Decoding the symbols on Satan's statue

A controversial statue unveiled by the Satanic Temple at a secret ceremony in Detroit has attracted protests. But who is the goat-headed figure? And what do the elements of the statue symbolise?

The bronze statue is nearly 9ft tall and depicts a winged hermaphrodite known as Baphomet, flanked by two smiling children. It cost $100,000 (£64,000) to make and hundreds of Satanists turned out to see it unveiled.

Long term, the Satanic Temple wants to move the piece 900 miles (1,450km) south-west and erect it opposite a Ten Commandments monument outside Oklahoma City's Capitol Building.

The Baphomet will "complement and contrast" the commandments which include "unconstitutional prohibitions against free speech and free exercise of religion," according to the organisation.

"Our statue will serve as a beacon calling for compassion and empathy among all living creatures," says Lucien Greaves, the group's co-founder.

He hopes people of all ages will "sit on the lap of Satan for inspiration and contemplation... It's a nice little tourist attraction. People would travel a great distance to see it."

The unveiling of the statue came at a secret event for Temple members, where VIP ticketholders were invited to pose with the Baphomet

The name Baphomet

The name dates back to the Inquisition and torture of the Knights Templar about 1100 who, according to French chroniclers of the Crusades, confessed to worshipping a heathen idol called Baphometh.
Some scholars believe "Baphometh" was simply a corruption of "Mahomet" - the Prophet Muhammad.
But over the years as the mystery and speculation around the Templars has grown, so too have the interpretations of the word and its meaning.
One elaborate interpretation even drove the plot in Dan Brown's historical thriller Da Vinci Code, where the word Baphomet is decoded and translated to mean "Sophia" or wisdom.

 

Source : bbc.com