02/09/2026
The Knot & The Eight-Pointed Star
Two symbols of Ishtar — from the earth to the heavens
Queen of heaven-Ishtar
1. The Knot — Her Earthly & Agricultural Beginnings
Before Ishtar became associated with cosmic and celestial power, one of her earliest Sumerian symbols was a hook-shaped, twisted knot of reeds.
In early Mesopotamia, where communal storehouses safeguarded essential food and resources, the knot was associated with the doorpost of the storehouse.
Because it was understood as something that tied and secured the doorpost, the knot came to represent protection, fertility, abundance, and prosperity.
It connected Ishtar to the gifts of the earth — dates, grain, meat, and wool — and to her role as a provider of nourishment and plenty.
The knot was therefore more than a simple symbol. It was an anchor to the earth, agriculture, and the abundance that sustained Mesopotamian life.
2. The Eight-Pointed Star — Her Cosmic & Astral Power
As Mesopotamian civilization developed, Ishtar’s power extended beyond the earth and into the heavens.
Her most recognisable celestial symbol became the eight-pointed star, or octagram, representing the planet Venus.
Venus appears as both the Morning Star and the Evening Star, a duality that beautifully reflected the complex nature of Ishtar herself.
As the Morning Star, she was associated with war, aggression, power, and justice.
As the Evening Star, she was associated with love, sensuality, fertility, and desire.
The same goddess could embody opposing forces — creation and destruction, love and war, fertility and power.
The Knot represents her connection to the earth: harvest, fertility, protection, and abundance.
The Eight-Pointed Star represents her connection to the heavens: Venus, power, duality, and transformation.
Together, they tell the story of Ishtar as a force that reaches from the roots of the earth to the stars above.
