Star (symbol). History and meaning in different cultures

A star as a geometric symbol is a sign of the divine idea and will, according to which our world appeared and began to rotate in space. Since ancient times, this figure has symbolized the celestial stars, which were revered as intelligent beings that constantly influence our world, which is why they have become synonymous with wisdom. It is believed that the figure of the star exactly followed the trajectory of Venus. That is why it became the Sumerian and Egyptian star sign.

Royal Order of the Two Sicilies

The ancients believed that each person has his own star, which appears at his birth and goes out at the moment of death. Today, echoes of these beliefs are reflected in such seemingly mundane phrases as “my star has not yet risen” or “his star has faded.”

All ancient civilizations knew the image of a five-rayed star, also called the Star of Magi or the pentagram. In Ancient Mesopotamia, the five-pointed star was a symbol of royal power, as well as an amulet that could protect against all diseases. By drawing it above the front door, it was possible to block evil forces from entering the home.

Major Arcana “Star” from the Tarot deck of the Duke of Visconti, 15th century.

The philosopher penetrates through the celestial sphere with the Sun, Moon and six-pointed stars into the higher spheres. The so-called “Flammarion engraving”, 19th century.

In Judaism, the pentagram is a symbol of the Pentateuch of Moses. The ancient Greeks identified it with the letter alpha. The Pythagoreans considered the five-pointed star a symbol of bodily and spiritual harmony, a sign of health, five senses and five years of silence for the student before initiation into the secrets of the teaching.

For Freemasons, the pentagram is a solar sign, which is called the “flaming star.” Sometimes the letter G is placed in the center, which is interpreted as gnosis, or knowledge.

Star - emblem of the Scottish clan Retrey

Three six-pointed stars on the shield and Venus. Engraving of the Master of the House Book from a German treatise of the 15th century.

The multicolored star is the emblem of the Druze, an Ismaili sect in the Middle East.

The six-pointed ordinary star was the personification of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. The hexagram, also a six-pointed star, but composed of two triangles - the star of David, or Solomon - was a powerful protective talisman. The Arabs believed that this symbol had power over the genies. In the Arabian collection of fairy tales "A Thousand and One Nights", this powerful spirit was obliged to fulfill the three wishes of the person who broke this seal and freed him.

The hexagram is the basis of action and immobility, personifying the unity of opposites. In alchemy, it is called the seal of Solomon and includes seven parts or seven metals, in the center of which is gold, as well as the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. This emblem is the coat of arms of Israel and is called the Shield of David, and is also considered an attribute of many mother and sea goddesses, such as Isis.

Kabbalistic amulet with a pentagram inscribed in it. Engraving from a treatise of the 17th century.

Coat of arms of the Belarusian village of Krevo. The hexagonal star, symbol first of Ishtar and then of Venus, shines above the crescent moon, originally the symbol of Hecate and the city of Constantinople

Three small stars on a shoulder strap with one gap are the insignia of a senior lieutenant of the Soviet Army since 1943. Also visible in the photo is the Soviet Order of the Red Star

The star was embroidered on sails by sailors, who thus expressed their veneration of Aphrodite, born from sea foam. This geometric figure was often used for fortune telling, and a number of signs were also associated with it. The inhabitants of Sparta believed that if a star fell, then this was a sign that the king had committed some kind of sin, for which he must repent and justify himself.

In ancient Rome they believed that it was Jupiter who was letting people know about an impending storm or that a child was born. In Catholic tradition, a falling star was interpreted as a sign that someone's soul had left purgatory. Muslims believe that these are stones thrown by angels to scare away evil genies from heaven. Since many pagan peoples had a cult of stars, Christianity tried in every possible way to fight it, warning against idolatry. For example, the fall of Israel and its capture by the Assyrians is interpreted in the Bible by the idolatry of the Jews, who began to worship the stars. However, Christianity was still forced, albeit purely symbolically, to accept the cult of the stars: for example, the Virgin Mary in the image of the Immaculate Conception, surrounded by a crown of stars, became very similar to the muse of astronomy Urania. Following the star, the Magi found their way through the desert to worship and bring gifts to the newborn Jesus Christ.

Star in space

Patch of a member of the American space mission Gemini 6.

What does the Star symbol mean?

The Star symbol has long been associated with the stars in the sky . It was believed that stars influence people and their lives, since every person is born under a star, and after his death the star fades away. That is why the expression “born under a lucky star” appeared.

There are different variations of stars in the Unicode table and they are used for different purposes. Most often, the asterisk character from Unicode is inserted into nicknames, comments or statuses on social networks. In some cases, stars are used to designate a variety of phenomena or objects.

The asterisk symbol is also used in mathematics to represent the multiplication sign. There is also the concept of the Star of David; it is depicted on the Israeli flag and is the main sign of the Jews. The famous star balm also uses a popular symbol. This symbol can decorate many text elements and titles, depending on the number of angles of the star, the star can have different meanings.

Interpretation of the symbol in ancient cultures

The first drawings depicting a pentagonal star were found in Mesopotamia, in the vicinity of the city of Uruk. Ancient astronomers did not suspect that they were creating one of the most significant symbols in the history of mankind - they drew the trajectory of Venus’s movement across the sky.

The pentagram is found in different cultures. And its meaning is different.

Among the Egyptians, one of the mysterious peoples, the five-pointed dawn was associated with Anubis, the god of the other world. People believed that in the afterlife their souls were not destined to observe the starry sky. Therefore, they painted stars with five rays on the walls and ceilings of tombs, sometimes on statues of noble people and pharaohs.
The pentagram was especially popular in Babylon. It was considered a strong amulet against evil forces, witchcraft, and damage. The image of the symbol was painted on the walls of houses above the front door and windows to protect the home from thieves. The five-pointed star in Babylon served as the royal seal, as well as a symbol of the Sun god Shamash and the no less powerful, revered goddess of fertility Ishtar. Over time, the Sumerians made her the personification of the afterlife - the Duat.
Among the Jews, dawn is the personification of the Pentateuch, which was dictated to Moses by the Lord.
Alexander the Great, one of the great generals who conquered half the world, used the image of a pentagram as a state seal.
The Templars interpreted this occult sign in their own way. For them, it symbolized nobility, courage, politeness and chastity. Taken together, these qualities (located along different rays of dawn) created the crown of true piety.
For Christians, the five-pointed dawn was a symbol of the five wounds received by Christ during his dying suffering. She was the heavenly body that illuminated the way for the shepherds and three kings during the Nativity of Christ.
The Slavs associated this sign with fertility and the cyclical nature of life. The upper ray of the star is the highest power that created the world and the gods. Dawn became the totemic sign of most Slavic deities - Lada, Veles, Dazhbog.
Islamists revere the star as the embodiment of the five pillars of the Faith and the number of daily prayers.

The pentagram found its way into the occult practices of European magicians by accident. Arab priests brought it, passing it off as the Star of David, which has great power. Initially, it was used as protection against black witchcraft and evil forces.

The Bolsheviks made the red star, the sign of Mars, their coat of arms. On the helmets of the Red Army soldiers, it was a symbol of belligerence and victory. Completed with a hammer and sickle, the dawn reflected the peaceful labor of workers and peasants.

Five pointed star

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The five-pointed star symbol (pentagram) is a symbol that was used in the ancient state of Sumer. In Babylon, this particular star was a symbol of protection from theft and damage, in Ancient Greece it symbolized the harmony of heaven and earth, and the Pythagoreans considered the pentagram to be mathematical perfection. In Christianity, the pentagram is a reminder of the 5 wounds of Christ that he received during the crucifixion; it was also previously used in the design of churches, for example, the Bethlehem Cathedral of the Nativity.

In the field of astronomy, the pentagram denotes the trajectory of the planet Venus. The five-pointed star changes its meaning depending on culture, country and era. Today the pentagram is officially used on the flag of the State of Israel.

The five-pointed star is often used in architectural design, in logos and brand names, and on emblems. It is a symbol of protection, security, mystical powers and harmony in everything.

Pentagram on the emblem of Jerusalem (300-150 BC):

Magical meaning

The five-pointed star is used as a very powerful witchcraft sign in witchcraft. In magical rituals, texts and formulas it is called a pentagram.

A pentacle is used for rituals. This is a special round disk that is made of wax, baked clay or other materials. The sign of the pentagram is applied to it. It can be engraved alone or in combination with other magical symbols.

The pentacle is used to attract the energy of the elements, earth, stars or people. Sometimes during magical rituals, the high priestesses themselves assume the pentagram pose. They stand in a circle and spread their arms and legs to the sides, symbolizing a five-pointed star. In some teachings, this pose signifies rebirth.

Today, many modern magicians wear a pendant on their chest or a ring on their finger with a five-pointed symbol. It is a sign of their teachings, as well as a protective talisman and amulet. It is made from silver, less often from gold. Metal gives the figure special strength and energy, which is enhanced by special spells. Practicing magicians and sorcerers use a magic sign to cope with elemental forces and entities from the underworld that they call.

Eight pointed star

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This star is also called the octagram and the cross. The eight-pointed star is often used in decorative arts. In Islamic culture it is considered a symbol of heaven. In the criminal world, the octagram is considered the sign of “thieves in law” (Star of the Winds). Previously, it was used by sailors and pirates as a symbol of good luck on sea voyages.

In Orthodoxy, an eight-pointed star can be found in the image of icons of the Mother of God. The sign symbolizes the leading star, behind which the Magi followed to worship the one who gave birth to Jesus Christ.

How to make a seven-pointed star yourself

The process will help you get to know the sign better.

Draw

Actions are performed step by step:

draw a circle with a compass;
dots are placed on it - the ends of the star;
connect them using a ruler and pencil;
unnecessary features are erased.

They depict the Septagram without moving their hands - with one stroke.

Make it out of paper

If the star is used to decorate a room, you should try to make it yourself. The process is simple. To implement it you need to perform the following manipulations:

take a sheet of paper and fold it across and lengthwise;
lean the ends against the bending point;
turn the product over and bend the top parts horizontally;
repeat the action with the lower fractions;
turn over again and bend the corners;
fold vertically;
bend the triangles at the base;
stretch the product, holding it by the side edges;
Bend the triangles on the sides inward.

It is necessary to complete 7 such preparations. Then connect them by inserting them into pockets next to each other. The result will be a three-dimensional star.

four pointed star

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Four-pointed star symbol meaning can also be very different. A cross-shaped star often denotes a warning. In Mesopotamia this symbol was used for the sun god Shamash. Today this symbol represents light in the darkness of night. It is often used to denote good luck in career growth or victory in sports competitions. The four-pointed star can be found on departmental service awards. If you need to indicate the correctly chosen path with a symbol, then this type of star is suitable.

Star of David (six-pointed star)

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The Star of David consists of 2 triangles that are superimposed on each other. This sign is used by many peoples of the world and has different names - Solomon's seal, hexagram, magendovid and others. This is a very ancient symbol with a complicated history, the Israelis began to use it for their culture in the early 18th century and today the hexagram is known as the main symbol of the people of Israel, mainly used on charms and amulets. The six-pointed star is credited with religious and mystical significance.

Application options

After you have purchased the amulet or made it yourself, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations for its use:

The talisman is best worn on a chain

It is best to wear a talisman on a chain, so it will have a beneficial effect on a person’s aura and protect him from negativity;
You need to keep the talisman on the sore spot for several minutes, this will help get rid of the disease faster;
With this sign you can improve your vision. To do this, you need to turn off the lights and light the candles. Trace the symbol with your eyes clockwise and in the opposite direction for several minutes;
put a star on your head for a few minutes, this will improve the energy field and enhance protection;
It is best to wear the Star of David around your neck, this way you can protect yourself from negativity and activate your brain;
the chain must be made of the same material as the amulet;
You need to carry the amulet with you for a while without taking it off;
The jewelry needs to be cleaned periodically, charged, and activated before use.

What not to do:

tell someone that you are using a talisman;
give your talisman to another person;
look if the amulet is lost.

If you want to make your life better, a magical talisman will help you with this. When you choose the right amulet and activate it correctly, you will notice its effect in the shortest possible time.

Star emoji on different devices

Please be aware that the Unicode characters you use may appear differently depending on the device on which the character is displayed. An example of displaying the same glowing star symbol from different devices. How to make stars in your nickname? Nicknames with stars look original and attract the attention of other users. Therefore, to add, simply copy the asterisk from our table and add it to your nickname.

CSS CODE	UNICODE	HTML CODE	DESCRIPTION
★	\2605	U+2605	★	Black Star
☆	\2606	U+2606	☆	Blank white star
✪	\272A	U+272A	✪	Star in a circle
✵	\2735	U+2735	✵	Eight pointed star