The Knights of the Temple of Jerusalem (1790) - Page 3

A central alchemical or Rosicrucian emblem. It features a light-blue oval medallion containing a white pelican in its piety The "Pelican in its Piety" is a Christian and alchemical symbol of self-sacrifice, depicting a mother bird feeding her young with her own blood; in alchemy, it represents the stage of "multiplication" or the soul's nourishment., pecking its breast to feed its young with its blood. The pelican and its nest sit atop a white cubic stone, the front face of which is decorated with three red roses. Golden rays emanate from a golden sun or eye at the top of the oval. The medallion is encircled by a green border, likely representing an Ouroboros A snake or dragon eating its own tail, representing the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.. The text "HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY" original: "PHILOSOPHIA · HERMETICA" is printed in gold serif capital letters in an arc surrounding the emblem.

HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY

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