What is the meaning if the 8 posted stars on flags
Executive summary
An eight-pointed star on a flag is not a single, uniform symbol; its meaning depends on cultural, historical, and design context — ranging from celestial bodies (sun, Venus, North Star) and religious or mythic references (Ishtar/Khātim) to local civic concepts like the “hope” symbol or compass winds — and modern adoption often emphasizes regional identity rather than a hidden agenda [1] Minnesota" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">[2] [3] [4] [5].
1. The celestial shorthand: sun, Venus/Ishtar, and the North Star
Flags and emblems frequently use eight points to refer to stars and planets: several post‑Soviet republics used the octagram to symbolize the sun (explicitly noted for Azerbaijan) while other designers call the eight‑point form a “Venus” or “Ishtar” star linking it to the ancient Mesopotamian Venus goddess Ishtar; Minnesota’s 2024 state flag uses an eight‑point star to signify the North Star, tying the image to the state motto “L’Étoile du Nord” (The Star of the North) and to an architectural motif in the state capitol [1] [5] [2] [6].
2. Religious, mythic and historical layers: Islam, Babylon, and older coinage
The octagram has long religious and mythic lives: in Islamic art the eight‑pointed motif appears across architecture and heraldry and has been associated in some accounts with meanings like God’s throne or prophetic symbolism (Khātim), while Babylonian Ishtar is historically represented by an eight‑pointed starburst; the shape also shows up on Byzantine and earlier Hellenistic coinage, which helps explain its appearance in Ottoman-era flags before the standardization to five points in the 19th century [1] [7] [8].
3. Indigenous and civic meanings: the Hope symbol, compass winds, and local values
In North American contexts the inscribed eight‑point star is explicitly linked to the Native American “Hope symbol” or “Star Knowledge” and is used by municipalities to convey optimism, balance, or civic wards; for example, the Norman, Oklahoma city materials say the eight points represent “winds” or wards and evoke the Native American hope symbol, and other municipal flag redesigns have leaned on that local symbolism rather than foreign provenance [3] [4].
4. Geometry, numerology and broad symbolic resonance
Beyond named associations, the octagram is a simple geometrical construction — two squares rotated 45 degrees — and carries numerological meanings tied to the number eight (balance, cycles, new beginnings) across many traditions, which designers exploit to suggest harmony, renewal, or cosmic order rather than any single ideological program [1] [3] [9].
5. Contemporary controversy and misinterpretation
The rise of the octagram on new U.S. flags prompted conspiracy talk and alarmist framing in some outlets, but vexillologists and flag experts push back: recurring claims that the octagram is a secret “banner of jihad” or part of a coordinated plot are not substantiated by the evidence cited in reporting, and experts note that pointed star motifs have diverse, non‑exclusive meanings globally [10]. Media coverage has documented both genuine local design choices (Minnesota’s commission, over 2,000 submitted designs) and alarmist narratives that read a single, sinister intent into a broadly used geometric motif [6] [10].
6. How to read an eight‑pointed star on a flag today
Interpretation requires looking at provenance: who designed the flag, which community adopted it, and whether official materials explain the symbol — state sources for Minnesota and municipal statements for Norman explicitly describe civic meanings, while historical flag studies point to ancient religious or astronomical roots; absent such documentation, a visible octagram can plausibly signal any of the above but cannot be taken as proof of a single ideology without corroborating context [6] [4] [1] [8].