Seals of the Archangels in the Bernardakean Magical Codex

As an introductory note, I must thank my anonymous friend from Greece, who decided to aid my scholarly research and sent me a photocopy of a book published by the Academy of Athens, the transcript of a 19th century magical work called the Bernardakean Magical Codex (Bernardakeios Magikos Kodikas)

The ammount of material in this book is simply staggering: traditional European grimoires, Arabic spells, charms and amulets, folk remedies and kabbala, all transcribed in one great compendium in Greek. This is a volume I will be continuously drawing from. 

One part that interests me is the transcription of the Heptameron, or at least a Heptameron-based section in the manuscript. It contains as expected the seven seals of the archangels. There is no doubt that the seals we have here draw directly upon the printed editions of the Heptameron and that is their direct source, so it is interesting to see how the seals change and morph in manuscript form when compared to their source, in this case knowing full well, their source. 

For the sake of comparison I will add there the seals as they are in the manuscript, complete with the astrological siglae that are also in the Heptameron and in one case, with the name of the Heaven associated with it (a simple click will enlarge them):

 

Sunday

 

Monday

Tuesday

 Wednesday

 

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

For practical reasons I chose to focus just on the seal, eliminating the other symbols and allowing us a more discerning look at their shapes. Their codes will be B.1 through B.7, for Bernadakeios:

 Seal of Michael (B.1)

The seal is slanted to the right and bears the mark of cursivity. The left section is very reduced from what we are accustomed in the Hept. seals, thhe horizontal line is elongated,  and the right descending line is now curved (similar in a way to the broken line in the CSS seal). The opened trapezoid is not separated from the base of the rhomboidal shape, but curiously joined, and a very peculiar feature is the ending: while the Hept. seals are terminated in a small elegant T, this seal ends with a very pronounced cross contained in a crooked circle. 

 

 Seal of Gabriel (B.2)

The left part, with the second figure going downwards continuously into a circle and the top circle seeming to be added after the completion, bears striking similarities to Hept2. Also, the bottom squares of the rectangular formation is missing, and we find that in Hept2. that is as well incomplete (although not missing entirely). The b-s and the A shape as well as the M shape are not changed, except for the usual rightward slant, but the ending is again very original: after the upward line and appended e-curl, we find it crossed through by another upward line, coming down into a curve, like a J. 

 Seal of Samael (B.3)

 This seal is also slanted to the right and seems a bit unbalanced, the left part being situated higher than the right. The cross is situated on top of the line and does not make one continuous angled line, the horizontal continues upwards in a 45 degree angle (not considering the usual scribal angle, this line is not parallel to that of the preceding cross) but a very interesting feature is that after the superior twist, the horizontal line does not have a semicircle, only a very small lower dash. Following this, the descending line is more likely a curve, ending in a very peculiar form quite different than the half-a-cross we see in the Hept. seals, and the circle atop the line crossing the figure is not intersected by the line, but rather joined to it. 

 Seal of Raphael (B.4)

The seal of Raphael is no less different. The beginning segment is reduced to a curve, rather than an angle, the first circle is quartered, not halved, and the horizontal line does not end with the circle, inside the enclosed figure, but continues well beyond that. 

 Seal of Sachiel(B.5)

 Curiously enough, this seal differs greatly from the Heptameron style. In thev  first figure, the horizontal line is not capped and the endings are curled inside. In the second figure, the vertical line is well slanted rightwards and the top part is not a fluid curve, but a small circular twist continued with a straight line, upon which a curl was added. The third figure lacks the hook in the left foot as we see in all Hept. seals, the vertical is slanted and the curve goes down and again up, unlike the Heptameron.

 Seal of Anael (B.6)

The first character is quite different from the Hept. versions. We do not have a circle or teardrop intersected by a triangle, but rather an elongated triangle that twists into a teardrop, much like in Clav.A.2. The second figure seems even more expedite, the body of the character is long, slender and straight, the circle is connected only to the top line and the bottom line arches up and forms the ending spiral. 

  Seal of Kassiel (B.7)

 Out of this series, the seal of Kassiel seems to be the most orthodox. The first character ends with a full circle, the second figure is topped by a curved line and the bottom also begins with a curve, much like Hept.1 and Hept.3, and the third figure only differs from the Heptameron in the middle curve of the form.

Conclusions: The Heptameron entered Greece probably in the 17th century in printed form, and this version is probably derived from it via another manuscript. The slight modifications show another hand at work before our scribe, that most probably copied it in the 18th century.

Seals of the Archangels in the Clavicula Salomonis de Secretis

For the convenience and  brevity, Ms. Rps 3352 II will be called CSS, and as accustomed, the seals will be named after it.

The seals of the seven angels are quite extraordinary in character and shape, quite like the rest of the manuscript itself. 

Seal of Michael (Sun)

CSS.1a

 CSS.1b

The first seal is meant as a general illustration at the beginning of a new book in the manuscript, as the title announces: Incipit Incipit Liber Tertius Clavicula Salomonis (Here Begins the Third Book of the Clavicula Salomonis). It s flanked by the astrological siglae of Mercury on the right and Moon on the left, but we know it well to be the seal of Michael from the Heptameron. 

Studying both seals, we see that none of its characteristics are accidental, so the direct source is not a printed Heptameron. From left to right: the beginning of the horizontal line, in the large curve, is not a circle or a closed loop, but a mere line or a slightly descending curve; Where the H seals had a descending slanted line, both these seals have a curious broken like. This is a quite new characteristic in these seals. In the U shaped part of the seal, where the H seals have a cross usually, there is nothing here. This is consistent with one source: MC.3, the Wroclaw Magical Calendar.   The rest of the seal is quite normal, but we are keen to examine the loop: in the H seals, this loop is not a minor trait, its a rhomboidal shape. No other version has a round shape (and MC.3 has nothing at all) except for MC.1.

Seal of Gabriel (Moon)

 CSS.2

The seal of Gabriel also bares great resemblance to the other seals, but it has quite a few unique characteristics.

The first vertical segment is reduced to a simple line, disjointed from the main horizontal line. The second vertical segment has very simplified heads, in the shape of rigns or semi-rings. One of the most intriguing features is the lack of horizontal compartments in the enclosed figure: only one vertical line, unlike any seal encountered. While we would expect it to be similar to the Scot seals and the MC series, it has exactly what they lack (a vertical line) and it lacks exactly what they supply (the three horizontal lines). The seal maintains the H feature of the two lower case b-s, as they lack in the MC versions altogether and are not morphed into 6s. The following element, the A shape, is much more consistent with the MC series, as it is cursive, unlike Scot and the H series. Another prominent feature would be the presence of two cursive Ms separated from the main line, not one angular M jointed to the line, a feature completely new. The last swirl is quite consistent with the H series, but much more cursive, resembling more a cursive U.   If the seal of Michael would lead us to a manuscript akin to CM.3, the Wroclaw Codex, but not identical, the seal of Gabriel also seems to support that.

The seal of Samael

CSS.3

 

 

As accustomed to surprises, this seal does not fail to disappoint. From the minor morphology changes in the previous seals, this one takes a leap. The first element is a smallish simple cross, like all other versions. The next element is no longer a straight angle with a loop, but a loop upon a horizontal angle, the whole element is slanted to the right. The next section of the seal is completely changed, retaining only small resembling elements: the x shape and the horizontal line through the circle remind us of the previous seal variations, but the circle is not at a 45 degree angle, its placed horizontally, from it protruding two symmetric elements with angles below and small arrows joined at the top. This seal has a completely new look and cannot even be counted as a copyists error. It is unlike anything I have met with in the study of these seals.

Seal of Raphael (Mercury)

CSS.4

 

 

The source of this seal in its oldest form has to be the Heptameron, as the attribution of the seal is not interchanged with that of Michael. Yet again, novelty and change. The first element is a backwards L, but not started from the medial line, like most seals. The second element is similar, a circle breaking the line, with a vertical line through it, but it is simple and unadorned with a foot, like most have it. The following common element, a simple line through the medial one, is missing. The third element of this seal, where most figures would have an elongated circle with a cross inscribed, turn here into a sort of beetle-shape: a vertical ellipse halved, crowned above and below with two semicircles, a unique trait. The right half is equally original: we have one X shape instead of two verticals and two crescents, on one side and the other of the X. The final K shape is fairly standard.

Seal of Sachiel (Jupiter)

CSS.5

The seal of Sachiel is entirely different from the others and seems to be independent. Not only the morphology of the seal is entirely alien to the other Heptameron-based seals, but the seal itself is unknown. The top part of the seal is a horizontal line, capped with tho descending oblique crosses, the middle being joined to the top of an angle. The ascending angle is capped with two rings and it contains a symbol similar to a 2, possibly derived from the astrological sigla of the planet Jupiter. The lower half is some sort of graphic construct meant to describe a flaming sphere s bottom, perhaps the result of a vision obtained in the practice of the rituals prescribed. The flaming sphere bottom has a trapezoid attached, azured, with flames or flame-like symbols as well. To my knowledge, this is completely original, and has not been encountered anywhere.  

Seal of Anael (Venus)

 CSS.6

 

 

 

This seal is entirely original as well, and not previously attested anywhere. It has no resemblance with the Heptameron seal. This character is made up of a trapezoid seated upon an elongated ellipse, flaming beneath. It is capped with two rings in the upper corners and halved by a horizontal line, itself capped with seals. The upper part contains what seem to be two incomplete Venus siglae, joined to the top line.

Seal of Cassiel (Saturn)

CSS.7

The  last seal in this series is the character of the Saturnine prince. This last seal bears a small resemblance to the others in the H series, namely it is an oversimplified version of the second mark we find in the tripartite seals of Cassiel: Hept.1, 2 and 3, Scot.7, Clav.A.7.1 and 2, exceptions being the MC series. 


Conclusions: the CSS is a highly ecclectic mix of seals, some taken from traditional sources, some modified as the writer saw fit, and others entirely original. If the author used the Heptameron, he did not consult a printed version, or chose alternate seals from another copy of it or a similar work, undiscovered.