History of the Zodiac

History of the Zodiac PDF Author: Robert Powell
Publisher: Sophia Academic Press
ISBN: 9781597311526
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
The zodiac was first clearly defined by the Babylonians some 2500 years ago, but until recently the basis of this original definition remained unknown. This zodiac of the Babylonians, known as the sidereal zodiac because it is specified in direct relation to the stars (Latin sideris, 'starry'), was used for centuries throughout the ancient world, all the way to India, and must be distinguished from the tropical zodiac in widespread use by astrologers in the West today, which was introduced only in the middle of the second century A.D. by the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. Such was Ptolemy's influence, however, that the tropical zodiac gained prominence and, except for its survival (in a variant form) in India, knowledge of the sidereal zodiac was lost. In this thrilling study of the history of the zodiac, first submitted in 2004 as his Ph.D. thesis, Robert Powell rescues the the sidereal zodiac from the dusts of time, tracing it back to the Babylonians in the sixth/fifth centuries B.C. The implications of this discovery-among them the restitution of the sideral zodiac to its rightful place at the heart of astrology-are immense, they key point being that the signs of the sidereal zodiac, each thirty degrees long, coincide closely with the twelve astronomical constellations of the same name, whereas the signs of the tropical zodiac, since they are defined in relation to the vernal point, now have no direct relationship to the corresponding zodiacal constellations, owing to the precession of the equinoxes.This revolutionary history of the zodiac includes chapters on the Egyptian decans and the Hindu nakshatras, showing how these sidereal divisions, which originated in Egypt and India, are related to the original Babylonian zodiac. It also sheds light on the controversy surrounding the 'zodiac question' (tropical vs. sidereal), illuminating the history of the tropical zodiac-showing that originally it was not a zodiac at all, but a calendar for describing the course of the seasons! This book, the fruit of thirty years of research, is intended not only for scholars but for general readers as well, and offers the clearest and most comprehensive study of the history of the zodiac yet published.

The Real Meaning of the Zodiac

The Real Meaning of the Zodiac PDF Author: Dennis James Kennedy
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781929626144
Category : Bible and astrology
Languages : en
Pages : 155

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The Origin of the Zodiac

The Origin of the Zodiac PDF Author: Rupert Gleadow
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486419398
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 274

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Book Description
Lively account examines the nature, philosophy, and mythology of the zodiac in ancient Mexico, Tibet, China, India, Greece, Rome, Babylon, and Egypt. Anecdotes and illustrations enhance a text that includes fascinating material on zodiacal gems and birthstones. An absorbing, well-researched study that will fascinate students, scholars, New Agers, and anyone interested in the zodiac's colorful history.

Signs of the Zodiac

Signs of the Zodiac PDF Author: Mary Ellen Snodgrass
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313008175
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 261

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Book Description
The zodiacal signs impact art, advertising, literature, history, mythology, psychology, health, and language with their evocative imagery, symbols and scientific and religious lore. This fact-filled reference guide pulls together applications of the zodiacal signs in those fields and others. Each sign is explicated in a separate chapter which discusses its origin and importance in diverse cultures, including its history, artistic applications, traditions, literary and religious interpretations, psychological significance, and application to notable historical and contemporary figures. An organized overview with cross-references and indexing allows the zodiac to be studied from numerous points of view. Artistic representations of each of the 12 houses accompany the text. Introductory chapters on the origins of the zodiacal signs, the historical foundation of astrology, the zodiac in the first millennium A.D., and the zodiac in the arts and sciences provide a thorough overview and comparative examination of the influence of the zodiac in human history and thought. A detailed timeline synchronizes discoveries and development of zodiacal associations and thought around the world. Appendices list planetary correspondences in jewels, metals, herbs, color, flavor, form, shapes, food preferences, and senses, and the symptoms and pathologies associated with birth signs. The work also contains an extensive bibliography and index.

The Little Giant Encyclopedia of the Zodiac

The Little Giant Encyclopedia of the Zodiac PDF Author: Diagram Group
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN: 9780806995298
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 516

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Book Description
Anyone who is fascinated with astrology--Chinese or Western--will find this complete, straightforward resource a must-have. Whether used for entertainment or as a tool for living harmoniously with one's natural character, this giant astrology reference is certain to provide hours of fun. Two-color interior.

Astrology

Astrology PDF Author: Peter Whitfield
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
The idea that the destiny of mankind is somehow linked to the stars goes back over 2500 years. A powerful force in the intellectual life of Greece and Rome, astrology was condemned to near-extinction by the rise of Christianity, but was reawakened in the Middle Ages and come to permeate philosophy, literature and art. Always liable to be debased and manipulated, the principles of astrology were nevertheless for many centuries an accepted facet of religious and scientific thought and daily life.

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac PDF Author: Gabrielle Wang
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763667781
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 33

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Book Description
Featuring sumptuous illustrations based on Chinese painting techniques, a lively retelling of the mythological animal race that led to the 12 signs in the Chinese Zodiac traces the proclamation of the Jade Emperor and the respective efforts of 13 animals.

Complete Book of the Zodiac

Complete Book of the Zodiac PDF Author: Jonathan Cainer
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN: 9780806959221
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
Cainer provides the tools needed to help readers better understand themselves, find an ideal partner, reach their potential, enjoy happy and satisfying relationships, and even predict the future.

The 13th Sign

The 13th Sign PDF Author: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
ISBN: 1250037662
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
What if there was a 13th zodiac sign? You're no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus, the healer, the 13th sign. Your personality has changed. So has your mom's and your best friend's. What about the rest of the world? What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the 13th sign, causing this world-altering change, and infuriating the other 12 signs? In this book by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend upon it.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Encyclopaedia Britannica PDF Author: Hugh Chisholm
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Languages : en
Pages : 1016

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Book Description