MYSTERIES OF THE EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE - HIKARI Ltd

20 History
Figure 1.36: Gothic Mason’s Marks [142]
In the Gothic Masons Guilds [142], the Companion (second degree of initiation)
received a personal mason’s mark at the end of his probationary period.
This seal, which would be his sign or password for the remainder of his life,
was not secret and would be used to identify his work and to gain admission
when visiting other lodges. Many of the mason’s marks used by these master
builders to identify themselves and their work were based upon the equilateral
triangle [142, pp. 119-123] (Figure 1.36).
Figure 1.37: Heraldic Cross of the Knights Templar
The Order of the Temple (The Knights Templar) was organized in France
at the commencement of the First Crusade in 1096 A.D. [15]. They trained
like modern day commandos and battled to the death. The Knights Templar
battled like demons for hundreds of years throughout the various Crusades,
meeting their end at Acre, their last stronghold in the Holy Lands, in 1291.
Most of them were butchered by the Moslems and the survivors made their
way to France where their Order was eventually suppressed by the Catholic
Church. The remaining Knights Templar became affiliated with Freemasonry.
The Heraldic Cross of the Knights Templar (a.k.a. cross formée, Tatzenkreuz,
Iron cross, Maltese cross, Victoria cross) is comprised of an arrangement of
four equilateral triangles joined at a common vertex (Figure 1.37).