Throughout Freemasonry’s initiatory degrees and the accompanying lectures, explanations of the various sets of symbols are given which primarily constitute their moral and ethical interpretations. There are, however, several alternate keys of interpretation that may be applied to Masonic ritual and symbolism to great effect, yielding a greater insight into the Fraternity’s contextual history and wide range of derivational inspiration and influence. Among these alternate interpretive keys is the astrological. Freemasonry abounds with allusions to various celestial objects and phenomena in addition to allegorical content, unique to Masonic ritual, which can be understood to represent cycles such as the annual and diurnal solar circuits, planetary orbits and even axial precession.

There is a distinction made in Freemasonry between the Operative and the Speculative Crafts. The beginnings of Operative Masonry can be seen as early as the Neolithic Era [20]. It is here that we begin to see the earliest examples of edifices composed of quarried and worked stone. Many of these early structures betray an inordinately high level of geometrical and astronomical proficiency, particularly when considered in the context of the accepted cultural development of the period. When the application of geometrical principles in architecture becomes apparent, we can begin to trace the Operative origins of Freemasonry; most clearly evidenced by the conception and execution of megalithic structures in prehistory. Many of these edifices were oriented to astronomical events, such as the solstices and equinoxes, serving to further establish the irrefutable fact that these structures were conceived and raised in keeping with the […] Hermetic Principle of Correspondence.

We must then further consider the fact that this information was limited to the class of the architect and builder, among whom these practices had become trade secrets [21]. That these masons, with the probable addition of the priestly class and hierophants of the Mysteries, were in possession of the astrological keys that yielded the science of geometry (and the consequent arts dependent upon it) is incontrovertible when considered in light of their work. Thus we see the gradual stratification of a class of craftsmen who had designed and erected these ancient and astronomically-oriented structures in stone, many notable examples of which remain standing to this day, which is itself a physical testament to the quality of their workmanship.

The word geometry has its etymological roots in the Ancient Greek – γεωμετρία (geo “earth” and metron “measurement”). The fact that the word itself is referential to the measurement of the Earth is significant to our subject in that the only means by which the topography of the Earth may be terrestrially measured is in juxtaposition to the celestial sphere. Otherwise, the process of “Earth measurement” would be akin to measuring a ruler with the same ruler – one will always arrive at a 1:1 ratio. Bearing this in mind, it is difficult to say, conclusively, if the science of astronomy is dependent upon geometry, as it is inferred in a Lodge of Fellowcraft Masons, or whether geometry is, itself, an abstraction drawn from astronomical observation.

By marking the solstices, equinoxes and other sidereal phenomena, mankind gradually became able to gain a sense of space, time and the rhythms of the Earth. By extrapolating the accumulated data and the procedures used in the observance of astronomical events, he was able to apply this knowledge to other areas such as agriculture, navigation and architecture – i.e. the arts and sciences upon which human civilization is contingent.