"Dollar" is the name of the unit of money used in varous countries. " The name comes from an old German word 'thal', meaning valley. This name was adoptd because the first coins of this type were made in 1519 in the valley of St. Joachim in Bohemia. These coins were called Joachimsthaler, then merely thaler, which in English became the dollar."(1) The United States uses this term as a unit of measurement. Usually this is the most that is known about the dollar. This paper will explore the mythology of the seals and symbols printed on the back of the United States Dollar bill.
On the back left side of the United States Dollar bill one sees The Great Seal. In the center of the Seal is a pyramid. The pyramid symbolizes the earth. The base is square and represents the stable earth. It is believed that the apex is the starting-point and the finishing-point of all things- the mystic 'Center'. Joining the apex to the base are the triangular-shaped faces of the pyramid, symbolizing fire, divine revelation, and the threefold princple of creation.(2) The pyramid on the dollar bill has a similar meaning. History tells us that the"pyramids at Giza represent the primordial hillock,"(3) that is the first pile of dirt moved by man for survival from the floods of the Nile. Their world was reborn, because the flood meant that the soil would be fertile again. This is shown on the dollar too, as seen on the ground before the pyramid in the Great Seal.(See Figure 1) The ground before the pyramid is lush with plants, meaning life, and the ground in back of the pyramid is a wasteland, meaning death. This symbolizes the birth of a new nation.
The pyramid has four sides which are the four points of the compass. At the
top, the four points come together to form the eye of God. Symbolizing that the
land under our founding fathers' power was reborn based on God and we are also
being viewed by him. The United States is the only country that is based on
reason and not tribal disputes. It has been said that the founding fathers
believed that reason was the link to God. Standing below the pyramid one must
first see 1776 to see the top 1776 when added up, comes out to twenty-one, the
age of reason.
[NCOIC's note: This last sentence makes no sense to me either]
The eye at the top of the pyramid is a triangle. The triangle is the symbol for the Trinity. It is viewed that out of three all things come. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "For the Universe has three children, born at one time, which reappear under different names in every system of thought, whether they are called cause, operation and effect; or, more poetically, Jove, Pluto, Neptune; or, theologically, the Father, the Spirit and the Son; but which we will call here the Knower, the Doer and the Sayer. These three are equal"(4) The United States government also has three branches of goverment.
There are thirteen leels on the Great Seals' pyramid. The number thirteen has lost it's true meaning, that of change. Today it is a number of bad luck. One can see how this came to be in that change for certain people is not good. Thirteen is symbolic of the change from death to rebirth. The twelve signs of the zodiac plus the sun equals thirteen, the death of the old year and the birth of a new one. Jesus plus the twelve apostles who where celebrating Christs' death and rebirth were at the Last Supper. Thirteen is the number of death and rebirth. It just so happens that there were thirteen states. This is symbolic for what it really was, a rebirth for the men who came to the United States.
Written above the pyramid one sees 'ANNUIT COEPTIS' and the eye. Joseph Campbell says it means, "He has smiled on our accomplishments" or "our activities." He, means the eye, the God of reason. Below are the words, "Novus Ordo Seclorum," which means, "A new order of the world." That is, what this seal stands for, the birth of a new nation.
Moving over to the right side of the dollar we see an eagle.(figure 2) The eagle is symbolic of spirituality. This symbol comes up all through time. The Egyptians used the eagle as the letter A in hieroglyphics. It stands for light and birth of a new day, thus being associated with the Sun. The Sun is the father, so the eagle has also been called the father of the skies. The bird has been associated with thunder, fire, thunder bolt, and other powerful war-like ideas. Many have thought of the eagle as the messenger of God, or the coming down of God. Thus the eagle is symbolized as the bird of God. As symbolized in the second half of the Great Seal.
In the eagle's right claw (left side to us) one sees a laurel. The laurel is the symbol of the victory of a hero. But here there is one branch with thirteen leaves which means peaceful interaction. In the left claw of the eagle are thirteen arrows which symbolizes war. The eagle holds in one hand the weapon of war, and in the other the peace symbol. The eagle is looking in the direction of the laurel.(5) Looking to peaceful talks with other countries. But he keeps the arrows in the other claw, ready to Fight when necessary.
Looking at the tail of the eagle (figure 2) one counts nine feathers. Nine
is the triangle of the trinity. The Angelus rings nine times, that is the ringing
of three bells, three times, to show devotion to Virgin Mary. The nine goddesses
or the Muse in Greek mythology. Nine is the numbr of the 'Mother Earth'. In
India the number of recited names in a litany of this goddess is 108. 1+ 0 + 8
= 9, while 108 x 4 = 432. 432 is the number of the great cycle. example add up
the years fom Adam to Noah. ( the year to year of the Flood is 1656 years,
there are 86,400 seven-day weeks 840 / 2 = 43,200). This is what nine means the
world was made flesh ( the new order). Nine is also the number of Supreme Court
Justices.
[NCOIC's note: If you followed that, explain it to me sometime...:-) ]
Above the eagle is the 'Star of David' or 'The Solomon's Seal'. There are thirteen stars in the Star and it has been this way all through time. It is made up of two interlocking triangles. Joseph Campbell said that it is two Pythagorean tetrakys interlocked with each other. (Figure 3) A Pythagorean tetraky is a triangle which is made by ten points.(6) Four points on each side and one in the center. The sides adding up to nine. "A dot at the apex as representing the creative center out of which the universe and all things have come."(7) Campbell says that it means the true meaning of democracy. "The stars met at all points of the compass so the word could be heard, no man shall be left out of the truth."(8)
George Washington, who appears on the dollar bill said in his farewell speech, "As a result of our revolution, we have disengaged ourselves from involvement in the chaos of Europe."(9) He verbalized those same principles which are so graphicaly illustrated in the seals and symbols on the back of the dollar bill.
(1) World Book Encyclopedia, Money, Field nterprise, Chicago, 1962, pp 588-599.
(2) J. E. Cirlot, A Dictionary of Symbols, Philosophical Library, New York,
1971, pp 267f.
(3) Joseph Cambell, The Power of Myth, Doubleday, New York, 198, p. 26.
(4) George Seldes, The Great Thoughts, Ballantine Book, New York, 1985, p.
127.
(5) pcit, p 27. (POWER OF MYTH)
(6) Ibid, p 27
(7) Ibid, p 28
(8) Ibid, p 28
(9) Ibid, p 28