De Imaginibus was carved in the ninth century by Thābit ibn Qurra, a Sage of Harran.
He did not invent this art, he transcribed it from the Sabians: star-worshippers who preserved what Hermes taught. The chain is unbroken.
Basically, every planet radiates a specific power. That power can be captured in an image; engraved on stone, stamped on metal, formed in wax. The image is not just a symbol, it becomes a vessel. When you engrave it at the correct hour, with the correct name, the power descends, the image becomes alive. It will protect, heal, or compel- not by your will, but by the law of the spheres.
This is pretty much the source theory of Talismanic magic in all later grimoires.
De Imaginibus was suppressed by the Catholic Church. It was included in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (Index of Forbidden Books) because it taught practical astrological magic; engraving images, invoking planetary spirits, and creating talismans.
The Church viewed this as idolatry, superstition, and a challenge to clerical authority. Manuscripts were confiscated, burned, or hidden. The text survived in private libraries and was rediscovered during the Renaissance, but it never became a public work.
Enjoy
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