Pigpen cipher

The Masonic alphabet, also Masonic Square is a substitution cipher monoalphabetic Freemasonry and today is no more practical use.

Origin

This cipher is based on the Kabbalah of the nine chambers ( Aik Bechar ) and was supposedly already in use in ancient times. From this in the Middle Ages, the so-called sigils of spirits were created that refer to the " hell coercion" of Dr. Faust, in the writings of Agrippa, and in the Rosicrucian writings mention. Also from the Middle Ages comes the ajar because Noachic font.

Operation

Kabbalah of the nine chambers

Here you write the 27 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, including the five final character so-called three times in three superposed fields; on each letter represents a numerical value and the two or three points, which indicate the position of the letters in the single chamber.

Sigils of spirits

One writes the letters after the Kabbalistic alphabet next to each other, connecting the figures, where the points are omitted, and obtained by a contraction of the so-called character, the Sigillum of mind or Angel, which is used to conceal one's own name.

Noachic font

The sum of one side and the diagonals always 15 In this three times three fields large magic squares were originally used the Hebrew letters. Then these were replaced by the Latin letters, the most commonly used Masonic square, of which there are numerous variations arose. The cipher characters created here by the adjacent (inner) lines and the points of each letter:

Masonic Code

If you fill the letters of the Latin alphabet to each of two letters in the cells of the famous cross-shaped square and liability for the remaining letters a diagonal cross in itself manner to complete, the result is the now well-known variant of this code. Dots indicate as usual to the left or right position.

The key consists of a grid (see chart at right). When encrypting the environment of the letter is written off. Thus, from

A _ |

B | _ |

C | _

...

Z /. \

This corresponds to a normal encryption with a ciphertext alphabet ( monoalphabetic substitution). The only difference is that the cipher text of characters and not letters.

In one variant, first fills the square and saltire with one letter per cell and then repeated this with the remaining letters in a second, dotted square and cross. Only for the second square and cross the point is now written.

The Masonic code can be found today in many tangible and young adult books. Even on old grave stones or doorways you find characters which often include a motto or slogan.

Use

The use of these cipher writing was in Freemasonry of the 18th century to some extent a matter of course. So Masonic books were printed, such as Browne's Master Key (London 1794) and Masonic Treatise (1802 ) even with multiple keys in special variations of this font.

In modern times cipher writings are, at best, in American Freemasonry used, especially since this kind of cipher fonts (mono alphabetic substitution) do not provide security against decoding by third parties.