Exploring the Origins of an Astrological / Astronomical Zodiac

Why is it important to understand the origins of the Earliest known Astrological Zodiacs?

Probabaly if you are not interested in time keeping, esoteric wisdom studies, or natural medicine, then it may not be important to know about.

However, if one wants to understand the Ancient philosophies and how to use them, then understanding the basic cosmological theories is akin to having a philosophers stone through which all becomes apparent.

One could understand ancient mythologies and elemental systems, systems of meditation and yoga as well without a Zodiac, but on a very practical level, constructing a Zodiac will help one organize all the information found in the ancient mythologies and cosmologies.

What these ancient stories actually portray is a type of philosophical description of the world. By understanding the cosmological origins of how the world came to be, one can discover the basic elements of how it works. Any system of science works this way, and astrology is basically the oldest scientific method that exist.

The basic philosophy discovered through organizing a Zodiac are then applied to all arts, sciences and philosophies. They are universally applicable as a thinking / reasoning tool.

One difficulty that arises in our modern age, with all cultures able to easily communicate, and information becoming generally available to all, we begin to see all the cultural differences between the philosophical systems that have developed. It is fine these differences exist, but through understanding the history and origins of these traditions we may be able to understand the reasons for the differences, and if they are necessary or not.

The Sumerian and Babylonian descriptions of time and the night are of the oldest origin that we know of. Perhaps some other cultures, like the Chinese may have very old descriptions as well. It is helpful to understand all the most ancient systems as foundational. In the history of Astrology, the oldest systems seem to have developed in Alexandria, Egypt around 300 B.C. to 100 A.D. It is questionable if any other culture had a more descriptive Astrology than this at this time. Whether or not the Alexandrian Astrology is the earliest system, its importance in shaping modern astrology is still very significant. Yet, the origins of this Alexandrian system started at least 5000 years earlier in the Mesopotamian desert as a type of omenology.

We will see that Astrological Zodiacs started with agricultural based calendars that also developed religious ritual holy days. Over time, these calendars began to take on other, more symbolic interpretations relating to cosmology, deities and the elements and winds. All the natural and supernatural world became meaningful.

For these reasons we begin exploring the ancient mesopotamian calendars and astrolabs, to understand the origins of the ancient arts and sciences. In doing so we hope that this information may be well founded in scholarly detail, but also become more practically beneficial, and a living tradition once again.

When understanding this subject one is depending upon scholars, who are still debating their theories, debates that may well never be resolved. So, to derive real practical benefit from this knowledge we must study the best specimens we can find from Antiquity.

Currently we have "Astrolobes" from various origins,

the Mul-Apin, and accounts of various cultural calendars and ritual holy days. Trying to describe and decipher these finding is likely a science unto itself, and could take several lifetimes to do it well. With that in mind we know that we may need to continue to revise these descriptions as new understandings arise, and our understanding of this material will evolve. At the same time we hope that understanding the ancient systems will bring more clarity about the use of modern zodiacs.

First we present the Babylonian Astrolabes, the Mul-Apin and Astrolabe B. Some scholars have done the work of synthesizing the findings of several fragments and remains to bring a coherent system. We present those findings here as well.

Primary Considerations about Calenderics

Before presenting specific details of these sky systems there are two features of the ancient systems we must understand.

First, note that these sky systems followed the seasons of nature, as they presented themselves in the Ancient Mesopotamian area. Since it was a desert, the planting season and harvest season may be different than in more wet regions. So, here we find a seasonal or "Tropical" calendar, and there where two different locations in which the Equinox and Solstice points where placed. It is possible that over the thousands of years of Mesopotamian Calendrics there where different schools of thought on the subject. There may have been two competing schools of thought on the placement of the Equinox points, like two different competing religious schools for instance. Another theory is that the equinox and Solstice points changed over times with the Celestial Procession. We will explore the evidence for various theories of these differences. This refers to the two modern schools of Astrology, those who follow the Seasonla / Tropical Zodiac, and those who follow the Sidereal interpretation. Lets be clear that these two systems are two different interpretations, and will not give the same results. Over time their interpretations will diverge more and more. I find it very important to understand why these two zodiacs now exist, their history and origins, and what the intentions of their common predecessor was. All this information is currently available from the Archaeological findings of ancient Sumerian and Pre-Sumerian inscriptions.

Considering the Celestial Procession of the Equinoxes brings us to the second observations about ancient Mesopotamian sky systems. Although they are seasonal based calendars with differing possible locations for placing the Equinoxes, these astrolabs also use three stars per zodiac sign in order to fix, or mark, the calendar in the sky.

This use of stars to mark a seasonal based calendar is problematic from the beginning since we know that the stars will move 1 degree every 72 years. It may be that the ancient priests and farmers who developed these systems did not quite realize that the stars would move their positions at all, much less that they would move so quickly.

So, now we know that stars cannot really be used to mark the seasons or zodiac positions because they move.

But, this very celestial procession has become its own zodiacal theory in our modern age. But, some may theorize that the ancients used the stars to define a "Sidereal" based zodiac from the very beginning.

These observations show us that in the early times of calendars and sky charts that seasons where used in conjunction with the stars, for marking time. It does not support one zodiacal theory over another, but shows us that perhaps the ancients did not fully comprehend all the movements that we know about today.

So we can try to understand these ancient sky charts from the mindset that the ancients may have had about it. We can find the contradictions and try to decipher the original intentions.

The Ancient Names of the Months

To be able to discuss these ancient calendars we must first describe the names of the Month, and relate them to our own understanding of Monthly names. These systems present 36 named star signs divided into twelve months. It is much like what we use today. The twelve months were named:

1. Nissanu

2. Ajaru

3. Simanu

4. Du'uzu

5. Abu

6. Ululu

7. Tasritu

8. Arahsamna

9. Kislimu

10. Tebetu

11.Sabatu

12. Addaru

The star symbolism, "The Signs", where different than what is generally used today. Yet, there are enough similarities that we can comfortably overlay our modern zodiac with these ancient ones.

Each month has three different signs or symbols that depict it. These stars where chosen such that each rises at the beginning, middle of end of the month, intending to clearly mark the months. They also rose in different parts of the sky, toward the pole or further from the pole. There is no doubt that these star signs are related to actual stars, and that the symbolism chosen for them relate to the season in which they rose at the time the calendar was created. So we can see that these calendars are both Seasonal and Sidereal based. In that way the star locations will not longer align with what we see in the sky, but that does not necessarily mean that the location of the month has changed, for the relationship between the Equinoxes and months where likely intended to be fixed. Due to this, I will not focus on the actual star names here, but will describe the seasonal symbolism that evolved with the month name.

Nissanu is the Field, Venus, and the Plough of Enlil.

Ajaru is the "Stars" (Pleiades), The Elder, and the War Lady.

Simanu is the Shepherd (Orion), the Lion and the Snake.

Du'Uzu is the Star Sirius, the Twins, and Marduk

Abu is the Bow, the Great Twins, and the Wagon (Ninlil)

Ululu is the Kidney, Raven and Yoke.

Tasritu is the Exalted Lady (Queen of the Gods), the Scales, and the mouse.

Arahsamna is the Wild Dog, the Scorpion, the King

Kislimu is Death, Winged Panther, and Goat.

Tebetu is the Great One Lord of the springs, Enki the Crab, and Eagle,

Sabatu is a Swarm, a Swallow, and Lady of Life.

Addaru is the Fish, Calf of the Sun, and the Fox the killer.

It will be important to thoroughly explore this monthly symbolism and their relationship to the Equinoxes and seasons before attempting to relate them to the general symbolism of the modern zodiacs.

Through the long history of the Mesopotamian region there have been as many calendars and customs as there are temples and locals. Generally, the older calendars and customers are related to the agricultural lifestyle approx. 5500 BC.

We could spend an endless amount of time exploring all the calendars, customs, rituals of the whole of this rich area and times. But, of all those we could learn about, only one tradition became the tradition passed down through the generations, preserved and evolved, thousands of years later becoming the "Standard Mesopotamian Calendar." The Calendar and Traditions of the City of Nippur came to have this honor. Derived from the Temple of Enlil, who lived in the E-KUR.

There where three main agricultural festivals in Nippur:

1. The Gusissu Festival - from the 20th to the 22nd of the Second Month. This marks the onset of the entire Agricultural cycle. It was related to the retooling of farming equipment and the acquisition of livestock.

2. The Sunumun Festiveal - In the middle of the fourth month, Marks the onset of preparing the fields for the seeding, and the upcoming of seeding in the Fall.

3. The Sekinku Festival - In the middle of the First Month, Marks the onset of Barley harvest.

4. In the Middle of the Fifth Month, The Nippur Patrenalia, called the Ne-Izi-gar Festival was observed. At this time fires where kindled to help guide the spirits of the Dead back to their ancestral homes.

5. In the Middle of the Sixth month the Kin-Inanna Festival was observed. It is unclear what the nature of this festival was. In the Sixth month, relating to Inanna it is suggestive to.

think it related somehow to mating and relationship, or to the descent and desecration of the Virgin Innana as she descended into the Underworld to retrieve the sacred drum.

6. The New Year, Zag-mu, was celebrated in the first month at the Tummal Temple Complex.

7. Likewise, The Fall Equinox Tummal Festival, the Sacred Mound Festival, was a celebration and ritual sacrifice involving Enlil's Ancestors. This was celebrated on he 27th day of the Seventh Month.

8. In the UR III period there was an introduction of the Ab-e Festival in the 10th Month, in honor of all the Lineage of Dead Kings (Fathers)