Engraving depicting Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretism (joining) of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. The writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus were hugely influential on mediaeval alchemists and led to a revival of the Hermetic movement in western Europe. This in turn led to various brotherhoods being established, notably the Rosicrucians and the Golden Dawn. This engraving comes from 'Symbola aureae' by Michael Maier, published at Frankfurt in 1617.