Matrika #2 @7314
Fri Apr 27 16:31:51 1990
The Pentacle is a Magickal tool that some folks do not use.  Their reasoning 

is sound since it is obviously an adaptation from ceremonial Magick, as is the 

athame.  These people use only the wand and the chalice in their work.  But I 

like the use of the pentacle and athame because Wicca has always been quite 

ecclectic and drawn from several Pantheons and systems.  So it doesn't make 

any sense to me to say we can draw on all systems EXCEPT the Kabbalah as used 

in Ceremonial Magick.  Also I like the way using all 4 of these main tools 

that most traditions and practitioners share brings correspondences to the 4 

suits of Tarot cards and to the 4 elements.

The Pentacle is a flat disk, traditionally inscribed on copper and coated with 

a clear finish of some type to prevent corrosion after it has been inscribed 

with the continuos 5-pointed star or pentegram.  This is not an open pentacle 

like many witches wear.  It is ENGRAVED on the disk.  The reason being you put 

SALT on this disk in circle and if it was open all the salt would be on the 

altar, on the floor, everywhere but where you need it.  

I have also, recently, seen some pentacles inscribed on slices of agate put 

out by cauldron Crafts in Maryland that are JUST GORGEOUS.  Since the pentacle 

is feminine and relates to earth either the copper or the stone is 

appropriate.  However brass I find less so as it is usually considered a solar 

metal and masculine.  That is why I also prefer to avoid brass chalices.  

Copper chalices are avoided because they give off a metallic residue that is 

poisonous into the liquid, if they corrode - and alcohol in wine or ale and 

acid in wine or juice WILL do this.  But copper is perfect for the pentacle.

What you engrave on your pentacle is entirely up to you.  The NeoGardnerian 

and NeoAlexandrians (as well as the originals of these traditions) have very 

specific symbols that they always use.  Other traditions sometimes have 

specific symbols they require as well.  But others just use a plain pentacle, 

or tht pentacle with runic symbols of their choosing or whatever has meaning 

to them.  I have seen beautiful pentacles - in fact our distributor of jewelry 

carries them - that are pentegrams surrounded by inscribings of Celtic 

knotwork.   

I have also seen some gorgeous stained glass altar pentacles - my favorite of 

these was one where the points where the colors of the elements.  The 4 lower 

points were the Red, Yellow, BLue and Green my traditio ascribes to the 

elements and the top one was silver for Spirit/Divinity.  The center and 

background were a lovely violet color.  Obviously SOMEONE put a lot of work 

into it.

One note - a specific coating I have found to work well on copper pentacles so 

that the salt doesn't destroy them is CLEAR NAIL POLISH.  This has to 

periodically be reapplied however.
T