Magus Publishing presents another alchemical series of laboratory and theurgic readers. As we discuss in depth in the forthcoming series Bibliographia, we have long collected pamphlets, zines, monographs, folios, commonplace books, old almanacs, herbals, diaries, anthologies, etc. Steeped in these traditions, we seek to provide visual invocations to the Gods, to the alchemical worldview, to the precious incarnation and the Great Work. Here we have what might be called something of a florilegia as a collection of literary extracts; an anthology. This term literally means flos (flower) and legere (to gather): a literal gathering of flowers, which is appropriate for the subject of life and death. With a few brief essays, it is composed of Sententiae, or the “brief moral sayings, such as proverbs, adages, aphorisms, maxims, quotes etc. on the topic of vanitas or Memento mori.”

The series is called Caput mortuum Latin term whose literal meaning is “dead head” or “worthless remains,” used in alchemy. Each volume contains alchemical essays related to the ‘cult of the skull’ and related lore. Caput mortuum is a submitted, irregular publication from a fellow alchemist and member of the Hyperborean Research Society. These are the ‘worthless remains’ of very specific research, the dregs and uncalcinated sediments that remain.

The first volume of this series is a pictorial foray into the classical Reminders of life’s brevity and ultimate futility if squandered on vain and frivolous distractions. We feel that within this small pamphlet are the keys to the Mysteries and the esoteric seeds of Immortality to those that ponder and meditate upon its secrets.

The second volume of this series is an exegesis of the symbolism of V.1 but stands alone as a distinct treatise on the cult of the head and alchemical and Tantric esoterica of skulls.

We thank you for your support of these works.