A Roman priest once told a Greek colleague that his gods had no myths, only rituals. The Greek laughed. The Roman was not joking. The Seal of Andrealphus is the engraved talisman through which the 65th spirit of the Goetia is summoned, bound, and commanded. Without it, the operation cannot begin. The seal is not decoration. It is the lock and the key.
Meta Description
The Seal of Andrealphus is the engraved talisman of the 65th Goetic spirit, used for summoning, binding, and commanding. History, symbolism, and practical use explained.
What Is the Seal of Andrealphus?
The Seal of Andrealphus is the unique geometric design assigned to the 65th spirit of the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lemegeton (circa 1640). It functions as a spiritual signature and a focusing device. In practical operation, the magician engraves the seal onto a metal plate (typically copper or silver) or draws it on virgin parchment using specific inks. The seal is placed within the triangle of art during evocation, and the spirit is commanded to appear within it. Without the seal, Andrealphus cannot be constrained to visible manifestation. The seal is the spirit’s name made visible in line and angle.
Where Does the Seal of Andrealphus Come From?
The Lemegeton, also called the Lesser Key of Solomon, survives in manuscripts dating to the 17th century. The earliest complete copy, Sloane MS 2731, resides in the British Library and was compiled around 1640. The text claims to derive from the legendary Key of Solomon, a grimoire tradition that circulated in Latin and Italian manuscripts from the 14th century onward.
Andrealphus appears in the 65th position of the 72 spirits listed in the Ars Goetia. The seal itself follows a consistent pattern across manuscripts: a central circle divided by intersecting lines, with specific angles and marks that vary slightly between scribes. The most authoritative version comes from the 1904 edition by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, published as The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King. Mathers based his edition on several 17th-century manuscripts, including Sloane MS 2731 and Harley MS 6483.
The seal’s design is not arbitrary. It follows the hermetic principle that each spirit has a “character” or “sigil” derived from its name in Hebrew or Latin, calculated through a system of letter-to-number correspondences known as gematria or notarikon. For Andrealphus, the seal contains elements that correspond to the spirit’s planetary and zodiacal attributions. Andrealphus is associated with Mercury and the sign of Virgo, and the seal’s geometry reflects these influences.
The seal is a map of relationship. The central circle represents the bounded space of manifestation. The intersecting lines are the paths of communication between the magician’s sphere and the spirit’s sphere. The marks at the terminals are the spirit’s “signature” points, the places where Andrealphus can enter and exit the materialized form.
In the Goetic tradition, each seal carries three layers of meaning. First, it is a name: the geometric arrangement encodes the spirit’s true name, which gives the magician authority over it. Second, it is a gate: the seal opens a channel between the operator’s world and the spirit’s plane. Third, it is a prison: once the spirit appears, it cannot leave the seal’s boundary until dismissed.
Andrealphus himself is described as a “mighty marquis” who appears in the form of a peacock. The peacock is a symbol of vanity, beauty, and the display of hidden knowledge. In alchemical terms, the peacock’s tail (cauda pavonis) represents the stage of the Great Work where colors appear, signaling the approach of completion. The seal’s geometry may encode this alchemical correspondence, though the grimoire texts do not state it explicitly.
How Is the Seal of Andrealphus Used in Practice?
The seal is not drawn casually. The Ars Goetia prescribes specific materials and procedures. The seal must be engraved on a metal plate that corresponds to the spirit’s planetary nature. For Andrealphus, whose planetary attribution is Mercury, the appropriate metal is mercury (quicksilver, impractical for engraving) or silver, the metal of the Moon, which is the traditional substitute for Mercury in practical operations. Some practitioners use copper, which is also associated with Venus but accepted as a general-purpose metal for Goetic work.
The engraving tool must be a virgin needle or burin, never used for any other purpose. The work is done during the planetary hour of Mercury, on a Wednesday (Mercury’s day), during the waxing moon. The magician recites the Psalm “Deus in nomine tuo” (Psalm 54) while engraving, a practice drawn from the Key of Solomon tradition.
In the evocation itself, the seal is placed inside the triangle of art, a triangular space drawn on the floor outside the magician’s protective circle. The triangle is oriented toward the direction of the spirit’s cardinal association. Andrealphus is associated with the East, the direction of rising light and intellectual clarity.
The magician calls Andrealphus by name, using the conjurations from the Ars Goetia, and commands the spirit to appear within the seal. The spirit manifests as a peacock, or in human form with a peacock’s attributes. Andrealphus teaches geometry, astronomy, and the measurement of time. He can also turn metals into glass and grant the power of invisibility, according to the grimoire.
The seal is also used in talismanic magic. Some practitioners engrave the seal on a small silver disc and wear it as an amulet for intellectual clarity, mathematical ability, or the “invisibility” of being overlooked in social situations. This is a modern adaptation, not found in the historical grimoires.
Every Goetic spirit has a unique seal, but the seals follow a family resemblance. The seal of Andrealphus shares structural features with those of other mercurial spirits like Buer (10th spirit) and Vassago (3rd spirit). All three have central circles with radiating lines, but the angles and terminal marks differ.
The seal of Bael (1st spirit) is more complex, with three distinct heads represented. The seal of Paimon (9th spirit) includes a crown motif. Andrealphus’s seal is comparatively simple, which may reflect the spirit’s role as a teacher of abstract sciences rather than a commander of armies or a revealer of hidden treasures.
The Ars Goetia does not rank seals by complexity. Each is complete in itself. The simplicity of Andrealphus’s seal is not a sign of lesser power. It is a sign of directness. The spirit’s domain is measurement and calculation. The seal reflects that.
What Do People Get Wrong About the Seal of Andrealphus?
The most common error is treating the seal as a protective talisman. It is not. The seal is a binding device, not a shield. Wearing it without proper preparation and understanding can attract the spirit’s attention without the structure of a controlled evocation. The seal is a tool of authority, not of defense.
Another misconception is that the seal must be drawn exactly as it appears in the Mathers-Crowley edition. Manuscripts vary. The seal in Sloane MS 2731 differs slightly from the one in Harley MS 6483. The Mathers-Crowley version is the most widely reproduced, but it is not the only authentic version. The seal’s power lies in the intention and ritual context, not in millimeter precision.
Some modern practitioners claim the seal can be used for “angelic” or “light” work. This is a misunderstanding. Andrealphus is a Goetic spirit, classified as a demon in the Christian framework of the grimoires. The seal belongs to the Goetic system. Using it outside that system is like using a key designed for one lock on a door it was never meant to open.
FAQ
Can I draw the Seal of Andrealphus with a regular pen? The grimoires specify virgin parchment and consecrated inks. For serious work, follow the prescribed materials. For study purposes, a sketch in a notebook is fine.
Is the Seal of Andrealphus dangerous? The seal itself is a tool. The danger lies in using it without preparation, protection, and understanding. The Ars Goetia assumes the operator has completed months of purification and study.
What does Andrealphus teach? Geometry, astronomy, and the measurement of time. The grimoire also says Andrealphus can turn metals into glass and grant invisibility.
Can I use the seal for meditation? Some practitioners use the seal as a focus for meditation on the qualities of Mercury and Virgo. This is a modern adaptation. The historical use is exclusively evocation.
The Seal of Andrealphus is a precise instrument, not a decoration. It belongs to a system that demands discipline, study, and respect for the boundaries it sets. For those who work within that system, the seal is a door. For those who do not, it is a drawing. The difference is practice. Explore the full Goetic tradition and its sigil system to understand how each seal fits into the larger structure of the Ars Goetia. For a deeper look at the spirits of Mercury, read our guide on the mercurial Goetic spirits.