The Witches’ Symbol
The pentagram is the witch’s version of the Christian Cross. They have been around for thousands of years, and found in many ancient cultures. The pentagram has never been a sign of evil in the Wiccan faith. At one time it was used in the Catholic Church.
Archeologists have found pottery from ancient Mesopotamia with the pentagram drawn on it. The pottery was dated to 3500 BCE. They have also been found in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. In the middle ages the Catholic Church even used it.
During the 12th century a Benedictine Nun and Abbess by the name of Hildegard wrote about the pentagram, and through this writing the pentagram became a symbol of the micro cosmos. Hildegard saw the pentagram as a representative of the human form. She believed it represented the five senses as well as the five appendages. Because man is made in the image of God, then the pentagram also represented God. Others felt that the pentagram represented the 5 wounds of Christ. Early Hebrews saw the pentagram as the Pentateuch, or the first 5 books of the Bible.
In the late Middle Ages the pentagram became the symbol of Knightly virtues. A poem from the 2nd half of the fourteenth Century called Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight said that the 5 points of the pentagram represented the 5 knightly virtues.
These virtues were Chastity, Chivalry, Courtesy, Generosity, and Piety.
During the Inquisition the Pentagram became a symbolization of Baphomet, the Goat, The Devil, or a Witch’s foot.
The Roman Emperor Constantine used the pentagram in his seal and amulet.
Has been referred to as the Star of Bethlehem.
Another name is the Three King’s Star.
Id you cut an apple in have you will find a almost perfect pentacle with 5 seeds one at each point on each half of the apple.
Today the pentagram is a symbol of the Wiccan and Neo-pagan Faith. Many Wiccans wear a pentacle or pentagram on themselves on a daily basis.
The Five Points of the Pentagram
|
Point |
Element |
Color |
|
Top |
Akasha or Spirit |
White or Purple |
|
Left Top |
Water |
Blue |
|
Right Top |
Air |
Yellow |
|
Left Bottom |
Fire |
Red |
|
Right Bottom |
Earth |
Green |
Picking Your Pentagram
|
Color or Style |
Meaning |
|
Silver |
Represents the Goddess |
|
Gold |
Represents the Gods |
|
Copper |
Drawing Energy |
|
Multicolored |
Each point bearing corresponding color |
|
Inset with stones |
Each point to correspond with element |
|
Central stone |
Healing – amethyst Protection – Onyx Grounding – Hematite Goddess – Moonstone |
|
Image or Figure of Goddess |
The Goddess |
|
Image or Figure of Animal |
Totem Animal |
Walking the Path of the Pentagram
To truly understand the pentagram many Wiccans will Walk the Path. This means taking a point on the pentagram and learning all there is to know about it. Work with that element during Ritual and Magickal workings. When you are comfortable with that element then you move on to the next one. Many Wiccans can take up to a year studying each element. Do not start with Akasha for the Spirit is a hard one to understand.
The pentagram drawn in the air is an important part of Wiccan Ritual. Banishing Pentagrams remove negative energy from an element or item, and invoking pentagrams bring in positive energy.
Below is a diagram on how to draw invoking and banishing pentagrams in the air.
