Square and Compasses/Star of
David Inlaid Jewelry Box
This mahogany jewelry box is inlaid with both the
square and compasses and the Star of David. It was made by the F. Petagna
Inlaid Wood Works in Sorrento, Italy. It measures approximate 5 inches
square and felt lined on the interior.
The Magen David is a generally recognized
symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity and is also known colloquially as the
Jewish Star or "Star of David." Its usage as a sign of Jewish identity began in
the Middle Ages, though its religious usage began earlier, with the current
earliest archeological evidence being a stone bearing the shield from the arch
of a 3–4th century synagogue in the Galilee.
It symbolizes God reaching down to man and man
reaching up to God, the union of Heaven and earth. It may also symbolize the
Tribes of Israel and friendship and their affinity towards the Jewish people.
Additionally, it is sometimes used to symbolize the quorum of the twelve
apostles, as in Revelation 12, wherein the Church of God is symbolized by a
woman wearing a crown of twelve stars. It is also sometimes used to symbolize
the Big Dipper, which points to the North Star, a symbol of Jesus Christ.
