Sixth Pentacle of Mars: Shield of the Unwounded

The Sixth Pentacle of Mars is recorded in Book I of the Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis) among the seven pentacles governed by the planet of conflict and courage. Where the Fourth Pentacle is built to secure victory in a contest, the Sixth is documented specifically as a shield: it is described as protecting the one who wears it from injury when they are exposed to physical danger, a defensive counterpart to the offensive virtue of its sibling seals.

Mars in ceremonial tradition is not only the planet of aggression but also of the disciplined soldier — the one who trains, arms, and prepares before ever stepping into harm's way. This pentacle draws on that steadier, protective face of Mars. It is appropriate for anyone entering a situation with real physical risk that cannot be avoided: travel through an unsafe area, a physically demanding job, or any circumstance where bodily harm is a genuine, present possibility rather than an abstract fear. It does not grant recklessness — the working assumes the practitioner still takes sensible precautions — but it is documented to turn aside the worst of what might otherwise land.

The pentacle is drawn on a Tuesday in the hour of Mars and consecrated with iron and fire correspondences befitting the planet. It is worn close to the body, ideally over the chest, and its protection is understood to hold only for as long as it is kept on the person.