Saturn and the AncientsJack Oughton

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Saturn In Prehistory

• Saturn can be seen with the naked eye and therefore would have been visible to our prehistoric ancestors as a slow moving and distant light.

• Since very little remains from prehistory we don’t know their relationship with it.

Mesopotamian

• From ancient Mesopotamia comes our 7-day planetary week and the Planetary Hours.

• The Babylonian name for Saturn was Sagush and the associated god was Ninurta. When the Tablets of Fate, which held the laws of the universe, were stolen by a dragon, it was Ninutra who rescued them and was henceforth placed in charge of fate and law.

• Ninurta often appears holding a bow and arrow, a sickle sword, or a mace named Sharur: Sharur is capable of speech in the Sumerian legend "Deeds and Exploits of Ninurta" and can take the form of a winged lion

Egyptian• Saturn was associated with Horus, the ‘bull

of the sky.’ • The Egyptians portrayed the planets as

deities sailing across the heavens in barges, and they were known as the "stars that know no rest".

• Horus’s name meant “The far off”; It is nearly impossible to distinguish a "true" Horus. In fact, Horus is mostly a general term for a great number of falcon headed gods, some of which were worshipped all over Egypt. Yet in all of his forms he is regarded as the prince of the gods, and with the Sun.

Hellenic• Κρόνος (Kronos) was a Titan, and King of the Gods

and the Cosmos. • The son of Uranus and Gaia and the youngest of

the twelve Titans, he married his sister Rhea. • Their offspring were Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades,

Poseidon and Zeus.• Emasculated and usurped his father with an

adamantium scythe at Gaia’s request (she was fed up of having children)

• Under his rule was a "Golden Age"; a time when it was said that people lived without greed or violence, and without toil or the need for laws.

KRONOS TURNS EVIL•Swallowed his children as it was prophesized that one would overthrow him. •With Rhea’s help Zeus escaped, Kronos swallowed a stone instead.•Zeus returned, got his dad to throw up the Gods, and then led the revolt against him. •Once again the son usurps the father.•Saturn's many moons are named after figures Greek mythology.

Roman• By Roman times, astrology was a specialized discipline with

a clear cut methodology, described in books and practiced by experts.

• Satvrnvs (Saturnus) • Saturn was ‘adapted’ from Kronos in Greece.• One of the elder and principal deities, the son of Celus and

Terra (Heaven and Earth), the father of Jupiter • He was the God of time and agriculture, represented as an

old man dressed in a shroud, wrapped in clanking chains and carrying a scythe

• This explains the shape of the astrological symbol. • In the Roman calendar, Saturday was called Dies Saturni in

honour of the god Saturn

http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/156_Templeof_Saturn.html

•THE SATURNALIA: was celebrated for seven days, from December 17 to December 23. •The opening festivities where marked by a feast at the temple of Saturn, where the statue of the God was unchained.•Normal rules of society where inverted. Business was suspended, wars couldn’t be started and criminals couldn’t be convicted.

Left: Roman Temple to Saturn. Right: Traditional representation of Saturn in Rome.

• Slaves where served by their masters, who dressed in the demeaning pilleus slave hats.

• Gifts where given and the majority of the time was spent drinking and gambling

• The practice survived long after the Christianization of Rome, practices observed as late as 345AD

• Many aspects of it continue today in Christmas.

Vedic India

• The Indian god of time was Kala, and was also the planet Saturn, and the Reaper and Bringer of Death

• In astrology Saturn was associated with Shani. • Shani comes from the Sanskrit; Sanischara

(slow moving)• He was associated with much the same

features as the Roman Saturn.

Mesoamerica

• Scholars have long marveled at the precision achieved by the Maya in measuring the year and the cycles of the Moon. The purpose of all this astronomy was, however, to improve their astrology.

• The Aztecs • The Mayans • The Toltecs

The Far East• In China, Saturn (土星 ) was the Wood Star.• In Chinese astrology, Saturn is ruled by the element earth,

which is patient, hard-working and reliable.• In some other parts of Chinese mythology, the planet was

associated with exorcism. • In Japan and Vietnam, Saturn was the Earth star (Japanese:

Dosei), and represented the earth in Heaven.• As the Earth Star it interacts with Venus (Gold), Jupiter

(Wood), Mercury (Water) and Mars (Fire) , and is an essential part of the Five Elements Theory. This is applied in many ways, including in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

• It’s Vietnamese name is Sao Thổ and it’s old Chinese astronomical name is Zhenxing (鎮星 )

Saturn In Later Western Astrology

• Saturn is associated with time, challenge, fear, doubt, confusion, difficulty, seriousness, heaviness, and hard lessons.

• On the positive structure, significance, accomplishment, reflection, power, prestige, maturity, and order.

• Astrologers believe that the thirtieth birthday is such a major rite of passage and is considered by many astrologers to mark the "true beginning" of adulthood

How have the ancients affected us today?

• The planets named after Roman Gods. • The ancient study of astrology. • The end of the Long Count of the Mayan

calendar; a mysterious ‘Cataclysm’ will occur on 21st December, 2012. Much growing interest in the subject as the deadline looms..