What Does an Upside-Down Star Mean? Historical & Occult Interpretations

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Plus, explore the symbolism of 5-pointed stars throughout history

Co-authored by Dan Hickey

Last Updated: October 2, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Meaning
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• Has it always been “evil”?
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• Historical Symbolism
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• Pentagram vs. Pentacle
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• More Symbols
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• Video

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If you spotted an upside-down star in your favorite occult thriller, you might be wondering, “Is it really a symbol of evil?” While Hollywood and some religious leaders claim the symbol (called an inverted pentagram) is Satanic, the truth behind it is a lot more nuanced. In this article, we’ll explore what an upside-down star means in different belief systems, plus how it became associated with “evil” in the modern day. Keep scrolling to learn more about pentagrams—upside-down and right-side-up—throughout history.

Inverted Pentagram Symbolism

An upside-down star is associated with the sigil of Baphomet and the Church of Satan. The Church does not believe in the Devil or perform any rituals, but the symbol is linked to evil and Satanic worship to many Christians. For occultists and Wiccans, the symbol represents the spirit and the 4 elements of nature.

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Section 1 of 5:

What does an upside-down star mean?

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1. 
   1
   In modern Christianity and pop culture, an upside-down star symbolizes evil or Satan. The symbol is associated with black magic and devil worship, most likely due to its association with Baphomet, a pagan or gnostic idol first mentioned in writing in 1098 CE. The sigil of Baphomet features the head of a goat—another Satanic symbol—inside a 5-pointed, upside-down star. Its horns fit inside the 2 topmost points, its ears fill out the 2 points to the side, and its bearded chin points downward with the bottom point.

   • The sigil of Baphomet is one of the main symbols of the Church of Satan, giving the upside-down star its “satanic” meaning.
   • In fact, the Church commissioned a statue of Baphomet in 2015 and toured it to various places around the US to protest the display of the Ten Commandments in public spaces.
   • Even though the Church of Satan is atheistic, does not worship any god or being, and performs no rituals (occult or otherwise), its evocation of the Devil from Christianity has led many religious Christians to associate the upside-down star with devil worship.
   • It’s this “satanic” version of the upside-down star (or inverted pentagram) that has caught on in Hollywood and occult fiction, giving it its “evil” reputation in pop culture.
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   In occultism, the upside-down star represents the triumph of matter over spirit. Occultism is the study or belief in “hidden” forces and phenomena outside of conventional science and religion. Modern occultism is largely influenced by European thinkers from the 19th century, who promoted the idea that an inverted pentagram goes against God. According to them, an upright 5-pointed star symbolizes ascendance, God, and the supremacy of the spirit, but an inverted star that points downward represents Satan, infernalism, and the descent of the spirit.

   • In this tradition, the lower 4 points of an upright star symbolize the 4 elements (earth, air, fire, water) and the spirits (or demons, depending on your beliefs) associated with them.
   • When upright, the spirit or mind conquers the elements of matter and the demons bound to them.
   • When upside down, the elements and materialism are victorious over the spirit, symbolizing an evil or unbalanced state.
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   The inverted pentagram has several meanings in Wicca, none of which are evil. Wiccans do not worship Satan, so there’s nothing inherently evil or wicked about the symbol. The exact meaning depends on the tradition of Wicca you practice. For some, the inverted star symbolizes the spirit turning toward the earth for guidance or protection, highlighting the importance of the physical, natural world.

   • For others, the inverted pentagram may represent the Horned God, the primary male deity of Wicca. His horns can be mapped onto 2 of the pentagram’s points, although the star doesn’t always have to be inverted to invoke this symbolism (the Triple Goddess is represented by 3 points of the star, while the Horned God uses the remaining 2 points).
   • In Wicca, the 5-pointed star is an important symbol of protection and harmony between the spirit and natural forces, regardless of which way it’s pointing.
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   The meaning depends on your belief system. Some people are Christian witches. They would never use a pentagram. It really does depend on the person and their spiritual practice.
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Section 2 of 5:

Have upside-down stars always been “evil”?

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1. 1
   No, the inverted pentagram was not associated with “evil” until the 1800s. The 19th-century French occultist Eliphas Lévi was the first to recognize the inverted pentagram superimposed over a goat’s head as a symbol. In his 1854 book Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic), he claimed that “The Pentagram, with two horns in the ascendant, represents Satan, or the goat of the Sabbath, and with the single horn in the ascendant it is the sign of the Saviour.”

   • Lévi was also notable for his image of Baphomet as a hermaphroditic, winged human figure with the head and feet of a goat (meant to be a symbol of the equilibrium of opposites). The close association of the inverted pentagram, Satan, and Baphomet imagery among occultists led to the popularization of the symbol as an evil, satanic symbol.
   • It should be noted that Lévi was a staunch Catholic who did not personally believe the inverted pentagram was “anti-Christian.” Instead, he viewed “every new cult [as] a new route to lead humanity to the one religion, that of the sacred and the radiant pentagram, the sole eternal Catholicism.”
   • Other notable occultists of the time, like Aleister Crowley in England, accepted that the inverted pentagram symbolized the descent of the spirit, but did not necessarily agree that the symbol was satanic or evil.
   • This devilish interpretation of the inverted pentagram caught on in Hollywood later, which used the symbol for shock value in movies about witchcraft, Satan, and the occult.
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   Before the 19th century, the orientation of the star didn’t matter as much. From the Middle Ages, a pentagram was a Christian symbol that represented the 5 wounds of Christ (his punctured hands and feet, plus his side pierced by a spear) and sometimes the Star of Bethlehem. It appears upside down in some Christian art and architecture from this time, suggesting that an inverted pentagram was not always an evil or offensive symbol.

   • One famous example is the North Rose of Amiens Cathedral, built in the 1200s. The window features an upside-down pentagram, which is believed the symbolize the Holy Spirit descending on the people within.
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Section 3 of 5:

5-Pointed Star Symbolism Through History

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   Ancient roots Pentagrams and 5-pointed stars have been used in cultural and religious imagery for thousands of years, although the exact meanings and symbolism vary by culture and time period. Here are some of the earliest known uses of the pentagram:

   • In ancient Sumer, pentagrams decorated vases as old as 3500 BCE. The star also represented the Mesopotamian deities Ishtar and Marduk at various times in ancient history.
   • In ancient Egypt, pentagrams were used to represent the stars or the goddess of the star Sirius, while a pentagram within a circle represented the underworld.
   • In ancient China, pentagram symbols were used in music theory texts to explain the notes of a scale during the Warring States period (c. 475–221 BCE). Other pentagrams as old as 5,000 years have also been found.
   • In ancient Greece, the pentagram was the symbol of Pythagoras and his followers. He regarded it as a symbol of health and knowledge, and other ancient Greeks used it as a symbol of protection.
   • In the Serer religion of West Africa, the pentagram symbolizes the universe and its supreme deity and creator, Roog. The star is known as Yoonir.
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   In the Middle Ages and Renaissance The 5-pointed star spread to Europe in the Middle Ages, taking on new meanings and interpretations:

   • In Christianity, the symbol came to represent the 5 wounds of Christ, the Star of Bethlehem, or sometimes even Christ himself.
   • In Islam, the pentagram became known as Solomon’s seal, and its points represented love, truth, peace, freedom, and justice (in some traditions).
   • In Medieval Europe, the pentagram symbolized the 5 knightly virtues of generosity, friendship, chastity, chivalry, and piety. It appeared on the shield of the knight Gawain in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
   • In Renaissance Europe, the occult scholar Agrippa published an image of a star superimposed over a man, with his head and limbs filling the 5 points of the pentagram. It symbolized the perfect work of God in creating man.
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   Modern religious and cultural uses The pentagram is still in use today as a symbol of several more recent religions, as well as an emblem on national flags and international associations:

   • In the Baháʼí faith, the star is known as the Haykal (“temple”) and is an official (but not the most common) symbol of the religion.
   • In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, both upright and inverted pentagrams can be found on temples and religious architecture.
   • In Neo-Pagan faiths like Wicca, the pentagram is a recognized religious symbol (often encompassed by a circle).
   • The flags of Morocco and Ethiopia feature a 5-pointed star in their center.
   • The Order of the Eastern Star uses an inverted pentagram with the points colored blue, yellow, white, green, and red.
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Section 4 of 5:

Pentagram vs. Pentacle

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1. A pentagram is a 5-pointed star, and a pentacle is a 5-pointed star inside a circle. The 2 symbols look very similar, and the terms “pentagram” and “pentacle” often get used interchangeably. However, a pentacle does not have quite the same symbolism as a pentagram. Pentacles are often used as talismans for protection, since the circle around the star symbolizes unity or the universe and encompasses the spirit and elements symbolized by the points of the pentagram.

   • Both symbols can be used in rituals and magic, although the pentacle is more commonly worn as an amulet or used for decorative purposes.
   • “Pentacles” can also refer to the suit of pentacles when you’re reading a tarot card deck.

Section 5 of 5:

More Mystical Symbols

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1. 
   History is full of mysterious, powerful symbols to learn about. If you enjoyed learning about the hidden meanings of the upside-down star, there’s plenty more to uncover! Check out these wikiHow articles on other meaningful symbols and emblems from a variety of traditions:

   • 25 Essential Pagan Symbols & What They Mean
   • 20 Symbols to Protect You From Bad Luck
   • 19 Dark and Edgy Gothic Symbols & Their Meanings
   • 30 Magical Wiccan Symbols & Their Uses in Modern Witchcraft
   • 12 Sacred Geometry Symbols & What They Mean
   • What Does Baphomet’s Hand Sign Mean?
   • What Is the Vesica Piscis?
   • 40 Symbols of Life
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