Studies on Magic: Seals of the Seven Archangels (Ghent Manuscript)

(pending further editing)

The Ghent Manuscript contains, among others, a work very similar to the Heptameron. As expected, the seals of the seven planetary angels are to be found therein.

Fols. 131r-131v host these seals, and I m delighted to say they are quite unique and special. They are amogst the oldest variations of these seals I ve found and share traights with the Heptameron itself, the Munich Manual and the Sepher Mafteach.

One of the features that determins me to say that is the Michael/Raphael question: in the Heptameron and all subsequent works which draw on it, the Seal of the Angel of Sunday is acribed to Michael and the Seal of the Angel of Wednesday is ascribed to Raphael, while older works have the reversed atributions.

The manuscript lists two variant seal for each of the angels, except Anael and Samael, which leads us to think that even at the time it was transcribed or copied there were more than one versions of the work from which they originate.

The seals are named GM, followed by the order number.

Seals of Raphael