Fleur de Lis, Esneh Temple, Egypt

Fleur de Lis, Esneh Temple, Egypt, second century B.C.E

Picture is courtesy of Brooklyn Museum from Flickr

Hexagram as a Homonym

One of the factors that complicate researching the Star of David symbol is that the Hexagram is the name of a few different things:

A. The six-pointed star (Star of David)
B. The Unicursal hexagram (drawn unicursally)

C. The name of each of the 64 yin-yang diagrams in the Chinese Book of Changes (I Ching)

D. The name of a large silver coin issued by 7th century Byzantine Emperors (Heraclius, Constans II, and Constantine IV)

Picture is courtesy of Saperaud from Wikipedia entry Hexagram (coin)

E. The name of a six-pointed star made from 6 radiuses starting from the same point, and not from two triangles.

I shot this picture at YMCA Jerusalem

King David's Shield - Potential source of the legend

As you surely know there's a legend about King David's Shield, which carried a six-pointed star. 

All rights reserved-  Joe Geranio 2009

Picture is for Educational Use Only

we see here a SHIELD of a KING, which carries a SIX-POINTED STAR only this king, here, is a Roman king (Augustus 17 BCE). I guess that Jews actually held these coins in their hands after the first century B.C.E (so close to the destruction of the temple in 70 C.E ) and this material image may have triggered the invention of King David's Shield. Anyhow I’m sure that you’ll be surprised from this coincidence at least as I was when I stumbled upon these pictures.

King with shield or Goddess of Victory with shield on Roman coins is a frequent motif.

See coin with shield with Double Square (two squares inposed on each other with a shared center like the six pointed star having two triangles arranged similarly)

See also a six pointed star that will surprise the arabs at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/julio-claudians/2127619119/

Magen David Arm Tattoo

Picture is courtesy of Aoife city womanchile from Flickr

Chicago Flag Tattoo

The stars that we see here are NOT Stars of David but three out of the four red hexagrams that adorn the Chicago Flag. These stars stand for: 

Fort Dearborn

The Great Chicago Fire

The  World's Columbian Exposition of 1893

The Century of Progress Exposition in 1933

Each point of each star stands for a certain meaning like: transportation, labor, commerce etc.

Picture is courtesy of kallao from Flickr.

Solomon Seal on Ethiopian Crown

Solomon's Seal on Ethiopian Crown along with a cross (at the top). In the background we see the Lion of Judah. All these were symbols of the late Haile Selassie I (1892-1975).

Picture is courtesy of menfes qeddus from Flickr who Bought it in Addis Ababa.

Yellow Badge on a Nazi Propaganda Stamp