Construction of the Pentacles of Saturn

Book I ch. 18 sets out the general rules for all forty-four holy pentacles, and the plates give five for Saturn. Each is a circular figure carrying Hebrew divine names, verses of Scripture and angelic characters inside concentric bands. For Saturn the pentacle is engraved on lead or, on paper, drawn in black. The operator must be ritually pure, the material must be new or purified by fire, and the work is done in Saturn's day and hour with the prescribed incense. Finished pentacles are censed, kept wrapped in silk, and in Book I they are displayed to spirits during a conjuration to command obedience. The text insists that the names written on them be revered and the figures shown only to the worthy.

Purpose

Mathers' Saturnine pentacles are said to strike awe into spirits and to bear on matters of ruin, earthquakes and adversity, reflecting Saturn's heavy nature.

Timing

Day

Saturday — the day of Saturn

Planetary hour

An hour of Saturn, reckoned from local sunrise and sunset

Moon

Waxing (increasing in light)

Ch. 18 requires the pentacles to be made in the days and hours proper to their planet. Book I ch. 2 favours the Moon increasing in light for any work of construction and forbids beginning anything while the Moon is conjoined with the Sun.

Materials

• Lead plate (the metal of Saturn)
• or virgin paper/parchment written in black
• incense of the Art
• silk cloth for wrapping

Tools

• burin or graver of the Art (for metal)
• pen and ink of the Art (for paper)

Omitted

Book II ch. 17 describes "virgin parchment" as made from the skin of a young animal flayed with ritual words; this is recorded for historical understanding only and should not be performed. Ordinary paper is the text's own lesser alternative.

Fire safety when burning incense.