The lamp is adjusted to the east. The parchment has been prepared with a paste of gallnut and iron, dried overnight on a bed of cedar. The hand moves slowly, tracing the outermost circle first, then the inner rings, the cross, the Hebrew letters. The Seal of Amon is the inscribed symbol assigned to the Goetic spirit Amon, the seventh spirit listed in the Ars Goetia. It is the instrument through which the operator establishes a boundary and a point of contact. Without it, the spirit cannot be summoned safely. This is a practical reference for using the Seal of Amon in Goetic ritual, including its history, symbolism, drawing instructions, consecration, and common misconceptions. From Le Grand Grimoire. ---
What the Seal of Amon Actually Is
The Seal of Amon is a composite design of concentric circles, a cross, and Hebrew letters. It appears in the earliest manuscripts of the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lemegeton, compiled from earlier grimoires in the 17th century. The most cited manuscript is Sloane 3825 (c. 1641) held in the British Library, which contains the seal alongside the spirit’s description and conjurations. The seal is not a magical charm in the general sense. It is a binding symbol. In the ritual framework of the Ars Goetia, the operator draws the seal on virgin parchment or engraves it on a golden or silver plate. The seal is then placed within the Triangle of Art, the equilateral triangle outside the protective circle. The spirit is conjured to appear within that triangle, and the seal acts as its anchor. The seal is also used to dismiss the spirit: turning it face-down breaks the connection. ---
A History of the Seal: From the Lemegeton to Modern Practice
The seal of Amon comes from a tradition of Solomonic magic that dates back to the Key of Solomon (c. 14th–15th century). The Key of Solomon includes pentacles (seals) for invoking and binding spirits. The Ars Goetia adopted this system and assigned specific seals to each of the 72 spirits. Amon is described as a duke, appearing as a wolf with a serpent’s tail, breathing flame. He can also take human form. His function is to reveal past and future events and to reconcile friends and enemies. The seal is the means by which the operator compels him to appear and answer truthfully. The seal’s design was fixed by the mid-17th century. Later editions of the Ars Goetia, including the famous 1904 edition by Aleister Crowley (translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers and edited by Crowley), reprinted the same seal. Modern practitioners often work from either the Sloane manuscript or the Crowley edition. The seal itself has not changed. The way it is used has remained consistent: draw it, consecrate it, place it, conjure. For the full context of the 72 spirits and their seals, see the Demonology & Goetia hub. ---
The Seal of Amon is built from three layers of meaning. The circles are the most obvious. The outermost circle represents the celestial sphere, the boundary of manifestation. The inner circles are the gates that the spirit must pass through. In the Key of Solomon tradition, circles also represent the covenant between the operator and the spirit. They are not merely decorative. The cross inside the circles is the intersection of the material and the spiritual. It is the point where the will of the operator meets the spirit’s presence. In the amulet tradition, a cross within a circle is a sign of authority. Here it asserts the operator’s command over the spirit. The Hebrew letters are set in the four quadrants of the cross. They spell the name Amon (אָמוֹן) in Hebrew: Aleph, Mem, Vav, Nun. The arrangement is not alphabetical; it follows the geometry of the cross. The letters are drawn with the same care as the circles. A miswritten letter is said to invalidate the seal. There is also a second, smaller seal of Amon described in some manuscripts. That seal is used for a different purpose: to attract the spirit’s favor without binding it. The larger seal is the one used in formal evocation. We work with the larger seal. For detailed meanings of the Hebrew letters in Goetic seals, visit the glossary of Goetic seals. ---
How the Seal Is Used in Ritual Practice
The seal is not used alone. It is part of a larger ritual structure that includes the circle of protection, the triangle of art, the conjurations, and the incense. The seal’s role is specific.
Drawing the Seal
The seal must be drawn by hand. Printing or photocopying is considered disrespectful and weakens the connection. The materials are prescribed: - Surface: virgin parchment, vellum, or a gold/silver plate. Virgin parchment means animal skin that has never been used for any other purpose. Modern practitioners often use high-quality paper, but the grimoires insist on parchment.
- Ink: black ink made from gallnut and iron, or a mixture of soot and gum arabic. Some traditions specify the blood of the operator, but this is not required by the Ars Goetia.
- Tools: a compass for the circles, a straightedge for the cross, a fine brush or pen for the letters. The seal is drawn in a single session, preferably during the planetary hour of Jupiter (for expansion and authority) or Saturn (for binding). The seal is drawn on a clean surface. The operator should be in a state of ritual purity: fasting before the drawing, or at least having bathed and worn clean clothes. The act of drawing is itself a meditation.
Consecrating the Seal
Before the seal can be used in evocation, it must be consecrated. The consecration has three parts: 1. Fumigation: The seal is passed through the smoke of incense appropriate to the spirit. For Amon, frankincense, myrrh, and cinnamon are common. The incense is burned in a censor while the operator recites the Conjuration of the Seal from the Ars Goetia. 2. Elemental exposure: The seal is touched to the four elements: earth (salt), water (holy water or a simple spring water), air (incense smoke), and fire (the flame of a candle). The sequence matters: earth, water, air, fire. 3. Verbal activation: The operator reads the seal’s name aloud three times, then says the conjuration that binds the spirit to the seal. This is the moment the seal becomes active.
Placing the Seal
In the ritual circle, the triangle of art is drawn to the east. The seal is placed face-up inside the triangle, never inside the protective circle. The operator stands within the circle and conjures the spirit to appear in the triangle. The seal is the point of contact. The spirit is said to manifest before the seal, sometimes in the seal itself. The seal is also used to dismiss the spirit. After the desired information or work is done, the operator turns the seal face-down and recites the license to depart. The seal is then removed from the triangle and wrapped in white cloth.
Other Uses
Some practitioners wear the seal as a lamen (a pendant worn over the chest) during the ritual. This is a personal choice, not a requirement of the grimoire. The lamen is believed to protect the wearer and to focus the spirit’s attention. The seal can also be used in meditation: sitting with the seal before a candle, focusing on the circles and letters to align with the spirit’s energy without summoning it. This is a safer practice for beginners. ---
The Seal of Amon is one of 72 seals in the Ars Goetia. Each seal is unique, but they share common features. Many seals use circles, crosses, and Hebrew letters. The seal of Bael (first spirit) has a more complex lattice design. The seal of Paimon (ninth) uses a star and a crescent. Amon’s seal is distinctive because of the centrality of the cross and the four letters set in the quadrants. The seals are often confused with sigils. A sigil is typically a symbol created by combining the letters of a spirit’s name on a wheel or grid. The seals of the Ars Goetia are not sigils. They are fixed designs given in the grimoire. They are not derived from the name; they are drawn from a tradition of Solomonic pentacles. Changing the seal is not allowed. For a deeper comparison of seal construction methods, see our guide to creating and consecrating Goetic seals. ---
Common Misconceptions
The seal is not a talisman of protection. It is a binding symbol. Wearing it casually or carrying it for luck is not its purpose. The seal is meant to be used in a ritual context, not as a general amulet. You cannot print the seal from a computer. The act of drawing is part of the ritual. The energy of the operator goes into the seal through the hand. A printed seal is inert. If you cannot draw it, you should not use it. The seal does not give the operator power over the spirit. It establishes a contract. The spirit is bound by its own nature and by the seal’s authority, but the operator must still behave with respect. The seal is a tool, not a weapon. The seal must be disposed of properly after use. It cannot be thrown in the trash. The traditional method is to burn it in a fireproof dish while reciting a prayer of release, or to bury it in a place where it will not be disturbed. ---
FAQ
Can I use the Seal of Amon if I have never practiced Goetic magic?
It is not recommended. The seal is part of a complex ritual system. Without the protective circle and the proper conjurations, the seal can attract the spirit without the means to bind it. Do I need to draw the seal in one sitting?
Yes. The drawing should be continuous, without interruption. If you break the line, the seal is considered flawed and must be started again. What is the smaller seal of Amon used for?
The smaller seal appears in some manuscripts and is used for petitioning the spirit without formal evocation. It is a lesser seal used for requesting favors rather than commanding presence. ---
The Seal of Amon is a precise instrument from a tradition that demands exactitude. Its use is not casual. For a deeper understanding of how the seal fits into the larger system of Goetic evocation, see our guide to creating and consecrating Goetic seals. For the full context of the Ars Goetia and the 72 spirits, visit the Demonology & Goetia hub. And for the meanings of the Hebrew letters and other symbols, the glossary of Goetic seals provides a reference.