HISTORY OF ZODIAC SIGNS

INTRODUCTION:

Zodiac; imaginary belt in the celestial sphere, extending about 8° on either side of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun among the stars. The width of the zodiac was determined originally so as to include the orbits of the Sun and Moon and of the five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) that were known to the people of ancient times. The zodiac is divided into 12 sections of 30° each, which are called the signs of the zodiac. Starting with the vernal equinox and then proceeding eastward along the ecliptic, each of the divisions is named for the constellation situated within its limits in the 2nd century b. c. The names of the zodiacal signs are Aries, the Ram; Taurus, the Bull; Gemini, the Twins; Cancer, the Crab; Leo, the Lion; Virgo, the Virgin; Libra, the Balance; Scorpio, the Scorpion; Sagittarius, the Archer; Capricorn, the Goat; Aquarius, the Water Bearer; and Pisces, the Fishes. Because of the precession of the equinoxes about the ecliptic, a 26,000-year cycle, the first point of Aries retrogrades about 1° in 70 years, so that the sign Aries today lays in the constellation Pisces. In about 24,000 years, when the retrogression will have completed the entire circuit of 360°, the zodiacal signs and constellations will again coincide.

HISTORY OF THE ZODIAC SIGNS

The Zodiac is a circle of the star constellation that lines the ecliptic. The moon and the nine planets are the essential parts of this group and Zodiac signs mark the ecliptic into twelve equivalent sections of the Zodiac belt. Tracing the history of zodiac signs is a very tough task and it is believed that many centuries ago our ancestors used to predict weather, the destiny of a person or the future making use of the Zodiac signs.

The term ‘Zodiac’ is derived from the Latin word “Zodiacus” which in turn comes from another Greek word “Zoidiakos kuklos” meaning circle of animals. The name is motivated by the fact that half of the signs of the classical Greek Zodiac are represented as animals.

The history of the Zodiac signs has its roots in the astrology related to the society of the Ptolemaic Egypt. The Hindu astrology implemented its knowledge based on the Hellenistic Zodiac during the 2^nd century B. C-an integral period related to the Indo-Greek civilizing cultural exchange of ideologies. History of Zodiac signs proves that the society of the European astrology had its base in the Hellenistic astrology.

It is believed that the zodiacal signs originated in Mesopotamia as early as 2000 b. c. But as far as documentary proofs are concerned, Zodiac signs were known to be in use by Roman era inherited by Hellenistic astronomy from Babylonian astronomy from the Chaldean period. The Greeks adopted the symbols from the Babylonians and passed them on to the other ancient civilizations. The Egyptians assigned other names and symbols to the zodiacal divisions. Also, the Egyptians divided the ecliptic, the journey the sun takes, into twelve sections. Those twelve equal zones of celestial longitude became the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Each sign is associated with the annual cycle of seasons and also the constellations that lie along the path where the sun travels. The Greeks became familiar with Zodiac science in the 4^th century. The Chinese also adopted the 12-fold division, but called the signs rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, sheep, monkey, hen, dog, and pig. Independently, the Aztec people devised a similar system.

Today, reading the daily horoscope in the newspaper or online is a ritual for some. Serious students of astrology and the Zodiac still continue to read the stars, plot out horoscopes and live their beliefs.

DIAGRAM SHOWING THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

Sign

Symbol

Dates

Aquarius	Water Bearer	January 20 - February 18
Pisces	Fishes	February 19 - March 20
Aries	Ram	March 21 - April 19
Taurus	Bull	April 20 - May 20
Gemini	Twins	May 21 - June 20
Cancer	Crab	June 21 - July 22
Leo	Lion	July 23 - August 22
Virgo	Virgin	August 23 - September 22
Libra	Scales	September 23 - October 22
Scorpio	Scorpion	October 23 - November 21
Sagittarius	Archer	November 22 - December 21
Capricorn	Goat	December 22 - January 19

Each Zodiac sign represents one-twelfth of the path that the sun travels. Ancient people looked to the heavens and noticed certain stars in specific locations at the same time each year. They observed the sun’s location during weather events such as rain, sunshine, storm; e. t. c. From these observations, astrology became a way to explain times of chaos and times of abundance. The wise astrologers of the day plotted the movements of heavenly bodies and offered predictions of their discoveries. The Egyptians who existed then divided the ecliptic I. e the journey the sun takes, into twelve sections. Those twelve equal zones of celestial longitude became the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Also, the Greeks became familiar with zodiac sciences in the 4^th century. Learned and wise astrologers became advisors to kings and emperors that actually continued into the 20^th century. The Zodiacal symbols are early modern simplifications of conventional pictorial representations of the signs, attested since Hellenistic times.