Exquisite Tunisian Blue Door

Star of David on a blue door, Tunis Medina

Dr Rachel Milstein, Specialist in Islamic art, and director of the Near Eastern Studies Department at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, lectured in the Israeli President's house about ancient Bible decorations and here is my translation for an excerpt of this lecture:

The star symbol, especially the one made of two intertwined opposite triangles called Solomon's seal (which was later named by Jews as Star of David) stands for the great name of the Lord, for the knowledge that originates from the Lord, for Heaven and the movement of the planets, and for all the meanings of the concept of kingship. The combination of all these meanings in the symbol of the star endows it an immense power, and that's why it serves also for magical purposes; and thus it continues a long tradition of attaching talismans to the walls of cities. In Fostat it is found on arc cornices of a residence from the 9th century, and in Tunis it is widespread even in our days.

Copyright: Brian MxMorrow from PBase