Before acknowledged existence
There is reason to believe astrology goes as far back as 6000 BC and has it’s roots in Sumerian religion. Sumer* was in the area we now call Iraq named Mesopotamia. The Sumerian people are reponsible for a great number of innovation including irrigation, which in turn stimulated farming and written language. The Akkadians, a people living in Central Mesopotamia refined their technology and set up the first Moon calendars in the year 2500 BC after they took the place of the Sumerians. The Sumerians and Elamites** however, had charted the constellations 1500 years earlier.
* Sumer’s main cities were Uruk and Ur.
** Elam, the way the Elamites called their civilisation is located to the Southwest of what is now Iran.
The area in the South of Mesopotamia is called ‘Babylonia’ or ‘Babylon’, which will ring a bell with most people.
First proof emerges
In 2259 BC a clay tablet was found of an Akkadian astrologer that had predicted the death of King Akkad Naram Sin, exact at a lunar eclipse. Whether he was right, I could not find. There only remain myths. What is fact is that during Naram Sin’s reign, a people called Gutians* fought many battles with the Akkadians. Eventually the Gutians rose to power in Mesopotamia in 2150 BC. The rule of the Akkadians brought forth the following names for planets in their religious connection:
* Moon (most important): Sin.
* Sun: Shamash.
* Mercury: Shihtu / Nabu.
* Venus: Ishtar.
* Mars: Nergal.
* Jupiter: Dapinu / Marduk.
* Saturn: Kayamânu / Ninurta.
Marduk is said to be created out of the words ‘Amar’ and ‘Utuk’, which could be translated as ‘the Sungod’. The Sumerians/Akkadians might have known that Jupiter is a lost star, which scientists in our age later proved. In one legend Marduk created the Earth as a reflection of the Heavens, which the basis for the known saying in astrology: ‘As above, So Below’.
Early astrologers were mostly ‘advanced weather forecasters’ or meteorologists, since life depended on mother nature more than in modern day. There are 70 clay tablets found that date back from the first millenium B.C. that discuss astrology and the influence of the heavens. These tablets have been translated by Jean Bottéro**. A few quotes from these tablets:
“When the Moon looks like a partial eclipse at her rising, where the right tip of the half moon is missing, while the other can be seen well, the countries economical activity will stagnate for 3 years…”
“When the Moon looks hazy at her rising on the first day of the month Tshrît (September/ October), enemies will attack from the South East.”
“If there is a solar eclipse in the month of Nisan (March/April), the country’s King will die”
“If the planet Venus (Ishtar) has disappeared East for no less than 3 days in the month of Shabat (January/ February) and rises again on the 18th in the West, water sources will fill up, abundant rain will come, and one King shall send another King a message of reconcilliation.”
The Zodiac as we know it today seems to have been formed in 1000 B.C. as well.
In a letter exchange between the astrologers of the last great Kings of Assyria*** dating back from the 7th century B.C. the following text was found:
“His Majesty has requested me to interpret the planet Mars being Retrograde after entering the sign Scorpio, only to return later. I would like to give warning that this means danger. Without taking precautions against the risk, his Majesty should not leave the city’s front gate.”
* The Gutians were a nomadic people living around Akkad.
** The book name is ‘Initiation to the ancient east, from Sumer to the Bible’.
*** The Assyrians are direct descendants of the Akkadians.