The Seal of Orobas is the engraved sigil of a Goetic President who appears as a man on a horse, offering true answers and protection. To use it in ritual, you trace the seal on consecrated parchment, charge it with your intention, and place it inside the triangle of art during evocation. The seal is the essential anchor for the spirit’s presence and cannot be omitted.
What the Seal of Orobas Actually Is
The seal is a geometric figure composed of interlocking lines and curves, specific to the spirit Orobas. In the grimoire tradition, each of the 72 Goetic spirits has a unique sigil derived from a planetary square or a custom diagram. The seal of Orobas is not a decorative emblem. It is the spirit’s signature, a symbolic address that allows the operator to call the spirit into the triangle of art and converse with it.
Orobas himself is a President of Hell, governing twenty legions of spirits. He appears first as a horse, then takes the shape of a man on a horse, wearing a crown. His office includes revealing past and future events, granting favor and dignities, and protecting the operator from hostile spirits. The seal is the tool through which these powers are accessed.
The seal’s design varies slightly between manuscripts. In the Lemegeton (the Lesser Key of Solomon, compiled around the 17th century), the seal is drawn within a double circle. In Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1583), the lines are more angular. We use the version from the Goetia of the Lemegeton, as it is the most widely attested.
Where the Seal Comes From
The earliest surviving description of Orobas and his seal appears in Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, published in 1583 in Basel. Weyer, a Dutch physician and demonologist, compiled his catalogue of spirits from earlier grimoires and oral traditions. He lists Orobas as “Orobas” and gives a short description of his appearance and powers, though not a detailed drawing of the seal.
The seal as we know it today comes from the Lemegeton, a collection of five books assembled in manuscript form by the mid-17th century. The Goetia, the first book, contains the seventy-two seals. Several manuscript copies survive: the Sloane manuscripts in the British Library (particularly Sloane 3825 and Sloane 2731) show the seal of Orobas. These were the source for Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers’s edition of the Goetia, published later in 1904 by Aleister Crowley.
Crowley’s edition, The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King, includes the seal drawn by Mathers or by Crowley himself. That version is now the standard reference for most modern practitioners. The seal is also reproduced in the 1973 edition edited by L. MacPhail. The continuity from Weyer to the Sloane manuscripts to the Mathers edition gives the seal a clear textual lineage spanning four centuries.
What the Seal Does in Practice
In ritual evocation, the seal has two roles. First, it serves as a focal point for the operator’s will. The act of drawing the seal, usually with a consecrated pen on a square of virgin parchment, concentrates the mind on the spirit’s attributes. Second, the seal anchors the spirit in the triangle of art. When placed inside the triangle, the seal is said to attract the spirit to that location, allowing safe communication.
The seal is not worn as an amulet in the standard Goetic tradition. It is a temporary ritual tool, destoyed or stored after the operation. However, some practitioners carry a small copy of the seal as a protective talisman, claiming it shields against other spirits. We do not recommend this without first testing the seal’s effect through evocation.
How to Draw and Prepare the Seal of Orobas
The seal’s geometry is important. Every line is drawn in a single stroke where possible, without lifting the pen. The seal is never printed or photocopied for evocation. The act of drawing personalizes the seal, charging it with the operator’s intention. In our practice, we trace the seal with a steel nib dipped in a mixture of India ink and dragon’s blood resin. The ink must be consecrated beforehand.
Preparation begins at least one day before the evocation. The operator fasts from noon, abstaining from meat and alcohol. The parchment is cut into a square the size of the operator’s palm. It is then consecrated with a prayer from the Lemegeton: “I conjure thee, O Spirrit, that thou receive this seal…”
The seal is drawn under a waxing Moon, preferably on a Sunday during the hour of the Sun. The table is bare except for a black candle to the north and a small dish of salt. Eah line is drawn whil reciting one of the 72 names from the Shemhamephorash, though some operators simply repeat the spirit’s name.
Once drawn, the seal is held over the candle flame for a moment and then placed on a red cloth. It is not touched again until the ritual.
Step-by-Step Ritual Evocation with the Seal
The ritual space is arranged with a magic circle and a triangle of art outside it. The triangle faces east. Inside the triangle, you place the seal of Orobas, along with a small dish of icese (frankincense and myrrh). The operator stands within the circle, holding the wand or sword.
The seal is invoked by reading the conjuration from the Goetia. The spirit is commanded to appear in the triangle, visible to the operator. The seal acts as the anchor. If the spirit does not appear, the operator may burn a small portion of the seal as a threat, though this is a last resort.
Once Orobas appears, the operator may speak with him. The seal is not needed for the conversation; it remains in the triangle throughout. When the operation ends, the operator gives license to depar, and the seal is removed and either stored or burned.
How the Seal of Orobas Differs from Other Goetic Seals
Each Goetic spirit has a unique seal, but the function is the same: to fix the spirit in the triangle. The difference lies in the design. Orobas’s seal is relatively simple, composed of curves and a central cross shape. Compare it to the seal of Buer, which has many intertwined loops, or the seal of Astaroth, which includes a pentagram.
The simplicity of Orobas’s seal makes it easier to draw correctly, a practical advantage for beginners. The seal is also associated with Orobas’s protective nature. Some grimoires note that the seal alone can repel hostile spirits if worn on the chest. We have not verified this claim, but it appears in marginal notes of some 18th-century manuscripts.
Common Misconceptions About the Seal of Orobas
The seal is not a demonic sigil in the sense of being evil. Orobas is a spirit of truth and protection. The seal is a neutral tool, no different from a heraldic crest.
The seal does not give the operator control over the spirit. It is a means of invitation and safe communication. The operator must maintain respect and follow the ritual structure.
The seal is not interchangeable. You cannot use the seal of Orobas to summon another spirit. Each seal is unique and corresponds only to its own spirit.
The seal does not need to be copied from a book. Many practitioners draw it freehand after memorization. The important part is the proportion, not the exact reproduction of every curve.
FAQ
Can I use a printed seal instead of drawing it myself?
No. Printed seals lack the personal charge. The act of drawing is essential to the ritual.
Do I need to consecrate the seal before every use?
Yes. Each evocation requires a freshly consecrated seal. The old one is discarded or burned.
Can I wear the seal as an amulet without summoning Orobas?
Some traditions do this for protection, but the practice is not supported by the grimoires. Use at your own discretion.
The seal of Orobas is a precise tool, not a decorative trinket. Its history reaches back to the 16th century, through Weyer and the Lemegeton manuscripts. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or a curious student, the seam demands respect and careful handling. For further reading, consult our guide to demonology and the Goetia, explore the glossary of Goetic sigils, or read our detailed walkthrough of the evocation of Orobas.