Welcome, dear viewer, to the secret world of arcane symbology – embedded in the buildings we pass every single day. We’re going to show you some of the most common symbols used by iconic secret societies like the Freemasons – often believed by conspiracy theorists to be linked with the even more sinister and secretive Illuminati – and tell you exactly what they don’t want you to know, from the Eye of Providence to the Square and Compass. The secret icons and codes have been found everywhere from the LA Public library to the country’s halls of power.
And today, we’re going to tell you exactly what they mean. But before we go all Agent Fox Mulder, here’s an extremely speedy history of the world’s worst kept secrets: The Illuminati and the Freemasons. The Illuminati – Latin plural for “Enlightened” – is probably not what you imagine when you hear the name.
The first confirmed group to take up the name was the Bavarian Illuminati, created by German law professor Adam Weishaupt, which operated from 1776 to 1785. Far from being a shadowy cabal of immensely powerful individuals, they were a little more like a group of ambitious nerds hiding in a utility closet from the school bully. Except, in this case, the school bully was the more religious establishment of the late 1700s.
Most of the ideas and iconography that comes up when you imagine the Illuminati comes from two sources: The fact-and-fiction-splicing Illuminatus Trilogy from Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, and the Freemasons. There’s a number of theories into the relationship between the Bavarian Illuminati and the Freemasons, but it’s undeniable that the Masons were much larger, more influential, and more feared secret society – hence why Masonic lodges still exist in most cities today, while the Illuminati only really endures in conspiratorial myth. That’s why the symbols we’re looking at today will be Masonic in nature, and trust us, there are plenty of them.
Freemasons are everywhere, and skew much closer to the popular idea of the Illuminati than the original Bavarian Illuminati ever did. Believed to have potentially existed as far back as the Middle Ages, where they descended from powerful guilds of stonemasons. This group went on to become increasingly influential with the rise and expansion of the British Empire before taking off in North America.
They’ve had some extremely famous and powerful members, too, including George Washington, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Nat King Cole, Mozart, Mark Twain, and J. Edgar Hoover. And the “Mason” in the name isn’t just for show, either.
The Freemasons have had an intimate relationship with architecture for hundreds of years, hence why you’re so likely to find their signs and symbols on buildings around you. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at these mysterious symbols and find out exactly what they mean – so next time you see them in the wild, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at. Put on your Masonic Apron and open your all-seeing eyes – we’re jumping in.
What secrets is your city hiding? The Square and Compass. First up, we have this iconic duo of geometric tools from the architect’s toolkit.
You’ll pretty much always see this symbol on your local masonic lodge – as it’s one of the most frequently used masonic symbols – but it’s not uncommon to see it pop up all over. So, what does it mean? It’s a symbol of the duality between life and death.
The compass, used for drawing circles, is symbolic of eternity or infinity. The limitlessness of the spiritual realm. The square, on the other hand, represents the physical, material realm, as well as being representative of a lodge’s leader.
Turns out there’s a good reason for such strong belief in spirituality amongst the Freemasons too. . .
The Letter G. While the Square and Compass are vital to Masonic iconography, they rarely act alone – they’re often seen with the letter G sitting in the centre. But why?
What’s the significance of this seemingly random letter? There are a number of potential theories – ranging from God to Gnosis to the Ancient Hebrew Alphabet, where G has the holy numerical value of 3. However, the commonality between all these theories is a relationship with God, which is mandatory, as – unlike the Bavarian Illuminati – atheists are not permitted to be Freemasons.
The Two Pillars. What could be more of a pillar of architecture than, well, the pillar? The two pillars, while totally innocuous to the untrained eye, also have a level of secret masonic meaning.
The two pillars, which you can find in literally any masonic lodge, are a tribute to the pillars of Boaz and Jachin, apparently present in the original temple of the biblical King Solomon. The most commonly accepted meaning is that the pillars are symbolic of the fact that all men are created equal under the eyes of God, and have a duty of care for one another. The Number Seven.
The number seven is considered a lucky or significant number in a variety of cultures, but like a number of seemingly random symbols, it has a different layer of resonance to members of the Freemasons. Seven is considered a perfect number, as it contains the numbers 3 and 4 – each symbolic of the triangle and the square, and thus being the perfect figures. It’s also a prime number, meaning it cannot be divided by any number other than itself, and cannot be created by multiplication.
As a result, it’s often subtly inserted into Freemason structures, sometimes representing the consciousness or spirit of man. The Two-Headed Eagle. This is another one that the Freemasons share with a number of other groups and cultures, from modern Russia to the Ancient Romans.
Images of two-headed eagles have been dated as far back as 3000 BCE, so the Freemasons are actually one of the more recent adopters. In Masonic lore, the two-headed eagle is said to represent the duality of both humanity and of the Freemasons themselves, with each head representing a different portion of the whole. It can also represent the unification of two halves of an individual in the process of spiritual regeneration.
But it’s not just the living that the Freemasons are interested in. . .
Masonic Coffins. If ever you’ve gone to a local cemetery to pay respects to a deceased friend or loved one, you might’ve seen some curious markings on the headstones, mausoleums, or above-ground coffins. That’s because masonic pageantry extends even to the dead – as masonic coffins are often emblazoned with symbols representing spiritual continuance and immortality.
We’ll get more into some of those later, though. The Winged Hourglass. This is a symbol you’ll often see engraved on clock towers or other buildings that feature large clocks.
As you can probably intuit, the meaning of this winged hourglass is not only representing the eternal passage of time, but also the duality between life and death – with the upper portion of the hourglass representing life, and the other representing death. The twisting of the hourglass is symbolic of the fact that life and death are just two parts of a continuous cycle, and acts as a little memento mori to anyone in the know. The Sheaf of Corn.
Unless you live in an urban area, you probably wouldn’t think twice about seeing a bound sheaf of corn leaning against – or engraved into – a new building. What you probably wouldn’t realise is that you’re staring at a Masonic symbol dating back to the era of King Solomon. The sheaf of corn is often used in dedication ceremonies, and is said to be symbolic of being charitable to the less fortunate – as a farmer with a bountiful harvest would bless others with his crop.
The Gavel. A subtle symbol that you may see engraved in the side of a Freemason building. The gavel is an extremely important piece of Freemason iconography, and is not to be confused with the silly little wooden hammer used by judges.
The gavel is a reference to the huge hammers used by stonemasons to smash the rough edges off of large pieces of stone. It’s often used to represent the leader of a Freemason lodge’s authority, and a Mason’s desire to purge themselves of their human vices and failures in order to reach a state of perfection. No pressure, of course.
The Acacia Tree. While it’s one of the less popular trees these days, the image of a sprig of acacia will often grace buildings related to the freemasons, whether it’s in a wall carving or a stained glass window. According to biblical texts, Moses used wood from the acacia tree for everything from the ark of the covenant to his home furniture.
It’s symbolic of eternal life, as well as redemption, as the Masonic meaning of the acacia tree is “life rises up from the grave. ” Comparisons to the biblical tale of Lazarus have, naturally, also been drawn. The Moon.
That’s right – you’ll often see the moon on masonic frescos and engraved into impressive murals, and that’s because – to the Freemasons – the moon means a whole lot more than controlling tides and werewolves. Freemasons respect the moon as the biblical ruler of the night – and also see it as symbolic of the duties of the Master of the Lodge, which must be performed as regularly as the moon rises in the night. The Beehive.
This pesky little symbol is actually a huge source of controversy among modern scholars, because the image of the beehive – often incorporated into stone carvings and murals on Freemason-associated buildings – is one of the oldest symbols on the books, going back hundreds or even thousands of years. One of the most commonly accepted connections is that the hive, being a picture of perfect organisation, is meant to be symbolic of an ideally run masonic lodge. Connections have also been drawn to the concepts of industry, and even the return of the soul.
Now we’re going to get into the most important of masonic symbols, so keep an eye out for these in your city… The Blazing Star. This is one of the most vital and respected symbols in all of Freemasonry, and the interpretation of its meaning can actually differ depending on the lodge. It can stand in for everything from the biblical star of Bethlehem to the spirit of Sirius to Anubis, the Ancient Egyptian God of Death.
In terms of metaphor, it’s sometimes seen to represent the concept of divine providence, immutable truth, or the peak of Freemasonry that all masons should aspire to. In other words, this one is really open to personal interpretation. Which, finally, leaves us with the one symbol you’ve probably all been waiting for since the second you saw the word “Illuminati” in the title… The All-Seeing Eye, aka The Eye of Providence.
Whether it’s the last dollar bill in your wallet or Bill Cipher from Gravity Falls, you’ve absolutely laid eyes on The Eye of Providence. It’s one of the most iconic symbols of all time, and these days is basically synonymous with the very concept of conspiracy theories and secret societies. It’s hard to watch any movie, TV show, or documentary on the subject without this beady little eye in the centre of a triangle staring out at you.
But what does it really mean? The All-Seeing Eye first became a part of standard Freemason iconography with the publishing of Thomas Smith Webb’s Freemason Monitor in 1797. Rather than a call to dystopian mass surveillance, as many modern conspiracy theorists probably imagine, the All-Seeing Eye was actually meant to remind masons of their accountability to God, who is always watching their actions.
It’s not the eye of the Freemasons staring out onto everyone else, but the eye of God, staring down and making sure none of the Freemasons step out of line. Not quite as sinister and exciting as New World Orders or otherworldly occultic demons, but those are the facts. So, now you know – while the Illuminati may be a largely mythic fixture of the past, the Freemasons are very much alive and kicking, with estimates placing them at around six million as of 2018.
Are they a shadowy organisation of devil-worshippers seeking world power at any cost? No, probably not. But having most of the founding fathers in their ranks gives you an impression of the legacy they’ve left, even in signs and symbols, across the United States.
And thanks to this video, next time you see a staring eye of providence or a winged hourglass, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at. Even if you don’t fully understand what’s looking back… For more forbidden knowledge check out “What Did The Secret Society of the Freemasons Actually Do? ” and “Super Secret Societies That Pull The Strings Without You Knowing”.
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