Publisher's Synopsis
Celestial Gems & Sigils is a comprehensive translation of the variant manuscripts of De Lapidibus, "On Stones" and the Liber Sigillorum, "the Book of Sigils" the most important medieval magical lapidaries. Lapidaries are key esoteric texts giving the physical characteristics as well as medical, magical and spiritual powers of stones and minerals. While the manuscripts used for the translation date to the Middle Ages, the origin of these texts is much older. Lost in the mists of antiquity they are a priceless source of ancient esoteric lore. The translator, Regulus Hess, consulted many sources and parallel texts to provide a comprehensive and definitive edition of De Lapidibus and the Liber Sigillorum with over 400 footnotes and an exhaustive discussion of the relevant sources. The wisdom of the ancients regarding the occult virtues and magical powers of over 100 gems and minerals is now laid open in Celestial Gems & Sigils. But in addition to the properties of stones, Celestial Gems & Sigils provides extensive astrological attributions and magical talismanic images. An astrological magic commentary is provided by Christopher Warnock, who has been called "the father of the traditional astrological magic revival" and the "elder statesman" of astrological magic and has written and published many books on astrological magic and traditional astrology. In his commentary Warnock traces the use of images from the Liber Sigillorum for astrological talismans in Picatrix and Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Also included is Warnock' Grimoire of the Seven Planets, containing talisman recipes inspired by the Liber Sigillorum with special talismanic images by Holly Ellis. Warnock explains how contemporary practitioners of medieval/Renaissance astrological magic can use the Liber Sigillorum & the Grimoire of the Seven Planets to create astrological talismans that are new, yet firmly within the tradition. Celestial Gems & Sigils is an exciting product of the 21st century Hermetic Renaissance of esoteric arts, yet firmly rooted in this ancient tradition.
