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Fourth Album Symbols


zengac

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I know who's is whose and that they have origins in mystism but what do each of them mean?

Each member of the band chose a personal emblem for the cover. Left to right, their members and meanings:

* Jimmy Page's symbol is generally referred to as "ZoSo", though its symbols have nonalphabetic connotations. It was designed by Page himself.[2]

The four symbols on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV, representing Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant (from left to right) respectively. Although the symbols are sometimes referred to as "Runes", only the middle two are runes; the other two are sigils.

The four symbols on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV, representing Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant (from left to right) respectively. Although the symbols are sometimes referred to as "Runes", only the middle two are runes; the other two are sigils.

The source of the ZoSo symbol itself is no longer a mystery but the meaning of it still is; it originated in 'Ars Magica Arteficii' (1557) by Gerolamo Cardano (also known as J. Cardan), an old alchemical grimoire, where it has been identified as a sigil consisting of zodiac signs. The sigil is reproduced in "Dictionary of Occult, Hermetic and Alchemical Sigils" by Fred Gettings, published in 1982 by Routledge & Kegan Paul (see here). The symbol used to represent the planet Saturn for purposes of magic. Page is a Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn, and the Z-like symbol is distinctive as a common astrological mark for Saturn. The oSo portion is similar to the alchemic symbol for mercury, also associated with Saturn. In cabalistic or hermetic study, knowledge seekers look to the god Mercury (Hermes, see Hermes Trismegistus and the Hermetica) for guidance and light, more or less the scene that unfolds in the drawing on the inside cover of the album and later acted out by Page in the concert film The Song Remains the Same. This part of the symbol is also strikingly similar to the Lucifer script ciphered by Aleister Crowley in his book The Equinox; and the symbol as a whole strongly resembles characters of the "alphabet of the Magi", a seventeenth century text used for fashioning magical talismans. What it means personally to Page is unknown, as he has never publicly revealed its meaning. His interest in Aleister Crowley, however, is widely known. The guitarist owns many of Crowley's original manuscripts and other effects, including (until the mid-1980s) Crowley's former home on Loch Ness, Boleskine House. In the 1970s Page owned the occult bookshop The Equinox in London, also an enterprise for publishing rare manuscripts.

* John Paul Jones' symbol is a single circle intersecting 3 vesica pisces (a triquetra). Taken from a book of runes, it symbolises a person with confidence and competence.[2]

* John Bonham's symbol, the three interlocking rings, represents the trinity of mother, father and child. It could also depict an aerial view of a drum kit. It does in fact represent the pagan idea of trilogies and trios, and, more commonly, is a Christian symbol for the Trinity. In the 1990 Bonham tribute radio special, "It's Been A Long Time", son Jason Bonham stated that the symbol was chosen as a representation of man, woman, and child. Jones's and Bonham's symbols fitting together -- one to the other inside out, inverse images -- is no accident. In jazz music which inspired Led Zeppelin, the bassist and drummer form interlocking parts of a rhythm section. In reality the symbol originally appeared as the emblem of Ballantine beer, which happened to be Bonzo's favorite so when choosing symbols he decided to borrow this one.[2]

* The symbol for Robert Plant is the feather of the Egyptian goddess Ma'at, representing truth, justice, fairness and writing, encapsulated by an unbroken circle representing life. According to Egyptian mythology, Anubis, the god of judgment and death, would take the heart of those who died and put it on a balance with the feather of Ma'at. If the heart outweighed the feather, the person's soul would go to hell, but on the other hand, if the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul would go to heaven.[2]

There is also a fifth, smaller symbol chosen by guest vocalist Sandy Denny representing her contribution to "The Battle of Evermore"; it appears in the credits list on the inner sleeve of the LP, serving as an asterisk.

Album cover and inside sleeve

The painting on the front of the album, showing an old man carrying a faggot, was allegedly purchased from a junk shop in Reading, Berkshire by a Led Zeppelin roadie (Jimmy Page has stated it was bought by Robert Plant)[3] and affixed to the internal, papered wall of the partly demolished house for the photograph to be taken. 'The man with the sticks on his back' can also refer to the biblical Cain, who in legend was said to have ended his journeys on the moon, contributing to the image on the face of the moon. Film critic Robert Ring has also suggested that the picture might be a reference to the 1920s witchcraft documentary Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages. In the film, there is a similar-looking witch, and inside the bundle of sticks are body parts from a thief hung on the gallows [4]. This would be fitting, given Page's interest in hermetic studies. The house and surrounding area in the picture are by Butterfield Court in the Eve Hill area of Dudley; the use of Eve Hill may be an in-joke ["Ev-il"] by the band, as could be dudley ["Dead-ly"}

The tower block on the back cover is of Butterfield Court in Dudley, England (not the now demolished Prince of Wales Court, as is sometimes incorrectly stated). Butterfield Court can be seen, owing to it being 20-stories high and on top of a ridge, 25 miles away in rural Worcestershire and Shropshire and on a clear day, over 45 miles away in Wales.

The inside sleeve represents the tarot card of the Hermit it was painted by Barrington Coleby (the name is misspelled on the album sleeve), a friend of Jimmy Page's who lives in Switzerland. Contrary to some sources, there is no hidden "Black Dog" in the painting.

The typeface for the lyrics to "Stairway to Heaven", printed on the inside sleeve of the album, was Page's contribution. He found it in an old arts and crafts magazine called Studio which started in the late 1800s. He thought the lettering interesting and got someone to work up a whole alphabet.[3]

WIKI

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Each member of the band chose a personal emblem for the cover. Left to right, their members and meanings:

* Jimmy Page's symbol is generally referred to as "ZoSo", though its symbols have nonalphabetic connotations. It was designed by Page himself.[2]

The four symbols on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV, representing Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant (from left to right) respectively. Although the symbols are sometimes referred to as "Runes", only the middle two are runes; the other two are sigils.

The four symbols on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV, representing Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant (from left to right) respectively. Although the symbols are sometimes referred to as "Runes", only the middle two are runes; the other two are sigils.

The source of the ZoSo symbol itself is no longer a mystery but the meaning of it still is; it originated in 'Ars Magica Arteficii' (1557) by Gerolamo Cardano (also known as J. Cardan), an old alchemical grimoire, where it has been identified as a sigil consisting of zodiac signs. The sigil is reproduced in "Dictionary of Occult, Hermetic and Alchemical Sigils" by Fred Gettings, published in 1982 by Routledge & Kegan Paul (see here). The symbol used to represent the planet Saturn for purposes of magic. Page is a Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn, and the Z-like symbol is distinctive as a common astrological mark for Saturn. The oSo portion is similar to the alchemic symbol for mercury, also associated with Saturn. In cabalistic or hermetic study, knowledge seekers look to the god Mercury (Hermes, see Hermes Trismegistus and the Hermetica) for guidance and light, more or less the scene that unfolds in the drawing on the inside cover of the album and later acted out by Page in the concert film The Song Remains the Same. This part of the symbol is also strikingly similar to the Lucifer script ciphered by Aleister Crowley in his book The Equinox; and the symbol as a whole strongly resembles characters of the "alphabet of the Magi", a seventeenth century text used for fashioning magical talismans. What it means personally to Page is unknown, as he has never publicly revealed its meaning. His interest in Aleister Crowley, however, is widely known. The guitarist owns many of Crowley's original manuscripts and other effects, including (until the mid-1980s) Crowley's former home on Loch Ness, Boleskine House. In the 1970s Page owned the occult bookshop The Equinox in London, also an enterprise for publishing rare manuscripts.

* John Paul Jones' symbol is a single circle intersecting 3 vesica pisces (a triquetra). Taken from a book of runes, it symbolises a person with confidence and competence.[2]

* John Bonham's symbol, the three interlocking rings, represents the trinity of mother, father and child. It could also depict an aerial view of a drum kit. It does in fact represent the pagan idea of trilogies and trios, and, more commonly, is a Christian symbol for the Trinity. In the 1990 Bonham tribute radio special, "It's Been A Long Time", son Jason Bonham stated that the symbol was chosen as a representation of man, woman, and child. Jones's and Bonham's symbols fitting together -- one to the other inside out, inverse images -- is no accident. In jazz music which inspired Led Zeppelin, the bassist and drummer form interlocking parts of a rhythm section. In reality the symbol originally appeared as the emblem of Ballantine beer, which happened to be Bonzo's favorite so when choosing symbols he decided to borrow this one.[2]

* The symbol for Robert Plant is the feather of the Egyptian goddess Ma'at, representing truth, justice, fairness and writing, encapsulated by an unbroken circle representing life. According to Egyptian mythology, Anubis, the god of judgment and death, would take the heart of those who died and put it on a balance with the feather of Ma'at. If the heart outweighed the feather, the person's soul would go to hell, but on the other hand, if the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul would go to heaven.[2]

There is also a fifth, smaller symbol chosen by guest vocalist Sandy Denny representing her contribution to "The Battle of Evermore"; it appears in the credits list on the inner sleeve of the LP, serving as an asterisk.

Album cover and inside sleeve

The painting on the front of the album, showing an old man carrying a faggot, was allegedly purchased from a junk shop in Reading, Berkshire by a Led Zeppelin roadie (Jimmy Page has stated it was bought by Robert Plant)[3] and affixed to the internal, papered wall of the partly demolished house for the photograph to be taken. 'The man with the sticks on his back' can also refer to the biblical Cain, who in legend was said to have ended his journeys on the moon, contributing to the image on the face of the moon. Film critic Robert Ring has also suggested that the picture might be a reference to the 1920s witchcraft documentary Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages. In the film, there is a similar-looking witch, and inside the bundle of sticks are body parts from a thief hung on the gallows [4]. This would be fitting, given Page's interest in hermetic studies. The house and surrounding area in the picture are by Butterfield Court in the Eve Hill area of Dudley; the use of Eve Hill may be an in-joke ["Ev-il"] by the band, as could be dudley ["Dead-ly"}

The tower block on the back cover is of Butterfield Court in Dudley, England (not the now demolished Prince of Wales Court, as is sometimes incorrectly stated). Butterfield Court can be seen, owing to it being 20-stories high and on top of a ridge, 25 miles away in rural Worcestershire and Shropshire and on a clear day, over 45 miles away in Wales.

The inside sleeve represents the tarot card of the Hermit it was painted by Barrington Coleby (the name is misspelled on the album sleeve), a friend of Jimmy Page's who lives in Switzerland. Contrary to some sources, there is no hidden "Black Dog" in the painting.

The typeface for the lyrics to "Stairway to Heaven", printed on the inside sleeve of the album, was Page's contribution. He found it in an old arts and crafts magazine called Studio which started in the late 1800s. He thought the lettering interesting and got someone to work up a whole alphabet.[3]

WIKI

your knowledge on this subject is amazing your are definetly a zep fan
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  • 2 years later...

Each member of the band chose a personal emblem for the cover. Left to right, their members and meanings:

* Jimmy Page's symbol is generally referred to as "ZoSo", though its symbols have nonalphabetic connotations. It was designed by Page himself.[2]

The four symbols on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV, representing Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant (from left to right) respectively. Although the symbols are sometimes referred to as "Runes", only the middle two are runes; the other two are sigils.

The four symbols on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV, representing Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant (from left to right) respectively. Although the symbols are sometimes referred to as "Runes", only the middle two are runes; the other two are sigils.

The source of the ZoSo symbol itself is no longer a mystery but the meaning of it still is; it originated in 'Ars Magica Arteficii' (1557) by Gerolamo Cardano (also known as J. Cardan), an old alchemical grimoire, where it has been identified as a sigil consisting of zodiac signs. The sigil is reproduced in "Dictionary of Occult, Hermetic and Alchemical Sigils" by Fred Gettings, published in 1982 by Routledge & Kegan Paul (see here). The symbol used to represent the planet Saturn for purposes of magic. Page is a Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn, and the Z-like symbol is distinctive as a common astrological mark for Saturn. The oSo portion is similar to the alchemic symbol for mercury, also associated with Saturn. In cabalistic or hermetic study, knowledge seekers look to the god Mercury (Hermes, see Hermes Trismegistus and the Hermetica) for guidance and light, more or less the scene that unfolds in the drawing on the inside cover of the album and later acted out by Page in the concert film The Song Remains the Same. This part of the symbol is also strikingly similar to the Lucifer script ciphered by Aleister Crowley in his book The Equinox; and the symbol as a whole strongly resembles characters of the "alphabet of the Magi", a seventeenth century text used for fashioning magical talismans. What it means personally to Page is unknown, as he has never publicly revealed its meaning. His interest in Aleister Crowley, however, is widely known. The guitarist owns many of Crowley's original manuscripts and other effects, including (until the mid-1980s) Crowley's former home on Loch Ness, Boleskine House. In the 1970s Page owned the occult bookshop The Equinox in London, also an enterprise for publishing rare manuscripts.

* John Paul Jones' symbol is a single circle intersecting 3 vesica pisces (a triquetra). Taken from a book of runes, it symbolises a person with confidence and competence.[2]

* John Bonham's symbol, the three interlocking rings, represents the trinity of mother, father and child. It could also depict an aerial view of a drum kit. It does in fact represent the pagan idea of trilogies and trios, and, more commonly, is a Christian symbol for the Trinity. In the 1990 Bonham tribute radio special, "It's Been A Long Time", son Jason Bonham stated that the symbol was chosen as a representation of man, woman, and child. Jones's and Bonham's symbols fitting together -- one to the other inside out, inverse images -- is no accident. In jazz music which inspired Led Zeppelin, the bassist and drummer form interlocking parts of a rhythm section. In reality the symbol originally appeared as the emblem of Ballantine beer, which happened to be Bonzo's favorite so when choosing symbols he decided to borrow this one.[2]

* The symbol for Robert Plant is the feather of the Egyptian goddess Ma'at, representing truth, justice, fairness and writing, encapsulated by an unbroken circle representing life. According to Egyptian mythology, Anubis, the god of judgment and death, would take the heart of those who died and put it on a balance with the feather of Ma'at. If the heart outweighed the feather, the person's soul would go to hell, but on the other hand, if the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul would go to heaven.[2]

There is also a fifth, smaller symbol chosen by guest vocalist Sandy Denny representing her contribution to "The Battle of Evermore"; it appears in the credits list on the inner sleeve of the LP, serving as an asterisk.

Album cover and inside sleeve

The painting on the front of the album, showing an old man carrying a faggot, was allegedly purchased from a junk shop in Reading, Berkshire by a Led Zeppelin roadie (Jimmy Page has stated it was bought by Robert Plant)[3] and affixed to the internal, papered wall of the partly demolished house for the photograph to be taken. 'The man with the sticks on his back' can also refer to the biblical Cain, who in legend was said to have ended his journeys on the moon, contributing to the image on the face of the moon. Film critic Robert Ring has also suggested that the picture might be a reference to the 1920s witchcraft documentary Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages. In the film, there is a similar-looking witch, and inside the bundle of sticks are body parts from a thief hung on the gallows [4]. This would be fitting, given Page's interest in hermetic studies. The house and surrounding area in the picture are by Butterfield Court in the Eve Hill area of Dudley; the use of Eve Hill may be an in-joke ["Ev-il"] by the band, as could be dudley ["Dead-ly"}

The tower block on the back cover is of Butterfield Court in Dudley, England (not the now demolished Prince of Wales Court, as is sometimes incorrectly stated). Butterfield Court can be seen, owing to it being 20-stories high and on top of a ridge, 25 miles away in rural Worcestershire and Shropshire and on a clear day, over 45 miles away in Wales.

The inside sleeve represents the tarot card of the Hermit it was painted by Barrington Coleby (the name is misspelled on the album sleeve), a friend of Jimmy Page's who lives in Switzerland. Contrary to some sources, there is no hidden "Black Dog" in the painting.

The typeface for the lyrics to "Stairway to Heaven", printed on the inside sleeve of the album, was Page's contribution. He found it in an old arts and crafts magazine called Studio which started in the late 1800s. He thought the lettering interesting and got someone to work up a whole alphabet.[3]

WIKI

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THANK YOU,THANK YOU ,THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! You have made my day. I was so in hopes to find the meaning of the four symbols quicklly and you have helped me so much. The way you explained them in such detail was great!!! I never could have found out what you explained in your writing; I'm just not that computer literate.

I do really well just to read my E-mail.

Thank you so very much!!!!

I hope only good things for you, you're obviously an extremely smart person.

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  • 2 years later...

Okay, hour four of trying to Google this; those that know the answer will no doubt laugh at me...I cannot find one mention of the Zep IV artwork of a man reading in the cemetery! The extremely detailed and impressive breakdown of the album art posted above is typical of the circles I run into trying to find this--absolutely no mention of this! I've been drawing the rune from the headstones and book since I was twelve, you'd think I've lived long enough to learn all about this. Please help? I found one copy of the image (now my Facebook profile pic) but no info. What is the image and what is the rune? Thanks!

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I think Sandy Denny's sigil was something like "closeness to the Godhead"...if u have listened to her it's a fitting representation. I would guess Page's symbol is largely astrological...just because Crowley used as a stylized 666 I dont think that's what Page meant but them I am only going on research and what I read...it is FAR older than Crowley. Page was into talismanic magic and it could be related to that as well as an alchemical representation of turning lead into gold. We'll never know for sure...strangely a large part of the name of his first guitar can supposedly be found in it Graziosi or something tp that effect. He modified it but I do not think Page created this symbol.

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your knowledge on this subject is amazing your are definetly a zep fan

THANK YOU,THANK YOU ,THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! You have made my day. I was so in hopes to find the meaning of the four symbols quicklly and you have helped me so much. The way you explained them in such detail was great!!! I never could have found out what you explained in your writing; I'm just not that computer literate.

I do really well just to read my E-mail.

Thank you so very much!!!!

I hope only good things for you, you're obviously an extremely smart person.

He Googled four symbols and copied and pasted content from elsewhere without attributing the source. This doesn't make him smart, or a Zep fan.

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well smart enough to use google but with Page's symbol its a lot of guess work based on old texts and rumors/legends...we will never know for sure but I tend to lean towards astrology as being the main thing in it. It isn't something I have thought about in a lot of years...

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well smart enough to use google but with Page's symbol its a lot of guess work based on old texts and rumors/legends...we will never know for sure but I tend to lean towards astrology as being the main thing in it. It isn't something I have thought about in a lot of years...

Jimmy's "Zoso" symbol is actually from an old magical book, if you try the search function you might find even scans of it, since they were posted about 2 years ago already.

To make it easier for you, here ya go:

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Isnt it Le Dragon Rouge- The Red Dragon book...seems like I had facsimiles of parts of it years ago..EDIt i followed the link Cant believe I remember that from 25 years ago...It doesnt really matter to me what it means because its personal to him I can identify most with Plant's sigil

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