~ Glossary of Witchcraft Terms ~

pentagram

The terms pentagram and pentacle are sometimes used synonymously, interchangeably, although they are of slightly different design.

A pentagram is a five-pointed star. The word pentagram is Greek and comes from the word pente which means five "5," and graphein, which means "to write."

A pentacle is a five-pointed star within a circle.

The pentagram has been in use since ancient times as a religious symbol. The pentagram may have originated as far back as pre-history as a symbol of the Mother Goddess from England to Egypt and was known by many names including Cara, Ceres, Karnac, Kerma, and Kore. The English words, cereal, cardiac, carnal, corn, core and kernel derive from the name of the Goddess.

The Mother Goddess' sacred fruit is the apple, which when cut open horizontally will reveal a five-pointed star formation at the core, with a seed in each point of the star. Some Pagans always cut the apple in this manner.

The pentagram was the symbol of the Kingdom of Judah's King Solomon. In Roman religion, the pentagram was associated with the Goddess Venus, and Venus represented by Lucifer as the Goddess' Rising Morning Star, the bringer of light and knowledge.

There were also periods when the pentagram was used as a symbol in Christianity and Islam.

In the twelfth century Renaissance, it became associated with the Western Esoteric Tradition and became a working tool in their magical ceremonies. It was adopted by the Freemasons for their rituals. In the 1950's, Gerald Gardner adopted the pentacle as a working tool in Wicca. Wiccan ritual is heavily based on the rituals of the Golden Dawn and the Freemasons.

The pentacle resonates with many of today's Neo-Pagans, Wiccans and many Traditional Witches as a meaningful spiritual symbol of their spirituality or of witchcraft.

See pentacle.

~ Glossary of Witchcraft Terms ~