I'm writing an essay on the mythological history and origins of the Western zodiac, and how those ideas spread from culture to culture. Can anyone point out some accurate resources on this topic for my research?

by Tarentel14

Sorry if this isn't allowed. I read over the rules for "homework" question and I think this is OK. If it isn't, I'd be glad to delete this.

What I really need are good, accurate sources. I'm searching the web, but as a layman, it is difficult to distinguish between actual historical texts and true astrology websites spouting garbage. If anyone could point me to a good website, or even better, a book, I'd be quite grateful.

Specifically,

  1. I'm reading about the MUL.APIN tablet on Wikipedia and how it may be part of the origin of Zodiac beliefs. Does anyone know anything about this, and general knowledge of Sumerian cuneiform?
  2. I'm hearing about the similarities between the Greco-Roman, Hindu, and Babylonian zodiacs, the first two probably coming from the last. Are they really that similar? What, if any, other civilizations with beliefs like these/coming from these exist?
thejukeboxhero

If you are in college (or even high school) a good resource to make use of even if you do get a response here is your school library. If you are having difficulty finding the books you need, your school's librarians should be more than willing to aid you in your search. If you are struggling to find books at your local library, search tools like WorldCat can be extremely helpful in locating books that other libraries might have and be willing to lend, usually through your university's inter-library loan network.

I'm sorry I don't have much in the way of concrete sources to offer, just some advice on how to start your research. Again, if you have access to a university library, you'll also have access to journal databases like JSTOR which could provide a solid starting point if you find a related article (and from there, follow the footnotes).

Good luck!

farquier

There is some work that is done on connections between Greco-Roman astrology and late Babylonian astrology; (the relevant material is basically from Achaemenid and Selucid Uruk) although it's not really something I am as familiar with. The usual edition of MUL.APIN used is by Hunter and Pingree; Rochberg's The Heavenly Writing is to my knowledge the most recent general survey of Mesopotamian astronomical literature. This book should I think discuss broader Greek interest in Babylonian astronomy as well.