Dictionary of Hermetic Symbols From Albert Poisson's "Theories et Symboles des Alchimistes"
ANGEL. — Sometimes symbolises sublimation, the ascension of a volatile principle, as in the figures of the Viatorium Spagyricum.
ANIMALS — General Rule: 1. Whenever two animals of the same species and of different sexes are found, they signify Sulphur and Mercury prepared for the Great Work, or also the fixed and the volatile. The male represents the fixed, Sulphur; the female represents the volatile, Mercury. These animals are united to signify conjunction, (Figures of Lambsprinck); or fighting to symbolise the fixation of the volatile, or the volatilisation of the fixed, (Figures of B. Valentin). 2. A terrestrial animal facing an aerian animal in the same figure indicate the fixed and the volatile. 3. Animals may symbolise the four elements: Earth, (lion, ox); Air, (eagle); Water, (whale, fishes); Fire, (salamander, dragon).
APOLLO. — Same signification as the sun.
BATH. — Symbol: 1. Of the dissolution of gold and silver; 2. Of the purification of these metals.
BED. — Symbol of the philosophical egg.
BIRDS. — Ascending: volatilisation, ascension, sublimation; descending: precipitation, condensation. When these two symbols are united in the same figure, they signify distillation. Birds opposed to terrestrial animals signify Air, or the volatile principle.
BLUNT INSTRUMENTS. — Symbols of fire.
CHAOS. — Symbol of the Unity of Matter and sometimes of the black colour of putrefaction.
CHAMBER. — When the king and the queen are shut therein, it is the symbol of the Philosophical Egg.
CHILD. — Clothed in royal robe, or simply crowned, it is the symbol of the Philosopher’s Stone, sometimes of the red colour of the Magisterium.
CIRCUMFERENCE . — Unity of matter, universal harmony.
CROW. — Symbol of the black colour, or putrefaction.
CROWN. — Symbol of chemical royalty, of metallic perfection. In the Margarita pretiosa, the six metals are at first represented as slaves, bareheaded at the feet of the king, but after their transmutation, they bear a crown.
DIANA. – Same signification as the Moon.
DOG. – Symbol of Sulphur, of gold. The dog devoured by a wolf signifies the purification of gold by antimony. Dog and bitch: Fixed and volatile.
DOVE. – Symbol of the grey colour which precedes immediately the white colour, or Diana’s Regimen.
DRAGON. – A dragon biting its tail: unity of matter. A dragon among flames: symbol of fire. Several dragons fighting each other indicate putrefaction. A dragon without wings, the fixed; the dragon with wings, the volatile.
EAGLE. – Symbol of volatilisation and also of the acids employed in the Magisterium. An eagle devouring a lion signifies the volatilisation of the fixed by the volatile. Two fighting eagles have the same meaning.
FLOWERS. – In general, flowers represent the colours of the Great Work.
FOUNTAIN. – Three fountains represent the three principles. Fountain where king and queen come to bathe themselves has the same signification as bath, which see Bath.
HERMAPHRODITE. – Sulphur and Mercury after their conjunction; often the word REBIS is written upon his breast.
JUPITER. – Symbol of tin.
KING AND QUEEN. – See Man and Woman.
LION. – Symbol of the fixed, Sulphur, when alone. If carrying wings, it represents the volatile, Mercury. The lion represents also the mineral, (green vitriol), from whence is extracted the oil of vitriol, (sulphuric acid), which was so extensively used by the alchemists. The lion opposed to three other animals represents the element. Earth. In fine it is the symbol of the Stone. The lioness represents the volatile.
MAN AND WOMAN. – Sulphur and Mercury. Naked, gold and silver in an impure state; united, conjunction; lying in a sepulchre, Sulphur and Mercury in the philosophical egg.
MARRIAGE . – Symbol of conjunction, union of Sulphur and Mercury, of the king and queen. The priest who performs the ceremony represent Salt, means of union between the two other principles.
MARS. – Symbol of iron, and of the orange colour.
MERCURY. – Symbol of silver prepared for the Work.
MOON. – Volatile principle, female, Mercury of the Philosopher, silver prepared for the Work.
MOUNTAIN. – Furnace of the philosophers; Summit of the philosophical egg.
NEPTUNE . – Symbol of Water.
PHOENIX. – Symbol of the red colour.
RAIN. – Condensation, white colour, (albification).
SALAMANDER. – Symbol of fire, sometimes signifies the red or white colour.
SATURN. – Symbol of lead. Figures also the black colour, putrefaction.
SCYTHE. – Same signification as the sword.
SEPULCHR . – Philosophical egg.
SERPENT. – In general, same significaiton as the dragon. Three serpents, the three principles. The two serpents of the caduceus signify Sulphur and Mercury. A winged serpent, the volatile principle; deprived of wings, the fixed principle. A crucified serpent: fixation of the volatile. A serpent with several heads represents the three principles emanating from one universal matter or cosmic ether.
SKELETON. – Putrefaction, black colour.
SPHERE. – Unity of matter.
SQUARE. – Symbol of the four elements.
SUN. – Ordinary gold, or gold prepared for the work, also Philosophic Sulphur.
SWORD. – Symbol of fire.
TREES. – A tree bearing moons signifies the lunar work, or transmutation of metals into silver; if it bears suns, it is the symbol of the G.W. or solar work. If it bears the signs of the seven metals, or those of the Sun, the Moon and five stars, it represents the inique Matter from whence originate all metals.
TRIANGLE. – Symbol of the three principles.
VENUS . – Symbol of copper.
VULCAN. – Symbol of fire, ordinarily represented as a lame man.
WOLF. – Symbol of antimony.