My 2¢ on Wicca

The Pentacle and the Pentagram

Introduction

The ol' debate. What is a pentacle? What is a pentagram? Oh, and what's the difference? This is surprisingly a very hot debate for many years among Wiccans. Scanning through the forum threads and through face-to-face interactions, I have come to conclude that it is largely a confusion from the 90s and also from shoddy Wiccan books. So, hear me out.

What is the difference?

Pentagram: The shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes. It can be circumscribed, inverted, or not. This symbol has many different purposes and meanings. For example, Wiccans associate the Pentagram with the five elements, the universe, and protection.

Pentacle: (Also spelled Pantacle, though this spelling is more common among the Thelemists). A flat piece of brass, gold, silver, wood, wax, parchment, or clay, inscribed with sigils or other symbols used for ritualistic purposes. When a Pentagram is worn on a brooch or pendant, then it is referred to as a Pentacle. In Wicca, the Pentagram is usually, if not the only symbol, drawn on the Pentacle.

Etymology of the Pentacle and Pentagram

Pentagram: "five-pointed star," 1820, from Greek pentagrammon, or pentagrammos "having five lines," from pente "five" (see ) + gramma "letter, character, what is written"

Pentacle: 1590s, from Medieval Latin pentaculum "pentagram," a hybrid coined from Greek pente "five" (see ) + Latin -culum, diminutive (or instrumental) suffix. OED notes other similar words: Italian had pentacolo "anything with five points," and French pentacle (16c.) was the name of something used in necromancy, perhaps a five-branched candlestick; French had pentacol "amulet worn around the neck" (14c.), from pend- "to hang" + a "to" + col "neck." The same figure as a Pentagram, except in magical usage, where it has been extended to other symbols of power, including a six-point star.

What does the Pentagram represent?

The Pentagram has been used throughout history for many different purposes. It has been used by Christians, Wiccans, Witches, Satanists, Thelemists, Magicians, and Metalheads all alike. It can be found circumscribed, inverted, upright, by itself, worn as a pendant, drawn on pentacles, and mean different things to different people. There is no universal meaning behind this shape. However, here is a quick summary of what it means to different factions out there:

Christianity: In medieval times, the Pentagram represented the five senses: visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and gustatory. Or, it represented the five wounds of Christ. It was commonly worn on pendants, in a similar fashion to how many modern Christians wear the cross.

 In more recent times, this symbol has been seen as a symbol of evil, associated with Satanists. Before the Church of Satan was adopted, right around 1966, inverted Crosses and perversion of Christian art were seen as symbols of Satanism. It also noted that Hermeticism has viewed the inverted pentagram as evil, connecting with demons, whilst the upright pentagram is seen as connecting man or woman with God, thanks to an author by the name of Eliphas Levi.

It can also be seen as a symbol of rebellion; this is especially the case for those involved in the heavy metal scene.

Satanism: This symbol, inverted, represents the goat head of Baphomet. In other words, it is a simplified version of the Sigil of Baphomet. 

The inverted symbol is the recognition of Satan as the true head of Sabbath. The Sigil of Baphomet is the official symbol of the Church of Satan; its trademark. The upright version of the Pentagram is a representation of the Savior, Man, Lilith and Samuel, and the polar opposite to the inverted version.