The First Known Book-Covers with Magen Davids

The First Known Book-Covers with Magen Davids are:

”Beur al sefer Shaarei Dura” by Rabbi Joseph Ben Rabbi Moshe from Kremnitz, which was printed in Prague in 1609. In a similar design were issued in Prague in 1611 the books " Imrei Binah" and “Mekor Chokhmah".
Thanks to Eli Eshed, journalist who calls himself a "culture detective", for directing me to this piece of information.

See: http://www.notes.co.il/eshed/56005.asp

P.S.

Daniel Putík from Flickr:  

Just to let you know that a Magen David does appear on the front page of a Siddur printed in Prague by Gershon Ha-Kohen (Katz) as early as 1512. Unfortunately, I can not find a picture now. My father wrote a study about this. Alexandr Putík, "The Origin of the Symbols of the Prague Jewish Town. The Banner of the Old-New Synagogue. David's Shield and the Swedish hat“. Judaica Bohemiae vol. XXIX (1993).

Fleur-de-Lis on Printers Marks

The printers from the Giunta family printed in Florence and Venice from 1480 to 1598

Pictures are copied from

Gutenberg project: Printers' Marks, a Chapter in the History of Typography by William Roberts, 1893

Haarlem Hexagrams

Hexagrams appear in the printer’s mark of Jacobus Bellaert from 1483- “the arms above the Griffin are those of the city of Haarlem”. 

Picture copied from Gutenberg project: Printers' Marks, a Chapter in the History of Typography by William Roberts, 1893

Coat of arms of Haarlem, the capital of the province of North Holland

From Wikipedia Commons courtesy of Mcke

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