A grimoire keeper sits at a wooden table, the lamp casting a single pool of light. She traces the seal of Duke Bune for the third time, the ink settling into the loops and angles. She knows the spirit answers to this shape. But the seal is not the only symbol that defines him. There is also the body he shows: a dragon with three heads, one of a dog, one of a griffin, one of a man. Each head carries its own meaning, and together they tell a story about death, money, and the voice that speaks between worlds.
What Are the Symbols of Bune?
The symbols associated with Bune are the three-headed dragon form (dog, griffin, man) and the seal from the Ars Goetia, which together represent his authority over the dead, eloquence, and the accumulation of wealth. These two signs — the visual manifestation and the drawn sigil — are the primary tools for anyone who works with the 26th spirit of the Goetia.
Meta Description
The symbols of Bune combine a three-headed dragon (dog, griffin, man) and a geometric seal, representing his powers over the dead, money, and speech in the Goetia tradition.
The Historical Origins of Bune’s Symbols
The oldest surviving description of Bune appears in Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1563). Weyer, a Dutch physician and occultist, compiled a list of infernal spirits based on earlier manuscripts that circulated among Renaissance magicians. He wrote that Bune appears as a three-headed dragon, with one head like a dog, one like a griffin, and one like a man. That triad of heads is the core symbol.
When the Ars Goetia — the first book of The Lesser Key of Solomon, was compiled in the early 17th century, Bune was numbered the 26th spirit and given a seal. The seal is a geometric design that the magician draws on parchment or metal to command or petition the spirit. The Ars Goetia also repeated the description of the three-headed dragon and added that Bune speaks with a high, clear voice. The Mathers–Crowley edition of the Goetia, published in 1904, cemented these symbols in English-language occultism.
For a practitioner, the symbols are not decorative. They are the lock and the key. The seal is the lock: a pattern that focuses the will. The three-headed form is the key: knowing what Bune looks like tells you what he governs.
The Three-Headed Dragon: Meaning of Each Head
Three heads, three domains. The dog head points to the dead. In European folklore, dogs (especially black dogs) guard the underworld and guide souls. Cerberus, the three-headed hound of Hades, is the obvious parallel. The dog head of Bune signals that he has power over corpses, the Goetia says he “makes the dead change their place” and can make the dead speak. That is necromancy in the oldest sense: raising spirits of the departed to answer questions.
The griffin head points to wealth. Griffins are ancient guardians of gold and treasure. Classical authors from Herodotus onward placed griffins in the north watching over hoards of gold. Bune, in the Goetia, “gives riches” and “makes a man eloquent and wise.” The griffin head is the guardian of material abundance.
The man head points to eloquence. Bune speaks with a human voice, high and clear. The man head is the symbol of reasoned speech, persuasion, and the transmission of hidden knowledge. A practitioner working with Bune for legal matters, negotiations, or writing often focuses on this head during invocation.
The three heads together suggest a spirit who straddles the boundary between animal instinct (dog), hybrid power (griffin), and human intellect. Bune is not a chthonic beast. He is a duke of Hell, commanding thirty legions of spirits.
The Seal of Bune: Structure and Drawing Instructions
The seal of Bune is a specific combination of lines, curves, and points. In the Goetia, each spirit has a unique seal that must be drawn exactly. The seal of Bune consists of a central cruciform shape flanked by loops and a triangle at the top. It is not symmetrical in the way a pentagram is, but it follows a precise geometry.
Magicians traditionally draw the seal on virgin parchment or engraved on a metal plate (the Goetia recommends gold for spirits of the day, but Bune is typically summoned during a Thursday hour). Some practitioners use ink made from soot and gum arabic, the same recipe used by Solomonic scribes. The seal is worn as a talisman, placed under a candle, or kept near a book of accounts.
In modern demonolatry, the seal is often used as a focal point during meditation. The practitioner traces the seal in the air with a finger or a wand, visualizing the path of each line. The seal is not the spirit; it is the telephone number.
A common mistake is to treat the seal as a “symbol” in the sense of a logo. It is not. The seal is a tool of evocation. Each line corresponds to a specific vibration, and the act of drawing it aligns the magician’s will with the spirit’s nature.
How to Use Bune’s Symbols in Practice
The symbols of Bune serve three distinct purposes in practical work: identification, invocation, and talismanic charging.
Identification is the first step. Before a practitioner calls Bune, they study the three-headed dragon image. They memorize the shapes of the heads, the curve of the necks, the posture. This mental image becomes the target. Without a clear image, the call scatters.
Invocation uses the seal. The magician draws the seal on a square of parchment, consecrates it with incense (frankincense or sandalwood are common), and places it inside the triangle of art. While reciting the conjuration from the Goetia, the magician fixes their gaze on the seal. Some practitioners draw the seal on a black mirror for communication.
Talismanic charging is the most common application for wealth work. The practitioner draws the seal on a piece of green paper, writes a petition on the reverse, and burns a candle on top. The seal is then folded and carried in a wallet or placed in a cash box.
In our own practice, we have found that the seal works best when drawn with a quill and black ink onto a birch bark. Birch is a liminal wood, associated with new beginnings and transitions, appropriate for a spirit who moves between worlds.
Bune is not the only goetic spirit with multiple animal heads. Amon appears as a wolf with a serpent’s tail, vomiting flame. Marbas appears as a lion but shifts into human form. Bune is unique among the 72 for having three heads of three different species, none of them the same.
Where Bune differs is in the combination of necromancy and wealth. Most wealth spirits in the Goetia (like Gusion or Buer) do not also command the dead. Most necromantic spirits (like Sallos or Aim) do not enrich. Bune bridges both. His symbols reflect that duality: the dog head (dead) and the griffin head (treasure) are on the same neck.
Common Misconceptions About Bune’s Symbols
Misconception 1: The seal is a drawing of the spirit. No. The seal is a diagram of the spirit’s energy, not a portrait. The three-headed dragon is the form the spirit shows, but the seal is the signature.
Misconception 2: The dog head means evil or danger. In modern occultism, dogs are sometimes seen as negative omens. But in the context of Bune, the dog head is simply an indicator of his role as a psychopomp or guardian of the dead. It is not a threat.
Misconception 3: You must use Bune’s symbols exactly as shown in Crowley’s edition. Crowley’s edition has become standard, but earlier manuscripts show slight variations in the seal. What matters is the intention and the consistency. If you start with one version, stick with it.
Misconception 4: Bune is a dragon god. Bune is a spirit of the Goetia, a system that is Jewish–Christian in origin. He is not a deity from another pantheon. His symbols are derived from medieval grimoire tradition, not from ancient pagan worship.
FAQ
What is Bune’s sigil? Bune’s sigil is a geometric seal composed of a cross-like central axis, two loops, and a triangular top. It appears in the Ars Goetia assigned to the 26th spirit.
What does the three-headed dragon of Bune mean? The dog head represents power over the dead, the griffin head represents wealth and guardianship of treasure, and the man head represents eloquence and intelligent speech.
How can I use Bune’s symbols in my practice? Draw the seal on parchment or metal for talismanic work (wealth or communication with the dead). Visualize the three-headed dragon during meditation for connection with Bune’s energy.
Is Bune a demon or a god? Bune is a spirit (duke) in the Goetia tradition, a system of ceremonial magic with roots in medieval European grimoires. He is not a deity in any polytheistic pantheon.
A dragon with three heads is not a decoration. A seal is not a logo. These symbols are the architecture of a relationship. They tell you what Bune governs, how to call him, and what you can expect when you do. The magician who copies the seal without understanding the heads works blind. The one who studies both, the image and the diagram, stands a chance of being heard. For deeper exploration of goetic spirit symbolism, consult our guide to demonology and the Goetia and our glossary of magical symbols and seals. If Bune’s necromantic aspect draws you, the guide to communicating with spirits may be your next reading.