Here the spade obviously has a mortality, 3rd “craft” degree connection.
Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor (1866) by Malcolm C. Duncan
Tag Archives: mortality
River of Sorrow
On this tracing board for the degree of “Chevalier de l’Orient” from the Kloss/von Löwen collection you see a river filled with bones and skulls.
The Masonic museum of Riga (Latvia) holds a French symbol chart which has some similarities to the one above. Here the river of sorrow is at the bottom. The left part says “star”, and the right part “bvsanaï”. No idea yet what that refers to. Because the gate at the bottom says “Babilone” like the example above, the river of sorrow and the arms with swords, there is a suggestion that these two French charts refer to the same or at least similar degrees.
Nowadays in the 15th degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (“Knight of the Orient and Sword”, the name varies), you see a river with a bridge. On a French tracing board, however, the river contains skulls and bones like in the old examples.
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Rope between St. Andrew Cross and coffin
In the Kloss collection there is a set of rituals ascribed to Baron von Löwen. On the tracing board for the degree “Maitre Parfait” there is a rope connecting what appears to be both halves of the tracing board. It goes from the St. Andrew’s Cross (rather: crossed pillars) to the coffin.
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Alchemy
Clearly alchemical symbols are not common in Freemasonry. An exception is the ‘room of contemplation’, also ‘room of preparation’ or ‘dark room’. This is a fairly common practice for European initiations. After French usage the room is often adorned with alchemical symbolism and symbols of mortality. Bread, salt, the symbol of sulphur, the anagram VITRIOL, etc.
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Grim Reaper
Dąbrowski has an image that can supposedly be found in the National Museum of Scotland. On that chart you see a Grim Reaper. I don’t know in what rite or degree the pilgrim is significant. Perhaps in some third degrees. Is this image perhaps also an explanation for the down-pointing arrow?
Christina Voss in The ‘Universal Language’ of Freemasonry (2003) describes a man with a scythe as “time”, which is an interesting interpretation.
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Scythe
Obviously a symbol of mortality. The symbol appears fairly frequently and appears in some American 3rd “craft” degree. Sometimes it is an element in the ‘preparation room’.
The Scythe
Is an emblem of Time, which cuts the brittle thread of life, and launches us into eternity. Behold ! what havoc the scythe of Time makes among the human race ! If by chance we should escape the numerous evils incident to childhood and youth, and with health and vigor arrive to the years of manhood ; yet, withal, we must soon be cut down by the all-devouring scythe
Ahiman Rezon. Rituals of Freemasonry by Daniel Sickels (1870)
cut-out from unknown Symbol Chart
Tears
No these drops aren’t rain, or blood, they are tears. Of course a reference to mortality. They appear in quite a few degrees with a ‘mortality theme’, such as the Master Mason “craft” degree and the early Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite degrees.
The Book Of The Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite (1884) Charles McClenachan (detail)
Skull, Bones and Tears
Third degree “craft” symbols. Can sometimes be found on aprons or sashes.
General image, source unknown.
Coffin and Acacia
Hourglass
According to Voss the hourglass was introduced in the late 18th century. It can sometimes found on tracing boards, symbol charts or grave slabs, either or not with wings. Just as in non-Masonic context, the symbol refers to fleeting time. It is doesn’t often seem to have a ritual meaning, but it can be found on some Ark Mariner tracing boards.
Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor (1866) by Malcolm C. Duncan