A seventeenth-century magician sits at a desk, a brass compass in one hand, a quill dipped in iron-gall ink in the other. He traces a circle, then a cross, then a series of arcs that curve back on themselves. The sigil of Amdusias takes shape under his steady hand. It is not symmetrical. It does not repeat. Amdusias’ sigil is a geometric seal composed of intersecting arcs and crosses, distinct among the seventy-two seals of the Ars Goetia for its asymmetry and its connection to sound and transformation. Where most Goetic sigils rely on bilateral symmetry or repeating radial patterns, Amdusias’ seal leans to one side, as if caught mid-motion.
Compare Amdusias’ sigil to other Goetic seals: design elements, historical origins, and practical use in ceremonial magic. Discover what makes this duke’s sigil unique.
Where Does Amdusias’ Sigil Come From?
The sigil of Amdusias appears in the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lemegeton, a grimoire compiled in the mid-17th century from earlier manuscripts. The earliest known copy, Sloane MS 3825, dates to the 1640s and is held in the British Library. In that manuscript, each of the seventy-two spirits is assigned a unique seal, drawn with compass and ruler, to be used in evocation.
Amdusias is the sixty-seventh spirit, a duke who commands thirty legions. He appears as a unicorn, then in human form, carrying a trumpet. The text says he “causeth trees to bend and bow after his will” and gives familiar spirits. His sigil, like all Goetic seals, was not invented by the Lemegeton’s compiler. It draws on older traditions: the fifteenth-century Munich Manual of Demonic Magic contains similar geometric seals, and the Heptameron of Pietro d’Abano (1496) describes the use of pentacles and circles for summoning. The sigil of Amdusias, then, is the product of a long lineage of Jewish angelic magic, Arabic astrological talismans, and Christian ceremonial practice.
What Does Amdusias’ Sigil Look Like?
The seal of Amdusias is drawn as a single continuous line, though the published versions in Mathers’ and Crowley’s editions (1904) show it as a composite of several strokes. At its center is a small circle, bisected by a cross. From that circle, two arcs sweep outward to the left, each terminating in a smaller cross. A third arc curves downward and to the right, ending in a dot. The overall shape is asymmetrical: the left side is heavier, with two arcs and two crosses; the right side has one arc and a dot.
This asymmetry is rare among Goetic sigils. Most seals, such as those of Bael, Paimon, or Bune, are built around a central vertical axis. Bael’s sigil has three circles arranged in a triangle. Paimon’s has a crown-like shape with three points. Bune’s is a tight grid of angular lines. Amdusias’ seal breaks that pattern. It looks like a sound wave frozen mid-oscillation, or a tree branch bent by wind. That is no accident: the spirit’s attributes include bending trees and a trumpet.
How Does Amdusias’ Sigil Compare to Other Goetic Seals?
Symmetry and balance. Most Goetic sigils are bilaterally symmetrical. The seal of Vassago, a prince, is a perfect mirror image left to right. The seal of Gusion, a duke, is a radial design with four arms. Amdusias’ sigil is not. The left side has two arcs; the right side has one. This imbalance is deliberate. In ceremonial magic, asymmetry often indicates a spirit that operates through movement, sound, or change rather than static authority.
Number of elements. Amdusias’ sigil contains three crosses (including the central one), three arcs, and one dot. Compare to the seal of Bune, which has five crosses and four straight lines. Bune’s sigil is denser, more angular. Amdusias’ is sparse and curved. The arcs suggest fluidity, while the crosses anchor the spirit to the material plane.
Use of crosses. Every Goetic sigil includes at least one cross. The cross is a binding symbol, derived from the Christian tradition that the magician must control the spirit. In Amdusias’ seal, the crosses are small and placed at the ends of arcs, as if pinning the movement. In the seal of Paimon, the cross is large and central, dominating the design. In the seal of Bael, the crosses are inside the circles. The placement of crosses in Amdusias’ sigil suggests a spirit that is bound but not static.
Curves vs. straight lines. Goetic sigils are overwhelmingly rectilinear. The seal of Marbas, a president, is a series of right angles. The seal of Orobas, a prince, is a straight line with crosses. Amdusias’ sigil is one of the few that uses curves as primary elements. Only the seal of Vine, a king, has similar sweeping arcs, but Vine’s seal is symmetrical. Amdusias’ curves are asymmetrical, reinforcing the theme of bending and sound.
What Does the Sigil Mean in Practice?
In the ritual of the Ars Goetia, the sigil is drawn on parchment made from a virgin lamb’s skin, using the blood of a black cat or the magician’s own blood (the text gives both options). The seal is placed inside the triangle of art, a protective boundary outside the circle. The magician calls the spirit by name and shows the seal.
Amdusias’ sigil is used specifically for gaining knowledge of music, for bending the will of others (the “bending trees” metaphor), and for obtaining familiar spirits. The asymmetry of the seal is said to represent the spirit’s dual nature: unicorn and human, sound and silence. When we draw the sigil, we are not just copying a design. We are recreating a pattern that the spirit recognizes. The arcs are not decoration. They are the shape of the spirit’s voice.
We light our candles in a fireproof bowl on the balcony. The parchment is placed on a black cloth. The compass is set to the same radius as the central circle. The ink is iron-gall, dark and permanent. The hand moves slowly. The sigil of Amdusias is not forgiving: one misplaced arc and the seal is invalid. That is why the old grimoires insisted on practice.
Common Misconceptions about Amdusias’ Sigil
The sigil is a picture of a unicorn. It is not. The unicorn is the spirit’s first appearance, but the sigil is abstract. No horn, no hooves. The seal is a geometric key, not an illustration.
All Goetic sigils are interchangeable. They are not. Each spirit’s seal is unique, and using the wrong one is considered dangerous. The sigil is the spirit’s name in symbol form. Amdusias’ sigil cannot be swapped for Bune’s.
The sigil works alone. It does not. The seal is part of a larger ritual framework: the circle, the triangle, the incantations, the timing. The sigil without the ritual is just a drawing.
The asymmetry is a mistake. Some modern practitioners have “corrected” Amdusias’ sigil to make it symmetrical. That is a misunderstanding. The asymmetry is intentional and functional. It reflects the spirit’s nature.
FAQ
What does Amdusias’ sigil look like?
It is an asymmetrical seal with a central circle and cross, two arcs to the left ending in crosses, and one arc to the right ending in a dot.
How is Amdusias’ sigil different from other Goetic sigils?
Most Goetic sigils are symmetrical and rectilinear; Amdusias’ is asymmetrical and curved, reflecting the spirit’s association with sound and bending.
Can I draw Amdusias’ sigil myself?
Yes, but the traditional method requires a compass, ruler, and iron-gall ink on virgin parchment. The sigil must be drawn in one continuous line where possible.
What is the meaning of the arcs in Amdusias’ sigil?
The arcs likely represent sound waves or the bending of trees, both attributes of the spirit. They also indicate movement and fluidity, in contrast to the static crosses.
The sigil of Amdusias is not a decorative emblem. It is a functional key, designed to open a specific door. To see how it fits into the broader system of Goetic seals, explore our guide to the seventy-two spirits. For a deeper understanding of the symbols used in these seals, visit our glossary of occult symbols. And for the full context of the Ars Goetia, see our hub on demonology and Goetia.