36 Faces

In the most ancient systems of astrology, a patterning known as the Decans divided the earth’s sky into 36 sections, each of which had a distinct emblem or 'Face'. More than just a curious footnote in the history of archaeo-astronomy, the Decans are a thread that spans over four millennia of astrological and magical history, linking ancient Egypt with the Hellenistic world, the Arabian empire, India, the European Renaissance and even the present. Over time, these 36 ‘Faces of Heaven’ have moved with the occult corpus of Hermetic material, reappearing in the starry wisdom of culture after culture. As a gear in astrology’s encompassing clockworks, the Decans have also long been a key to accessing legions of spirits. For several millennia and in multiple cultures, magicians have looked at these 36 faces and seen gods, choirs of angels, hordes of demons, and a host of spirits staring back at them, each with its own unique powers. Far from going undocumented, this gallery of faces has been painted and drawn by a host of astrologers, sorcerers and artists, and they can be found on walls of Italian villas as well as in the pages of European grimoires. Weaving together astrology and magic, divination and sorcery, time and sky, this thread of esoteric history deserves more than the footnotes it has so far received. In this work, Austin Coppock follows the Decans through history, charting their trajectory through time and culture. Each Decan, its image, and its specific powers are examined in detail, as well as its permutations in the planetary aspects. Featuring original images specially created for each Decan by Bob Eames, 36 Faces is an invaluable resource for magicians, astrologers, and historians of magical semiotics, as well as the modern student of Hermeticism.