Six arms meet at a common centre and end in different marks, from short cross-strokes to a rippled curve. The Greek text places this seal on a phylactery carried at the chest. [1]
Delatte 1927, printed historical edition; Athens MS 115 · Delatte I (1927), printed p. 20, third row, first column; phylactery passage p. 18, Athens MS 115, Book II, ff. 17–18.
19th design in the catalogue; unnumbered in Delatte’s edition. [1]
Attributed Purpose
Part of the twenty-four-seal phylactery carried at the chest in preparation for the art of the circle. [1]
Design
A circle containing six arms with different terminal marks; the lower vertical arm turns into a rippled curve. [1]
Source reproduction The six-armed seal. Delatte, 1927, p. 20.
Six arms and a rippled curve
An upright line and two diagonals meet at one centre, forming six outward arms. The upper-left arm has short cross-strokes, the upper-right carries a small oval loop, and the upper vertical arm has a curved cap with oblique strokes below it. [1]
Below the centre, two short strokes cross the lower-left diagonal, while the lower-right ends in a curved, branching mark. The descending vertical line turns towards the right in a rippled arc. That turn breaks the even radial arrangement, bringing a long curving edge into the lower part of the circle. [1]
Names and seals on the chest
Book II introduces the art of the circle as a means of seeing and questioning spirits. Its preparations include fresh linen clothing and an unused head covering inscribed with names in the ink of the art. The chest-worn phylactery carries another series of names, with the twenty-four seals written below them. The text specifies parchment from an unborn male calf for this object. [1]
The drawing in Delatte’s edition
Delatte identifies his manuscript B as Athens MS 115 and describes its magical words, drawings and signs as written in red ink. His 1927 edition presents this design among the twenty-four drawings on printed pages 19 and 20. On page 20 it stands in the third row, first column; the number 19 identifies its position in this catalogue. [1]
Delatte 1927, printed historical edition; Athens MS 115. Manuscript B (Athens MS 115): introductory description, printed pp. 1–2; Book II, phylactery passage p. 18, lines 19–27 (ff. 17–18); twenty-four seals pp. 19–20; this drawing p. 20, third row, first column. Facsimile PDF pp. 14–15 and 31–33.
The image reproduces the drawing printed in Delatte’s 1927 edition of Athens MS 115.
