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.
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.
Author: James H. Holden
Publisher: American Federation of Astr
ISBN: 0866904638
Category : Astrology
Languages : en
Pages : 402
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Book Description
This thoroughly researched book is a history of the development of Western horoscopic astrology from its origin among the Babylonians and its subsequent creation in its present form by the Alexandrians down to modern times. Special attention is given to background history and to the working conditions and techniques used by astrologers during the last two thousand years. Numerous footnotes provide additional information and bibliographic references. A separate bibliography lists reference sources of particular importance. Two comprehensive indices containing more than 2,800 individual entries enable the reader to locate persons, publishers, topics, and book and periodical titles that are mentioned in the history. The book also contains discussions of several questions and topics relating to astrology. James Herschel Holden is Research Director of the American Federation of Astrologers and has been especially interested in the history of astrology.
Author: Dennis James Kennedy
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781929626144
Category : Bible and astrology
Languages : en
Pages : 155
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Book Description
Author: Roger Beck
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470775378
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 176
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Book Description
A Brief History of Ancient Astrology explores the theory and practice of astrology from Babylon to Ancient Greece and Rome and its cultural and political impact on ancient societies. Discusses the union between early astrology and astronomy, in contrast to the modern dichotomy between science and superstition. Explains the ancient understanding of the zodiac and its twelve signs, the seven planets, and the fixed circle of 'places' against which the signs and planets revolve. Demonstrates how to construct and interpret a horoscope in the ancient manner, using original ancient horoscopes and handbooks. Considers the relevance of ancient astrology today.
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.
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.
Author: S. Elizabeth
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
ISBN: 0711254168
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 243
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Book Description
A visual feast of eclectic artwork informed and inspired by spiritual beliefs, magical techniques, mythology and otherworldly experiences. Mystical beliefs and practices have existed for millennia, but why do we still chase the esoteric? From the beginning of human creativity itself, image-makers have been drawn to these unknown spheres and have created curious artworks that transcend time and place – but what is it that attracts artists to these magical realms? From theosophy and kabbalah, to the zodiac and alchemy; spiritualism and ceremonial magic, to the elements and sacred geometry – The Art of the Occult introduces major occult themes and showcases the artists who have been influenced and led by them. Discover the symbolic and mythical images of the Pre-Raphaelites; the automatic drawing of Hilma af Klint and Madge Gill; Leonora Carrington's surrealist interpretation of myth, alchemy and kabbalah; and much more. Featuring prominent, marginalised and little-known artists, The Art of the Occult crosses mystical spheres in a bid to inspire and delight. Divided into thematic chapters (The Cosmos, Higher Beings, Practitioners), the book acts as an entertaining introduction to the art of mysticism – with essays examining each practice and over 175 artworks to discover. The art of the occult has always existed in the margins but inspired the masses, and this book will spark curiosity in all fans of magic, mysticism and the mysterious.
Author: S. J. Tester
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd
ISBN: 9780851152554
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 274
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Book Description
Superb general account.' Times Literary Supplement The story of the history of Western astrology begins with the philosophers of Greece in the 5th century BC. To the magic and stargazing of Egypt the Greeks added numerology, geometryand rational thought. The philosophy of Plato and later of the Stoics made astrology respectable, and by the time Ptolemy wrote his textbook the Tetrabiblos, in the second century AD, the main lines of astrological practice as it is known today had already been laid down. In future centuries astrology shifted to Islam only to return to the West in medieval times where it flourished until the shift of ideas during the Renaissance.
Author: Damien Pryor
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780958134132
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 78
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Book Description
You know your zodiac sign. Maybe you're a Virgo, or an Aquarian. But did you know that your sign is not the same thing as the zodiac constellation that it is named after? Your sign is actually in a different part of space to the constellation of stars we can see in the sky. What? That makes no sense... or does it? In this book, The Origin and Nature of the Tropical Zodiac, researcher Dr Damien Pryor unpacks the difference between what's known among astrologers as the 'sidereal zodiac', and the 'tropical zodiac.' The sidereal zodiac, made up of the 12 constellations, is visible and real. The tropical zodiac, on the other hand, does not exist in the sense of a visible group of stars. So what is it, actually? Astronomers believe it's just a fanciful idea, with no basis in reality. Yet there are many references to the tropical zodiac in ancient Greek texts, including the writings of Ptolemy. Dr Pryor's meticulous research into these texts reveals the secret of what the tropical zodiac is, and how the teachers in the ancient Greek and Babylonian Mysteries understood it. Written in everyday language, with helpful graphics, The Origin and Nature of the Tropical Zodiac is an invaluable resource for astrologers - and anyone who has an interest in their astrological sign.
