Pentagram History and Meaning
The terms pentagram and pentacle are sometimes used interchangeably.
However, we believe that the most common precise meanings are:
The word pentagram comes from the Greek: "pente means 5 (as in
Pentagon). "Gram" comes from the Greek verb graphein, "to write". The
same ending is found in such words as telegram. Thus, pentagram refers
to a five pointed star, or "any figure of five lines." 8 It is most
often used to refer to a symmetrical, five pointed star, with equal
sides, drawn either with a single line or with two closely spaced
parallel lines. Their overall shape is like the decoration on the top
of many Christmas trees, and the stars on the American flag.
An upright pentagram is a 5 pointed star with one point aligned upwards.
An inverted pentagram is a 5 pointed star with two points aligned upwards.
An upright pentacle is generally defined as an upright pentagram
surrounded by a circle, as is shown in the following icon. It often
takes the form of a pentagram printed on (or cut into) a flat disk.
Upright Pentacle/Pentagram
Upright pentacles and pentagrams are among the most widely used
religious symbols. They have been used in many eras and by many
cultures and religions of the world: by ancient Pagans, ancient
Israelites, Christians, magicians, Wiccans and others. The following
pentagram-using groups are listed in chronological order:
This symbol apparently originated as the symbol of a Goddess who was
worshiped over an area which extends from present-day England to Egypt
and beyond. Her name was Kore (a.k.a. Car, Cara, Carnac, Ceres, Core,
Kar, Karnak, Kaur, Kauri, Ker, Kerma, Kher, Kore, Q're, etc.). As
Carmenta she was said to have invented the Roman alphabet. From her
alternate Roman name Ceres have evolved many English words: cardiac,
carnal, cereal, core, corn, and kernel. The port of Caraalis, (now
Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia), was named after her.
Kore's sacred fruit is the apple. When an apple is cut through its
equator, both halves will reveal a near-perfect pentagram shape at the
core, with each point on the star containing a seed. Many Wiccans,
other Neopagans and Roma (Gypsies) continue to cut apples in this way.
The Roma refer to the core as the Star of Knowledge.
In ancient Greece, Pythagoras (586 - 506 BCE) established a school
which pursued knowledge in mathematics, music, religion, and other
specialties. Driven underground, his followers used the pentagram as a
secret sign to identify themselves to each other. The Masonic Order
has traditionally traced its origins back 2,500 years to the Pythagoreans.
Kore was worshiped within the Coptic Gnostic Christian religion in
Alexandria, Egypt, during the 4th century CE. Her festival, the
Koreion, was held yearly on JAN-6. This was adopted by the Christian
church as Feast of Epiphany (a.k.a. Twelfth Night). 4 This date is
still celebrated as Jesus' birthday in Armenian churches, and is
observed with more pomp than is Christmas by the Greek Orthodox
church. 5
In England, the Koreion became the Kirn - the Feast of Ingathering.
The Christian church later adopted it to the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. 4
During the times of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), the
pentacle was the first and most important of the Seven Seals - an
amulet whose seals represented the seven secret names of God. It was
inscribed on King Solomon's ring, which is often called Solomon's Seal
in error. 6 Each point of the pentagram was also interpreted as
referring to the five books of the Pentateuch - the first five books
in the Hebrew Scriptures; the Torah.
The Celts believed that the pentacle was the sign of the Goddess of
the Underground, who they called Morgan (a.k.a. Morrigan). The concept
of five points seems to have permeated at least one of the Celtic
lands. "Ireland had five great roads, five provinces and five paths of
the law. The fairy folk counted by fives, and the mythological figures
wore five fold cloaks." 9
In Christian times:
The five points of the pentagram have been interpreted as representing
the five wounds of Christ (2 wrist, 2 ankle and 1 side).
The Roman Emperor Constantine used the pentagram in his seal and amulet.
It has been referred to as the Star of Bethlehem
It was used to symbolize the star which allegedly led three
Zoroastrian astrologers to the baby Jesus; it was called the Three
Kings' star.
The English warrior Sir Gawain, a nephew of King Arthur, adopted the
pentagram as his personal symbol and placed it on his shield. 7 It
appeared in gold on a red background. The five points symbolized "the
five knightly virtues - generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and
piety." 14
Tarot cards originally had a suit of coins or discs. These were
changed in the 19th century to pentacles when the Tarot became
associated with the Kabbalah. They eventually became the suit of
diamonds in modern playing cards.
It has been widely used by past Christians as a protective amulet.
During the burning times when the Christian church burned alive or
hung hundreds of thousands of innocent people, the meaning of the
pentagram changed. It began to symbolize a goat's head or the devil in
the form of Baphomet. "The folk-symbol of security - for the first
time in history - was equated with evil and was called the Witch's
Foot." 14
The religion of Wicca is based in part on ancient Celtic deities,
symbols, days of celebration, etc. The pentacle and pentagram are
their main symbols.
Many religious and spiritual groups use the pentacle or pentagram today.
Inverted Pentacle/Pentagram
Some religious and spiritual groups have used the inverted pentacle.
During the 20th century, Satanists inverted the upright pentacle and
adopted it as their own symbol. However, the symbol is most commonly
shown with the head of a goat within the pentagram as shown below.
Sign of Baphomet
The inverted pentacle with a goat's head is called the sign of
Baphomet. The term may have come from two Greek words, baphe and
metis, meaning "absorption of knowledge." It has also been called the
Black Goat, Devil's Goat, Goat Head, Goat of Mendes, and Judas Goat.
Its first appearance appears to have been during the vicious
interrogation of members of the Knights Templar by the Christian
Inquisition. There was little consensus among different victims'
descriptions of the Baphomet. It can probably be safely assumed that
their description of the Baphomet is more a product of the
Inquisition' s torture methods than of any actual statue that was in
use by the Knights.
"In the 20th. century Karl Kellner and other German occultists formed
the secret order of the O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis or Order of
Templars in the East). They installed the English occultist Aleister
Crowley to head their British section. Crowley took Baphomet as his
magical name." 15
Today, the Baphomet is widely used by religious Satanists. The Church
of Satan also uses a second symbol which is an infinity sign (a figure
8 on its side). A Roman cross is placed on top with a second, longer
cross piece added beneath the top cross piece.
The meaning of Pentacles/Pentagram s to their users
There is no single consensus on the significance of these symbols.
Various groups use and define them quite differently:
Wiccans have attempted to reconstruct a Pagan religion similar to that
of the ancient Celts. They have adopted the upright
pentacle/pentagram, since it was the symbol of Morgan, an ancient
Celtic goddess. Many wear it as jewelry and use it on their altars.
The symbol is frequently traced by hand using an athame (a ritual
knife) during Wiccan rituals. It is used to cast and banish their
healing circles. Some Wiccans interpret the five points as
representing earth, air, fire, water, and spirit -- the five factors
needed to sustain life. Others relate the points to the four
directions and spirit. Some Wiccans and other Neopagans bless
themselves and others with the sign of the pentagram. Their hand
passes from their forehead to one hip, up to the opposite shoulder,
across to the other shoulder, down to the opposite hip and back to the
forehead. Some of the more highly structured Wiccan traditions have
used an inverted pentagram to represent a second or third degree
status. "Many of these groups have since substituted a triangle form
for the same degrees because of the association of the inverted form
of the pentacle with Satanism and black magic."
Ceremonial magicians also use the pentagram. Its points can "represent
various elemental energies, spirits or deities."
The Order of the Eastern Star is a international humanitarian
organization composed of women who are wives of advanced Masons. They
use an inverted pentacle as their symbol. Essentially all Eastern Star
members in North America are Christians.
The Rosicrucian movement consists of groups of Christian mystics. They
frequently use a wand, sword, cup and pentagram as tools during their
rituals. The pentagram represents "earth, matter and stability." 13
The Masonic Order associate the five points of the pentagram with
"Five Points of Fellowship." However, its "use in Masonry is vestigial
and peripheral." 11 Again, almost all Masons in North America are
Christians.
Some heavy metal rock bands occasionally use a pentacle or pentagram
as a band symbol. It is often neither an upright nor an inverted
symbol. Often, it is aligned to have a top point which is slightly off
vertical. We are unaware of any band that is actually composed of
religious Satanists. All the groups which we have studied simply use
the symbolism and stage theatrics to generate notoriety, popularity
and record sales.
Satanism is composed of many diverse groups with no central overall
organization. They number perhaps 20,000 in North America. Some
Satanic grottos and temples use the Baphomet.
The meaning of Pentacles/Pentagram s to Christians
Because liberal and conservative Christians interpret the Bible in
different ways, they have developed very different belief systems over
time, and agree on very few points. This disagreemnt carries over into
their understanding of pentacles and pentagrams.
Liberal Christians generally view Satan as a principle of evil rather
than as a living entity. Those who are familiar with Wicca and
Satanism are aware of the lack of similarity of the two religions:
Wiccans do not recognize the existence of the Christian quasi-deity,
Satan. They have no all-evil deity in their pantheon of gods and
goddesses. Satanists recognize Satan (or one of his precursors) as
either a living deity or a principle.
Wiccans are prohibited by their Wiccan Rede from harming, manipulating
or controlling others. Satanists, on the other hand, are free to use
magic to harm their enemies.
Wiccans follow an gentle, nature-based, aboriginal religion that is
similar to that of Native American spirituality. Satanists practice
indulgence, gratification and vengeance, rather than concern for all
humans and for the environment.
Many religious liberals view the Wiccan upright pentacle or pentagram
as an elegant, spiritual symbol that represents life. They see the
Satanic inverted pentacle or Bahomet as primarily representing a
self-centered religion.
Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians generally have an
entirely different view of Wicca, Satanism and other religions. This
is influenced by some of their beliefs. In many, but not all cases:
Since they believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, they regard as true
those passages which state that the gods and goddesses worshiped by
other religions are, in reality, Satan or his demons.
They regard Satan as a living entity, a living, quasi deity who is
totally dedicated to destroying people's lives and ruining their
faith. They regard themselves as being in continuous "spiritual
warfare" -- a personal battle with Satan and his demons.
They regard Satanism as having existed as an organized movement,
murdering and performing "black masses" for may centuries. This
contrasts with a consensus of modern historians that: "no reliable
historical sources indicate that such organizations existed; the black
mass appears only once in the sources before the late nineteenth century."
They do not differentiate between Wicca and Satanism. Because they
consider the Wiccan gods and goddesses to be Satanic or demonic, they
regard the two religions as very similar
They commonly believe that Satanists, (and by extension, Wiccans)
engage in Satanic Ritual Abuse and murder. Belief in SRA is gradually
diminishing, but remains still at a high level.
Books by conservative Christian authors about Wicca and Satanism are
based primarily on books by other Christian authors, rather than on
primary religious sources. Some of the ideas put forth in these books
as truth can be traced back to 15th century Christian propaganda
during the Burning Times.
Many conservative Christians do not differentiate between Wicca and
Satanism, or between upright and inverted pentacles/pentagram s. All
are viewed as symbols representing evil, violence and lawlessness.
Dispute over pentagrams in Roswell NM public schools
In 1999-SEP-7, The Roswell Independent School District in New Mexico
had a dress code that stated (in part): "...Any attire associated with
gothic, satanic, or occult-type activities such as trench coats, knee
high boots, all-black clothing, spiked jewelry, upside-down crosses,
swastika, tattoos, pentagrams, etc...are prohibited.. " The son of
Katherine King, owner of a local Pagan book store in Roswell,
discovered the ban during a school assignment. He asked why such a
prohibition was in place, because it was such an obvious violation of
the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This triggered a study
which resulted in a recommendation by the school staff that the ban
on religious symbols be removed - specifically the prohibition on
pentagrams. Legal staff from the city advised that the ban was
unconstitutional, as written. At a school district meeting, over 200
people attended. Many were from the conservative Christian Church On
The Move; some were from other conservative Christian groups. After an
emotional 3 hour discussion, the board voted whether to change the
dress code. It was a 2 - 2 tie. This meant that the existing
prohibition continued. Kathyrn King, described by the Roswell Daily
Record as a "Pagan activist," is reported as saying that she will ask
the American Civil Liberties Union to mount a lawsuit against the
school board. 1,2
On SEP-12, the Roswell Daily Record News published an interview with
Steve Smothermon, pastor of the Church on the Move. He indicated that
their goal was not to deny any students the right to wear their
religious symbol. "Our whole point was, nobody has the right to
promote violence in our school system." Referring to Kathryn King, he
continued: "If [the dispute is]...all about a symbol, change her
symbol...But she shouldnt be allowed to promote anything which
promotes violence."
Mary Reeves, a member of Smothermon's congregation, said that the
pentagram has been viewed as a Satanic symbol for centuries. "Why
would they [the Neopagans] pick a violent symbol to promote their
love? Its been known as being violent from the medieval age on."
State Senator Rod Adair, (R-Roswell) expressed support for the
pentagram ban. He said: "In an era when the term zero tolerance for
drugs, guns, knives and violence is the watchword of the day, it is
inconceivable that we would allow symbols which directly promote
Satanic worship and the violence and bloodshed which are part of it."
His mention of violence and bloodshed apparently refers to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse hoax. During the 1990's and early 1990's, many North
Americans believed that Satanists ritually abused and killed tens of
thousands of children annually. The belief has largely dissipated due
to the complete lack of hard evidence. However, many conservative
Christians are still convinced that it happens; Senator Adair is
apparently one.
Smothermon doubts that the wearing of a pentagram is protected by law.
"What ruling allows for violence to be promoted in our school system?
I want to know what law that is. If theyre talking about the equal
access law, that has no bearing on this issue." (The equal access law
is a federal statute which assures that religious clubs and religious
expression are guaranteed the same rights as secular clubs and secular
speech). He continued: "They have the right to worship what they want
to worship; that is not in question here."
On 1999-SEP-21, the school board again met to discuss the issue. The
meeting was attended by about 400 Christians and just over 20 Pagans.
The police had an obvious presence. Prayer meetings inside and outside
the meeting area were held throughout the evening. The discussion
period involving extensive public input. Speakers threatened to remove
students from the school system if pentagrams were allowed; some
called for a religious battle in the courts and offered to help with
legal costs; some opposed the wearing of pentagrams anywhere, not just
by students in school. The general consensus of the Christians at the
meeting was that the pentagram is, and always will be, a Satanic
symbol to them. One Native American spoke of Christians stripping his
culture of their talking stick and other symbols of his faith. He said
that he found the Christian cross offensive because, to him, it stood
for the destruction of his culture. Many Wiccans and other Neopagans
spoke, asking for tolerance, understanding and human rights. The board
finally voted to cancel the previous dress code and substitute: "No
student on school property or at any school activity shall wear,
possess, use, distribute, display or sell any clothing, jewelry,
emblem, badge, symbol, sign or other item that currently evidences or
reflects membership in, or affiliation with, any gang." The vote was 4
to 1. The board decided to allow the wearing of Neopagan religious
symbols. Those supporting the change indicated that they based their
decision on constitutional considerations; the one person who was
opposed based their decision on the massive outpouring of public
concern. The Church on the Move threatened legal action to reinstate the ban
