Egyptian zodiac

There are many different interpretations of the Egyptian astrology. The main problem is that although we know that the ancient Egyptians pioneered astrology as a science, the data that has survived till modern day is inconsistent. There are at least three popular Egyptian zodiac interpretations plus many more less popular theories backed by a small amount of people. In this lens we will show you the customary theories so that you can enjoy them and compare with the traditional zodiac. Today the ancient calendars have turned into a certain type of folklore and we see its representations in many different objects, such as Egyptian jewelry, home décor and art objects.

Denderah zodiac or Dendera is a pastiche created during the Ptolemaic dynasty heavy influenced by Greek culture. The only available reference to the Denderah Egyptian zodiac is the bas-relief found by French soldiers in the Hathor temple near Dendera. It is thought that this bas-relief has very little to do with the way ancient Egyptians perceived the planets. There are many contradictory things there. There are 12 constellations, each comprising 3 decans (periods of 10 days). Each decan represents a major star. The same method was used in the ancient Egyptian zodiac, where the decans were based on lunar cycle.

The scientists are in a disaccord over the symbols and representations on this piece of ancient art. It is more than obvious that Taurus, Libra and Pisces are all represented on this calendar. Some other symbols are still waiting to be understood. There is a limited practical value to this zodiac.

Other two types of Egyptian zodiac are the Traditional and the Pharaoh's horoscope. We'll look at those two in more detail.