The Seal of Solomon was a signet ring that once belonged to King Solomon of Israel. Jewish tradition believed the ring possessed magical powers. This ring also figured in some Western and Islamic occultism in later years as adopted from the Jewish tradition of old.
The symbol on the ring was made up of two triangles, one facing down (water triangle) and one facing up (fire triangle). The Seal of Solomon was different from the Star of David, the national symbol of Israel or God’s chosen people. Legend has it that King Solomon improved upon the simple design of the Star of David, which he inherited from his father, King David. He modified its 2-dimensional triangles that lie flat against one another and made them appear to be 3-dimensional interlocking, interlaced or interwoven triangles. It was believed to have been an actual Royal Seal or royal insignia during King Solomon’s reign which was used to stamp the symbol on wax, clay or paper-like material made from animal skin.
The image below is of a stone recovered from the arch of a 3-4th-century synagogue in Galilee, carved upon which is the Seal of Solomon with clearly interlacing triangles.
Seal of Solomon Symbolic Value
The Seal of Solomon may have been used officially as a royal seal but there was a more profound reason behind the interlaced triangles. The very specific interlacing design served as a visual talisman for the control of and spiritual protection against evil forces. It does not only drive away evil spirits and demons, it actually traps and contains them so that they are unable to harm mere mortals. Any demon looking directly at the interlaced, maze-like complexity of the lines that go above and behind and back and forth in a seemingly endless pattern falls into utter confusion and disorientation. Some two thousand years later during the medieval times, there is some evidence that Christians and Jews also believed in the power of the Seal of Solomon to protect them from the forces of darkness. During those times, talismans and amulets bearing the Seal of Solomon were commonplace. They were believed to protect the wearer from being influenced by demons and evil spirits or simply from bad luck. Many homes bore the seal on door frames or lintel beams with the intention of protecting the home against fires and spirits.
The Seal of Solomon holds a timeless and multi-cultural symbolic value even to the current generation. The upper tip reaches up to the heavens while the lower tip or base firmly touches the ground, symbolizing a harmony of opposites. It stands for cosmic order, the movement of the stars, the constant flow between heaven and earth and between the elements of fire and air. The hexagram formed by the 2 triangles symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth; between matter and spirit; and between the microcosm and the macrocosm. The Seal of Solomon symbolizes the connection between beauty, science, and metaphysics with elements of magic, spiritual medicine, astrology and astronomy, and their religious implications.
The Seal of Solomon is a popular symbol often used in jewelry today so that it can be worn close to the body and provide protection to the wearer. While it began as a ring worn by the wise King Solomon, these days it is equally popular in pendant form.
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