INTRODUCTION

The theme that I want to explore in this page is the idea that ancient myths of 'Gods' is a personification of the stars and planets. Not as some people believe that the Gods somehow became associated with the planets : e.g. that the Gods were real living aliens.

Despite my preference for the former explanation both could (possibly) be correct. In various theologies there is a belief that there is, for example, literally a man in the moon. Another example is that crop circles are signals from the spirit of the Earth, Mother Nature/Gaia. This idea of a great spirit that occupies and controls a planet is a matter of personal belief but could explain the references to visions and voices from the Gods (i.e the planets).

However, hearing voices in your head has been shown recently to be a symptom of the two halves of the brain not communicating properly - literally schizophrenia. When writing (controlled by the left brain for right handed people) the information from the other side of the brain seems foreign to you (e.g. hearing and vision which is controlled by the right half of the brain). A good example of this is Mozart who claimed that the music just came to him fully formed when he began to play.

THE ZODIAC

The solar system is moving, outwards from the centre of the Universe (where, according to current thinking the Big Bang took place). Due to its vast gravity compared with the other objects the Sun forms the centre of the solar system, with everything rotating around it. Since gravity exerts its force on such a large scale the Sun itself is attracted to much larger masses nearby, which form the centre of another 'system' (it 'rotates' around the star Sirius). And so on.

The reason for the above explanation is to make you understand that all the stars are moving in complex patterns around and away from each other. But this happens very very slowly.

As seen from Earth the stars in the sky form patterns, which we call the Constellations (meaning groupings of stars). The constellations are formed from the brightest of stars, many of which cannot be seen clearer today due to light pollution. The absolute brightness of a star depends on how much hydrogen is left to burn. This brightness (and its colour) changes as the star ages over billions of years. So, the brightest stars are not necessarily the closest. We are also looking back in time, as the speed of light is limited it takes many thousands of years for the light from the star to reach Earth. It takes about 8 minutes for the light from the Sun to reach the Earth.

Each day the Sun follows a certain path through the sky, called the Eclliptic. Although the stars are never visible during the day the Sun does pass through certain constellations. These constellations are called the Zodiac. The distance that the sun spends in each of these constellations varies due to the different sizes of the constellations. But, for convenience the astrological zodiac is split into 12 equal areas. Whether this was true for the Babylonians I do not know.

In actual fact the Sun passes through 13 constellations (the twelve signs plus Ophiuclus). According to some the sign of libra was actually created by the Romans from the stars that make up the claws of scorpio. This sign replaced the constellation Ophiuclus, the serpent holder, leaving us with 12 signs.

As many calenders are based on the 13 cycles of the moon in the year (i.e. 13 lunar months not 12 'solar' months). hence maybe we should be using all 13 constellations. But since Libra is not an animal (Zodiac means circle of animals!) there is sufficient doubt to remain using 12 signs.

Precession

The major effects on which stars we see in a certain part of the sky at a particular time of year are dominated by local variations, such as the motion of the Earth (which wobbles!). Due to the tilt of the Earth the view of the stars changes as we circle the Sun. The stars directly overhead remain in similar positions, and the constellations appear to rotate around this point. This is called the Pole star.

Unfortunately, the tilt of the Earth also changes (like the angle of a spinning top) over a 26,000 year period. This is called Precession, and causes the Pole star (curently Polaris) to change over time (e.g. the Pole star was Draconis 10,000 years ago). The result of this is that year by year there is a slow westward drift in the motion of the Sun in relation to the 'fixed' background stars. This has lead to a discrepancy between astrological signs of the zodiac since they were first developed.].

For a thorough explanation of the motion of the sun, moon and planets through the zodiac see the OBU Planetarium webpage on the Zodiac.

SYMBOLOGY

Gods and heroes in myth have constellational counterparts (Hercules, Pegasus, Perseus, etc). Due to the motion of the Earth some constellations disappear from astronomical observations in a particular hemisphere of the Earth. So, do the myths of a God/hero being banished to the Underworld relate to this effect?

Well, although some of the myths tell of a (permanent) banishment to the abyss or underworld there are some tales in which the God reappears! If it is the motion of the constellations that are being described this implies that the mythology persisted and developed over a very long time scale indeed. Alternatively, the disappearance of the planets above and below the horizon is a much more regular event.

The original use of the constellations (e.g by the Babylonians) was to probably to provide a relatively fixed reference point for specifying the positions of the Sun, Moon, and the planets. So the symbology in mythological texts may actually be indicating the exact date and year by reference to a heavenly body being in a particular constellation.

The Gods in myths are specifically linked with the planets by the ancients. So to indicate that the planet Mercury is in a particular zodiac constellation, for example Leo, the myth may tell of a God or King wearing a lion skin (as worn by Hercules, Enkidu and Nebuchadnezzar). Other attributes found in myth may be accounted for by the non-zodiacal constellations, like riding the winged horse Pegasus.

Could lists of five or seven (e.g. Gods / Angels) represent the five visible planets (with Sun and Moon)?

The 26,000 year precessional cycle can be split up into 12 equal parts, represented by the zodiac signs. For instance, we the Age of Aquarius refers to the fact that Aquarius is at the horizon on the start of the Spring Equinox. So, the symbolism in myth may also relate to these zodiacal ages. Could the twelve signs of the zodiac be the basis for the twelve labours of Heracles (Hercules), where each labour represents a zodiac sign (e.g. the dog Cerberus is Leo?).

The table below shows possible symbolism relating to different ages that, if true, suggests that the myths are more ancient than we currently accept.

* As mentioned before Zodiac means circle of animals. Well, Libra, the scales is an object not an animal! The figure holding the snake is said to be Asclepius, the roman god of healing.

THE UNDERWORLD

The ancient word used for 'Gods' means 'shining one', for instance (El, Deus). These Gods represent the planets and bright stars that are seen in the night sky. This abode, where they live, is called Heaven. But, in the myths there are also Gods who live in the Underworld, which is the opposite of Heaven. So, if Heaven represents the constellations / stars of the Northern hemisphere then the Underworld represents the stars/constellations of the Southern hemisphere. These (invisible) stars lie beneath the horizon - the Under world. Hence the Greek underworld Hades, meaing Unseen.

Some of the Gods and demigods temporarily visit the Underworld, in such stories as the Greek tales of Perseus and the labours of Hercules, and the Vedic Ramayama. Many of these visits occur during a great battle in heaven when a serpent/dragon is slain by the king of the gods. Note that the serpent is associated with the planet Venus in many American mythologies.

Interestly, the Gods that represent the planets Mercury and Venus are the ones that usually make these visits to the Underworld acting as messengers or seeking help (e.g. Quetzalcoatl, Hermes, Hermod, Ishtar, Inanna, etc). The end result is a great flood, followed by a new age. For instance, a god visited the underworld in the Sumerian Gilgamesh Epic, the Norse tale of Ragnorok, and at the end of the last Mayan age. We are also told in Vedic cosmology that each new age (Yuga) occurs at a planetary alignments of many planets with the Sun and the Moon. Since it is only Mercury and Venus that are closer to the Sun than the Moon the tales of their travel to the dark Underworld could be describing an inferior conjunction during an eclipse (i.e. they go behind the opposite side of the moon).

This makes sense from a mythological standpoint since the Moon gods seem to have a dichotomy of a dark side and a shining side. For example, Ceres the goddess of the crops and her daughter Persephone who lives in the underworld, and Xlpetotec who was associated with the underworld was also a god of agriculture. The Moon has also a dichotomy with the Sun and the Moon (e.g. Artemis the moon god and twin brother Apollo, the shining one). If the tales stem from this rare planetary alignment (which is also an eclipse) then it is understandable that the Sun and the Moon take on the same character. Several dieties are explicitly double-headed (Janus, who like the moon gods was responsible for good fortune, the seasons and agriculture. Could the name be linked with the Hittite god Anus?)

PHASES OF THE MOON

When a New Moon occurs the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. In this position the Sun's rays only illuminate the opposite side of the Moon. It is generally invisible since it occurs during daytime, whilst it is night-time on the other side of the Earth. When the new Moon completely obscures the Sun we have a solar eclipse, and a shadow darken parts of the Earth for a few minutes.

During a Full Moon the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun, giving a bright night-time moon.

Perhaps the dark night that enables you to see the new Moon became associated in myth with the 'dark' side of the Moon that is pointing away from the Sun.

There are also a waxing and waning 'quarters' of the Moon. This gives four recognisable aspects (faces) of the Moon. Occasionally in myth there is a God who has four faces or four related Gods which possibly could indicate the four phases of the Moon. Some dieties have four heads which represent the four cardinal directions (e.g. Janus Quadrifons, Tezcatlipoca, Brahma, Chinese Dragons).

In the Mayan book, the Popul Vuh, we are told of the first four people on earth, who were made from a paste of yellow and white maize. The myth tells that there was complaints that they were 'too much like the Gods themselves'. So, Hurakan put a cloud over their eyes so that they only saw a portion of the Earth. Also, at this time there was no Sun and comparative darkness. The names of the first four people are translated as 'Jaguar with sweet smile' - one of the quarters, 'Jaguar of the night' - full moon seen at night-time , 'Jaguar of the moon' - relating to the new moon seen during the day, and 'Distinguished name' (the calender of many cultures is based on the first quarter moon, with each new month having a special name assigned to it.)

Interestingly, with the fourth plague in Revelations it tells us that 'a third of the Sun was struck and a third of the Moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened.'. This sounds very much like a partial eclipse. But the war between the Archangels and Lucifer (=light bringer) results in Lucifer being thrown down to earth. Also with the third plague in Revelations the 'great star Wormwood fell from heaven, burning like a torch.'. Whilst the currently the moon eclipses the whole of the Sun what if this hadn't always been the case. If the (same sized) moon had originally been several times farther from the earth it could only eclipsed a third of the Sun. (Note: The symbol for the Egyptian sungod Ra is a circle with a smaller circle inside.) Then we are told that the moon fell towards Earth.

With the sixth seal 'the moon will turn to blood', a possible reference to the pink chromosphere that occurs during an eclipse. Others references to a green mask and Jade masks could be references to the green light that appears around the sky as the Sun is eclipsed (similar to the famous green flash of the Sun)

PARADISE ON EARTH?

Mythical Gardens

The walled garden of paradise, a word literally meaning encircling pile of stones. This can be interpreted as a stone (Moon or the planets) encircling the garden of Earth. This paradise is simply a description of the geocentric model of the solar system. The major cities of Paradise are likely to represent the Moon and the Sun.

In fact, Atlantis was supposedly to lie in the Atlantic Ocean, a word that is Greek, but derives from Sanskrit açayana meaning "encircling all around". Mare Oceanum, the encircling sea, was so called because the ancient view was of the continents of Eurasia and Africa being surrounded by one vast body of water.

In Vedic cosmology the solar system consists of a series of islands surrounded by oceans (of milk, alcohol, water, etc). Each island is the same width as the river before, and the widths half with each island. For the five inner planets this gives four oceans surrounding the Earth. A similar design is given for the city of Atlantis. A series of canals surround the main city, each plated with tin, brass, or gold etc (Note: the planets have traditionally been associated with different metals.). In this case the width of each canal (the same as the land that surrounds it) decreases from 3 to 2 to 1 stade.

So, the encircling ocean could be refering to the space between the planets, as in the Vedic view of the solar system, and the paradise (Eden/Atlantis) is one of the planets or the moon. This does not rule out a great ancient civilization existing on Earth, but the symbology might explain why they built the city the way they did.

Pillar of heaven

The pillars that are mentioned in myths could literally be obelisks. There are tales of pillars with inscriptions of the 'lost' historyand knowledge. But they could also represent the tree, another common symbolism in myth. Here we have an astronomical link with the pole star, the central axis (World tree) that the stars rotate around. The stars are commonly referred to as golden apples or jewels on the tree (which is found in paradise or the underworld).

In one of his feats Hercules he pursuades Atlas (the God of Atlantis) to fetch three apples from the Underworld, whilst Hercules bore the Earth on his shoulders (just as the Moon does?). I have already mentioned that the underworld could be symbolic for the Moon, and since Atlas was to bear the Earth for eternity I would identify Atlas as the God of the Moon.. The pillars of Hercules are associated with the myth of Atlantis, whose major city was ruled by Atlas. So is the city of Atlantis the Moon!

Five pairs twin sons were born to Poseidon which could relate to some of the planets (plus Moon). These are Atlas and Gadeira, Ampheres and Evaemon, Mneseus and Autochthon, Elasippus and Mestor, Azaes and Diapreps. In a geocentric model these would represent (in order of distance from the Earth) the Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. I have covered Atlas as the Moon, Azaes as Saturn is obvious from the Greek Zeus, and Evaemon as Venus I shall explore below. Note that as a model of the night-time sky the Sun would not feature here.

Other references to heavenly stones exist. The Egyptian God Atum (as the benben stone / obelisk) was the first land to rise from the waters, in the mansion of the benu bird in Heliopolis. From this is derived the Greek legend of the Phoenix, rising from the fire. Another connection is to the Vena in the Indian Rig Veda, Puranas. The etymological connection between Benu and Phoenix and Benu and Vena could also be seen to give rise to the name Venus?

Adam and Eve

Lilith was the first wife of Adam, who flew away as a night demon. In astronomical terms the greatest God in the night sky would be the Moon.

The Hebrew word Adam comes from a word for dirt/earth, but the similar word Adom means red, and so could relate to Mars, the red planet.

In the tale of Atlantis (which we have seen tells of the solar system) the mother of Cleito was Evenor and Lucippe (Eve and Lucifer?). The Greek word for the planet Venus is Phosphorus - light bringer which in Latin is Lucifer. The name Eve could also be related to the planet Venus (i.e. evenus).

The World Tree

The world tree in mythology is commonly believed to be a reference to the pole star, currently Polaris. However, Mesoamerican myths describe Quetzalcoatl (associated with the planet Venus) as a dragon/serpent.

A tree is also an aspect of the garden in paradise. The Dragon/serpent can be simply a reference to the constellation Draco. But it could also indicate the rotation of the (world) tree, with the shining fruit on the tree are the planets/stars.

Three worlds was represented by three parts of the world tree - branchs, trunk and roots. For instance, the Scandanavian yggdrasil where the branchs are the home of the Gods, the middle is the earth / land of the giants, and the roots of the tree is the underworld. So we have the sky, horizon and beneath the horizon.

A Latvian myth tells us 'The golden belt has three layers.'. Therefore the belt is the Ecliptic. This belt features as an attribute of Venus as Aphrodite/Ishtar, presumably since Venus rises or sets before the Sun (i.e. as morning star or evening star)

The Great Deluge

We have many details in myth about ancient floods:

The Moon is responsible for the movement of the waters over the Earth. This was very important to ancient man, especially the Egyptians. The dramatic annual flooding of the Nile valley is responsible for the success of the crops for that year. Therefore the knowledge of when to plant seed is vital to the survival of the community. So, the Moon was not just the God of the waters, but could be said to be the God of wisdom, and prosperity.

Assuming that the Earth did undergo several major floods, for whatever reason, then the God that would be deemed responsible would be the God of the moon. All the flood myths do assign one of the Gods to causing the flood, and another one to saving mankind (e.g. by instructing one pious man, Noah, Atrahasis, Deucalion, with the knowledge of building a boat to save him and his family).

Seven islands: (Also, seventh heaven, seven sins)

The seven Indian sages, Rishis, were reborn as the stars of Ursa Major, the great bear, whilst their wives were the seven stars of the Pleiades. Likewise, the Greeks thought that the pleiades were the ghosts of the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. A similar tale exists in Australia.

Could the importance of this number simply be due to the seven planets known to ancient man.

Four corners of the world:

As I have explained the Sun appears in a different zodiac sign for each of the four quarter days of the year. These could be the four corners of the world! Likewise, the rivers that run through walled Paradise which divide it nicely into four. The precessional cycle restarted 12000 years ago. The zodiacal signs at the four corners of the world at that time were Sirius / Orion, Aries / Taurus, Regulus, Aquila.

3 headed animal:

In specifying astrological symbols the ancient Babylonians used the zodiac as well as the constellations above and below it. Hence, the image of Serapis with an animal with heads of a lion (Leo?), a wolf (Lupus?) and a dog (Canis minor/Major?). Cerberus, another 3 headed animal, sometimes is shown with Serapis.