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[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Sigil_of_babalon.jpg|right|frame]]
==Origin==
late [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English]: from late [[Latin]] ''sigillum'' ‘[[sign]].’ It may also be related to the Hebrew סגולה (''segula'' [[meaning]] "[[word]], [[action]], or item of spiritual [[effect]], talisman"). The current use of the term is derived from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_magic Renaissance magic], which was in turn [[inspired]] by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_in_the_Greco-Roman_world magical traditions of antiquity].
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: An inscribed or painted [[symbol]] considered to have [[magical]] [[power]].
*2: archaic a seal: the supply wains bore the High King's ''sigil''.
*3: [[literary]] a [[sign]] or symbol.
==Description==
A '''sigil''' pl. ''sigilia'' or ''sigils''; from Latin ''sigillum'' "seal") is a [[symbol]] used in [[magic]]. The term has usually referred to a type of pictorial [[signature]] of a [[demon]] or other entity; in modern usage, especially in the context of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_magic chaos magic], it refers to a symbolic [[representation]] of the magician's desired outcome.
In medieval [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_magic ceremonial magic], the term [[sigil]] was commonly used to refer to [[occult]] signs which represented various [[angels]] and [[demons]] which the magician might summon. The magical training books called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimoire grimoires] often listed pages of such sigils. A particularly well-known list is in ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon The Lesser Key of Solomon]'', in which the sigils of the 72 princes of the [[hierarchy]] of [[hell]] are given for the magician's use. Such sigils were considered to be the equivalent of the true name of the [[spirit]] and thus granted the magician a measure of [[control]] over the beings.
A common [[method]] of creating the ''sigils'' of certain spirits was to use ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_square#Europe kameas]'' (magic squares) — the names of the spirits were converted to [[numbers]], which were then located on the magic square. The locations were then connected by lines, forming an [[abstract]] figure.
The use of [[symbols]] for magical or cultic purposes has been widespread since at least the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic Neolithic] era. Some examples from other [[cultures]] include the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantra yantra]'' from Hindu tantra, historical [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_magic runic magic] among the Germanic peoples, or the use of ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veve veves]'' in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voudon Voudon].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigil_(magic)]
In computer programming, a ''sigil'' plural sigilia or sigils) is a symbol attached to a variable name, showing the [[variable]]'s datatype or scope, usually a prefix, as in $foo, where $ is the sigil.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigil_(computer_programming)]
[[Category: Religion]]
[[Category: Computer Science]]
==Origin==
late [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English]: from late [[Latin]] ''sigillum'' ‘[[sign]].’ It may also be related to the Hebrew סגולה (''segula'' [[meaning]] "[[word]], [[action]], or item of spiritual [[effect]], talisman"). The current use of the term is derived from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_magic Renaissance magic], which was in turn [[inspired]] by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_in_the_Greco-Roman_world magical traditions of antiquity].
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: An inscribed or painted [[symbol]] considered to have [[magical]] [[power]].
*2: archaic a seal: the supply wains bore the High King's ''sigil''.
*3: [[literary]] a [[sign]] or symbol.
==Description==
A '''sigil''' pl. ''sigilia'' or ''sigils''; from Latin ''sigillum'' "seal") is a [[symbol]] used in [[magic]]. The term has usually referred to a type of pictorial [[signature]] of a [[demon]] or other entity; in modern usage, especially in the context of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_magic chaos magic], it refers to a symbolic [[representation]] of the magician's desired outcome.
In medieval [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_magic ceremonial magic], the term [[sigil]] was commonly used to refer to [[occult]] signs which represented various [[angels]] and [[demons]] which the magician might summon. The magical training books called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimoire grimoires] often listed pages of such sigils. A particularly well-known list is in ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon The Lesser Key of Solomon]'', in which the sigils of the 72 princes of the [[hierarchy]] of [[hell]] are given for the magician's use. Such sigils were considered to be the equivalent of the true name of the [[spirit]] and thus granted the magician a measure of [[control]] over the beings.
A common [[method]] of creating the ''sigils'' of certain spirits was to use ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_square#Europe kameas]'' (magic squares) — the names of the spirits were converted to [[numbers]], which were then located on the magic square. The locations were then connected by lines, forming an [[abstract]] figure.
The use of [[symbols]] for magical or cultic purposes has been widespread since at least the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic Neolithic] era. Some examples from other [[cultures]] include the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantra yantra]'' from Hindu tantra, historical [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_magic runic magic] among the Germanic peoples, or the use of ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veve veves]'' in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voudon Voudon].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigil_(magic)]
In computer programming, a ''sigil'' plural sigilia or sigils) is a symbol attached to a variable name, showing the [[variable]]'s datatype or scope, usually a prefix, as in $foo, where $ is the sigil.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigil_(computer_programming)]
[[Category: Religion]]
[[Category: Computer Science]]