Clue #31: The Cover of The Lost Symbol -- and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

The cat is really out of the bag now.

This morning, Doubleday released the cover art for Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol (shown above, in the higher-resolution version featured on the website of NBC's "The Today Show").

Of course, having the cover feature the Capitol building (see Clue #8) confirms that Washington, DC is the setting of the novel. There are also alchemical symbols galore on the cover (three sets, in fact -- in the alchemically significant colors of black, red, and white), confirming that alchemy will be featured in the novel (see my comments on Clue #17 and #18). However, the really big news here involves the central element of the cover, the blood red wax seal, significantly (and sinisterly) set just above the Capitol building. On "The Today Show" website, the seal is described as follows:

The jacket also prominently features a wax seal, inside of which is a double-headed Phoenix, the No. 33, and the Latin phrase, "Ordo ae Chao," which translates to "Order from Chaos." These elements are tied to secret societies throughout history.

The producers and staff of "The Today Show" are to be thanked for doing such a good job of making out the elements of the seal. However, there are a couple of crucial corrections that I would like to make:

First, that is a double-headed eagle, not a phoenix. Second, the Latin is Ordo Ab Chao. Third, and most important, these elements in combination -- the double-headed eagle, the number "33" within a triangle, and the motto Ordo Ab Chao -- are associated with only one 'secret' society: The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry -- which includes what is perhaps the largest single Masonic organization in the world today. (And, yes: I am glad to be a member myself.)

Dan Brown has put, as the seal on his cover, a version of the seal of what is called, in a style typical of the early 19th century, "The Supreme Council (Mother Council of the World) of the Inspectors General Knights Commander of the House of the Temple of Solomon of the Thirty-third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America."

The Mother Council, from which all other Scottish Rite Supreme Councils around the world are descended, was established on May 31, 1801, in Charleston, South Carolina. Its current headquarters are in Washington, DC, in the magnificent House of the Temple. (Don't be surprised if the House of the Temple shows up in the novel. How could Dan Brown resist? It has two giant stone sphinxes in front, for heaven's sake -- you just don't pass that kind of thing up!)

The seal of the Scottish Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction (SJ) shows these basic elements: the double-headed eagle, the "33" in a triangle, a crown (also seen on the seal shown on the cover of Dan Brown's novel), and a scroll with a motto, either Deus Meumque Jus ("God and My Right") or Ordo Ab Chao, or sometimes both, as shown here. A slightly different version of the seal of the 33rd degree may also be seen in the rightmost medallion on this page on the website of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite (the United States being unique in the world in having two sovereign jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite).

The point of all of this: Dan Brown's novel is not only going to be set within the world of Freemasonry (as, long ago, Brown said it would be): it will be set within the world of the Scottish Rite, a system of initiatory rituals that is drenched in the symbolism of esoteric spiritual traditions drawn from across history, including kabbalah, the Knights Templar, alchemy, Rosicrucianism, and more.

This is symbologist heaven. No wonder Dan Brown sent Robert Langdon there.

You heard it here first.

Updates

(12:24 p.m. EDT, Wed. 8 July:) The black symbols, the hardest to see, may include figures of code distributed by 19th century Scottish Rite leader Albert Pike. The red symbols in the circle appear to be astrological symbols. The white symbols, clearest to see, appear to be alchemical symbols. More updates as we roll along.

(Copyright 2009 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.)
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Clue #22: Albrecht Durer, Part 2

The 22nd Twitter clue, sent at 8:50 a.m. PDT, Thurs., July 2nd:

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His subjects are the first couple, horned ungulate, blessed Jerome.

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Here we meet again the renowned German Renaissance artist, Albrecht Durer, featured in Clue #9 (life detailed here and here; reproductions of many pieces of art available at the latter site, and here). Among Durer's most famous artworks are his representations of Adam and Eve (the first human couple mentioned in the Bible; see his engraving of 1504 and painting of 1507), his engraving of a rhino (an "ungulate," or hoofed beast, with a horn), and his engraving of St. Jerome in his study (all shown above).

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Why bring up Durer again? In my description of Clue #9, I focused on Masonic symbolism in Durer's work. However, there are other reasons for Durer to figure into The Lost Symbol, especially given the religious climate in which he lived. Durer harbored significant sympathies in favor of reforming the Catholic church, although he remained Catholic himself -- much like Michelangelo. Perhaps Dan Brown plans to portray Durer as a member of the Spirituali, the secret society for Catholic reform, of which Michelangelo was a member (Clue #19).

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But why mention these particular pieces of art? The artworks themselves are certainly masterpieces. One might guess that, in the novel, they are specific pieces that will be at some sort of Durer exhibition or collection in or near Washington, DC. (Of course, many copies of a given print are struck off, so it is easy for a printmaker like Durer to have original prints on display or in collections all over the world.) In terms of the specific pieces, though, a few things come to mind.

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Adam and Eve

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The topic of Adam and Eve, of course, brings up the topic of human reproduction. As I have speculated with regard to Clue #11, conflict concerning reproductive technologies and their religious implications is a topic that might come up in the novel. This would be natural for Dan Brown, whose works combine centuries-old conspiracy with cutting-edge high-tech science. For example, in Angels & Demons, a significant plot device involves the creation of antimatter; perhaps The Lost Symbol involves a high-tech topic like human cloning.

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Another issue that comes to mind is the idea of Adam and Eve as a married couple. In traditional belief, Adam and Eve were married by God in the Garden of Eden. (See, in the Jewish Tanakh or the Christian Bible's Old Testament, the passage Genesis 1:28.) Symbolically, however, marriage of male and female has sigificance in esoteric studies and alchemy (see C. G. Jung, Collected Works, vol. 13, "Alchemical Studies," and vol. 14, "Mysterium Coniunctionis"). Thus, Durer's Adam and Eve print and painting may touch upon alchemical themes that we have met in Clue #18 and shall meet again in Clue #25 (the Rosy Cross).

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Rhinoceros

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Durer made his 1515 woodcut of a rhinoceros without ever having seen one; he read a description and saw a quick sketch of one that had just been delivered to Lisbon. Nonetheless, and despite its scientific inaccuracies, this woodcut still appeared in the occasional German science textbook, into the 20th century. It's a stretch, but perhaps in The Lost Symbol the matter of Durer's Rhinoceros touches upon issues of observation and science; these are topics that come up prominently in the Twitter clue involving Francis Bacon (Clue #7).

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Of its own, the rhino is a symbol associated with virility, strength, and invulnerability in combat. However, in earlier centuries in Europe, the rhinoceros was sometimes confused with the mythical unicorn, a creature replete with esoteric symbolism.

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St. Jerome

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Durer's woodcut of St. Jerome is universally acknowledged as one of his masterpieces. St. Jerome, of course, is particularly known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, which formed the basis for the Vulgate Bible that was declared the official Bible of the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1545-1563, a generation after Durer's death).

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Jerome is a figure of the 4th century; interestingly, he is known as "Blessed Jerome" to the Eastern Orthodox Church, rather than the Catholic Church. One of his teachers was Apollinaris of Laodicea, noted opponent of the ancient Arian beliefs that we met in Clue #17; in turn, Apollinaris was condemned as a heretic in ancient Christianity for Docetism, the belief that Christ only appeared to be human. Here we have fertile ground for Dan Brown: conflicting beliefs about the nature of Jesus Christ.

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The Council of Trent, a millenium after Jerome, overlapped with the lives of some people and groups mentioned in the Twitter clues. These include Francis Bacon (Clue #7), Michelangelo and the Spirituali (Clue #19), and the early Illuminati as they exist in Dan Brown's universe (Clue #5).

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Dan Brown has focused before on an important Catholic Church council: the ancient Council of Nicea, which figures prominently in The Da Vinci Code. It would not be surprising for him to do so again, in focusing on the Council of Trent.

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The concerns of the Council of Trent have resonances to some themes that have come up in the Twitter clues. The Council addressed a number of Protestant criticisms, and issued a number of reform decrees, the need for which had been claimed by the Spirituali (Clue #19). The Council helped define the Church's position on Original Sin, which is relevant to the doctrine of the immaculate conception of Mary, mother of Jesus (Clue #11).

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Then there is the print itself. In the print, we see one of the most famous of the symbols of 'high degree' Freemasonry: a human skull, which in Masonry is a reminder of mortality, much like the hourglass that we see both here and in Durer's Melancolia I, described in my interpretation of Clue #9.

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Conclusion

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Thus, in Durer's works named in the Twitter clue, on the surface alone we have a reference to an artist whose works are sure to be featured in The Lost Symbol. Scratch the surface, and we have references to other people, groups, ideas, and themes that are likely to appear in the novel, as well.

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Shameless Plug

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In my forthcoming book, Discovering The Lost Symbol, I shall address the artistic and religious themes and figures that Dan Brown's novel focuses upon.

[The black-and-white images above are all from the website of ArtTattler. The color image of the "Adam and Eve" painting was obtained from Wikimedia Commons through Wikipedia. All of the original artwork is in the public domain; images thereof are also all in the public domain, at least in the United States, per Bridgeman vs. Corel.]

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(Copyright 2009 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.)

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Clue #18: The Christogram "INRI"

The 18th Twitter clue, sent at 7:04 a.m. PDT, Wed. July 1st:

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Christogram...

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The clue is a hot link that leads to an article on the online edition of the New World Encyclopedia, titled "Christogram." According to this article, "A Christogram is a combination of letters (a monogram) that forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ. ... [T]he most popular Christograms are IHS, INRI, and the Chi-Rho."

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As the article goes on to explain, these three Christograms stand for, respectively, (1) the initials for the phrase In Hoc Signo (Latin for "in this sign," that is, the sign of the cross), or the first three Greek capital letters of the name "Jesus"; (2) Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Latin for "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews," the inscription set above Jesus as he hung on the cross at the crucifixion; see, in the New Testament, John 19:19-20); and, (3) the first two letters in the Greek word Christos, "Christ."

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This is the surface meaning, then: A Christogram shall appear in The Lost Symbol. However, this being a Dan Brown novel, surface meanings often are not enough. And, with one Christogram in particular, there are other meanings to consider.

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An Alchemical Reading of INRI

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Many medieval students of the esoteric, such as the alchemists, were essentially Christian in outlook and used Christian terminology. They sometimes gave alchemical meanings to Christian symbolism. (This was perhaps especially so with those who studied the documents of the legendary Rosicrucian fellowship, about whom we shall have more to say in regard to Clue #25.) The alchemists gave a different meaning to INRI: Igne Natura Renovatur Integra, Latin for "through fire nature is reborn whole," as noted here; alternatively, "all nature will be [or is] renewed by fire," as noted here.

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Medieval alchemy is not the only esoteric discipline that has used an alternative interpretation for INRI. In modern times, the same is done by some branches of Freemasonry.

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Masonic Readings of INRI

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A 'higher degree' Masonic organization, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Southern Jurisdiction, has a total of 33 degrees of initiation, largely developed by Albert Pike in the latter part of the 19th century, working from earlier ritual sources. In turn, these rituals draw on a variety of sources for inspiration, including alchemy and the Rosicrucian fellowship. The 18th degree, titled "Knight of the Rose Croix" (i.e., 'Knight of the Rose Cross'), is particularly noteworthy for its references to alchemy and Rosicrucianism. (Note that the Twitter clue under consideration is the 18th tweet in the series!)

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It is public knowledge that, in the 18th degree, "we learn the Masonic meaning of the initials INRI" (Rex R. Hutchens, A Bridge to Light: A Study in Masonic Ritual & Philosophy, 3rd edition, 2006, p. 137). Albert Pike's Lecture for this degree includes the following:

The True Word is an abbreviation of the Latin inscription said by John in his Gospel to have been placed above Jesus when He was crucified -- to wit: Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudeorum, meaning, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Others interpret these initials by the phrase Igne Natura Renovatur Integra, meaning, "All of Nature is Renovated by Fire," by which the sages of antiquity connected it with the greatest secret of nature, that of universal regeneration. (Source: Arturo de Hoyos, Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide, 2nd ed., 2009, p. 419)

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The Masonic scholar, Leon Zeldis, wrote about alchemy, Rosicrucianism, and interpretations of INRI in relation to the 18th degree. He noted in one of his papers that, in various rituals of the 18th degree as these were conducted in different times and places, there have been at least a dozen esoteric interpretations of INRI.

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One of the important messages of the 18th degree involves the idea that Nature witnesses the existence of God. From Pike's Lecture:

We apply reason to the Book of Nature and find a great truth written in letters of light: there is a living God. The great law that governs the universe is harmony; the will of the Almighty God, always acting as the expression of His infinite love. (de Hoyos, p. 419)

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Ultimately, the message of the 18th degree involves the importance of love for and service to humankind. From Pike's Lecture:

The Knights Rose Croix practice charity, in all its senses, and we derive the strength to labor in the cause of humanity from faith and hope. (de Hoyos, p. 421)

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These lessons and others are illustrated symbolically in the ceremonial "jewel" of the 18th degree, a French version of which is shown above.

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Other Approaches

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Other approaches to this tweet are possible. For example, the entire phrase, In hoc signo vinces, Latin for "in this sign you shall conquer," appears on a seal upon a written letter, at a certain place in the narrative in one of the central Rosicrucian documents (see Benedict J. Williamson's 2002 book, The Rosicrucian Manuscripts, p. 138). In addition, some have claimed that the streets of Washington, DC, form in one place a Chi-Rho.

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Potential Relevance to The Lost Symbol

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At this point, I'm sticking to the idea that this Twitter clue somehow references INRI as an alchemical phrase that also plays a role in the 18th degree of Scottish Rite Freemasonry (the surface of which we have barely scratched). How could this work into The Lost Symbol?

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We know that Dan Brown likes to use graphic images of words in his stories. (Think of how the ambigrams for "Illuminati," "Earth," and so on were used in Angels & Demons, and how an anagram like "how dark the con of man" was used in The Da Vinci Code.) Perhaps "INRI" shows up written in some important place as a clue. (Or even branded or carved onto someone's body -- Dan Brown has a way with his victims!) Then the alchemical interpretation (connecting up with the work of Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton) might be crucial to the proper understanding of the clue. Because the degrees of the Scottish Rite have their roots in rituals dating to the 18th century, there is plenty of opportunity to link up conspiracies dating from the time of the Founding Fathers to our own day.

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I note that the Masonic lessons of the 18th degree, regarding Nature as an evidence for the existence of God, might be of some use to Dan Brown. The idea of Science as a way to read the Book of Nature as written by God is a theme one finds expressed by many early men of science, in many lands, including many of the scientists whom Brown places within his version of the Illuminati.

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I should also say that INRI has another, symbolic importance here. The posting of the INRI sign is a crucial event in Christian history, in its own way. After all, it is what one believes about the truth of that message (was Jesus really the king of the Jews?), and what one believes happened after the message was posted (was Jesus really resurrected from the dead?), that really defines one's stance towards Christianity. It will be interesting to see how Dan Brown deals with this idea.

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I must say, though: if someone really is referencing the 18th degree of the Scottish Rite by putting a clue in the 18th Twitter clue--well, these folks are a lot more subtle than I'd thought they'd be.

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Shameless Plug

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In my book, Discovering The Lost Symbol, I shall exhaustively explain the Masonic symbolism that occurs in Brown's novel.

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[The image of the 18th degree jewel was obtained from Wikimedia Commons through Wikipedia; it was created by user Cro-maat at the French Wikipedia site. Its use here is authorized under the GNU Free Documentation License.]

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(Copyright 2009 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.)

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Clue #17: Diamond and Newton's Research

The 17th Twitter clue, sent at 1:11 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, June 30th:

How could a precious stone burn 20 years of Isaac's research?

This refers to the most famous Isaac since the ancient patriarch mentioned in the Bible: Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727), one of the most important scientists of all time. The story goes that Newton's dog, Diamond (the "precious stone" of the tweet), upset a candle that set manuscripts amounting to twenty years of Newton's research aflame (depicted above).

At this level, the tweet is simply a clue that Isaac Newton will make some appearance in The Lost Symbol, much as he did in The Da Vinci Code, although perhaps at greater length. However, this is only the surface level of the clue. The clue begs the question:

Just what research was destroyed in this fire?

For Newton was a man of many, many interests, the depths of some of which only became known in the 20th century with the rediscovery of some of Newton's previously neglected papers. As it happens, Newton privately conducted researches into esoteric spirituality (such as the precise dimensions of the Temple built by Solomon), and apocalyptic religion (such as the biblical prophecies of Daniel and John). He wrote theological works, never published under his name, in which he explained that the Christian church had gone astray at the Council of Nicea (which will certainly remind Dan Brown fans of The Da Vinci Code).

Newton himself held highly unorthodox ideas about religion, and was a closet Arian (a believer, not in the Trinity, but in God the Father as the actual creator of Christ). Arianism was condemned as heresy by Catholic and Anglican alike in Newton's day, and if his Arian beliefs had been known publicly, Newton could have been in serious trouble with the law. (In passing, I should note that I would not be surprised if Dan Brown turns out to have a soft spot in his heart for Arianism in his fiction, as Arianism provides just the sort of Jesus who could have a child with Mary Magdalene, as Brown alleges in The Da Vinci Code. There are other unconventional Christian beliefs that would accomplish this, too -- some with intriguing ties to Freemasonry, I might add -- but Arianism will do.) [Incidentally: the Arian faith has nothing to do with the Aryan racial theories of the European fascists of the 20th century.]

In particular, though, Newton was fascinated by alchemy, to which he devoted over a quarter-century of his life. Newton's involvement in alchemy was so deep and intense that one of his biographers, Michael White, titled his 1997 book Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer.

That there was a fire in Newton's laboratory, some biographers and historians doubt. No one can doubt, though, that Newton's health declined beginning in the autumn of 1692, culminating in some sort of "breakdown" in the summer of 1693, when he acted strangely and out of character, insulted former associates, was plagued with insomnia lasting five days at a time, and so forth. Some called him mad. Some attributed this to the effects of a fire that destroyed his manuscripts; to this way of thinking, what Newton lost in the fire was so important to him that it affected his mental and emotional stability.

Was it scientific research destroyed in the fire? One of Newton's 19th century biographers, fellow Fellow (!) of the Royal Society David Brewster, said that the loss of materials like this could never have had such an effect on Newton:

The loss of a few experimental records could never have disturbed the equilibrium of a mind like his. If they were the records of discoveries, the discoveries, themselves indestructible, would have been afterwards given to the world. If they were merely the details of experimental results, a little time could have easily reproduced them. (David Brewster, 1855, Memoirs of the life, writings, and discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton, vol. 2, p. 133. Available through Googlebooks here.)

Brewster makes this argument to undercut the idea that there had been a fire. However, what if there were a fire -- but it consumed, not the results of conventional scientific experiments and discoveries, but materials that really could not be reproduced easily, or without great trouble or risk?

Like the records of mystical visions? Or alchemical experiments, involving not a few hours of work as in Newton's optical experiments, but months or even years of careful distillation? Or meticulous calculations involving the dimensions of Solomon's Temple, or the Apocalypse of the last days, calculations twenty years in the making? Or 'heretical' Arian writings that Newton had composed secretly over the course of decades? Or the results of researches into ceremonial magic? Or Rosicrucian symbolism? (Experiments in optics, say, are easy to reproduce in a few hours. Historical, linguistic, or mathematical research -- that's another story altogether. Add in alchemical research, and it's entirely another story.)

Yes, there are quite a lot of things that Newton could have been working on, that, if destroyed, could not easily have been replaced -- arcane heresies of science and religion prominent among them. No wonder Dan Brown's publisher is dropping hints about Isaac Newton.

(My thanks go out to "UDbmas," a reader of this blog, whose comment on my post, "Sorry for the Brief Hiatus," directed me to Brewster's biography of Newton.)

[The image was obtained from Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia. The original engraving was created by Morel in Paris in 1874. The original and its image are in the public domain, per Bridgeman vs. Corel.]

(Copyright 2009 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.)