Star and crescent
The star and crescent is a symbol consisting of a star with a crescent at the concave side. In its modern form, the star is usually shown with five points (though in earlier centuries a higher number of points was often used). The two signs together, or the crescent only, was long a symbol of Byzantium and also appeared on coins of the Sassanid Empire. In Turkish, the crescent is called Hilal, which is an anagram of “Allah” in Arabic script, reinforcing its Islamic symbolism. Now, the crescent is often a symbol of Islam. It is seen on a number of different country flags such as Turkey, Libya, Maldives, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tunisia, Western Sahara, Comoros, North Cyprus, Mauritania, and Pakistan respectively.
Flag of Ottoman Empire was the first flag featuring a star and a crescent. The Ottomans used this symbol in part because the Turkish word for crescent (''Hilal'') is an anagram of “Allah” in Arabic script. Other states formerly part of the Ottoman Empire also used the symbol, so the symbol emerged into popular use.
See also
Star And Crescent Media
The natural phenomenon of a conjunction of the crescent Moon and, in this case, Venus; respectively the second and third brightest natural objects in Earth's sky
Sealing depicting the Neo Sumerian King, Ibbi-Sin seated with a star or Dingir and crescent adjacent to him
Depiction of the emblems of Ishtar (Venus), Sin (Moon), and Shamash (Sun) on a boundary stone of Meli-Shipak II (12th century BC)
Venus, Sun and Moon on the Stele of Nabonidus (r. 556–539 BC) found at Harran (Şanlıurfa Museum)
A coin of Sassanid king Kavadh I during his second reign (r. 488–531). Kavadh was the first Sassanid ruler to introduce star-and-crescent motifs as decorations on the margin of the obverse side of his coins. Note the continued use of the star and the crescent appearing on either side of the king's head.
Used as the symbol of Islam by the Nation of Islam
Star and crescent on a coin of Uranopolis, Macedon, ca. 300 BC (see also Argead star).
A star and crescent symbol with the star shown in a sixteen-rayed "sunburst" design (3rd century BC) on the Ai-Khanoum plaque.
Coin of Mithradates VI Eupator. The obverse side has the inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΙΘΡΑΔΑΤΟΥ ΕΥΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ with a stag feeding, with the star and crescent and monogram of Pergamum placed near the stag's head, all in an ivy-wreath.
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