@freemo Good find! The Crescent was a popular symbol of Byzantium (i.e. Constantinople, the ‘other’ Rome), linked to a story about the city’s protection by the Moon goddess, Astarte, during a siege by Philip of Macedon. Most pre-Islamic representations seem to show the crescent facing upwards with the star above. The symbol survived the conversion of the city to Chrsitianity. It seems to have spread to Western heraldry after the Crusades. Still, I think it’s uncommon in the West.
@pwgallagher Awesome details. I love this stuff.