The planetary pantacle (not pentacle, we discuss it here) is an engraved disk used since the Middle Ages in astral magic. A pure tool of high magic, its creation is based on a set of strict rules rooted in astrology, theurgy, and the talismanic tradition. Here are the details.
To go further and work concretely with these pantacles, we have created a complete, high-definition collection of every seal, which you can find here.
Manuscript origins and astrological framework
The term planetary pantacle first appeared in medieval Latin through the translation of an old Arabic treatise called Picatrix. Written in the 11th century, this text is a compilation of more than two hundred sources on what was known as astral magic—a form of magic that seeks to harness the influence of the stars. Each planet is associated with a symbol, a divine name (Hebrew or Arabic), and an intermediary spirit, all engraved within a protective circle intended to concentrate and direct this celestial influence.
In the 16th century, the German scholar Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa took up this ancient material and reorganized it in his work De occulta philosophia (Occult Philosophy). In the second book, he presents tables linking each planet to a particular metal, a geometric figure (the seal), a celestial spirit (or angelic intelligence), and a favorable time to create or activate the talisman. The idea is to unite the movements of the heavens (astrology) with the art of creating objects charged with intention (talismanic magic).
This logic also appears, with a more religious tone and liturgical elements, in another major text: The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis in Latin), a highly influential grimoire whose finest manuscript copies date from the 15th to the 17th century. These texts were copied and illustrated in the workshops of monks or scholars, known as scriptoria, particularly in Italy at the end of the Renaissance.
Graphic structure and material correspondences
A planetary pantacle takes the form of a disk, generally structured by concentric circles and sometimes grids. Inside is a complex composition combining Hebrew letters, names of angels, biblical verses or formulas drawn from religious traditions, as well as symbols specific to the planets (called glyphs).
First Pantacle of Jupiter
According to The Key of Solomon, each pantacle must be made on a specific metal corresponding to the planet: lead for Saturn, tin for Jupiter, iron for Mars, gold for the Sun, copper for Venus, mercury or a volatile alloy for Mercury, and silver for the Moon. Alternatively, they may be drawn in ink on blank parchment, using a color corresponding to the celestial body.
Thinkers influenced by Picatrix—such as Marsilio Ficino and Pietro d’Abano—explained that the pantacle’s circle encloses the influence of the celestial body, while the sacred names inscribed upon it act as spiritual channels between the celestial and earthly worlds.
Activation rituals and European transmission
According to tradition, for a pantacle to become active, it is not enough to make it: it must also be activated. This involves a precise ritual: engraving it, perfuming it (or fumigating it, since it is passed through the smoke of consecrated incense), and sealing it (that is, consecrating it and magically closing it) at the exact moment when the corresponding planet is dominant in the sky. This is known as a planetary hour.
Once activated, the pantacle may be worn around the neck, hung on a door, suspended above an altar, or concealed in a strategic location. According to The Key of Solomon, this disk can protect its bearer against poisons, fire, drowning, or spells, attract social favors, or even serve as a magical warrant for commanding spirits.
Traces of them can be found in historical sources: the judicial archives of Venice cite Picatrix in the case involving Casanova’s arrest; physicians such as Paracelsus mention the use of these talismans in their treatises. They therefore belong not only to superstition or folklore: they also circulated among scholarly circles and princely courts.
In the 19th century, the English occultist Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers incorporated these pantacles into the ritual system of the Golden Dawn, an influential initiatory society. At the same time, in Paris, other occultists republished Agrippa’s texts, rekindling interest in these ancient symbols, far removed from New Age reinterpretations and practices referred to as modern witchcraft.
Par Olivier of Aeternum
Passionate about esoteric traditions and the history of the occult from the earliest civilizations to the 18th century, I share some articles on these topics. I am also co-creator of the online esoteric shop Aeternum.
