View Single Post
Old 19th November 2010, 06:46 AM   #4
TVV
Member
 
TVV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,598
Default

For what it is worth, the six pointed star of David is often found on yataghan blades.

Judaism is the closest religion to Islam, so the existence of shared symbols is not that surprising.

From what I have read, Jim's explanation of the star as two triangles is spot on, with the number three holding a sacred meaning in the Muslim tradition, as it is interpreted to refer to the unity of Allah, Mohammad and Ali.

The circle with a dot symbolizes Heaven. However, there are no dots in the center of the sword markings, unlike in the star on the coin. There is no doubt however, that the Star of David is loaded with apotropaic significance and serves as talisman, a shield of sorts.

Another explanation could be as an attempt to copy the symbol from the blades, imported to Abyssinia from Britain, where it is present on the proofs at the base of the blade. If true, the marking would serve a dual purpose as a talisman and a stamp of quality.

Regards,
Teodor
TVV is offline   Reply With Quote