Crescent

Crescent. A representation of the half-moon with the horns turned upwards, called a crescent, is often used as an emblem of progress and success. It was the emblem of the Greek before it became that of the Turkish rule (see CONSTANTINOPLE, p. 433); but it was not adopted by the Turks from the Greeks—it had been used by them hundreds of years before in Central Asia. Genghiz Khan's Tartars had the crescent on their banners, and so had the Janissaries of Sultan Orchan.