Scorpio Quote Of The Day

Nov 18, 2008

Jahangir Coin

Scorpio sign Zodiac coin dated to 1605 - 1627 C.E. which was minted by Nur al-Din Muhammad Jahangir, who was a Muslim Indian ruler (the Koran words on the reverse) but who was also influenced by Hinduism (the Zodiac signs on the obverse).

Picture is courtesy of  Scott Semans.

Nov 15, 2008

Hours book

Scorpio sign appears on the bottom of the 15th century illuminated manuscript The Hours book (maybe owned later by Henry VIII). Artist: Jean Poyer. Picture shows ploughing and sowing, the agricultural works of October-November.

Zodiacal Horse

Scorpio rules the genitals of a horse according to a most interesting 15th century pen drawing from an Italian Manuscript (Livro de la Menscalcia de li cavalli).

Nov 13, 2008

Beit Alpha 2008

Scorpio sign appears on artist Judith Weinshall Liberman’s work titled: THE ZODIAC SERIES I, which was inspired by the 6th century mosaic floor wheel of the zodiac excavated at the synagogue in Beit Alpha, Israel.

Judith wrote to me:

I have completed my first Zodiac series (there will be more).  The series consists of 12 separate mixed media works, each one devoted to one of the signs.  I have arranged the 12 works in rectangular formation so you can get an idea what they look like when seen together.  The arrangement goes row by row from the top row to the bottom row, and each row begins at right so it is read the way Hebrew is read (right to left).   The top row represents spring (green), the second row represents summer (yellow), the third row represents fall (red) and the bottom row represents winter (blue). 

All Rights Reserved to Judith Weinshall Liberman 2008

Nov 12, 2008

Heavens of Salamanca

Scorpio sign appears at the center (right under Libra)

Spanish Early Renaissance Painter Fernando Gallego (1440-1507) painted the Zodiac and other sky “members” at the ceiling of the old library (Sala Calderón de la Barca) at Salamanca University, Spain, which was founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of Leon. Picture is courtesy of “muuranker” from Flickr.

Nov 11, 2008

Dante

American Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) translated Dante (1265-1321) Alighieri's Divine Comedy in 1867. Dante wrote in Purgatorio about Scorpio:

That cold animal which with its tail doth smite among the nations

It seems that Dante didn’t like Scorpio’s…

The Symbol of The Wolf

Charlotte R. Long wrote in her book The Twelve Gods of Greece and Rome (p. 295) that the 1st century C.E. altar, found in Gabii in 1793 by Gavin Hamilton shows the twelve heads of the Roman gods in relation to the zodiac signs relieves that run along the side of the cylinder with their symbols. Mars rules Scorpio and his symbol is the Wolf. 

I copied this picture from Wikimedia Commons. It was Uploaded by Jastrow (2006) entry: Image:Altar twelve gods Louvre Ma666.jpg