 telling of one Eleazar who used such a ring in the presence of Vespasian), but the association of the name of Solomon with such a ring is likely medieval notwithstanding the 2nd century apocryphal text the ''Testament of Solomon''. The Tractate Gittin (fol. 68) of the Talmud has a story involving Solomon, Asmodeus, and a ring with the divine name engraved. | The date of origin legends surrounding the Seal of Solomon is difficult to establish. It is known that a legend of a magic ring with which the possessor could command [[demon]]s was already current in the 1st century (Josephus 8.2 telling of one Eleazar who used such a ring in the presence of Vespasian), but the association of the name of Solomon with such a ring is likely medieval notwithstanding the 2nd century apocryphal text the ''Testament of Solomon''. The Tractate Gittin (fol. 68) of the Talmud has a story involving Solomon, Asmodeus, and a ring with the divine name engraved. | ||
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In many representations of the Seal of Solomon, the two triangles are interlaced giving the appearance of a 3-dimensional figure. This was said in the ''[[Testament of Solomon]]'' to make demons confused and dizzy, unable to do Solomon any harm. The [[Secret Seal of Solomon]] is a closely related symbol used for similar purposes. | In many representations of the Seal of Solomon, the two triangles are interlaced giving the appearance of a 3-dimensional figure. This was said in the ''[[Testament of Solomon]]'' to make demons confused and dizzy, unable to do Solomon any harm. The [[Secret Seal of Solomon]] is a closely related symbol used for similar purposes. | ||
In different traditions, the hexagram can be seen as the combination of the four elements | In different traditions, the hexagram can be seen as the combination of the four elements: | ||
* [[fire (element)|Fire]] is symbolized as an upwards pointing triangle. | |||
* [[air (element)|Air]] (its elemental opposite) is also an upwards pointing triangle, but with a horizontal line through its center. | |||
* [[water (element)|Water]] is symbolized as a downwards pointing triangle. | |||
* [[earth (element)|Earth]] (its elemental opposite) is a downwards pointing triangle with a horizontal line through its center. | |||
In | In [[Islam]]ic eschatology, some believe that the Beast of the Earth, which should appear near the Last Judgment day, will come bearing "the Seal of Solomon", and will use the latter to stamp the noses of the unbelievers. | ||
The symbol appears on the back of [[The Oracle of Heaven and Hell]] and on the cover of the ''[[The Grimoire of Heaven and Hell]]'', a modern [[grimoire]] which gives instructions for using the symbol in magic. | The symbol appears on the back of [[The Oracle of Heaven and Hell]] and on the cover of the ''[[The Grimoire of Heaven and Hell]]'', a modern [[grimoire]] which gives instructions for using the symbol in magic. | ||
[[Category: Magic Symbols]] | [[Category: Magic Symbols]] | ||