The Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis) is a 17th-century grimoire compiled in the English sphere

 

The Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis) is a 17th-century grimoire compiled in the English sphere and traditionally attributed to King Solomon, collecting rites and catalogues of spiritual beings. It comprises five parts—(1) Ars Goetia (72 spirits—often called “demons”—with ranks, sigils, powers, and conjurations), (2) Ars Theurgia-Goetia (a system of directional and airy spirits), (3) Ars Paulina (angelic work keyed to hours and stellar positions), (4) Ars Almadel (angelic conjurations using a wax tablet, the Almadel), and (5) Ars Notoria (prayers for memory and the acquisition of knowledge). The direct author is unknown; its contents synthesize Testament of Solomon and medieval–Renaissance sources (e.g., Heptameron, Liber Juratus). Hallmarks include strict ritual protocols: divine names, sacred verses, protective circles and the triangle of art, the lamen worn on the chest, and spirit sigils. In the Goetia, ranks (king, duke, marquis, etc.), numbers of legions, modes of appearance, and gifts (knowledge, languages, wealth, travel, invisibility, etc.) are systematized, with command framed as coercion by the names of God. In the 19th–20th centuries it was studied and translated (e.g., Mathers) within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Crowley milieu, shaping modern ceremonial magic. Today, manuscript families (e.g., Sloane MSS) and inter-edition variants draw scholarly interest, while annotated translations and guides serve general readers. Note that it is a historical–religious compendium rather than a “how-to” manual; ethical, psychological, and safety considerations call for critical reading.