THE FREEMASONS: RITUALS . CODES . SIGNS . SYMBOLS: Unlocking the 1000-year old mysteries of the Brotherhood

THE FREEMASONS

RITUALS • CODES • SIGNS • SYMBOLS

Unlocking the 1,000-year-old mysteries of the Brotherhood

Jeremy Harwood

Freemasonry is part of a long tradition of Western mysticism, steeped in an enduring and eclectic mixture of historical fact and legend.

Much of the ritual and symbolism prevalent in Freemasonry has developed over many centuries and relies heavily on notions inherited from the customs and practices of medieval stonemasons.

In this absorbing book, the history and legends of the Freemasons – from links with the Knights Templar, their explorations into alchemy and the hermetic tradition, through the age of Enlightenment and the founding fathers of the USA, to the Victorians and up to the present day – are discussed alongside the mystical symbolism of the Square and the Compass, the Five-pointed Star, the All-seeing Eye, and the Sun and the Moon.

Illustrated throughout, this intriguing account will appeal to anyone interested in this ‘secret’ Brotherhood.

Jeremy Harwood was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and was awarded the Sir Keith Felling Memorial Prize as the top history student of his final year. He is the author of more than 25 books.