Ancient Egyptian Astrology Chart

Zodiac of Dendera

Wandering amongst the exquisite Egyptian artifacts at the Louvre, I turned a corner into a small alcove and gazed with awe up at the ceiling at the Zodiac de Dendera.  Removed from a temple of the Goddess Hathor, and a chapel dedicated to the god of resurrection, Osiris, was a remarkable map of the stars, a zodiac in bas-relief carved into sandstone blocks with a circumference of about 8 feet.  A replica is installed in the temple in Egypt.

Interpretive Plaque at Louvre

Scholars have been able to date the zodiac to the summer of the year 50 BC, because the depicted planetary alignment occurs only about once every thousand years.  They postulate that it was carved after the death of Cleopatra's father, Ptolemy Auletes, in 51 BC, and note that it also illustrates two contemporary eclipses, the solar eclipse that occurred on 7 March 51 BC and the lunar eclipse visible on 25 September 52 BC.  The auspicious moment of Ptolemy's death and Cleopatra's elevation as ruler, told in the stars.

Goddess Holding Up Sky

Although it is now mounted in the Louvre, it retains the power of the temple.  At each cardinal direction, a goddess holds up her corner of the sky.  Here were the familiar constellations I knew: Taurus, Aries, Cancer, Pisces, Libra, Orion, and the Milky Way.  One Egyptologist hypothesizes that the total solar eclipse may have coincided with Cleopatra's father's death and that "she may have wanted to inscribe for eternity the passing of power from King-Re to herself, the female sun."

The Zodiac of Dendera has caused quite a stir over the ages, with many different interpretations, translations and decodings offered up.  At the time it was removed, during Napoleon's campaign, the code of hieroglyphics had yet to be cracked and scholars of the time gathered to share their ideas.  Today, it still presents some interesting data.  It can be shown that the Zodiac includes knowledge of precession--the movement of the vernal equinox through the constellations over a 26,000 year period.  Others say it shows evidence of magnetic pole shifts.

I found two great YouTube videos about the temple of Dendera and the Zodiac to share with you.  The more I uncover about the Zodiac, its use and meaning, the more I appreciate the way my guides move me through my life, showing me just what I need to know, exactly when I need to know it.  Of all the spectacular and famous works of art in the Louvre that I experienced on my visit, this was the one that left a huge impression energetically.