The mystery of the magic square « Sator »

There is a very old door in the Jean-Jacques Rousseau street, in the historic neighborhoods of Grenoble, on which is engraved a strange message. It is composed of five Latin words whose origin and meaning have never been discovered yet.

Whatever the reading direction, horizontal left to right or right to left, or vertical downward and upward, the magic square always delivers the same message, consisting of the following five Latin words: « SATOR » « AREPO », « TENET », « OPERA », « ROTAS ».

A mysterious message that is repeated in every sense of reading.

The mystery increases when we know that the same square was found in several countries in Europe and the Middle East. Its earliest representation was discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, which traces its origin no later than the year 79 AD.
It is also found in other Italian cities such as Rome, Siena or Cremona, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Conimbriga in Portugal, Circencester in UK, Budapest in Hungary, 8 French towns but also in the ancient site of Dura Europos in Syria and in Egypt.

All these places have one thing in common: they are very ancient human occupation sites, all confined within the borders of what the Roman Empire was.

The same old square was found in several countries.

Much ink has been spilled on the magic square Sator for centuries, involving attempts to explain them with different interpretations: religious, numerological, and even alchemy.
One of the most popular theories is the Christian explanation: the square Sator was used by early Christians in the Roman Empire. Persecuted and forced to hide, the magic square have served their recognition code.

But, a recognition code engraved on the walls is not really discreet.

Actually, we will probably never know the meaning of this mysterious message…