the number five

The number five holds significant cultural and symbolic meaning across various traditions. It is the sum of the first even and odd numbers (2 + 3), symbolizing human life and marriage in Pythagorean and Platonic thought. The Pythagoreans associated five with the five regular solids and sometimes viewed it as exotic or rebellious.1

In Babylonian and Roman traditions, five was linked to the goddess Ishtar/Venus, with the five-pointed star (pentagram) as her symbol. The Maya civilization placed a fifth point at the center of the four compass points. The five fingers and five extremities of the body also contributed to its mystique, leading to the concept of a "fifth essence" or quintessence. In Islam, five is sacred, most notably represented by the Five Pillars of Islam and the five daily prayers. Merriam-Webster defines five simply as a number one more than four, but also notes its use in games, as a fifth in a series, or a group of five, such as a basketball team.12