Crescent

A crescent shape is a curved, moon-like form. We see it in art, symbols, and nature. It shows the lunar phase in the first quarter, called the "sickle moon." People use it to represent the Moon.

This shape is important in many cultures and religions.

In Hindu iconography, the god Shiva often wears a crescent moon on his head. It stands for his control over time.

The crescent is also the astrological symbol for the Moon. It is the alchemical symbol for silver.

Because it was used on Ottoman mosques, the crescent shape became linked with Islam. In 1993, it became a chaplain badge for Muslim United States military chaplains.

Symbolism

The crescent shape often stands for the Moon. In astrology, it is a symbol of the Moon and the metal Silver. People have used it this way since ancient Greek times.

In many religions and cultures, the crescent has special meanings. In Christianity, Mary is sometimes shown with a crescent to represent her as the Woman of the Apocalypse. In Eastern Orthodox churches, such as in Russia, a cross is placed over a crescent on some domes. This shows Jesus Christ as both King and High Priest.

Shape

The crescent shape is a curved form that looks like the Moon when it is getting bigger or smaller. It is made when part of a circle is taken away, leaving two curved lines that meet at points called "horns." In many cultures, this shape stands for the Moon and is used in symbols and designs. The word "crescent" comes from a Latin word meaning "to grow," and it refers to the Moon's growing phase. This shape appears in many kinds of art and heraldry, with special names depending on which way the horns point.

History

The crescent shape has been used for thousands of years to represent the Moon. It appears in ancient Akkadian art from around 2300 BC and in Egyptian writing. The shape was popular in the ancient Near East, used by groups like the Phoenicians.

In classical times, the moon goddess Selene was often shown with a crescent on her head. The crescent also became linked to Artemis or Diana, the goddess who watched over hunters and the Moon. During the Middle Ages, the crescent was used by empires like the Sasanian Empire and later appeared on flags used by Islamic armies. In more recent history, the crescent became a symbol associated with the Ottoman Empire and was used on flags and emblems, including the Red Crescent.

Heraldry

Further information: Star and crescent

The crescent shape has been used in heraldry since the 1300s. In heraldry, a simple crescent with its points up is called a crescent. When the points face left, it is called an increscent, and when they face right, it is a decrescent. If the points face down, it is a reversed crescent. Two crescents facing each other are called addorsed.

Old books show many coats of arms with crescents. Some from the 1200s include Willem FitzLel with three crescents, John Peche with one crescent and two stars, and Rauf de Stopeham with two crescents and a red square in the corner. The reversed crescent from a 16th-century Swiss area was later used in modern town symbols. Some families, like the Divorde family from Holland, also used three crescents in their coats of arms.

Contemporary use

Further information: Star and crescent § Contemporary use

The crescent shape is still used today as a symbol for the Moon in astrology and astronomy. It is often seen with a star on flags. Examples include the South Carolina state flag from 1861, the flag of Maldives from 1965, the flag of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation from 1981, and the flag of the Arab League.

Cities and regions also use the crescent in their symbols. For example, New Orleans is called "the Crescent City," and its symbols show a crescent or crescent and star. Many European towns and cities have crescents in their coats of arms, such as in France, Germany, Comoros, Italy, Malta, Sweden, and Switzerland. The crescent appears on military ration boxes as a symbol for food supplies and is used as a chaplain badge for Muslim chaplains in the US military.

Other things called "crescent"

The word "crescent" describes many things with a curved, moon-like shape. It can mean houses arranged in a curve, a special card game, a beautiful space object called the Crescent Nebula, a particular shape in the kidneys, and a rich area of land known as the Fertile Crescent between Mesopotamia and Egypt. It is also the name of a tasty, curved pastry called the croissant.