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Posted by
Tiglath
(Guest)
davidchibo@hotmail.com
- Wednesday, August 18 2004, 12:43:43 (CEST) from  Australia -  Windows XP -  Internet ExplorerWebsite: Website title: |
Front View http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass/resources/image/large/ps252251.jpg 3/4 View (Showing the snake who stole the plant of immortality.) http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass/resources/image/large/ps318882.jpg The Boundary Stone of Ritti-Marduk[1] graphically illustrates the fact that Babylonians were the true creators of today’s Zodiac. It also supplies much information about the Zodiac’s Star Signs during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar I, King of Babylon, about 1120 B.C. In Row 1, we have the eight pointed Star of Ishtar, the crescent of the Moon-god Sin, and the disk of Shamash the Sun-god. In Row 2 there are three altars surmounted by tiaras, which represent the gods Anu, Enlil (Bel) and Ea (Enki) respectively. In Row 3 there are three altars with a Ram (Aries) and a Goat (Capricorn) between them. Over the first is the lance of Marduk, over the second the mason's square of Nabû, and over the third is the symbol of the goddess Ninkharsag, the Creatress. In Row 4 is a standard with an animal's head (Aquarius?); a two-headed snake symbolises the Twins (Gemini); and a horse's head weight (Libra?), and a swallow (Pisces?). In Row 5 are a seated figure of the goddess Ishtar (Virgo) besides her a big dog (Leo) and the Scorpion-man (Sagittarius); and in Row 6 are forked lightning, symbol of Adad, above the bull of heaven (Taurus), the Tortoise (Cancer?), the Scorpion (Scorpio) of darkness, and the Lamp of Nusku, the Fire-god. Finally flowing up the left-hand side is a snake. One can not help but wonder what drove the Babylonians to select such a diverse set of characters for their constellations. Lewis Spence not only explains the choice of diverse characters used by the Babylonians in their Star Signs but he also links them with the Epic of Gilgamesh. He explains how “Throughout the epic [of Gilgamesh] there are indications of a correspondence between the exploits of the hero and the movements of heavenly bodies.” Linking the characters and signs of the Zodiac he explains how“..Gilgamesh and his friend Eabani (Enkidu) had some relation to the sign Gemini.” He continues, “The sign Leo recalls the slaying of Khumbaba….” “Following the sign of Leo, the wooing of the hero by the goddess Ishtar falls naturally into the sign of Virgo, the virgin. The sign of Taurus is represented by the slaying of the celestial bull, Alu, by Gilgamesh. The journey of the hero to Mashu and his encounter with the scorpion-men at the gate of sunset are of course mythological representations of the sign of Scorpio as are also his wanderings in the region of thick darkness.” He continues to tie the remaining star signs to the Epic - “Perhaps the sea-goddess Sabitu (Shiduri) is associated astrologically with the fish-tailed goat which is the conventional representation of Capricornus. Then the placing of the deluge-story in the XIth tablet, corresponding with the eleventh sign of the zodiac, Aquarius, the water-bearer, is evidently in keeping with the astrological aspect of the epic.[2] Using the work of Lewis Spence and further examination of the signs of the Gilgamesh Star Signs along with the epic of Gilgamesh also reveals the link with the remaining star signs. Aries, the ram, is clearly symbolised by the coming of Enkidu, who like a ram, was “Coated in hair like the god of the animals, with the gazelles he grazes on grasses” (Gilgamesh l:109-110). Meanwhile Cancer the crab a water symbol represents the death of Enkidu who dies in the same month as the god of the seasons, Tammuz. The mountains of Mashu are aptly symbolised by Libra the scales as they guarded the doorway of the god Shamash and stood balanced between light and darkness, “To Mashu’s twin mountains he came, which daily guard the rising [sun,]” (Gilgamesh 4:38-39) Meanwhile the guardians of the mountains, the scorpion-men, who were also great archers, are represented by Sagittarius the archer. The last sign Pisces symbolised by two fish tails represents the crossing of the waters of death by Gilgamesh using 120 punting poles, “..each with a boss” (Gilgamesh 10:161). References ---------- 1. Brit. Mus., No. 90,858. http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk 2. Myths of Babylonia and Assyria, Lewis Spence, 1916. pp182 – 183. 1916. --------------------- |
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