Symbolic Key: Meaning of the Key, from Janus to Saint Peter, City and Exile Keys
The key opens and closes: a symbol of access, knowledge, authority and passage. Janus, Saint Peter, the keys of the pope, the Key of Solomon, twenty-first birthday gifts, love padlocks.
Key points
| Central idea | Opening, closing, gaining access, protecting a secret |
|---|---|
| Antiquity | Janus (doors), Hecate Kleidouchos (the key-bearer) |
| Christianity | The keys of Saint Peter (Matthew 16:19) |
| Papal arms | Two crossed keys, one gold and one silver |
| Grimoire | The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis), 14th-15th centuries |
| Modern tradition | Key to the city, the twenty-first birthday key |
| Tarot and oracle | Lenormand: The Key, card 33 |
The basic meaning
The key is the object that opens what is closed. From this very simple gesture come several meanings: gaining access to a place or to knowledge, being granted the right to enter, holding a secret, crossing a threshold (birth, marriage, initiation), protecting what is precious. In French, expressions such as "la clé du problème" (the key to the problem) or "la clé de voûte" (the keystone) show how far the image has entered the language.
The symbol also works in reverse: whoever holds the key can also lock someone in. It therefore evokes responsibility as much as freedom.
In antiquity: Janus and Hecate
In Rome, Janus, god of doors, passages and beginnings, is depicted with a sceptre and a key: he was called the key-bearer (clavigerus). He gave his name to January, the first month of the year.
In Greece, Hecate was sometimes called Kleidouchos, "she who holds the key", since she guards crossroads, passages and the thresholds between worlds. These roles as guardian of thresholds explain the importance of the key as a symbol of passage.
The keys of Saint Peter
In the Gospel of Matthew (16:19), Jesus says to Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Since then, Saint Peter has been depicted with one or two keys. The papal arms and the flag of the Vatican bear two crossed keys, one gold and one silver, often interpreted as spiritual and temporal power, or as the power to bind and to loose.
This is a precise Christian symbol: do not confuse it with a simple decoration. Crossed keys are also a common heraldic motif in towns whose patron is Peter.
Keys, grimoires and alchemy
The word "key" (Latin clavis, clavicula) serves as the title of many texts: the Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis), a grimoire attributed to Solomon, copied in Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries from older texts, which offers rituals of ceremonial magic. Alchemists also spoke of keys to designate access to the hidden meaning of their texts.
These are books of occult tradition, whose attributions are legendary. Reading them historically is useful; practising them is not recommended without caution, especially if it involves fire, incense or substances.
Keys in social life
| Tradition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Key to the city | A symbolic honour given to a person who is invited or distinguished; it goes back to the medieval custom of handing the keys of a city to a sovereign |
| Twenty-first birthday key | A symbolic gift for coming of age (formerly 21) in English-speaking countries: access to adulthood |
| Love padlock | A custom on bridges (the Pont des Arts in Paris, where padlocks were removed in 2015 after part of the railing collapsed in 2014): a padlock is closed and the key thrown away |
| Keys of exile | Some Sephardic families from Spain (1492) and some Palestinian families (1948) keep, by tradition, the keys of homes they left |
The last example is a reminder that the key can be a symbol of memory and loss. Speak about it with tact, as it touches on painful histories.
The key in the oracle and in culture
In the Lenormand oracle, The Key is card 33, read as "solution" or "certainty": keywords, not predictions. The key is also a sign of access to knowledge in fairy tales (Bluebeard's forbidden door) and in games (the treble clef in music, a different word but a close idea). It is sometimes called the "key of life" when speaking of the Egyptian ankh.
Wearing it, giving it, understanding it
- Giving a key as a pendant can say: "you have access to my heart", "welcome to our home" or "a good start in your new home".
- For someone who has lived through exile or bereavement, prefer a neutral key, or ask them what it brings to mind.
- An old second-hand key may be rusty or sharp: clean it, and do not give it to a young child.
- Avoid promises: a key does not "unlock" luck.
- Stone associations, by tradition only: labradorite (passages), lapis lazuli (knowledge).
Discover our pendants and bracelets. Other symbols: the labyrinth, the horseshoe. Our commitments: Our commitments.
Frequently asked questions
What does a key symbolise?
Access, secrecy, authority and the passage from one state to another. The exact meaning depends on the context.
Why does Saint Peter hold keys?
Because, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus entrusts him with "the keys of the kingdom of heaven".
What is the Key of Solomon?
A grimoire of ceremonial magic attributed to Solomon, copied in Italy in the Middle Ages from older texts.
What does "key to the city" mean?
A symbolic honour given to a person, in memory of the medieval custom of handing over the keys to a town's gates.
Does a key bring good luck?
There is no proof. It is a symbol of access and attention, to be given for a beginning or a passage.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Symbol dictionary.