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A pentacle (also spelled ''pantacle'' in Thelema, following Aleister Crowley)〔 "The Pantacle of Frater V. I. O."〕 is an amulet used in magical evocation, generally made of parchment, paper or metal (although it can be of other materials), on which the symbol of a spirit or energy being evoked is drawn. It is often worn around the neck, or placed within the triangle of evocation. Protective symbols may also be included (sometimes on the reverse), a common one being the five-point form of the Seal of Solomon, called a ''pentacle of Solomon'' or ''pentangle of Solomon''.〔 Many varieties of pentacle can be found in the grimoires of Solomonic magic; they are also used in some neopagan magical traditions, such as Wicca, alongside other magical tools. The words ''pentacle'' and ''pentagram'' (a five-point unicursal star) are essentially synonymous, according to the Online Oxford English Dictionary (2007 revision), which traces the etymology through both French and Italian back to Latin, but notes that in Middle French the word "pentacle" was used to refer to any talisman. In an extended use, many magical authors treat them as distinct. In many tarot decks and in some forms of modern witchcraft, pentacles often prominently incorporate a pentagram in their design. There is a specific differentiation between pentacle and pentagram within Wicca and other neopagan traditions. Namely, a ''pentacle'' refers to a ''pentagram'' circumscribed by a circle. This form of pentacle is formed upon a disk which may be used either upon an altar or as a sacred space of its own. The pentacle is representative of the Earth in occult usage. ==Etymology== The word is first recorded in English usage in 1561, from earlier French use, in turn from post-classical Latin ''pentaculum'' (from ''penta-'' "fivefold" + ''-culum'' diminutive suffix). The French word had a meaning of "talisman", typically in the shape of a pentagram, but the word could also refer to talismans in the shape of a hexagram. The Oxford English Dictionary in earlier editions (2nd edition 1989) went on to say that "some would connect it" with the Middle French word ''pentacol'' (1328) or ''pendacol'' (1418), a jewel or ornament worn around the neck (from ''pend-'' hang, ''à'' to, ''col'' or ''cou'' neck). This is the derivation the Theosophical Society employ in their glossary: :...it seems most likely that it comes through Italian and French from the root pend- "to hang," and so is equivalent to a pendant or charm hung about the neck. From the fact that one form of pentacle was the pentagram or star-pentagon, the word itself has been connected with the Greek pente (five). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pentacle」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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