The History of the Dionysian Artificers

This small book by Hipólito José Da Costa, a great Brazilian writer, journalist, diplomat and freemason, universally considered to be the “father of Brazilian press”, in fact little more than a pamphlet, represents a real milestone in the history of Masonic literature, a precious book that all seeker of Truth should read and jealously keep in their library.The author draws a parallel between Masonic initiation and that practiced by the ancient mystery cults, in particular the Orphic and the Dionysian Mysteries. In his historical reconstruction, Hiram Abiff, a key figure in Masonic symbology, would have belonged to a very ancient secret society called “Dionysian Artificers”, which arose around 1000 BC, just before the construction of the Temple of Solomon began. These Dionysian Artificers, according to Da Costa, were associated with another initiatory brotherhood of builders called “The Ionians”, which had built the majestic Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.Once settled in Jerusalem, the Dionysian Artificers, who were masters in the art of Sacred Geometry and keepers of an ancient initiatory wisdom, would call themselves the “Sons of Solomon”.All the great mystery and initiatory traditions of Mediterranean antiquity, from Egypt to Greece, from Italy to the Near East, had their own secret brotherhoods of builders under their control. Secret brotherhoods that held the secrets of geometry and sacred geography, which with their silent work have achieved over the centuries the mirroring of heaven on earth, building the largest and most majestic temples of human spirituality. And this precious book by Hipólito José Da Costa provides us with important keys to reading and understanding this fascinating and mysterious context.