Friday, November 10, 2006

The Secret Rosicrucian Symbols

cruce rosea


scala philosophorum cabalistica magia


spiritus sanctus


tabula smargadina hermetis


universale


magia lucifer


inugfrau sophia


mysterium magnum


natura elementa


mons philosophorum


iesus lucifers


etubique bene radix davidis


hermetische philosophie


figura cabalistica

The ever excellent University of Wisconsin Digital Library has recently posted 'Geheime Figuren der Rosenkreuzer, aus dem 16ten und 17ten Jahrhundert' ('Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians from the 16th and 17th Centuries') to their History of Science and Technology subsite. It was published in 1785-1788. There are multiple format page images available (click 'display gallery view').

Adam McLean tells us:
"This 18th century compendium, drew on 17th century alchemical sources such as Adrian von Mynsich, with mystical pieces from Valentin Weigel, and Abraham von Franckenberg's works on Jacob Boehme. It was an important and influential source of Rosicrucian ideas, albeit filtered through an 18th century perspective."
Adam has posted translations from a selection of images.

Marvellous stuff. Thanks Steven!

[Wikipedia has an extensive set of links if you want to get your hermetic golden rosey alchemy dawn cross cabala on - the actual article, like the subject matter itself, is ambiguous and dense by turns: any secrets revealed remain fairly opaque for the great majority of us I venture to suggest. But the symbols hold an enduring fascination.]

No comments:

Post a Comment