Of the many dark, exotic and imposing symbols associated with heavy metal, the pentagram is one of the oldest, longest-lasting, and most uniquely controversial of them all, and exactly what it means depends on which way you wear your stainless steel ring.
Probably most associated with the band Slayer, the pentagramโs meaning changes completely depending on which way the single point is facing. If it faces up, it represents virtue and life, but if it faces down, it takes on a whole other meaning.
Why is this? To understand, we need to explore the history of the pentagram, its known origins and when the meaning started to twist somewhat.
When Was The Pentagram Invented?
The earliest known depiction of a pentagram was dated circa 3500 and found in what was the ancient city of Ur. Early examples have also been found in Egypt before Ancient Egypt, as well as in Ancient Greece, China and West Africa.
It was adopted in the Middle Ages by Christianity, with the five points representing the five senses and the five wounds that Jesus Christ was said to have been inflicted with before his execution (both palms, both feet and a spear wound to the torso).
In all of these instances, the pentagram faced upwards, supposedly towards heaven.
Why Is An Upside Down Pentagram So Controversial?
The connection between an upside-down pentagram so common in heavy metal and evil is largely credited to the occultist Eliphas Levi, who first detailed the difference between a โgoodโ and โevilโ pentagram whilst arguing for the existence of magic.
This use then inspired Aleister Crowley, the very same Mr Crowley who inspired the Ozzy Osbourne song of the same name, to use the inverted pentagram in his occult works, which later led to its use by the Church Of Satan as a symbol of Baphomet.
From there, it was used by heavy metal bands as a controversial shorthand, one that continues to this very day.
