what do the jewels of the three principals symbolise in the royal arch and do writers agree on them

The official jewel of the First Principal (Zerubbabel) is a Crown; that of the Second Principal (Haggai) is an All-seeing Eye; and that of the Third Principal (Joshua) is a Book 2. In each case, the symbol is surrounded by rays of glory, or a nimbus, and set within an equilateral triangle 2.

While Mackey sets out these physical designs and their assignment to the respective officers 2, the supplied sources do not provide an extensive debate or differing interpretations specifically regarding the symbolism of the jewels themselves. They do, however, address the symbolic nature of the three Principals whom the jewels distinguish. Wilmshurst reads the three officers as personifications of the attributes of monadic Spirit: Zerubbabel representing Royal Supremacy as the central coordinating principle, Haggai representing Holiness in its passive aspect, and Joshua representing Functional Power in its active aspect 1.

Because the library contains no further commentary comparing how different authors interpret these specific emblems, it cannot be stated from these sources whether or to what extent Masonic writers disagree on the reading of the jewels themselves.

The official jewel of the First Principal (Zerubbabel) is a Crown; that of the Second Principal (Haggai) is an All-seeing Eye; and that of the Third Principal (Joshua) is a Book 2. Each emblem is surrounded by a nimbus, or rays of glory, and suspended within an equilateral triangle 2.

While these physical emblems distinguish the presiding officers, the supplied sources do not provide a detailed symbolic commentary on the individual jewel devices themselves. Symbolic interpretation in the text focuses instead on the personages and attributes represented by the three officers 1. Wilmshurst interprets the three Principals as personifications of the divine Spirit's high attributes—Holiness, Royal Supremacy, and Functional Power 1. In this reading, Zerubbabel serves as the central co-ordinating principle, while Haggai represents its passive aspect and Joshua its active aspect 1.

Under the American system, the officer titles and physical jewels differ: the King wears a level surmounted by a crown, the Scribe wears a plumb-rule surmounted by a turban, and the High Priest wears a miter, all enclosed within an equilateral triangle 2.