A small horse stands at the edge of the circle. It does not speak. Then it rises on two legs and becomes a man. That is how the Ars Goetia describes the spirit Samigina, also called Gamigin. The seal that bears his name anchors that transformation.
The seal of Samigina is the spirit’s signature and instrument of authority. It is a geometric symbol combining a cross and a circle, used in evocation to compel the demon to appear and answer. Without it, the ritual lacks its central anchor.
Definition: What the Seal Actually Is
The seal of Samigina (also spelled Gamigin) is a sigil described in the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lemegeton. It represents the demon’s rank as a president of Hell and his ability to teach liberal sciences, give news of souls who died in sin, and raise the dead. The seal is not a portrait. It is a diagram of power.
In the grimoire tradition, each of the 72 Goetic spirits has a unique seal. The seal is the spirit’s signature, the mark it answers to. It is also the operator’s tool of command. Without the seal, the spirit may not appear, or may appear in a hostile form. The seal of Samigina is one of the simpler designs among the presidents, but its simplicity is deceptive.
Where the Seal Comes From: History and Origins
The seal appears in 17th-century manuscripts of the Lemegeton, most notably the Sloane manuscripts held in the British Library (Sloane 3824 and 3825). These manuscripts date to the 1640s, though the material they contain is older. The Ars Goetia itself draws on earlier Solomonic grimoires, such as the Clavicula Salomonis (Key of Solomon) and the Byzantine Hygromanteia.
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley published the first widely available edition of the Ars Goetia in 1904, titled The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon. That edition included the seals as woodcuts. The seal of Samigina appears on plate 19 of the Mathers-Crowley edition.
The number 72 is not accidental. It echoes the 72 names of God in Kabbalistic tradition, the 72 elders of the Sanhedrin, and the 72 disciples of Christ. The seals are thus linked to divine order. Each seal is a microcosm of that order, a signature that participates in the structure of creation. For more on this system, see our demonology_goetia hub.
Symbolism and Meaning: What the Geometry Says
The seal of Samigina is a circle enclosing a cross with four arms. Each arm ends in a small circle. Some versions show a dot at the center. The design is spare, almost abstract.
The circle is the boundary of the spirit’s domain. It marks the limit of its power within the ritual space. In Solomonic magic, the circle is also the boundary of the operator’s protection. The spirit cannot cross it unless permitted. The seal’s circle echoes that function.
The cross represents the intersection of the spiritual and material worlds. It is the axis mundi, the point where heaven meets earth. The four arms correspond to the four cardinal directions, the four elements (fire, water, air, earth), and the four letters of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH). Samigina, as a president, governs these correspondences. He teaches the liberal sciences, which are themselves structured by the fourfold pattern of classical education (the quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy).
The small circles at the ends of the cross may represent the four fixed signs of the zodiac or the four rivers of Paradise. In some interpretations, they are the points where the spirit’s power is anchored. The central dot, when present, is the spirit’s essence, the point of origin.
The seal is not arbitrary. It encodes the spirit’s name and rank through gematria and astrological correspondence. Samigina’s planetary ruler is Mercury, the planet of communication, commerce, and the liberal arts. The seal’s geometry reflects Mercurial qualities: speed, adaptability, precision.
How the Seal Is Used in Practice
The seal is drawn on virgin parchment or paper. The ink must be consecrated: lampblack mixed with gum arabic, sometimes with a drop of the magician’s blood. The drawing is done in the hour of Mercury, on a Wednesday, the day of Mercury. The magician traces the lines while reciting Psalm 72 or the conjuration of the spirit.
The parchment is placed within the triangle of art, the designated space for the spirit’s manifestation. The triangle is drawn outside the protective circle, oriented toward the appropriate cardinal direction (for Samigina, some sources say north, others east). The seal sits at the center of the triangle, sometimes on a black silk cloth.
During the evocation, the magician holds a copy of the seal in his left hand or wears it on his breast. He shows it to the spirit while reciting the conjuration. The seal is the sign of authority. It says: I know your name. I hold your mark. You will obey.
After the ritual, the seal is stored in black silk, never exposed to sunlight. It can be reused. Some practitioners bury the seal with the spirit’s name written on it to dismiss the spirit permanently. The grimoires do not prescribe destruction.
The seal is also used in pact magic. The magician may sign the seal with his own blood, creating a bond. This is a dangerous practice, not recommended by the traditional texts. For related symbols used in protective magic, see our glossary of sigils.
Comparisons: How Samigina’s Seal Differs from Others
The seal of Samigina shares its basic structure with other Goetic presidents. Buer’s seal is a five-pointed star. Marbas’s seal is a lion’s head. But Samigina’s seal is notably simpler. It lacks the complex astrological symbols found on the seals of kings like Asmoday or Paimon.
This simplicity may reflect Samigina’s role as a teacher of liberal sciences. The seal is a diagram of logic and order, not of chaotic power. It is a tool for understanding, not for warfare.
In Solomonic magic, all seals are derived from the magical squares (kameas) of the planets. Samigina’s seal may be linked to the square of Mercury, a 9x9 grid of numbers. The cross and circle pattern appears in several Mercurial sigils. But the connection is not explicit in the grimoires. The seals were transmitted as images, not as mathematical derivations.
Common Misconceptions
A common error is to treat the seal as a self-contained summoning tool. The seal does not summon the spirit by itself. It is a component of a larger ritual that includes the circle, the triangle, the conjuration, and the operator’s preparation. Using the seal alone is like holding a key without a door.
Another misconception is that the seal “traps” the spirit. In the Ars Goetia, the seal is a sign of authority, not a cage. The spirit is bound by the divine names and the operator’s will, not by the ink on parchment. The seal is the spirit’s own mark, freely given (in theory) or extracted through force. It is not a prison.
Some believe the seal must be destroyed after each use. The grimoires do not prescribe this. They recommend storing the seal in a black silk cloth for reuse. Destroying the seal may be seen as a sign of disrespect, potentially angering the spirit.
Finally, there is the idea that the seal of Samigina can be used to raise the dead directly. The Ars Goetia says Samigina can “raise the dead” and “give news of souls who died in sin.” But this is not necromancy in the Hollywood sense. It is the ability to communicate with the spirits of the deceased, not to reanimate corpses. The seal is used in that communication, but it is not a resurrection tool.
FAQ
What does the seal of Samigina look like?
It is a circle containing a cross with four arms, each ending in a small circle, sometimes with a central dot. The design is one of the simpler Goetic sigils.
How is the seal of Samigina used in ritual?
It is drawn on parchment during the hour of Mercury, placed in the triangle of art, and shown to the spirit during conjuration. The magician may hold a copy or wear it on his breast.
Can the seal of Samigina be reused?
Yes. The grimoires recommend storing the seal in black silk cloth for future rituals. Destruction is not prescribed and may be seen as disrespectful.
The seal of Samigina is a precise tool, not a decoration. For those who work with the Goetic spirits, understanding its form and function is essential. Explore our guide to the Ars Goetia and the glossary of sigils for deeper study. The full collection of Goetic seals awaits the serious practitioner.