In most cultures, stars signify divine presence less powerful than that of the Sun and the Moon. Female deities such as the Phoenician Astarte, the Babylonian goddess Ishtar (who is represented by an eight-pointed star), the Egyptian Isis, and even Christianity's Virgin Mary,(Stella Maris), are often represented with a crown of stars to verify their position as queens of heaven.
In general, because stars illuminate the dark night sky, they signify spiritual enlightenment, wisdom, and human aspiration towards knowledge. In some cultures, stars are believed to be souls of the dead who have passed from one life to another, and thus have gained cosmic knowledge.