Freemasonry

The earliest 'statutes of Freemasonry' document cited, is the 'Charter of Bologna' from Italy, dated to 1248

https://www.freemasonryresearchforumqsa.com/carta-di-bologna.php

THE FORMATION OF THE FIRST GRAND LODGE OF FREEMASONS, GERMANY 1250 by Bro. Henning A. Klövekorn.

Unknown writes-

That picture of the 'pyramid of capitalist system' made me think of the famous classic image of another 'pyramid', that of the 'Steps of Freemasonry' -

http://www.mastermason.com/duvall6/images/sitestepsreduced.jpg

The oldest Masonic lodge said to be in existence, (Originally dates from 1599) in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Lodge of St Mary's Chapel. Notice the large Star of David aka Star of Remphan in the stoneworkl. https://freemasonscommunity.life/where-is-the-oldest-masonic-lodge-in-the-world/

And the roots of organised Freemasonry in Edinburgh, photo of the building - with Star of David on it.

Interesting about the Masons, very public in some ways, one can read the Masons' ample online material, and yet still feel one doesn't quite know what goes on.

There are legends and tales of the group embodying a heritage back to ancient Egypt and Greece and 'King Solomon's Israel', but concretely what we have in historical records -

The earliest 'statutes of Freemasonry' document cited, is the 'Charter of Bologna' from Italy, dated to 1248

https://www.freemasonryresearchforumqsa.com/carta-di-bologna.php

And after that, from Britain, there is the Masonic 'Halliwell Manuscript' or 'Regius Poem', dated to either 1390 or the early 1400s
https://www.freemasonryresearchforumqsa.com/halliwell-manuscript.php

The oldest Masonic lodge said to be in existence, dates from 1599 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Lodge of St Mary's Chapel
https://freemasonscommunity.life/where-is-the-oldest-masonic-lodge-in-the-world/

Photo of the lodge on Hill Street in Edinburgh here, the building dating back to the 1800s - notice the large Star of David aka Star of Remphan in the stonework
https://freemasonscommunity.life/storage/2021/02/St-Marys-Chapel-Lodge-1024x819.jpg

And then the first Masonic 'Grand Lodge' in the world, in London in 1717 -
"On St John’s Day, 24th June 1717, four London Lodges, which had existed for some time, came together at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern in St Paul’s Churchyard ... This was the first Grand Lodge in the world."
https://freemasonscommunity.life/did-freemasonry-really-begin-in-1717/

There doesn't seem to be an 'official' public international structure, tho here is a list of Masonic lodges in countries around the world, which are recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England
http://www.masonic-lodge.info/MLI/mli109a.htm

The USA became the most Masonic country in the world, with its several Masonic founders such as George Washington. At the peak percentage in 1929, about 1 out of every 8 USA adult males were Freemasons. Today it is only a bit over 1% of males, though still nearly 2 millions. 

Brazil has the 2nd largest number of masons at 215,000, and UK and Canada have about 200,000 each.
https://masonicfind.com/estimated-number-of-freemasons