THE MOON:
The crescent moon is identified with the goddess Diana as virgin; she was also called Luna. Prior to this the crescent was Isis, and subsequently is also connected with the Virgin Mary. Since the Ottoman Empire took Constantinople - which had the moon as its emblem, probably in relation to Diana - the moon was adopted as the symbol of Islam. The rose and the crescent together are important meditations for the spirit in Sufism.

The moon is often related to chastity or purity, and is also a device of the Hunt (in connection with Diana). It signifies female; the reasons are complex. The moon is a...