What is the meaning of the inscriptions on Baphomet arms? I refer to Latin words **SOLVE** and **COAGULA** on his arms. I understand literal translation of these words but it doesn't throw any light of the real designation and sacred meaning of them. All the explanations I found of the web are incoherent, fragmentary and lack credibility, their authors are not confident. Not to mention that all the knowledge about Baphomet himself and history of his emergence in historical sources is very contradictory, even the Wikipedia article is not very trustworthy.

"Solve et coagula" is the principle underlying alchemy: _dissolve_ materials to their constituents and re- _assemble_ these into something else.

Fulcanelli writes of this quote:

> If you know how to dissolve the fixed,
>
> And to make the dissolved fly,
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> Then to fix the flying in powder,
>
> You have something to console yourself with.