Octograms and the symbolism of the number eight in the Tatar Islamic culture of the Golden horde era

The article analyzes one of the popular world graphic symbols – the eight-pointed star – using examples from different cultures, eras, and nations. An extensive search was conducted using museum and archaeological sources to classify types of ornaments using octograms and octagonal ornaments. More than ten types of ornamental forms with eight-pointed stars were identified, with special attention paid to Islamic art. The symbolic meaning of the number eight in Islamic culture and its Sufiesoteric meaning were studied in foreign articles and monographs, which are being introduced into domestic scientific circulation for the first time. Separately, examples of the use of octograms and the symbolism of the number eight in the Tatar Islamic culture of the Golden Horde era – in tombstones, in architectural decor, jewelry and pottery, in textiles – are analyzed. Using the results of the preliminary typology of eight-pointed stars, the most typical ones in Tatar art, as well as unique local samples, were identified.