Signs of the Zodiac - Astrology for the 21st Century

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Signs of the Zodiac
Signs
Glyphs
‘Zodiac’ means ‘living beings’, although you will often come across it
misunderstood as ‘circle of animals’.
‘Signs’ refers to the segments of the sky, like slices of pizza or cake, that
encircle the Earth and stretch out into space, through which the planets
and other objects and points move. ‘Signs’ has also come to refer to the
images and names of the Signs.
‘Images’ refers to the pictorial symbols that are associated with the Signs,
e.g. the image for the 1st Sign is a ram, and in English we call it Aries.
‘Glyphs’ are the squiggly written symbols that are like shorthand for
‘Aries’, ‘Taurus’ etc.
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a
Aries
a
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:V%C3%A4rmland_sheep_white_ram.jpg
Aries means ‘Ram’.
The ram is the image for Aries. This Sign is linked with
the lambing season of springtime.
a
Depicts the ram’s head and horns, viewed face-on.
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b
Taurus
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heck_cattle_male.jpg
Taurus means ‘Bull’.
The image for this Sign is the Bull of Heaven.
b
Depicts the bull’s head and horns, viewed face-on.
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b
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c
Gemini
c
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Travel.jpg
Gemini means ‘Twins’ and is related to ‘twin , double;
paired or half-and-half; similar, like’.
The painting shows the twins as companions, travelling
together. Twins and companions are the traditional
symbols of this Sign and Image.
c
Depicts twoness; the lines are twinned.
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d
Cancer
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crab-01.jpg
Cancer means ‘Crab’.
Cancer’s image is that of its name, the crab.
d
Suggests the crab’s claws.
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d
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e
Leo
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lion_waiting_in_Nambia.jpg
Leo means ‘Lion’.
Leo’s image is straightforward: the King of the
Beasts, the lion.
e
Depicts the lion’s mane.
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e
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f
Virgo
f
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Children_of_the_wheat.jpg
Virgo means ‘Maiden’, ‘Virgin’, ‘Girl’.
Virgo’s image is that of a maiden holding an ear of
wheat. The sheaf of wheat was originally barley.
f
Opinions differ on the ‘M’ shape, however the final
curved part is the ear of barley/wheat.
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g
Libra
g
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balance_%C3%A0_tabac_1850.JPG
Libra means ‘Scales’ / ‘Pair of scales’.
The scales, designed for weighing one thing against
another, are the only mechanical symbol in the Zodiac.
g
Depicts the weighing scales. For mnemonic and
interpretive purposes, it can also be thought of as a
sunset, or a bridge.
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h
Scorpio
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_scorpion.jpg
Scorpio means ‘Scorpion’.
Scorpio’s image is straightforward: a scorpion.
h
The ‘M’ based sigil is usually said to somehow
symbolise the scorpion’s back legs, with the tail
and stinger being more obviously depicted.
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h
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i
Sagittarius
i
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marble_sagittarius.jpg
Sagittarius means ‘Archer’ (Sagitta means ‘Arrow’).
The image for Sagittarius is that of a Centaur-Archer. A
centaur is half-horse, half-man. In mythology, centaurs were
skilled in the use of bow and arrow.
i
Depicts the arrow.
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j
Capricorn
j
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nubian_Ibex_in_Negev.JPG
Capricorn means ‘Goat’+’Horn’ (from caper+corn).
The correct image for Capricorn is that of a goat with a fish’s
tail in place of the goat’s hind legs. Over time, however, the
image for Capricorn tended to be shown as just a normal wild
goat.
j
Depicts the goat-fish.
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k
Aquarius
m
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irrigating_fields_SW_of_Killerton_Estate_%28NT%29_-_geograph.org.uk__35012.jpg
Aquarius means ‘Water-bearer’ or ‘Water-Carrier’ or ‘Inspector of
conduits’.
The image of the Water-bearer is that of a man with one/two pitchers,
pouring out water, representing irrigation. The photograph on the
right is a close equivalent to a modern version of a Water-bearer - a
sprinkler and irrigator system.
m
Depicts the waves of the water.
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l
Pisces
n
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thalassoma_pavo.jpg
Pisces means ‘Fish’.
The image of the Fish above is an approximation of the
correct image, which is that of two fish tied together with a
cord - obviously such things don’t exist in photographic form,
and thankfully so!
n
Depicts the heads of the two fish, yoked to one another.
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