The seal is drawn on a square of calfskin, its lines traced with a needle dipped in lampblack mixed with the blood of a black hen. The operator stands inside a circle of fumigated earth, the seal placed before them in the triangle of art. The sword is drawn, the conjuration spoken. The air thickens. This is the ritual of the Seal of Andras, a procedure from the Ars Goetia that has bound the 63rd spirit for four centuries. Rituals involving the Seal of Andras are evocation procedures from the 17th-century Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, used to summon the Grand Marquis who rides a wolf and carries a naked sword. The seal is a unique sigil drawn under specific planetary conditions to compel Andras to appear and either answer questions or sow discord among enemies. Meta description: Learn the history, symbolism, and practice of rituals using the Seal of Andras, the Goetic sigil used to summon the Grand Marquis of Hell for discord and questioning. ---
What the Seal of Andras Actually Is
The Seal of Andras is not a talisman or amulet. It is a binding symbol, a geometric signature that the operator uses to call and constrain the spirit. In the Goetic system, each of the 72 spirits has a unique seal, and the seal of Andras is one of the most aggressive. The seal is a circle divided by lines and crosses, with a central pentagram and specific markings that correspond to the spirit’s planetary nature. It is placed in the triangle of art outside the conjuring circle, never inside. The seal is the link between the operator’s will and the demon’s presence. Without it, the evocation cannot proceed. ---
Where the Rituals Originate
The earliest known description of the Seal of Andras appears in the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, a grimoire compiled in the 17th century but claiming King Solomon as its author. The text is divided into five books, the first of which is the Ars Goetia (the art of commanding spirits). Andras is listed as the 63rd spirit, a Grand Marquis who commands 30 legions. The seal is described in the text with specific instructions for its creation. The seal was reproduced in the 1904 edition of The Goetia of Solomon the King, translated and edited by Samuel Liddell Mathers and Aleister Crowley. That edition became the standard reference for English-speaking occultists. The Mathers-Crowley version includes the seal diagrams alongside the conjurations, though the instructions for drawing the seal on calfskin with black hen’s blood come from the earlier manuscript tradition. Medieval manuscripts of the Lemegeton show variations in the seal’s design, but the core elements remain consistent: a circle with a cross, a central star, and lines that radiate outward. The planetary hour for the ritual is always the hour of Mars (Tuesday, during the day or night), and the ink must contain materials that resonate with the spirit’s martial nature. ---
What the Seal’s Design Means
The seal of Andras encodes the spirit’s function and rank. The circle represents the boundary of the spirit’s influence. The cross inside the circle is a binding device, a symbol of authority that the operator uses to constrain the spirit. The lines that cross the circle are roads: they allow the spirit to move from its realm into the triangle of art, but only along the paths the operator permits. The central pentagram is a sign of control. In the Goetic tradition, the pentagram with its point upward is used for protection and command. The seal of Andras incorporates a pentagram that is not a star but a five-pointed figure drawn with continuous lines, a symbol of the operator’s mastery over the five elements. The use of blood in the ink is not symbolic. It is a material link. The black hen is a creature associated with the underworld, and its blood grounds the seal in the physical world. The lampblack (carbon from burned oil) is also a substance of the dead, drawn from fire. The combination creates a substance that is neither fully living nor dead, a threshold material that can bridge the worlds. ---
How the Rituals Are Performed
The ritual of the Seal of Andras follows the structure common to all Goetic evocations. The operator draws a circle on the ground, using a consecrated sword or knife. Inside the circle, a smaller circle is drawn for the operator’s feet. The triangle of art is placed outside the circle, to the east. The seal is drawn on the calfskin parchment and placed inside the triangle, often on a small altar or a piece of black silk. The operator wears a lamen (a metal plate with protective symbols) and a ring that bears the seal of the King of the East. The conjuration is recited from the Goetia, beginning with the invocation of the divine names and the binding of the spirit. The first conjuration is polite, a request. If the spirit does not appear, the operator uses the stronger conjuration, which threatens the spirit with the power of the seal. The seal is shown to the spirit when it appears. The spirit is asked to swear an oath of obedience, and the seal is used to compel it. If the spirit refuses, the operator may threaten to burn the seal. The burning of the seal is a serious act; it destroys the binding and sends the spirit back to its place, but it also ends the ritual. In traditional practice, the seal is preserved for future use, wrapped in a black cloth and stored in a box. The ritual can be used for two purposes: to ask questions (the spirit is said to know the secrets of the past and future) or to send discord upon enemies. The second use is the one most associated with Andras. The operator names the target and commands the spirit to cause strife, enmity, and destruction. This is not a casual operation. The Goetia warns that Andras is a dangerous spirit, and the operator must be protected by the circle and the divine names. ---
How the Seal of Andras Differs from Other Goetic Seals
The seal of Andras is not the only seal used for discord. The seal of Flauros (the 64th spirit) is also used for destruction, but Flauros is a Grand Duke who can be turned against enemies or turned back on the operator. The seal of Andras is more direct. It is the seal of a spirit who does not negotiate. Andras is depicted with a raven’s head (or an owl’s head in some sources), a creature of death and war. The seal reflects that nature. The seal of Bael (the first spirit) is more general, used for all purposes. The seal of Andras is specialized. It is also one of the few seals that is explicitly tied to a specific planetary hour. The seal of Andras must be drawn in the hour of Mars on a Tuesday. Other seals may be drawn on any day, but Andras is bound to the planet of war. The seal of Andras is also notable for its simplicity. It is a circle with a cross and a pentagram, without the complex astrological symbols found on the seals of spirits like Paimon or Agares. This simplicity may reflect the spirit’s directness: it is a force of raw discord, not of subtle influence. ---
Common Misconceptions About the Seal of Andras
The seal is not a talisman for personal protection. It is a tool for evocation. Wearing the seal as a pendant or carrying it in a pocket does not invoke the spirit, but it does create a link that could attract the spirit’s attention without proper binding. The seal is meant to be used inside a ritual circle, not as a daily amulet. The seal does not need to be destroyed after a single use. The traditional grimoires do not instruct the operator to burn the seal after the ritual. The seal is preserved for future rituals. The destruction of the seal is a last resort, used only when the spirit refuses to obey. The seal is not the same as a summoning circle. The seal is placed in the triangle of art, which is outside the circle. The circle is the operator’s protection. The seal is the spirit’s platform. Confusing the two is a mistake that can leave the operator exposed. The seal does not grant the operator the ability to control the spirit without preparation. The operator must be purified, must know the divine names, must have the correct tools. The seal is a tool, not a magic wand. The power lies in the ritual as a whole. ---
FAQ
Can the Seal of Andras be used for protection? No. The seal is designed for evocation and for causing discord, not for shielding the operator. Using it for protection would be ineffective and potentially dangerous. How is the Seal of Andras drawn correctly? It must be drawn on calfskin parchment with ink made from lampblack and the blood of a black hen. The drawing is done in the hour of Mars on a Tuesday, with the operator facing east, using a consecrated needle or quill. Is the Seal of Andras dangerous? Yes, if used improperly. The seal can attract the spirit without proper binding, leading to uncontrolled manifestations. The operator must be protected by a circle and the divine names. What is the difference between the Seal of Andras and other Goetic seals? Each seal is unique to its spirit. The seal of Andras is specifically for provoking discord and destruction, and it is tied to the planet Mars. It is one of the most aggressive seals in the Goetic corpus. ---
The rituals of the Seal of Andras are not for the casual practitioner. They belong to the serious tradition of Goetic evocation, where every symbol and gesture carries weight. For a deeper understanding of the Goetic hierarchy and the seals of the 72 spirits, explore our guide to the Ars Goetia and the glossary of sigils. The vertical hub on demonology and Goetia offers further resources on the history and practice of spirit evocation.