| Egyptian
Mirror
14 inches high (36 cm)
Bonded marble mirror depicting the zodiac of Denderah. Weighs
about 4 pounds. This is the earliest depiction of the Zodiac from the ceiling of
the temple at Denderah. The Goddesses of the cardinal points of the compass
stand erect at the four corners of the canopy of heaven.
Typical Retail: $50.00
Our Price: $46.00
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This mirror, based on the Egyptian Zodiac of Denderah, is reminiscent of the
ceiling of the Denderah temple. This carved Zodiac, or Celestial Day, was such a
lovely piece of art, and so remarkable that the original ceiling was removed and
re-erected in Paris. A copy was substituted.
The Signs of the Zodiac portray a configuration of the stars from around 50 B.C.
The zodiac was situated in the ceiling in a middle room of the small eastern
Osiris chapel located on the roof of the Hathor temple - specifically on the
western half of the ceiling of the central chamber. It formed the greater part
of the ceiling.
Essentially comprised of two concentric circles, the entire disk is about 240
centimeters in diameter. Its thickness is approximately 90 centimetres. The two
huge blocks of sandstone comprising the disc weighs many tons. This is the
oldest known representation of the zodiac.
The first appearance in Egypt of our own 12 zodiacal constellations comes from
the Zodiac of Denderah. All available evidence indicates that the concept of the
zodiac was not native to Egypt but that it was imported at a later (but unknown)
date. (Perhaps during the period of the expansion of the Assyrian Empire.)
The Denderah star map integrates ancient Egyptian star-groups with the zodiacal
constellations of the Babylonians (and Greeks). The Babylonian zodiac has been
integrated into the Egyptian sky. The astronomical ceiling shows all 12 zodiacal
constellations (as well as other constellations, and the planets). It is a
syncretistic zodiac based on Egyptian and Greek ideas and is most likely based
on a Hellenistic model.
The figures of 36 decans (from the Tanis family of decans), indicators of the
hours of the night, are depicted as walking men, snakes, and other animals
adjacent to the hands of the supporting figures on the circumference.
The signs of the zodiac are located inside the decan ring and the planets,
depicted as Gods holding staffs, and some constellations, are interspersed among
them. Northern constellations are in the centre of the disc and the north
celestial pole is approximately at the centre of the disc.
The zodiac is supported by four human-headed Goddess figures standing erect at
the four corners of the canopy of heaven, who are the Goddesses of the cardinal
points of the compass, and also four pairs of kneeling falcon-headed deities.
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