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I was looking at the first union-like organizations in the world and stumbled upon the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor. Its "seal" is quite... interesting. Could anyone interested in symbolism help me analyze it? The pentagram doesn't look terribly "holy" to me lol, but it may have a meaning I am not aware of; as for the various shapes, I'm not sure what they mean either.
Maybe the star is meant to symbolise America
the other things in that symbol are reminiscent of masonic heraldry
Prytaneum- a public building or hall in an ancient Greek city containing the state hearth and serving as the place of meeting and dining for the prytanes and sometimes of official hospitality for distinguished citizens and visitors. (By Webster)
Or- Greek Prytaneion, town hall of a Greek city-state, normally housing the chief magistrate and the common altar or hearth of the community. (By Britannica)
So something along those lines with the phrase “Prytaneum” perhaps?
January 1st 1878 very likely refers to some kinda founding date as I was able to find they released an official “Knights of Labor Constitution” on that day. Would make sense for them to tie the date into an official symbol if that’s when they worked to formalize themselves. I couldn’t find a way to sneak around the scholarly library access walls to get a peek at whats in their constitution but if anyone has such access it would probably be extremely pertinent and give incite to the objectives and principles of their organization. There is now a book I am trying to track down without paying 50$ for called “Secret Societies and Clubs in American History” that seems to have a chapter on them as well.
The Phrase “That is the most perfect government in which an injury to one is the concern of all” around the border really fits well with their belief system and looks like it was a sort of rallying cry for the organization.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/servi...e-fn-a-div.pdf
Looks relevant. Had this to say on the badge:
“‘‘The symbol of the Outer Veil is a Globe, symbolizing the field of our operation’’, the Sage would inform the neophyte, ‘‘and signifies ‘Universal Organization’’’. The Order’s Great Seal provided similar reinforcement. The Seal shows a partial map of the globe, with the triangle at its centre focused on the Americas but extending towards Australasia. The pentagon surrounding this map represented the ‘‘five races of men’’, from each continent, all looking to the Order for guidance. A secret circular explaining all these symbols, and intended to be read out once a quarter year in every Local Assembly, left little room for misinterpretation.”
“Figure 2. The Great Seal of the Knights of Labor. In some versions of this symbol the triangle at
the centre extends to a series of small islands to the west, most likely representing Australia. The
date below the pentagon refers to the Order’s first General Assembly. ‘‘A.K. the 9th’’ refers to
the Adelphon Kruptos, the secret book of the Order’s ritual, and to the fact that the first
General Assembly of the Knights was held nine years after the Order’s founding in 1869”
This looks like as clear of an answer you can get unless you start digging through the referenced sources in these statements on page 480 of that link I threw out..
That's some pretty damn nice analysis lol. The sentence looks like a perfect motto, so it wasn't really surprising; what I was asking about was the meaning of the shapes. I'd assume the upwards triangle symbolises the rise of mankind, enlightenment, or something like that. Any idea on what the hexagon could be?
@ mag: It's indeed a masonic-ish order. I doubt the star is meant to represent America: first, it's not in the right position (compare with the spoiler).
Spoiler : American flag :
Secondly and most importantly, the organization is internationalist.
Spoiler : From the link Helz provided :
Im afraid thats all I have. Most of my time diving into semiotics has been focused on words and language. The time I have messed with symbols has been on the occult and the idea of 'evil.' When I herd the leviathan sigil would bring evil into your life I put it on my phone for 2 months to see what would happen. (Absolutely nothing of note did) There is also this one of an old dude and his reflection that a very old symbol thats suppose to remove barriers between our world and whatever-tha-fuck else but I have not tried that one yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marshmallow Marshall
-Edit
I think the world would be a better place if that organization still existed. Although its just as likely it would be corrupted and gamed like everything else in our society these days.
It's already pretty good, thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Helz
I sincerely doubt a masonic organization based on secrecy with a power significant enough to change the world would be healthy in any way, even at the moment of its foundation. Centuries later? That would be the Illuminati lol...Quote:
Originally Posted by Helz
you realize the masons exist in real life rightQuote:
Originally Posted by Marshmallow Marshall
with a power significant enough to change the worldQuote:
Originally Posted by Oberon
during centuries
As far as I know, no organization meets those criteria... unless we're talking about the Illuminati. Sure, that has existed throughout history (the Carbonari (Britannica) are somewhat close to that), but they haven't lasted centuries as major powers.