Symbols on the Great Seal - Ten Images from History and Nature

Symbols on the Great Seal of the United States

The two sides of the Great Seal are composed of natural and cultural symbols
that combine to create a dynamic design whose whole is greater than the sum of
its parts. Complementing the imagery are three Latin mottoes and a date in
Roman numerals.

OBVERSE SIDE
Glory breaking through a Cloud

Constellation of 13 Stars

American Bald Eagle

E Pluribus Unum

Shield

Olive Branch

Bundle of 13 Arrows

REVERSE SIDE
Annuit Coeptis

Eye of Providence

Unfinished Pyramid

MDCCLXXVI

Novus Ordo Seclorum

Read the official 1782 description of the Great Seal

and the explanation of its symbolism.

Related symbols:
Seal of the President
Ben Franklin and the Wild Turkey

http://greatseal.com/symbols/[26.07.2010 13:28:37]
Official 1782 Description of the Great Seal of the United States

Great Seal > Symbols > Description

Official 1782 Description of the Great Seal

The Great Seal approved by Congress on June 20, 1782 is

this written description of the two-sided design Charles
Thomson submitted along with a brief explanation of the
design.

No drawings of the Great Seal were submitted to or

adopted by Congress.

The original form of the Great Seal is this written description

that uses heraldic language to precisely describe the
appearance of the imagery. Called a "blazon," it is the
starting point for creating an accurate die or illustration of
the Great Seal.

Continental Congress – June 20, 1782

Blazon of the Great Seal of the United States

The Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled to whom were referred the
several reports of committees on the device for a great seal, to take order, reports

That the Device for an Armorial Achievement & Reverse of the great seal of the United
States in Congress assembled is as follows.–

Arms
Paleways of thirteen pieces Argent and Gules: a Chief, Azure. The Escutcheon on the breast
of the American bald Eagle displayed, proper, holding in his dexter talon an Olive branch,
and in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, & in his beak a scroll, inscribed
with this Motto. "E pluribus unum".–

For the Crest

Over the head of the Eagle which appears above the Escutcheon, A Glory, Or, breaking
through a cloud, proper, & surrounding thirteen stars forming a Constellation, Argent, on
an Azure field.–

Reverse
A Pyramid unfinished. In the Zenith an Eye in a triangle surrounded with a glory proper.
Over the Eye these words "Annuit Coeptis". On the base of the pyramid the numerical
letters MDCCLXXVI & underneath the following motto. "novus ordo seclorum"

Along with the above description approved by Congress, Thomson also submitted
some brief remarks about the symbolism of the design, the only official explanation
offered about the meaning of the Great Seal.

Read Thomson's Remarks and Explanation.

Glossary of Heraldic Terms used in the Blazon

argent = silver
azure = blue
chief = top part of the shield
dexter = right
escutcheon = shield
gules = red

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Official 1782 Description of the Great Seal of the United States

or = gold or yellow
paleways, pieces = vertical stripes on the shield
proper = the element's natural color
sinister = left

In its purest form, the Great Seal exists as words describing an image. An illustration
based on this written description is called a "realization." The problem is, many
realizations and dies are not based on the original Great Seal blazon. Instead, they are
derived from other realizations or dies that may be inaccurate. For example, most dies
of the Great Seal copied an error in the first die which did not show the rays of light
breaking through a cloud as specified in the blazon.

See the first realizations of the Great Seal.

Some of the most accurate realizations are on the

Indian Peace Medals given by President Washington.

Seven different dies of the Great Seal have been used since 1782,
but the original written description remains unchanged.

The 13 stars on the first American flag may have influenced

the hexagram shape of the Great Seal's constellation of stars,
a shape not specified in the blazon.

What is a Seal? – How is the Great Seal Used?

Main Sections of GreatSeal.com

Preliminary Designs suggested by three committees
Myth and Misinformation about the Great Seal
Symbols on the Seal's two sides
Mottoes of the Great Seal
Front page overview

http://greatseal.com/symbols/blazon.html[26.07.2010 13:31:15]
Official 1782 Explanation of the Great Seal of the United States

Great Seal > Symbols > Explanation

Explanation of the Great Seal's Symbolism

In addition to the heraldic description of the Great Seal approved by Congress on June
20, 1782, Charles Thomson also commented on the symbolism of the design. It is the
only official explanation offered about the meaning of the Great Seal.

Main Points

Remarks and Explanation – June 20, 1782

The shield is composed of thirteen stripes that represent the several states joined
into one solid compact, supporting the chief which unites the whole and represents
Congress. The stripes are kept closely united by the chief and the chief depends
upon that union and the strength resulting from it.

The motto E Pluribus Unum alludes to this union.

The shield is born on the breast of an American Eagle without any other supporters
to denote that the United States of America ought to rely on their own virtue.

The olive branch and arrows denote the power of peace and war which is
exclusively vested in Congress.

The constellation of thirteen stars denotes a new state taking its place and rank
among other sovereign powers.

The pyramid signifies strength and duration.

The Eye over it and the motto Annuit Coeptis allude to the many signal
interpositions of providence in favor of the American cause.

The date 1776 underneath is that of the Declaration of Independence and the words
Novus Ordo Seclorum under it signify the beginning of the new American Era, which
commences from that date.

Exact Text

Remarks and Explanation – June 20, 1782

The Escutcheon is composed of the chief & pale, the two most honorable ordinaries. The
Pieces, paly, represent the several states all joined in one solid compact entire, supporting a
Chief, which unites the whole & represents Congress. The Motto alludes to this union. The
pales in the arms are kept closely united by the chief and the Chief depends upon that
union & the strength resulting from it for its support, to denote the Confederacy of the
United States of America & the preservation of their union through Congress.

The colours of the pales are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White
signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the colour of the Chief
signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice. The Olive branch and arrows denote the power
of peace & war which is exclusively vested in Congress. The Constellation denotes a new
State taking its place and rank among other sovereign powers. The Escutcheon is born on
the breast of an American Eagle without any other supporters to denote that the United
States of America ought to rely on their own Virtue.–

Reverse. The pyramid signifies Strength and Duration: The Eye over it & the Motto allude
to the many signal interpositions of providence in favour of the American cause. The date

http://greatseal.com/symbols/explanation.html[26.07.2010 13:34:22]
First Realizations of Both Sides of the Great Seal of the United States (1786)

Great Seal > History > First Realizations

First Realizations of the Great Seal

These engravings by James Trenchard were published in Columbian

Magazine (Philadelphia). The obverse side in September 1786 and the
reverse side in October. They are the first realizations made of the Great
Seal and are accurately based on the official 1782 description of the Great
Seal.

The original form of the Great Seal is a written description that uses heraldic
language to precisely describe the appearance of the imagery. Called a "blazon," it is
the starting point for creating an accurate die or illustration of the Great Seal.

An illustration based on the blazon is called a "realization." An artist's realization of

the Great Seal therefore begins in the mind's eye where this image described by
America's founders is envisioned, then drawn.

Think of a realization as somewhat like a singer's version of a song based

on the songwriter's original sheet music. Interpretations naturally will vary.
(Did somebody say the Star-Spangled Banner?)

The problem is, many illustrations and dies are not based on the original Great Seal
blazon. Instead, they are derived from other realizations or dies that may be
inaccurate. For example, most Great Seal dies copied an error in the first die which
did not show the rays of light breaking through a cloud as specified in the blazon.

The 1882 Centennial Medal is the most accurate version of the Great Seal
made by the U.S. Government (and only time a die for the reverse side was cut).

http://greatseal.com/committees/realizations.html[26.07.2010 13:35:36]
The First Painting of the Great Seal of the United States

First Painting of the Great Seal

This large (45 x 66") oil painting is the work of an unknown artist. Commissioned in
1785, it has always hung in George Washington's pew in St. Paul's Chapel at Trinity
Church in New York City.

The constellation of stars is correctly depicted in a natural formation, and

the rays of light are "breaking through a cloud" as they should be
(and as seen in other early realizations of the Great Seal).

Great Seal
Symbols | Mottoes
History | Myths

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Seal of the President of the United States

Great Seal > Symbols > President's Seal

The Seal of the President of the United States

The Seal of the President looks much like the Great Seal of the United States. The
difference is in the "crest" above the bald eagle where the cloud puffs and (most)
stars fan upward in an arc. On the Great Seal, the constellation of stars is surrounded
by the cloud puffs.

Whereas most seals of the federal government were created by statue, the Seal of the
President was determined by use and custom. Beginning with President Hayes in
1877, the eagle on the presidential seal traditionally faced the bundle of arrows in its
left talon. A good example of this old seal is carved on the President's desk.

On October 25, 1945, however, President Truman signed Executive Order No. 9646
that legally specified the design of the President's seal and flag. A press release was
issued to call attention to the new design:

"In the new Coat of Arms, Seal and Flag, the Eagle not only faces to its
right – the direction of honor – but also toward the olive branches of peace
which it holds in its right talon. Formerly the eagle faced toward the
arrows in its left talon – arrows, symbolic of war."

In heraldry, the imagery on the shield's right side (the left side from our point of
view) has more importance than the one on its left. The official 1782 description of
the Great Seal specifically says the olive branch is held in the eagle's right talon.

Heraldic birds traditionally look to their right, unless otherwise specified, and Charles
Thomson's preliminary sketch and all dies of the Great Seal have shown the
eagle facing its right side with the olive branch which the founders said
symbolizes "the power of peace.
Great Seal
Symbols | Mottoes
History | Myths

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http://greatseal.com/symbols/presidentseal.html[26.07.2010 13:41:49]
Peace is Patriotic

Peace is a Predominant Founding Principle

The chief designer of the Great Seal said,

"The Olive branch and arrows denote the power of peace & war."

What's more, the American Eagle looks toward the olive branch,
this ancient symbol of peace held in its stronger talon. In other words:

The power of peace is superior to the power of war

(symbolized by the bundle of arrows in the eagle's left talon).

Since ancient times, holding out an an olive branch has signaled peaceful
intentions – as in Virgil's Aeneid, the epic story of the founding of Rome.

During the American Revolution, the olive branch was used in political drawings as
well as on paper money. The back of Maryland's $16 bill (below) issued in 1775
shows America and Britannia holding an olive branch.

http://greatseal.com/peace/index.html[26.07.2010 13:42:41]
Great Seal of the United States - Rediscover America's Original Vision

Welcome to GreatSeal.com
Rediscover the eloquent symbol designed by the
original American dreamers to convey their
vision to the world – and to the future.

The Great Seal is a cornerstone document in the foundation of America, created in 1782 –
midway between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

The Great Seal's designers provided a brief explanation of its symbolism, however
the more we know about its design process and meaning of its symbols and its
mottoes, the better we can understand why this emblem is as important today as
ever before.

Get a brief OVERVIEW of the Great Seal of the United States.

Main sections of GreatSeal.com

History:

Preliminary DESIGNS
America's founders set out to create a symbol worthy of their new nation. See the ideas
suggested by three committees.

The ONE-DOLLAR bill

How both sides of the Great Seal ended up on the dollar in 1935.

Individual Design Elements:

SYMBOLS on the Great Seal

Each side's dynamic imagery combines symbols from nature and history.

Great Seal MOTTOES

Chosen to convey the idea and ideals of America, these three little phrases have big
repercussions.

Issues Relevant Today:

MYTH & Misinformation

Is the emblem of America becoming a casualty of lore? Separate fact from fiction.

PEACE is a Founding Principle

The American Eagle on the Great Seal has always looked toward the olive branch.

Great Seal SIGHTINGS

Resources for Teachers

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Ben Franklin Compares the Turkey and Eagle as American Symbols

Great Seal > Symbols > Turkey

The Eagle, Ben Franklin, and the Turkey

A year and a half after the Great Seal was adopted by Congress on June 20, 1782 –
with the bald eagle as its centerpiece – Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter
and shared some thoughts about this new symbol of America. He did not express these
personal musings elsewhere, but they have become legendary.

Writing from France on January 26, 1784 to his daughter Sally (Mrs. Sarah Bache) in
Philadelphia, Franklin casts doubt on the propriety of using the Bald Eagle to symbolize
the "brave and honest Cincinnati of America," a newly formed society of revolutionary
war officers.

The society's insignia had a poorly drawn eagle that looked more like
a turkey, which prompted Franklin's naturally inquisitive mind to compare
and contrast the two birds as a symbol for the United States.

Franklin previously suggested other symbols.

In his 1775 letter published in a magazine, he made a good case
for the Rattlesnake as an appropriate symbol of "the temper and
conduct of America."

In 1776, he made an official suggestion while on the committee

Congress appointed on July 4th to design the Great Seal. His idea
was an action scene with Moses and Pharaoh, which the
committee recommended for the reverse side of the Great Seal.

NOTE: Congress approved Charles Thomson's eagle design the same day he
submitted it – June 20, 1782. There was not a "great debate amongst the
Founding Fathers" as to which would be the national bird (as suggested by
the History Channel's "Secrets of the Dollar Bill").

There was however a veritable menagerie of feathered symbols in the Great

Seal designs suggested by the preliminary committees: a two-headed eagle,
a rooster, a dove, and a "phoenix in flames."

Franklin's Letter to His Daughter (excerpt)

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our

http://greatseal.com/symbols/turkey.html[26.07.2010 13:55:58]
Ben Franklin Compares the Turkey and Eagle as American Symbols

Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may
have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself,
he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a
Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle
pursues him and takes it from him.

"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by
Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward:
The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the
District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of
America who have driven all the King birds from our Country . . .

"I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks
more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird,
and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a
Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who
should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

NOTE: "Because of their size, bald eagles are not concerned about threats
from other birds. However, eagles are often chased by smaller birds, who
are trying to protect their young. . . It was Benjamin Franklin's observations
of a bald eagle either ignoring or retreating from such mobbing that
probably led to his claim of the bald eagle's lack of courage." – Bald Eagle
Information

Explore GreatSeal.com.
Reconnect with the spirit of unity that gave birth to the United States.

Main sections of the site's 76 pages

Learn the origin and meaning of the other MOTTOES:

Novus Ordo Seclorum | Annuit Coeptis

Examine the SYMBOLS on the Seal's Two Sides:

Dynamic imagery from nature and history.
Includes clickable image map.

See Preliminary DESIGNS for the Great Seal:

Ideas suggested by three committees (1776-1782).

Recognize MYTH and Misinformation:

Don't let America's emblem become a casualty of lore.

See why PEACE is Patriotic:

"The power of peace" as a founding principle.

Get an overview on the Front Page.

©GreatSeal.com

Benjamin Franklin Papers

Available free online for study. Browse and Search. Yale Edition.
www.franklinpapers.org

Benjamin Franklin Papers

Available free online for study. Browse and Search. Yale Edition.
www.franklinpapers.org

http://greatseal.com/symbols/turkey.html[26.07.2010 13:55:58]
Thirteen - The Great Seal and America's Number

Great Seal > Symbols > Thirteen

The Great Seal and the Number Thirteen

The number 13 is represented several times in

the design of the Great Seal. It is specifically
called for in three instances: the number of
stars, stripes, and arrows.

The official explanation of the shield makes it

clear that 13 represents the 13 States "all
joined in one solid compact entire," supporting
Congress. And the motto E Pluribus Unum
"alludes to this union."

This motto in the American Eagle's beak has 13

letters. So does the upper motto on the pyramid
side: Annuit Coeptis.

NOTE: The official description of the Great Seal

does not specify the number of olives, olive
leaves, or eagle feathers. These details are
determined by artists and engravers. The
number of steps on the pyramid is also not specified, although it is usually depicted
with 13 because the third committee (1782) suggested: "A Pyramid of thirteen Strata,
(or Steps)."

Popular phrases with 13 letters:

Don't Tread on Me
An Appeal to God
The Spirit of 76
July the Fourth
American Eagle
American Dream

Colonial paper money often had emblems with 13 elements.

The number 13 has traditionally been associated with transformation, renewal, and
regeneration. The founders believed the American Revolution was the beginning of a
new order of the ages.

Great Seal
Symbols | Mottoes
History | Myths

http://greatseal.com/symbols/thirteen.html[26.07.2010 14:02:36]
Myth and Misinformation about the Great Seal of the United States

Myth and Misinformation about the Great Seal's

Eagle Side and the Pyramid Side

America's Great Seal is the official sign of sovereignty of the United States – not a monetary
symbol. It was created a century and a half before its two sides first appeared on the one-
dollar bill.

George Washington is also on the dollar bill.

Should we use him as a monetary symbol?

We know Washington was not that colorless two-dimensional character we see on the front
of the dollar. We know he was a living person with a strong personality and a colorful history.
We know, because in school we learned about the Father of Our Country.

But what were we taught about the Emblem of our country? Most Americans know
very little about the symbol that represents them and their nation, and often what they do
know is incorrect. Even our best-educated citizens don't know the meaning of the Great
Seal's three Latin mottoes. Ask the smartest person you know (after betting them a dollar).

For example, the American Bald Eagle on the front of the Great Seal has always faced the
olive branch in its right talon. It was the eagle on the Seal of the President that used to look
the other way.

• More myth and misinformation about the Eagle side.

The Pyramid & Eye on the reverse side was not designed by Freemasons. What's more,
this misunderstood symbol is becoming a casualty of lore: abused by fiction writers;
commandeered by conspiracy theorists; trivialized by the media as a background image on
the evening financial news.

• More myth and misinformation about the Pyramid & Eye side.
Lighten up with
American history bloopers
World history bloopers

Other Sections of GreatSeal.com

Preliminary Designs suggested by three committees
Mottoes on the obverse and reverse sides
Peace as a founding principle
Symbols on the Great Seal
Overview | Sightings
Front Page

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Myth and Misinformation - Eagle side of the Great Seal

Great Seal > Myth > Eagle Side

Myth and Misinformation

about the Obverse Side of the Great Seal

The American Bald Eagle has always faced the olive branch in its right talon. It was the eagle
on the Seal of the President who used to look the other way.

The eagle was not first a phoenix. Both an eagle and a phoenix appear together in the
design suggested by the third Great Seal committee. And the phoenix was an appropriate,
positive symbol "emblematical of the expiring Liberty of Britain, revived by her Descendants,
in America."

Congress approved Charles Thomson's eagle design the same day he submitted it
– June 20, 1782. There was no "great debate amongst the Founding Fathers"
about which bird would be the national one – as suggested by The History
Channel program "Secrets of the Dollar Bill."

More than a year after the Great Seal was adopted, Ben Franklin mused privately
in a letter to his daughter about the wild turkey as a good symbol for "the temper
and conduct of America."

The eagle's tail feathers do not symbolize the Supreme Court, which did not exist when the
Great Seal was adopted in 1782. The number of feathers in the tail and wings are not
specified in the official 1782 description of the Great Seal. Neither are the number of olives or
leaves. These details are determined by artists and engravers. They have no intended
symbolic significance.

The number thirteen is not "hidden" in the design of the Great Seal.
It is clearly specified for several of the number of stars, stripes, and arrows.

The number of stars above the eagle is thirteen, but their individual shape is not specified as
five-pointed or six-pointed, so there is no intended symbolic significance to their shape.

Government versions of the eagle side of the Great

Seal are not true to the original 1782 design that
specifies rays of light breaking through a cloud.

Also, the constellation of stars should be in a natural

configuration. Much speculation is made about the symbolic
intent of the hexagram pattern (two intersecting triangles

http://greatseal.com/mythamerica/mythobverse.html[26.07.2010 14:07:40]
Myth and Misinformation - Eagle side of the Great Seal

that form a six-pointed star), but it may have been only a

simple rearrangement of the 13 stars on the first American
flag.

The more we learn about what the founders put into the Great Seal – what its symbols and
mottoes meant to them – the more we get out of it.

The Great Seal has only been on the dollar bill since 1935, but television networks
have denigrated the emblem of America – turning it into merely a financial symbol
used as a background image for stories related to money.

Recognize Myth and Misinformation about the Pyramid & Eye side.
Great Seal
History | Symbols | Mottoes
Peace | Myths | Sightings

©2010 GreatSeal.com

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Myth and Misinformation - Pyramid side of the Great Seal

Great Seal > Myth > Pyramid & Eye

Myth and Misinformation

about the Reverse Side of the Great Seal

The reverse side of the Great Seal was not designed with an anagram found by drawing a
six-pointed star whose points touch letters in the mottoes to spell MASON, as shown in the
above image from Dan Brown's novel, The Lost Symbol .

First of all, the original Great Seal is a written description only – no artwork was
submitted to nor approved by Congress in 1782.

Also, drawing a star doesn't spell MASON on the reverse side's preliminary sketch
(1782), its first realization (1786), or even on the government's Centennial Medal
(1882).

An anagram happens to work on the realization seen on the one-dollar bill, but
this image dates only back to 1935 and is not the work of America's Founding
Fathers.

There is no intended significance to the number of stones in the pyramid (nor the shadow it
casts). Those details are determined by artists. Although the pyramid has been traditionally
shown with 13 steps, no number is specified in the official 1782 description of the Great
Seal.

The Great Seal's pyramid is not "truncated." It is specifically described as a "Pyramid

unfinished." (Big difference.) Another tip-off that a writer's missing the point of the Great
Seal is when its symbolism is framed as "magical, arcane, occult, etc." Sure, there's mystery
to history. But that's because the facts are unknown, not because they're unknowable or
supernatural.

Beware of vague phrases such as: "It has been suggested..." or "There are some
who claim..." or "Conspiracy theorists believe..." They are red flags signaling
myth and speculation. A classic example is The History Channel's hour-long
commercial program "Secrets of the Dollar Bill" where such phrases are used
about twenty times.

The origin of the Great Seal of the United States is neither "hidden" or "little-
known." Its history is very well documented. Less is known about the origin of
the American flag.

Novus ordo seclorum does not properly translate into "new world order," which is an English
phrase that if converted to Latin would not be novus ordo seclorum . Seclorum is a plural

http://greatseal.com/mythamerica/mythreverse.html[26.07.2010 14:10:59]
Myth and Misinformation - Pyramid side of the Great Seal

form. (New worlds order?)

Thomas Jefferson said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." Today we

should appreciate people who alert us to emerging threats to our freedoms from
international (as well as national and local) organizations that manifest the
negative consequences of what's termed "the new world order." But they
should chose a new symbol, and stop demonizing the pyramid & eye.

The Great Seal was created by the people who gave us our freedom.
It does not represent those currently trying to take it away.

The Great Seal does not belong to any special group – past or present, covert or overt. It is
an original American symbol created in 1782.

Of course, the perception of a symbol's meaning can change. Look what

happened to the swastika – an ancient symbol of well-being – after the Nazis
started using it. That's why it's crucial for Americans to honor and protect their
seal (as they do their flag) and not let it be commandeered by those who distort
its meaning by using it as a logo to promote their paranoia.

NOTE
The official description of the Great Seal does not specify a left or right eye.
The designers of the Great Seal did not call it an "all-seeing eye." They referred to it
as the "eye of Providence."
And they never called it the "eye of Horus."

Only four men actually contributed symbolic elements to the final

Great Seal design. And they were not Freemasons.

The pyramid & eye in National Treasure

and in National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Recognize Myth and Misinformation about the Eagle side.

Great Seal
History | Symbols | Mottoes
Peace | Myths | Sightings

©2010 GreatSeal.com

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Eye of Providence on the Reverse Side of the Great Seal of the United States

Great Seal > Symbols > Eye

The Eye of Providence

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our
Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." – Closing sentence of the
Declaration of Independence

The eye was originally suggested by Pierre Du Simitière, the consultant and artist on
the first Great Seal committee appointed July 4, 1776. He specified: "The Eye of
Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the Shield and
beyond the Figures."

This design was not approved by Congress, but six years

later the third committee suggested the eye for the reverse
side of the Great Seal: "A Pyramid of thirteen Strata...
In the Zenith, an Eye, surrounded with a Glory."

Charles Thomson liked Barton's design, but put a triangle

around the eye and created two new mottoes. Congress
approved his reverse design: "A Pyramid unfinished. In the
Zenith an Eye in a triangle surrounded with a glory... Over
the Eye these words Annuit Cœptis." ( Zenith means more
than apex or summit. It also suggests a highest point or state; culmination.")

According to Thomson's explanation: the Eye and "the Motto allude to the many
signal interpositions of providence in favour of the American cause."

NOTE
The official description of the Great Seal does not specify a left or right eye. It is
simply referred to as a single eye.
The designers of the Great Seal did not call it an "all-seeing eye." They referred
to it as the "eye of Providence."
And they never called it the "eye of Horus."

Recognize myths and misinformation about the pyramid & eye.

Explore GreatSeal.com.
Feel the inspiration America's founders experienced.

http://greatseal.com/symbols/eye.html[26.07.2010 14:12:07]
The Science Behind The Book

   T H E SCIENCE BEHIND THE BOOK

Dan Brown, author of the best-selling book The Da Vinci Code, has written a new
book that features the noetic sciences prominently: The Lost Symbol.
Dr. Katherine Solomon, the female protagonist, is described as a “noetic scientist”
and appears to be based on a composite of many of the leading figures in the real-
life noetic sciences.

The book is an artful weaving together of fact and fiction, and the real-life Institute
of Noetic Sciences is mentioned several times in the book, as are many of the
actual experiments conducted by our researchers and their colleagues.

To coincide with the publication of the book we've put together this page of
resources to help you go deeper and learn more about the science behind the book
and the Institute of Noetic Sciences.

For press or media inquiries please contact

Deb Walsh (Eastern Time Zone) at dtwalsh2@cox.net

Heidi Fuller (Pacific Time Zone) at heidi@heidifuller.com

Buy 'The Lost Symbol' from Amazon.com

Go Deeper: Selected IONS Research on Noetic Topics

Buy 'Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in

Everyday Life'— Our book summarizing ten years of scientific research into the ways that people
make significant shifts in how they view the world and themselves.

   
  OVERVIEW    
   

The word "noetic" comes from the Greek word nous, for which there is no exact equivalent in
English. It refers to "inner knowing" or a kind of intuitive consciousness—direct and immediate access to
knowledge beyond what is available to our normal senses and power of reason. As defined by
psychologist-philosopher William James in 1902, noetic refers to “states of insight into depths of truth
unplumbed by the discursive intellect. They are illuminations, revelations, full of significance and
importance, all inarticulate though they remain; and as a rule they carry with them a curious sense of
authority…”

Noetic sciences use scientific methods to explore the "inner cosmos" of the mind (consciousness,
soul, spirit) and how it relates to the "outer cosmos" of the physical world. In other words, they study how
people come to know things or affect things through experiences or capacities (intuitions, synchronicities,
psi, “after-death” communication, energy healing, etc.) that have no apparent rational explanation, and
what this says about the nature of human consciousness.

  

http://www.noetic.org/about/godeeper.cfm[26.07.2010 14:19:45]