Baphomet

Baphomet, the alleged name of a mysterious idol which the Templars were accused of worshipping. According to the oldest and most common interpretation, the word is a corruption of Mahomet, to whose faith the members of the order were accused of having a leaning. The symbol consisted of a small human figure, having two heads, male and female, and environed with serpents, the sun, and moon. Hammer, with little probability, explains the word as formed from Gr. baphē ('baptism') and mētis ('wisdom'), the Gnostic baptism—a species of spiritual illumination, which was interpreted sensually by later Gnostics, to whose licentious practices he declares them to have been addicted. According to L'Abbé Constant's Dogme et Rituel de la haute Magie, quoted by Littre, the word was cabalistically formed by writing backwards tem. o. h. p. ab., abbreviation of templi omnium hominum pacis abbas, 'abbot (father) of the temple of peace of all men.'