Ancient witchcraft symbols have always carried deep meaning and power for witches across the world. From the pentacle, a five-pointed star symbolizing balance and protection, to the Triple Moon, representing the cycles of the Goddess, each mark tells a story of old magic. The spiral speaks of growth and transformation, while the triquetra and triskele remind us of life’s sacred cycles.
In Slavic traditions, the Kolovrat symbolizes the eternal sun, and in ancient Egypt, the Ankh and Eye of Horus offered protection and divine strength. These symbols are more than designs — they are ancient keys that connect us to the wisdom, energy, and spirit of witches who walked the earth long before us.
The Spirit Behind Ancient Witch Symbols
Every witch knows that magic isn’t only in the tools we use — it’s in how we use them. The same is true of ancient witch symbols. Long before books and grimoires, witches passed knowledge through marks on wood, stone, or the walls of their cottages.
Each line, curve, and circle had meaning. These shapes held prayers for safety, love, fertility, and wisdom. Some were drawn to honor nature, others to ward off harm.
When we look at these old witchcraft symbols today, we’re not just studying art — we’re remembering our roots.
Ancient Witchcraft Symbols and Their Meanings
As a practising witch, I’ve always been drawn to the symbols our ancestors used in magic. These ancient witchcraft symbols – from the five-pointed star to Celtic knots – feel like an echo of old wisdom and power. When I hold a worn pentacle pendant or trace a spiral sign on a stone, I sense a connection across time
The Pentacle: Protection and Balance
Let’s start with one of the most familiar ancient symbols of magic — the pentacle.
A five-pointed star inside a circle, it represents the harmony of the elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.
In ancient times, witches and mystics used it for protection. Each point of the star reminded them of balance — not letting one force overpower the others.
When we wear a pentacle today, we’re not just wearing jewelry. We’re carrying a reminder of that balance, of how our magic flows best when we’re grounded, centered, and in tune with all parts of ourselves.
The Triple Moon: The Phases of the Goddess
The Triple Moon is one of the most beloved ancient Wiccan symbols.
It shows three phases of the moon — waxing, full, and waning — representing the three faces of the Goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone.
Each phase mirrors life itself: beginnings, fullness, and endings that lead to renewal.
Witches have always looked to the moon for guidance, timing, and spiritual rhythm. When you see or wear the Triple Moon, you’re honoring not only the moon’s cycles but your own.
The Spiral: Flow, Growth, and Rebirth
Among old witchcraft symbols, few are as universal as the spiral. You can find it carved in caves, etched into ancient stones, and drawn in sacred circles across the world.
The spiral reminds us that everything in life moves in cycles. It’s not a straight path but a journey inward and outward, over and over again.
When witches draw spirals, we’re often calling upon transformation — the courage to grow, shed old skin, and step into new power.
The Lunnitsa (or Lunula):
An Ancient Witch Symbol This is a beautiful, tangible, and truly ancient witch symbol that is centered entirely on feminine power. The Lunnitsa (or Lunula) is a crescent-moon-shaped amulet.
This symbol was “popular in ancient times and is in demand among modern women”. It was a powerful amulet traditionally worn by Slavic women for centuries.
What was it for? It was a symbol of practical, daily magic. It was worn as a symbol of “feminine power” and to call in blessings of fertility, “to successfully marry, bear and give birth to a child”. It was also a powerful protective charm, worn to “protect against illness and failure”. It’s a stunning example of an ancient symbol worn for protection, blessing, and empowerment.
The Triquetra: The Knot of Eternity
The Triquetra — also called the Trinity Knot — is an ancient Celtic symbol of unity.
It appears in Irish carvings and manuscripts, representing the triple nature of existence: body, mind, and spirit; land, sea, and sky; or life, death, and rebirth.
For modern witches, the Triquetra often symbolizes the eternal cycle of creation. It’s a connection point — between ourselves, the divine, and the natural world.
When we talk about Irish witchcraft symbols, the Triquetra stands out as one of the oldest and most meaningful.
Ancient Symbols of Magic Across Cultures
Magic isn’t limited by borders. Every culture has its own ancient symbols of magic, and while they look different, they often carry the same essence — protection, healing, or transformation.
In Slavic lands, the witch’s symbols looked a little different from those in Celtic or Nordic traditions. Yet their meanings still resonate deeply with modern witches today.
Slavic Witchcraft Symbols
Slavic witches, known in folklore as vedmas or wise women, used powerful symbols to honor the spirits of nature and guard their homes.
Here are a few that still whisper their meanings through time:
🌿 Kolovrat — The spinning sun wheel, a sacred symbol of life and the eternal cycle. It represents the Sun God and was often carved or embroidered to invite vitality and protection.
🔥 Bereginya — The Slavic goddess and guardian of women, symbolized by an abstract female shape or protective runes. She’s a mother spirit, a protector of hearth and family.
💧 Rozhanitsy signs — Patterns used to call upon fate and fertility spirits, often connected to the cycles of birth and the moon.
These Slavic witchcraft symbols remind us that even far from the Celtic isles, magic flowed through the hands of wise women — those who listened to wind, fire, and soil.
Irish Witchcraft Symbols
Ireland’s magic runs deep in its land. From stone circles to fairy forts, the energy of the old ways still hums through the mist.
Some of the most sacred Irish witchcraft symbols include:
🍀 The Triskele — Three spirals joined together, symbolizing forward motion, growth, and eternal evolution.
🌕 The Celtic Cross — Though later tied to Christianity, its roots reach back to pagan sun worship, marking balance between the heavens and earth.
🌿 Brigid’s Cross — Woven from reeds, it honors Brigid, the goddess (and later saint) of fire, poetry, and healing.
Each symbol tells a story — of devotion, nature, and the unbreakable link between spirit and land.
Ancient Egyptian Witch Symbols
When we talk about witchcraft in ancient Egypt, we’re really talking about heka — the sacred magic that connected humans to the gods. Egyptians didn’t see magic as evil or forbidden; they believed it was part of the divine order of the universe.
Every spell, every carved symbol, every whispered word of power was a way to balance the seen and unseen worlds.
Here are some of the most powerful symbols of Egyptian witchcraft — the signs witches, priests, and magicians used to shape energy and protect their souls.
- ☥ Ankh – Key of Life; symbol of eternal life and divine power.
- 👁️ Eye of Horus – Protection, healing, and psychic awareness.
- 🌞 Eye of Ra – Fire, strength, and banishment of evil.
- 🪶 Feather of Ma’at – Truth, balance, and harmony in magic.
- 🪲 Scarab – Rebirth, transformation, and renewal.
- 🪔 Djed Pillar – Stability, grounding, and inner strength.
- 🌺 Lotus Flower – Purity, spiritual awakening, and creation.
- 🐍 Cobra (Uraeus) – Power, divine protection, and wisdom.
- 🩸 Knot of Isis (Tyet) – Healing, feminine energy, and protection.
- 🔱 Was Scepter – Authority, control of magical forces, and prosperity
Why These Symbols Still Matter
You might wonder, in today’s world of screens and machines, why we still turn to ancient witchcraft symbols.
The answer is simple: they’re part of our spiritual DNA.
These marks remind us that magic isn’t new. It’s as old as the stars and as steady as the earth beneath our feet.
When we carve a sigil, wear a pendant, or draw a pentacle in salt, we’re doing what witches have done for thousands of years — giving shape to intention.
Symbols bridge the gap between seen and unseen. They help us focus energy, remember lessons, and call on powers greater than words alone can express.
How to Use Ancient Witch Symbols in Modern Practice
Here’s the gentle truth: you don’t need to be born into a tradition to work with these symbols — only to approach them with respect and understanding.
✨ Start small. Choose one or two symbols that speak to you.
✨ Meditate with them. Ask yourself what energy they awaken.
✨ Create with them. Draw them on candles, jewelry, or inside your Book of Shadows.
✨ Honor their origins. Learn where they come from — each line holds a story.
Magic is personal. When you use these ancient witch symbols, you’re adding your own energy to a very old current.
Old Witchcraft Symbols That Never Lost Their Power
Here are a few more old witchcraft symbols that continue to resonate through time:
🌑 The Cauldron — Symbol of transformation, rebirth, and divine feminine energy.
🔥 The Broom (Besom) — A tool of cleansing and boundary-setting, sweeping away negative energy.
🌕 The Circle — Represents unity, eternity, and sacred space.
🌿 The Eye — A ward against harm and jealousy.
Each one tells a story — not just of history, but of the human spirit seeking balance and connection.
The Difference Between Witchcraft and Wiccan Symbols
You’ll hear people talk about ancient witch symbols and ancient Wiccan symbols as if they’re the same thing. They’re close cousins, but not identical.
Witchcraft is the practice — the hands-on side of magic. It’s ancient, older than any written religion, and has taken many shapes across cultures.
Wicca, on the other hand, is a modern spiritual path inspired by those older traditions. It blends old beliefs with modern understanding, focusing on balance, duality, and respect for the earth and all living things.
So, when we speak of ancient Wiccan symbols, we’re usually talking about newer interpretations of old marks — symbols reawakened for modern practice. But their hearts still beat with ancient rhythm.
Embracing Our Symbolic Heritage
Learning about these symbols – ancient symbols of magic, ancient witch symbols, and ancient Wiccan symbols – has deepened my practice. They aren’t just pretty drawings; they connect us to generations of magic-makers. When we respectfully use a symbol, we become part of its story.
For example, I remember when I first drew a kolovrat in the air. A shiver ran through me imagining Slavic pagans doing the same at solstice. Or tracing the triskele on New Year’s, feeling linked to those Neolithic builders who watched the winter sunrise. These moments make the symbols come alive.
We’re not living in olden times, of course. But using old witchcraft symbols in our modern craft can ground us and honor the past. I encourage every witch and Wiccan to explore symbols from all cultures. You might find that a symbol you didn’t know resonates with your path. Maybe it’s a Runes, maybe an Eye of Horus, or even an Amerindian medicine wheel. They all represent life’s mysteries.
In the end, I find it beautiful that so many paths converge. Whether carved on a stone, stitched on a cloth, or inked on paper, these ancient symbols of magic carry meaning beyond words. They remind us that even though witches can be very different – Irish, Slavic, Egyptian, or modern American – we often seek the same things: protection, wisdom, and a connection with nature’s cycles.
So next time you light a candle or cast a circle, remember the pentagrams and spirals that witches before us used. They are gifts from the past that we keep alive today. Blessed be the symbols, and blessed be the tradition that passes them on.
In the End: A Witch’s Language That Never Dies
When you look at these ancient witchcraft symbols, you’re seeing more than ink or metal. You’re seeing the heartbeat of every witch who ever whispered a spell beneath the moon.
They remind us of our ancestors — those who danced under stars, who healed with herbs, who drew these marks for love, safety, and hope.
Magic doesn’t fade. It changes shape, just as we do.
And every time you draw a symbol, light a candle, or whisper an intention, you’re keeping that lineage alive — a quiet spark in an endless chain of light.
So, next time you see a pentacle, a spiral, or a Triskele carved into stone, remember: you’re part of that story now.
