Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Abraxas

For works with similar titles, see Abraxas.

​Abraxas, or Abrasax, a word engraved on certain antique stones, which were called on that account Abraxas stones, and were used as amulets or charms. The Basilidians, a Gnostic sect, attached importance to the word, if, indeed, they did not bring it into use. The letters of ἀβραξάς in the Greek notation, make up the number 365, and the Basilidians gave the name to the 365 orders of spirits, which, as they conceived, emanated in succession from the Supreme Being. These orders were supposed to occupy as many heavens, each fashioned like, but inferior to that above it; and the lowest of the heavens was thought to be the abode of the spirits who formed the earth and its inhabitants, and to whom was committed the administration of its affairs. The Abraxas stones, which are frequently to be met with in the cabinets of the curious, are of very little value. In addition to the word Abraxas and other mystical characters, they have often engraved on them cabalistic figures. The commonest of these have the head of a fowl, and the arms and bust of a man, and terminate in the body and tail of a serpent.

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.