The concept of the quarters or watchtowers and their "watchers" originated in ancient Mesopotamia and is contiuous through Judeo-Christian tradition. The Babylonian ritual invoking the four guardians of the directions was transmitted through a Hebrew evening prayer, a protective charm invoking the protection of the four archangels. This prayer passed from Jewish kabbalists to medieval magicians, and was popularized in modern times through the rituals of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a nineteenth century magickal group that relied heavily on John Dee's Enochian workings.

In Wiccan and Ritual Magick ceremonies, the quarters represent the four cardinal directions, and the four elements. During a Wiccan ritual, one person typically represents each quarter, and each has its own recitation, or 'call,' invoking the four "watchers."

The four watchtowers according to John Dee and Edward Kelly

Related Resources:

• Druidry/Neopaganism
• History of Witchcraft
• Ritual Magick