The Islamic Eight-Point Star is called Khatim. We may also know it as the Star of Lakshmi, a prominent symbol of Hinduism.
What has any of that to do with Mallorca, you may well ask. The answer is: it has. The photo above was taken a few days ago in Palma de Mallorca between the Baluard de Sant Pere and the Puig de Sant Pere, in the immediate neighbourhood of an old square shaped Moorish water tower, the Torre Cantonera, also known as the Torre Musulmana.
The small fountain is an ornament situated in Carrer de Ses Barques de Bou. Whilst I do not believe that this fountain looks old enough to really date back to Islamic times or some 900 years ago, it must have some significance, don’t you think? Perhaps it is a replacement of some artefact that there was in the old days. You can find the eight-pointed star of Islam at various other places in Palma, such as on doors or ceilings, if one looks carefully enough. I could show you another one or two, if anyone should be interested.
For now, I’ll enlighten you with the same Khatim star in a photo taken at the famous Alhambra in Granada, albeit not photographed by myself but taken from the Internet.
In case anyone should be interested in the Islamic period in Mallorca (902 to 1229), may I recommend a very interesting, illustrated book called Palma i l’Islam by Miquel Ferrà i Martorell, but sadly published only in Catalan, and for sale at 18 €. The eight-pointed star shaped fountain in Carrer de Ses Barques de Bou is not shown in that book, though.
The photo (top) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: February 17th, 2009. The time was 14:47:25. The photo (bottom) was taken from the Internet. My thanks go to Wikipedia and the GNU Free Documentation License.
The Mallorca Photo Blog 
i’m a Muslim girl from Egypt and when i see these photos i just wonder where those people how built this and how this culture just despair and vanished and all what remind from it this small fountain.
The origin of this symbol is the Star of Ishtar (Venus) or Star of Inanna. It is a Mesopotamian symbol of the ancient Sumerian goddess Inanna and it is a pagan symbol used in mohammedanism a.k.a islam. Ishtar was also widely known as the Queen of Heavens and was considered the patron of the Eanna Temple. The temple was located in the city of Uruk, which later became Ishtar’s main devotion center. This city was also known as the city of divine or sacred prostitutes since sexual acts were considered sacred rituals in Ishtar’s honor, and the priestesses would offer their bodies to the men for money, which they later would donate to the temple. For this reason, Ishtar was known as the protector of brothels and prostitutes and was a symbol of love, fertility, and reproduction.
i like this. i want one in my back yard. that is so cool. it looks like it is in a wall; is it.
it looks like it is in a wall but i want one in my back yard, it is so cool. i like how it is a star. i like stars they are my fav.
I believe the Katim star skylights to be in old hammam on the Carrera del Darro in Granada, and not in the Alhambra complex intself. Re. the book Palma i l’Islam; yes it is a pity that its only published in Catalan. Maybe we should do something about that.
hello there, id really like to use your fountain image for my portfolio, its not for sale or anything, one of my projects has to do with the khatim design that’s all. would you mind emailing me a higher resolution?
thank you.
Awesome blog! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also. A guide to sell photos online.