Throughout medieval history, the image of the Owl was often associated with evil due to its tendency to be active during the dangerous hours of the night. Many early cultures saw the Owl as an omen of approaching bad fortune and believed that it was cursed as a creature of the dead.

However, Illuminati tradition tells a different story. In Illuminati practices, the Owl is revered as a creature of vigilance — a guardian who stands alert, so others can rest through the night under its watchful gaze. It is seen as a totem representing wisdom, its eyes ever-watchful for the morning to approach and for the guiding Light to re-emerge over the horizon.

In modern culture, the Owl appears in a variety of prominent locations, especially in places of government and on currency. Through magnification, the Owl can even be seen in the corner of every United States one-dollar bill, alongside the Pyramid and the All-Seeing Eye.