Masonic myths

Lore & Background

Masonic myths are fundamental elements in the construction of ideas and feelings transmitted within Masonic lodges. They follow a chronological narrative with variations, repeating fundamental principles. Three great myths form the main corpus: the construction myth, the legend of Hiram, and the myth of medieval chivalry. The construction myth draws symbolism from real or legendary constructions like the pyramids, Tower of Babel, Temple of Jerusalem, and cathedrals, with Solomon's temple as the adopted model. This myth takes two complementary directions: one epistemological, philosophical, and spiritual; the other cultural, philanthropic, and critical.

The Hiram myth, appearing in the 1730s, completely transformed early Masonry by adding a new legend that changed the meaning of initiation. It became universally established in speculative Freemasonry. The character of Hiram does not appear in the earliest operative masonry manuscripts (Régius and Cook) and is not found in any known medieval or early modern Masonic manuscript before the 18th century. Historians generally view it as a composite myth from several biblical stories: about Noah's sons, Bezalel and the teaching of building secrets, and King Solomon's temple where Hiram appears as the son of a Tyrian and a widow from Naphtali.

The chivalric myth, though developing mainly in France, is not present in Anderson's Constitutions of 1723; it emerged later in the 18th century, particularly in French Masonic contexts, emphasizing human values of solidarity, loyalty, and virtue.

Reader's Guide

Masonic myths serve as targeted psychological research tools focusing on moral and spiritual self-improvement, self-building, brotherhood, and death. They are linked by a heroic figure who unfolds in Masonic rituals, portrayed by the recipient at the first grade initiation ceremony. The myths' importance lies in the combination of story elements rather than factual accuracy, with no single true or official version. Their richness derives from multiple possible interpretations. The construction myth, consubstantial with Freemasonry, proposes a set of interpretations to be worked out alone or with others. The Hiram myth, a deliberate construction to structure another grade, encouraged a more aristocratic type of Masonry and was, according to historian Roger Dachez, a political instrument of the young premier Grand Lodge of England. These myths ensure continuity between rite, practices, and Masonic culture, energizing personal research and imagination.

Did You Know?

• The Hiram myth appeared in the 1730s and completely transformed early Masonry, which previously knew only two grades.
• The construction myth draws symbolism from real or legendary constructions including the pyramids, Tower of Babel, and cathedrals.
• The chivalric myth is not found in Anderson's Constitutions of 1723; it developed later, especially in French Masonry.
• The earliest known reference to the recovery of a body and a secret lost through the death of the holder appears in the Sloane Manuscript (c. 1700) and other early 18th-century catechisms, predating the Graham manuscript