A symbol that’s inherently linked with evil or one of protection?
For years, pentacles have been associated with satanism and other dark arts. Due to this, they have have historically been banned in schools and other environments. It was only recently that they have become recognized by the government as a religious symbol, finally being allowed on U.S. veteran’s headstones.
Before diving in, let’s go ahead and clarify two easily confused terms. A pentagram is a five pointed star. A pentacle, at least in the context that we are discussing, is a five pointed star enclosed in a circle. They are very often mixed up and it admittedly it took me a few years to get through my head which is which. Pro tip: if you read tarot, think of the suit of pentacles and the imagery to help you get it down.
To understand the origin of the pentacle, we must first take a look at the origin of the pentagram. The pentagram is one of the oldest markings known to mankind. They were discovered through astronomical research in the Tigris-Euphrates region of the Middle East during 6000 B.C.E. Pentagrams have also been located in isolation in Israel, dating back to 4000 B.C.E. Scholars have found them located amongst the Sumerians as well. They theorize that the five points represented the four corners of the earth and the “vault of heaven” although many dismiss this theory as far fetched. Another theory claims the points could represent the five visible planets in the night sky: Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Venus with Venus representing the “Queen of Heaven”. Due to the lack of documentation during this period, it is difficult to ascertain what exactly pentagrams were used for but one can always theorize.
Photo Credit: dualcrossroads.com; “The History and Symbolism of the Pentagram”
Around 580-500 B.C.E. the Pythagoreans saw the pentagram as the “Golden Ratio” or mathematical perfection. When the Pythagoreans were driven underground, they would use the pentagram to identify one another and would use it as a means of communication as well. They saw the points as representing the human body; two feet, two hands, and one head. From 300-150 B.C.E. it was seen as the official seal of Jerusalem.
It wasn’t until the 15-16th century that occultist Heinrich Cornelius Aggripa popularized the idea of the pentagram being a magical symbol by attributing it to the Neo-Platonic five elements; earth, air, fire, water, and idea. This is closer to what the points are seen to represent today in beliefs such as Wicca.
Now pentacles, on the other hand, were were first mentioned in 16th century works such as The Key of Solomon (which was falsely attributed to being written by King Solomon but more likely was written by an unnamed occultist) and The Heptameron by Pietro D’Abano. In both works, they refer to symbols of a magical nature but they do not inherently involve pentagrams in their design. To put it simply, a pentagram can be a pentacle, but not all pentacles contain pentagrams.
Photo Credit: Key of Solomon Wikipedia page
In the 19th century when French occultist Éliphias Lévi described the pentacle as containing a pentagram in his work Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie the two became more commonly associated. Although, he did note other examples of pentacles in this work that did not include pentagrams. The latter work is what popularized the word pentacle in western occultism. Lévi’s work would later become a major influence on occultists such as Aleister Crowley, who would go on claim to be the reincarnation of Lévi. Crowley then influence the founder of modern Wicca, Gerald Gardner. In addition, Gardner was influenced by other occult tropes at this time such as the suit of pentacles in the Rider-Waite tarot that contained an image of a disk inscribed with a pentagram.
Unlike how mass media and some religions choose to frame it, pentacles are not inherently evil nor are they linked to the devil. In fact, many Wiccans view pentacles as holy and magical symbols that are often used for protection. The points of the star represent earth, air, fire, water, and spirit with the circle encompassing it representing the universe that contains all of the above.
The inverted pentacle is commonly used in satanism and will incorporate a goats head to symbolize Baphomet. Many believe that the inverted pentacle is a symbol of the devil and all things dark. In fact, Lévi is one of whom who believed this. It was in 1897 that French occultist Stanislas De Guaita created the first pentagram containing a goat which was presented in his work La Clef de la Magie Noire. This depiction inspired Lévi to create what is now the well-known portrayal of Baphomet. The Church of Satan would go on to redraw this image and use it as their logo which solidified its association with the Christian devil despite Satanists identifying as atheist. The debate about whether or not the inverted pentacle is representative of all things evil continues to this day among occultists with no consensus having been reached for either side of the argument.
Sources:
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, August 8). Key of solomon. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_of_Solomon.
Jenn. (2019, August 7). The history and symbolism of the Pentagram. dualcrossroads. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.dualcrossroads.com/post/the-history-and-symbolism-of-the-pentagram.
Rex, E. (2019, February 22). The Pentagram, symbol of what exactly? Medium. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://modernmythology.net/realpentagramhistory-64fdc64866a5.
Banner Art Credit: Vanessa Bahna, 2021
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