Paddle Boat Steamer 1866

Huge Star  of David on a Paddle Boat Steamer 

1866 

Albany, New York

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 Courtesy of Stephanie Comfort

(c) 

2012

Roman Mosaic at Stabia

Black and White Roman Mosaic at Villa Arianna, Stabia

Dating to the 1st Century C.E. at the latest,
 since this small port town near Pompeii 

was also destroyed by volcanic ashes in 79 C.E.

In Pompeii there are many mosaics with six pointed stars from the same period

See:

http://zeevgoldmann.blogspot.com/2008/08/xi-italian-mosaic-floors-with-davids.html 

Picture courtesy of Mark Mansfield (c)

See original:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mm38/3083095732/

Knot Art

Six pointed stars in Girih (Knot Art ) at the

Mustansiriya Madrasah, Baghdad, Iraq, 1227

CC Picture from Wikipedia entry: Mustansiriya Madrasah

Girih (meaning knot in Persian) is the name of geometric interlacing patterns in Islamic decorative art that can be considered as a type of arabesque. Researchers assume that Girih was influenced by Roman knot patterns dating back to the 2nd century C.E.

 Roman knot pattern (Solomon's Knot) from Aquileia Basilica 

CC Picture from Wikipedia entry: Solomon's Knot [1]

Six pointed stars are seen often times in Girih. One of the first examples of Girih is at the Mustansiriya Madrasah in Baghdad, Iraq (see picture above). Other early examples are found at the Umayyad Mosque (709–715) in Damascus, Syria (in window screens) and at Khirbat al-Mafjar in Jericho (c.730)-  in window grills with curved lines. Girih appears frequently also in Moghul art.

Geometry or mathematics may explain the composition and the basic meaning of symbols like stars with 5 ,6 ,8 points, but their interlacing seems to be influenced by previous knot art. 

Interlaced Pentagram in Capernaum, Israel

Courtesy of Gabi Goldman

Interlaced Octagram in East Jerusalem, Israel

Photographer: Ze'ev Barkan

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[1] Solomon's Knot is called in Latin Sigillum Salomonis, meaning literally "seal of Solomon". This name was ascribed sometimes also to the 5 or 6 pointed stars. Lois Rose Rose in her book Seeing Solomon's Knot (2005, ISBN 097776700-0) claims that examples of Solomon's Knot are dated back to 30000 B.C.E. 

Sikh Star

 Six pointed stars pattern on the pavement in front of 

 Amritsar Golden Temple, Punjab, India

the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion

Built in 1604

Rebuilt in 1764

Google- More Sizes

 When you hover with your mouth over one of the pictures in Google Images Search Engine the picture gets a little bit larger and on its bottom appears a link to MORE SIZES...thus you can see all the websites that use your image - like in the above screen shot.  

Japanese town Emblem

 Japanese town  Emblem: Otaru,  Hokkaidō

The kanji 小 (o) inside a star of David symbolizing snow
Source: wikipedia entry- Otaru

Japanese town  Emblem: Matsumoto Nagano

 Pine (matsu) needles encircle the kanji 本 (moto)
Source: wikipedia entry Matsumoto 

Michael Knigin Remembrance Exhibiton

Michael Knigin 

Blessed Be His Memory

Contributed to this blog many pictures of his Holocaust Art

Remembrance Exhibiton: 

April 15-May 29

Temple Adas Israel

Sag Harbor

 See some of his works on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/sets/72157612996507736/with/3290357428/

Beer Signs 18th century Alsace

Tavern with hanging Beer Sign (Star of David in a circle, Brewer's Star)
 is a well documented phenomenon in French/German Alsace area, 

from the middle ages until now
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Block printing on cotton 

18th century
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Picture courtesy of 

Esther Fitzgerald (c) 2012