In this guide

A seventeenth-century magician once copied a symbol onto parchment, folded it into a brass locket, and wore it against his chest for three days before attempting a summoning. He was following instructions from a text that claimed the symbol was not a drawing but a compressed name. The relationship between Stolas and the Ars Goetia symbol is that the seal functions as a cryptographic signature: a visual compression of the spirit’s name, rank, and planetary correspondence that the magician uses to establish authority during evocation. Without the seal, the operation is incomplete. The seal of Stolas appears in the Ars Goetia, the first book of The Lesser Key of Solomon (compiled circa 1640 from earlier grimoire traditions). It is one of seventy-two such seals, each unique to a specific spirit. The symbol is not decorative. It is the magician’s primary tool for commanding the spirit to appear. ---

What Is the Seal of Stolas?

What Is the Seal of Stolas

The seal of Stolas is a geometric diagram composed of intersecting lines, circles, and character-like marks arranged within a circular boundary. In the standard edition of the Ars Goetia (edited by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers in 1904 and later popularized by Aleister Crowley’s 1904 edition), the seal is drawn with black ink on white parchment or virgin paper. Stolas himself is described as a great prince of Hell who appears as a wise owl or a raven before taking human form. He teaches astronomy, herbology, and the properties of precious stones. His rank is prince, and he commands twenty-six legions of spirits. The seal is the mechanism by which the magician compels him to appear and answer questions. The seal is not a portrait. It does not depict Stolas. It is a signature: a unique arrangement of characters that, when drawn correctly, creates a link between the magician’s will and the spirit’s presence. ---

Where Did the Seal Come From? A History of the Ars Goetia Symbol System

Where Did the Seal Come From A History of the Ars Goetia Symbol System

The seals of the Ars Goetia did not appear fully formed in 1640. They evolved from earlier traditions of angelic and demonic sigils found in medieval grimoires. The earliest known source for the Goetic seals is the Lemegeton, a manuscript tradition that dates to the mid-seventeenth century. The British Library holds a manuscript version (Sloane MS 2731) from approximately 1680 that contains the seals drawn by hand. These are not identical to the printed versions that appeared later. The lines are rougher, the circles less perfect, and some seals carry annotations in Latin that describe their function. Johann Weyer (1515-1588), a Dutch physician and occultist, published Pseudomonarchia Daemonum in 1563, which listed sixty-nine demons with their ranks and powers. Weyer did not include seals. His work was a catalog, not a grimoire of practice. The seals were added later by the anonymous compiler of the Lemegeton, who adapted Weyer’s list and expanded it to seventy-two spirits. The Mathers-Crowley edition of 1904 standardized the seals for modern occult practice. Crowley, working from Mathers’s translation of the Lemegeton, had the seals engraved for publication. These engravings became the definitive versions used by most ceremonial magicians today. The Stolas seal in the Crowley edition is clean, symmetrical, and precise. Earlier manuscript versions show more variation. The planetary and zodiacal attributions were assigned retroactively. Each Goetic spirit corresponds to a specific planet, zodiac sign, or decan. Stolas is attributed to the planet Saturn and the zodiac sign Capricorn. This attribution affects when and how the seal is used. Saturnine hours, particularly the hour of Saturn on a Saturday, are considered optimal for working with Stolas. ---

How the Seal Works: Symbolism and Function

The seal of Stolas is not a passive image. It is an active component of the evocation ritual. The magician draws it, consecrates it, and uses it to establish a boundary between the material world and the spirit’s realm. The circle. Every Goetic seal is enclosed within a circle. In ceremonial magic, the circle represents the boundary of the magician’s authority. The spirit cannot cross the circle unless the magician permits it. The seal’s circle mirrors the larger circle the magician draws on the floor of the working space. The intersecting lines. The internal geometry of the Stolas seal consists of straight lines that cross at specific angles. These lines are not random. They encode the spirit’s name in a form of magical cryptography. Each line corresponds to a letter or a numerical value derived from the Hebrew or Latin spelling of the spirit’s name. The character marks. Small symbols appear within the seal that resemble Hebrew letters, astrological glyphs, or invented characters. In the Stolas seal, these marks are concentrated near the center and along the lower arc. Their exact meaning is debated among occult scholars. Some argue they are corrupted Hebrew letters. Others believe they are purely functional: placeholders that the magician fills with intent during the drawing process. The material. The seal must be drawn on a specific material. The Ars Goetia specifies virgin parchment or clean paper. The ink should be black, made from traditional materials (lampblack and gum arabic). Modern practitioners often use high-quality drawing paper and India ink. The seal is then consecrated with incense, usually frankincense or sandalwood, and sometimes anointed with a drop of the magician’s blood. The placement. During evocation, the seal is placed inside the triangle of art, a separate triangle drawn outside the magician’s circle. The spirit is commanded to appear within the triangle. The seal serves as the anchor. The spirit cannot manifest without it. ---

How to Use the Seal of Stolas in Practice

The seal is not a standalone object. It is part of a larger ritual framework. The following describes the traditional method as recorded in the Ars Goetia and practiced by ceremonial magicians. Preparation. The magician purifies himself through bathing and fasting. The working space is cleansed with water and incense. The circle is drawn on the floor, nine feet in diameter, with the names of God written around the perimeter. The triangle of art is drawn outside the circle, oriented toward the east. Drawing the seal. The magician draws the seal of Stolas on a fresh piece of parchment or paper. The drawing is done in one continuous session, without interruption. Each line is traced with focused intent. The magician recites the spirit’s name and rank while drawing. Consecration. The seal is passed through incense smoke three times. The magician speaks a prayer of consecration, dedicating the seal to its purpose. Some traditions require the seal to be wrapped in white silk and kept hidden until the moment of use. Evocation. The magician stands within the circle, holding the seal or placing it in the triangle. He recites the conjuration from the Ars Goetia, calling Stolas by name and commanding him to appear. The conjuration is repeated until the spirit manifests, which may take several minutes or longer. Dismissal. After the spirit has answered the magician’s questions, he must dismiss it properly. The license to depart is recited, commanding the spirit to leave peacefully. The seal is then removed from the triangle and either stored or destroyed. Many practitioners burn the seal after a successful working. ---

Distinctive Features of the Stolas Seal

Every Goetic seal is unique, but the Stolas seal has several features that distinguish it from the others. The owl connection. Stolas appears as an owl. The seal does not depict an owl, but some practitioners believe the intersecting lines form a stylized owl’s face when viewed from a certain angle. This is not supported by the original grimoire text, but it is a common observation among modern occultists. The Saturnine attribution. Stolas is one of several Saturnine spirits in the Goetia. His seal reflects this through its heavy, angular lines. Saturnine seals tend to be more geometric and less organic than those attributed to Jupiter or Venus. The Stolas seal is particularly dense with intersecting lines, which some interpret as a representation of Saturn’s restrictive, boundary-setting nature. The teaching function. Stolas teaches astronomy and herbology. His seal is sometimes used not for evocation but for meditation. A practitioner may gaze at the seal to open the mind to astrological or botanical knowledge. This is a modern adaptation, not found in the original grimoire, but it has become common in contemporary occult practice. ---

Common Misconceptions About the Stolas Seal

The common error is treating the Stolas seal as a generic demonic sigil — one of the many marks of the Goetia, interchangeable with the rest. Every Goetic seal is unique, but the Stolas seal has several distinctive features: the figure of the crowned owl that is Stolas’s form, the geometry that encodes his name and his rank as the prince of the Goetia. Another error is assuming the seal works by itself, without the ritual; the seal is the focus of the evocation, and the working requires the full apparatus of the Goetic rite. The seal is the signature of the spirit, and the signature is read with the spirit’s name, rank, and office.

Common Misconceptions About the Seal

Misconception: The seal is a summoning circle. The seal is not the circle. It is placed inside the triangle of art, which is separate from the magician’s circle. Confusing the two can lead to unsafe practice. Misconception: The seal must be drawn in blood. The Ars Goetia specifies black ink. Blood is used in some traditions for consecration, not for drawing. The seal itself is drawn with ink. Misconception: The seal is a portrait of the spirit. The seal is a signature, not a portrait. It does not show what Stolas looks like. It is a symbolic representation of his name and authority. Misconception: Anyone can use the seal without preparation. The seal is part of a complex ritual system. Using it without proper purification, consecration, and protective measures is considered dangerous by traditional practitioners. ---

FAQ

Can You Use the Stolas Seal for Meditation?

Can I use the Stolas seal for meditation without performing an evocation? Yes. Many modern practitioners use the seal as a focus for meditation, particularly for gaining knowledge of astronomy or herbology. The seal is treated as a gateway to the spirit’s knowledge rather than a tool for summoning. Do I need to draw the seal exactly as it appears in the grimoire? Yes. The seal’s power is believed to reside in its precise geometry. Even small deviations can render it ineffective. Use a printed reference or a traced copy until you can reproduce it accurately by hand. Is the Stolas seal dangerous? Traditional grimoires warn that improper use of any Goetic seal can lead to unwanted spiritual contact. The seal should be treated with respect and used only within a properly constructed ritual framework. Can I wear the Stolas seal as an amulet? The Ars Goetia does not describe the seals being worn as amulets. Some modern practitioners do wear them for protection or to attract the spirit’s influence, but this is a contemporary adaptation, not a historical practice. ---

The Stolas Seal in Context

The seal of Stolas is one of seventy-two in the Goetic system. Each seal carries its own history, symbolism, and practical application. For a broader understanding of how these seals function within the tradition, see our demonology and Goetia hub. For the specific symbols and meanings of other spirits, explore the glossary of Goetic symbols. And for a step-by-step breakdown of the evocation ritual itself, read our guide to performing a Goetic evocation.