The Pentagram, an interlaced five point star, has been used by Celts, Wiccans, Satanists (inverted Pentagram), Egyptians, Kabbalists, Druids, Sumerians, Christians and many others. A pentacle is a pentagram with a circle around it (and possibly writing or other symbols).  It has had many names through the ages: Pentalpha, Endless Knot, the Pentacle of the Virgin, the Seal of Microcosm, the Star of Knowledge, the Pentacle of the Templars and the Seal of Solomon. Medieval churchmen called it the Witch's Foot, the Wizard's Star, the Goblin's Cross, the Druid's Foot and the Devil's Sign.

The Pythagorean mystics worshipped the pentagram because it was based on the symbol of the Goddess Kore. The mystics called this symbol Pentalpha, the birth-letter interlaced five times. The symbol meant "life" or "health." The Pentalpha consisted of five interwoven alphas: the Greek letter A, which stood for birth and beginnings. 

The pentagram was a common amulet of protection and healing in Babylon, where is was inscribed on pots to keep safe their contents. The first amulet assuming holy signs was known as The Seven Seals. In the Judeo-Christian tradition the Seals signified the secret names of God. The pentacle, chief among them, was inscribed on King Solomon's magic ring. Some think this is why the pentacle has been mistakenly called Solomon's Seal. Moreover, the so-called Star of Bethlehem is no more than the Pagan pentagram, symbolising life force.

El, the letter L, which is lamed in Hebrew, is the graphic description of the phase shift. The L-ements are invoked by the five-fold process of the pentagram, which is simply: Love, Law, Life, Liberty, Light and then back to Love.
 

The five-point star has also been known as the star of Isis, or of Isis' underground twin Nephthys. To the Egyptians the star represented the underground womb of the Goddess. The pagan Celts like the Egyptians attributed the pentacle to the Goddess and revered it as such. The Celtic hero Gawain had a pentacle inscribed on his shield.

The Kabbalistic connection resulted in the use of pentacles in the tarot deck: the pentacles (sometimes called coins or discs) are the suit representing the material aspect of the deck. The Devil card in the Rider Waite deck contains an inverted pentagram drawn between the Pan figure's horns.

Inverted Pentagram
 

The Satanist use of the Pentagram is actually an inverted pentagram. In the 19th century Eliphas Levi erroneously inverted the pentacle inscribing within it the head of the goat with horns. He described it as the goat of lust battering the Heavens with its horns. The Church of Satan founded in America in 1966, adopted the Baphomet as its symbol. It is inscribed in an inverted pentacle with the goat's head and symbols of the Kabbalah spelling "Leviathan."

Inverted Pentagrams can also stand for the Horned God or the Spirit Hidden in Matter. The Horned God  was named Pentamorph, "He of Five Shapes," by Neoplatonic philosophers. This god appeared in human form as well as four horned animal shapes: bull, ram, goat and stag. Inverted pentagrams attributed to the Horned God are not associated with black magic.

The Points of the Pentagram 

Throughout history, the five points of the pentagram have had various meanings; some hold simultaneous meanings. Symbolic meaning of the five points include:

The Five Senses. The points represent the five senses, through which earthly knowledge enters the mind - sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. The center is indicative of the sixth sense, the deep unconscious, or the ethereal connection of each human being with the spirit world.

The Five Stages of Life - Birth, Initiation, Love, Repose and Death: the cyclic nature of existence for all of us. 

Microcosmic Man

The Pentagram has been symbolic for the Spirit ruling the World of Matter; also Life, Health, Protection (especially against hostile spirits) and as Human Being as Microcosm of the Universe.  The pentacle may also represent a human with their legs and arms outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom - as in Leonardo daVinci's famous representation of the Microcosmic Man. This image is related to Fimicus Maternus's remark that man is a microcosm ruled by 'the five stars.'

The Goddess

The single point is upward to represent the deity of the Triple Goddess. It is also called The Spirit, followed by (clockwise) Water, Fire, Earth and Air. 
 

These are the same points marked with appropriately coloured candles when performing both Celtic and Wiccan rituals.  The Spirit represents the All and the Divine. Water represents emotions and intuition. Fire represents courage and daring. Air represents intelligence and the arts. Earth represents stability and physical endurance. The circle around the star represents the Goddess. Many wiccans wear a pentacle as a necklace or in some other form of jewelry. It is thought refracts and reflects all light, bringing to the wearer total intelligence, universal wisdom and protection.

Symbolic Meaning of the Pentagram

The number '5' has always been regarded as mystical and magical, yet essentially human - we have five fingers or toes on each limb extremity; we have five senses. 

The number 5 is also associated with Mars. It signifies severity, conflict and harmony through conflict. 

The five points of the pentagram worn by the aforementioned Celt, Gawain, represented the five virtues of the medieval knight - generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety. 

The Wiccan Kiss is Fivefold - feet, knees, womb, breasts, lips - Blessed be. 

Pentacle
 

A circle around a pentagram contains and protects. The circle symbolizes eternity and infinity, the cycles of life and nature. The circled pentagram is the passive form implying spiritual containment of the magic circle, in keeping with the traditional secrecy of witchcraft, and the personal, individual nature of the pagan religious path. Moreover, because the number five is attributed to the influence of Mars, some Wiccans think of the five pointed star within the circle as force or power contained and controlled by divine wisdom. Most pentacles used by modern Wiccans and Pagans are made of silver, the metal of the moon and psychic powers. Some, however, are made of gold, the metal of power and energy.  In Metallurgy,  molecules of silver are crescent-shaped, like the moon, and molecules of gold have spires or rays, like the rays of the sun.

Wiccans believe that by wearing a pentacle on our bodies we are constantly drawing down and in the moon power or sun power found in light.  The circle is the never-ending, perfect intelligence that fills the universe and runs down the arms of the star, inward to the human body, uniting All That Is and the individual in perfect wisdom. 

Sources

• Buckland, R. Signs, Symbols & Omens, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 2003.
• Cabot, L, Cowan, T. Power of the Witch, Delacorte Press, 1998. 
• Guiley, RE. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, New York, 1989.
• Jung, CG. Man and his Symbols, Doubleday, Garden City, NY, 1964. 
• Walker, BG. The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, HarperCollins, New York 1983.

See also The Witches Pentacle by Sharynne NicMacha