About the Key of Solomon

Key of Solomon (Grand Clavicle or Clavicula Salomonis)

The manuscript used to create, interpret and use the seals or pentacles of King Solomon of Israel is a handbook of magic known as the Key of Solomon or the Clavicula Salomonis. The Key of Solomon associates each seal or pentacle with angels, demons or aerial spirits that govern the actions of specific planets. The knowledge of binding planetary spirits in seals is part of the renowned wisdom imparted to King Solomon by the God of Israel. Ownership of authentic seals shares this latent power with believers.

The magical operation of this book (The Key) requests that the spirits arrive at the edge of a circle, where are you the mage will question the spirits about their intelligences etc. You are to create specific talismans, or pentacles, and show these to the spirits in order to gain their obedience.

It is a system of planetary magick, attributed to King Solomon. It probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century.

Wiccan’s take note – Gerald Gardner drew much of his material from this work, such as the blessing of the salt and water, and the magical characters for inscribing upon the athame and pentacles!

About the Key of Solomon

The Key of Solomon is divided into two books.

The Seals or Pentacles of Solomon are contained within Book 1 of The Key of Solomon aka Clavicula Salomonis (also known as a book of spells). It is one of the most popular grimoires in the Middle Ages, dealing with the preparation and use of seals or pentacles, and the associated angels, demons or aerial spirits that govern the actions of specific planets.

Book I

• Book I contains conjurations, invocations and curses to summon and constrain spirits of the dead and demons in order to compel them to do the operator’s will. It also describes how to find stolen items, become invisible, gain favour and love, and so on.
• The Holy Pentacles — The Pentacles or Medals to be used in the magickal art, and the uses for which they are effective.(1)

• • Pentacles of Saturn
  • Pentacles of Jupiter
  • Pentacles of Mars
  • Pentacles of the Sun
  • Pentacles of Venus
  • Pentacles of Mercury
  • Pentacles of the Moon

Book 2

Book II describes various purifications which the operator (termed “exorcist”) should undergo, how they should clothe themselves, how the magical implements used in their operations should be constructed, and what animal sacrifices should be made to the spirits.

The Key of Solomon associates each seal or pentacle with angels, demons or aerial spirits that govern the actions of specific planets. The knowledge of binding planetary spirits in seals is part of the renowned wisdom imparted to King Solomon by the God of Israel.

Ownership of authentic seals shares this latent power with believers.

Unlike later grimoires such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (16th century) or the Lemegeton (17th century), the Key of Solomon does not mention the signature of the 72 spirits constrained by King Solomon in a bronze vessel. As in most medieval grimoires, all magical operations are ostensibly performed through the power of God, to whom all the invocations are addressed. Before any of these operations (termed “experiments”) are performed, the operator must confess his sins and purge himself of evil, invoking the protection of God.(3)

Elaborate preparations are necessary, and each of the numerous items used in the operator’s “experiments” must be constructed of the appropriate materials obtained in the prescribed manner, at the appropriate astrological time, marked with a specific set of magical symbols, and blessed with its own specific words. All substances needed for the magic drawings and amulets are detailed, as well as the means to purify and prepare them. Many of the symbols incorporate the Transitus Fluvii occult alphabet.

Most of the other Grimoires were inspired by this work.

 

Links to Esoteric Archive Online – Book of Solomon

The links below take you to the esoteric archive website, where you can read the original instructions for what is required to perform these rituals.

Prefatory note 1. At What Hour after the Preparation of All Things Necessary, We Should Bring the Exercise of the Art to Perfection 2. In What Manner the Master of the Art Should Keep, Rule, And Govern Himself 3. How the Companions or Disciples of the Master of the Art Ought to Regulate and Govern Themselves 4. Concerning the Fasting, Care, and Things to be Observed 5. Concerning the Baths, and How They Are To Be Arranged 6. Of The Garments And Shoes Of The Art 7. Of Places Wherein We May Conveniently Execute The Experiments And Operations Of The Art 8. Of the knifes, sword, quill knife, iron pen, short lance, wand, staff, and other instruments of magical art 9. Of the formation of the circle 10. Concerning incense, suffumigations, perfumes, odours, and similar things which are used in magical arts 11. Of the water, and of the hyssop 12. Of the light, and of the fire 13. Concerning the precepts of the art 14. Of the pen, ink, and colours 15. Of the pen of the swallow and of the dove 16. Of the blood of the bat, pigeon, and other animals 17. Of virgin parchment, or virgin paper, and how it should be prepared 18. Of wax and virgin earth 19. Concerning the needle and other iron instruments 20. Concerning the silken cloth 21. Concerning astrological images 22. Concerning characters 23. Concerning sacrifices to the spirits, and how they should be made Fragment from Eliphaz Levi Qabalistic invocation of Solomon from Eliphaz Levi

---

Left-hand path practitioners

On the left-hand path, some of us do not agree with the way these rituals are conducted, as they are used to control and bind the Demons, and we see these rituals as disrespectful.

The Medals or Pentacles, which we make for the purpose of striking terror into the Spirits and reducing them to obedience, have besides this wonderful and excellent virtue. If thou invokest the Spirits by virtue of these Pentacles, they will obey thee without repugnance, and having considered them they will be struck with astonishment, and will fear them, and thou shalt see them so surprised by fear and terror, that none of them will be sufficiently bold to wish to oppose thy will. They are also of great virtue and efficacy against all perils of Earth, of Air, of Water, and of Fire, against poison which hath been drunk, against all kinds of infirmities and necessities, against binding, sortilege, and sorcery, against all terror and fear, and wheresoever thou shalt find thyself, if armed with them, thou shalt be in safety all the days of thy life.

 

 

Source

1. S.L. Mathers’ version of Key of Solomon at Esoteric Archives
2. Key of Knowledge, two older English versions of Key of Solomon, at Esoteric Archives
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_of_Solomon