Astrology has been around forever, or at least, that is how it seems and can almost be considered true. It is not certain when it was first developed but there are records about the practice as early as the 3rd millennium BC.
That places its existence squarely in the Bronze Age which lasted between about 2000 and 3000 BC. The belief in Astrology goes as far back as the early Egyptian dynasties and there is documentation in the major civilizations at that time of its use on different continents and in different geographical areas that would have had no knowledge of each other’s science.
Documentation versus Existence
In the way we develop our understanding of history, there is a difference between what is accepted as the “beginning” of something and what is seen as the beginning of its existence. The beginning of something, like Astrology, is traced to its earliest known physical documentation. That could mean anything from a written record of its existence to cave paintings to finding objects that were used with it.
In the case of Astrology, while there are early cave paintings that suggest it, the most direct evidence is coming out of the early Egyptian, Babylonian and Nubian dynasties as written form and in bronze artifacts concerning tracking and interpreting the skies. The criteria for how something is seen as “beginning” are different. This can be determined based on anecdotal land interpretive evidence. Cave paintings are considered to be both.
It is difficult to relate a drawing to historical evidence of a real practice or event because the visual arts can be used to document dreams and lacking a vocabulary to establish the event, there is no way of telling if what we would interpret as signs of the presence of Astrology on a cave wall are that or, visual imaginings.
How did Astrology Begin?
It is thought that Astrology began organically as mankind developed the need to predict weather patterns and to better understand their world. As civilizations began to take shape, ruler’s needed a way to be able to predict and then manage the growth of food and to provide for the safety and security of their people. Studying the events of the heavens and the corresponding events on Earth became a way to do this.
After several hundred years of noticing that when the stars seemed closer and brighter that the seasons were beginning to change to the growing time made it easier to predict and order planting on a schedule. It was seeing this correlation between what happens above and what happens below that read to the adoption of astrology as a means to predict potential events among individuals and civilizations.
Making the Connection
Making the connection between what happens above and what happens below is not as hard as you think nor is it as farfetched as it sounds. The Ancients didn’t concoct myths about the stars and the sky influencing Earth and Man because they were frightened – but because it made sense and they had evidence to support it.
Think of it this way, have you ever looked up at the moon and seen a little halo around it and thought. “Oh, it is going to rain tomorrow,” or seen a full moon and known that people would be a little crazier than usual. This is a part of the evidence; it is called anecdotal and witnessed. Early civilizations looked at things in a much wider way then we do now so it was easier to notice such things. Now, our visions have narrowed to the microscopic.
If you’d like to learn more about the origins of Astrology and it’s cultural influences on today’s society, head over to the Love Horoscope website and visit their Astrology section at http://love-horoscopes.me/astrology/.
