New Star of David Molecule

Here's an Email I got today:

Dear Zeevveez,

I am a synthetic chemist - not jewish - but I hope you will enjoy the structure of a molecule we have just published that has the Star of David shape and topology:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140921145013.htm

We discuss the work on my groups webpage:

http://www.catenane.net/pages/2014_star_of_david.html

and you will see we have included a link to your webpage when we discuss the Star of David in its many forms (and there is also a note about the link between Chemistry at Manchester and Weizmann).  I found your webpage very useful for finding images of the Star of David in different contexts to illustrate my lectures featuring this molecule, so thanks for that!

Best wishes,

Dave Leigh

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Prof. David A Leigh FRS FRSE FRSC

Sir Samuel Hall Chair of Chemistry

School of Chemistry

The University of Manchester

Oxford Road

Manchester M13 9PL

United Kingdom

email: david.leigh@manchester.ac.uk 

Tel: +44 161 275 1926

Homepage: http://www.catenane.net

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Photo is courtesy of Prof. David A Leigh

Hindoo emblem, called Sri Iantra

[This] "is an ancient Hindoo emblem, called Sri Iantra. The circle represents the world, in which the living exist; the triangle pointing upwards shows the male creator; and the triangle with the apex downwards the female; distinct, yet united. These have a world within themselves, in which the male is uppermost. In the central circle the image to be worshipped is placed. When used, the figure is placed on the ground, with Brahma to the east, and Laksmi to the west. Then a relic of any saint, or image of Buddha, like a modern papal crucifix, is added, and the shrine for worship is complete. It has now been adopted in Christian churches and Freemasons' lodges.

It will be noticed that the male emblem points to the rising sun, and the female triangle points to the setting sun, when the earth seems to receive the god into her couch".

Source: Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism by Thomas Inman, New York, 1875, Figure 33, p. 26 

Arabic Tombstone from the Cairo Museum

Stars of David flanking an octagram 

engraved on an Arabic tombstone from 8-9th century
exhibited at the Cairo Museum

Source: Signum Salomonis by José Leite de Vasconcelos, 

 1918 [in Portugese] page 79

First (?) Star of David in the Bronze Age in Britain and France

Star of David appears as one of the principal patterns of the Bronze Age in Britain and France

Source: Early Man in Britain and His Place in the Tertiary Period by William Boyd Dakwins, p. 378, London, 1880

Great Britain Bronze Age lasted from 2200 BC to 700 BC

Star of David - a Poem by Rick Black

I am loath

to open the archival box

in which it is kept.

Yet I can not resist

and delicately

lift the top

to find white gauze

beneath which is a hint

of yellow,

a precious jewel.

I unwrap it slowly, the infamous

word,

Jude,

so naked,

so innocent,

so dark,

the graceful letters

set against the yellow star.

Where has it been,

this scrap of cloth?

Who wore it, long forgotten,

in which ghetto?

Go ahead,

try to calculate

its weight,

resting in my hand,

a swallowtail that can

no longer fly.

Courtesy of  Rick Black (c)

This poem is from his book

 Star of David 

which is a collection of poems 

see more on:

http://www.turtlelightpress.com/products/star-of-david/

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TITLE: Poetry Reading: Star of David 

SPEAKER: Rick Black 
EVENT DATE: 2013/11/22
RUNNING TIME: 53 minutes
TRANSCRIPT: View Transcript (link will open in a new window)
https://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6232

Symbol of Synagogue vs. Symbol of Church

Star of David appears on a flag held by the allegorical figure representing the Synagogue (Synagogua) that stands next to the allegorical figure representing the Church (Ecclesia) and holding a Cross, in a 14th-century Catalan manuscript of the Breviar d'amor by Matfre d'Ermengaud (Ms. of Yates Thompson 31 f 8, Tree of life, in the British Museum).

Star of David on the allegorical figure representing the Synagogue

Bamberg Cathedral, Germany, 13th Century

Source: Wikimedia, courtesy of Johannes Otto Först

My new Gallery on Flickr: More Roman Stars of David

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/galleries/72157646714085329/