Agamotto

[Nikko]

The word Agamotto pops up in a few different places.

"The bits [on the Echoes covers] would also be clues or parts of a puzzle, quietly challenging the viewer to find and name them all properly, and hence discover the key... not the glass key nor the Florida key nor in fact the key to the potting shed... but the mystic key of Aggamoto."
- Storm Thorgerson

This photo appears in Inside Out:

Outside the Palm House at Kew. This was the dawning of the fish-eye lens. Storm, who took the photograph, assures me that the proffered piece of jewellery was in fact the 'Ring of Agamotto'. What an extraordinary piece of luck, then, that he was able to find such a rare gem on sale on a stall in Portobello Market...

The term Agamotto comes from Marvel's Dr. Strange comics and artwork from the comic is included on the cover of A Saucerful of Secrets. (It's from the story "The Sands Of Death" in Strange Tales #158).



In the comic, Dr. Strange has a mystical Amulet of Agamotto and an Orb of Agamotto, which amplify his psychic powers. The comic was a big hit with college students at the time because of mystical allusions and trippy artwork. The lyrics in Let There Be More Light fit well with the overblown cosmic images in the comic.

Is there something to be found? From Storm's claim that the Echoes art gives us the Key of Agamotto, and Nick and David handing us the Ring of Agamotto, it would appear not to be a physical treasure-hunt for an actual key or ring, but something hidden within the music and art. I'll go out on a limb and say that a gang of counter-culture 20-somethings did not really have the mysic key to all the secrets of the universe. So what should we look for? This hidden treasure must be identified before it can be found. Any ideas?

[deadparrotsketch]

is this the possible "prize" (i put that in quotes because i am a bit sceptical there is a real ,but i do think the enigma is)

[Nikko]

I think it may be a metaphor for the prize, rather than the prize being an actual jewel or something.

[somnus]

I have looked into this solution and come up empty. I have been researching the enigma for over 10 years and I actually bought strange tales #158 just to really check it out. I really do believe that it may have something to do with the solution, but besides Thorgerson's comment and the similarity in the comic book artwork to the pulse cover, I can't see how this piece fits in. It is definitely worth noting that there are multiple photos taken outside of Kew gardens, and they have 3 objects which are all obviously costume jewelry attempts at all 3 Agamotto artifacts (eye, orb, amulet). So Storm was referring to this fact and apparently they really were into the comic because it isn't just the cover of Piper then that makes refernce to #158. Also maybe worth noting the time differential because Dave is holding the Orb but he wasn't even in PF when Piper was recorded. Now if you could find Dr. Strange's symbol somewhere in TDB, that would be something...

[arod777]

Wow! I would really love to see it, is there any way you could scan the book in a low resolution so we can all read it?

Who knows, you may have missed a connection in the comic book, to TDB that one of us may be able to catch.

[myriadsmallcreatur]

Who is the little girl in the picture?

And who is the WWW?

[myriadsmallcreatur]

Notice that both the key and the band are slightly off-center to the left, including her in the picture deliberately. She could have been moved, cropped out of the picture, but was not.

Meaningful?

1973. Four or five year old girl?

[desperation]

is she crying? could the ring have been taken from her?

[ttimber13]

The picture provided by Nikko made me realize something. The picture of the Earth going into the water in on the Saucerful of Secrets album along with the ring of Agamotto.

[ayetam]

I AM NOT PLAYING WITH YOU:

I AM YOUR TRUE FRIEND, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

I AM NOT GONNA PLAY THIS GAME, FOR THE RESOLUTION IS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

FOLLOW:

Do you remember the song "RETURN TO INNOCENCE"?
I just cannot remember what is THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR (can someone find it for me and post it?), but the lyrics are VERY IMPRESSIVE.

DID I NOT PROMISE THAT I WOULD RETURN?

I KEEP MY WORD, WILL YOU KEEP YOURS?

I HAVE TOLD YOU IT IS VERY SIMPLE. I NEVER CHANGE AND NEVER LEAVE YOU HUNGRY AND THIRSTY. NOW, IT IS TIME TO REJOICE AND TO RETURN. I CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR ENDURANCE. NOW, PUT YOUR NEW OLD PERSPECTIVES INTO IT AND THE WORLD WILL BE A PEACEFUL PLACE OF FREEDOM, LOVE AND JUSTICE.