Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Earliest Use of Paired Crescent Moons on Solingen Blades

Jim McDougall · 15th August 2016, 06:13 PM

Hi Ibrahiim,
Actually that rayed eye represents the Eye of Providence, often used in Christian iconography, and became popular in renaissance iconography.
It represents the Eye of God over mankind.
It is often associated with Freemasonry, and on the US dollar bill it is atop pyramid. The association with the symbol on US currency and that Masonic association is debated.

The 'evil eye' is of course an entirely separate notion, but indeed in many cases associated with the purpose of talismanic imagery, but with blade decoration most typically on ethnographic rather than European blades.

Thank you for keeping this thread current!!!

15th August 2016, 06:13 PM	#57
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,748	Hi Ibrahiim, Actually that rayed eye represents the Eye of Providence, often used in Christian iconography, and became popular in renaissance iconography. It represents the Eye of God over mankind. It is often associated with Freemasonry, and on the US dollar bill it is atop pyramid. The association with the symbol on US currency and that Masonic association is debated. The 'evil eye' is of course an entirely separate notion, but indeed in many cases associated with the purpose of talismanic imagery, but with blade decoration most typically on ethnographic rather than European blades. Thank you for keeping this thread current!!!