Egyptian petroglyph writes new chapter in the history of horoscope

 The petroglyph appears to depict the head of a mammal, with two ears or horns positioned on its crown.

An Egyptian petroglyph showing the Capricorn zodiac sign. (photo credit: Image: Evans et al., The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (2024); CC BY 4.0. )

An important discovery has been made at a rock art site on the western bank of the Nile: a petroglyph of depicting a zodiac sign, a crude image of a creature with the head of a goat and the body of a fish, identified as Capricorn, a mythological figure representing the eponymous constellation. Dr. Frederick Hardtke, who discovered the petroglyph, explained that it was found at el-Hosh, a location rich in petroglyphs and texts from epochs, including Predynastic, Graeco-Roman, and Islamic periods. Zodiac symbols are completely unattested in Egyptian rock art, making this image the only known example.

The discovery was published in The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, jpost.com.

"The petroglyph appears to depict the head of a mammal, with two ears or horns positioned on its crown and a small beard at its chin, to which is attached a scaled, fish-like torso with a fanned tail, and from which extend one, or possibly two, short legs," explained Hardtke, an Australian archaeologists from Macquarie University.

Dr. Linda Evans notes that the image is unique in pharaonic animal iconography. "We had described it in an earlier paper as a mythical animal, but after a bit of digging, I realized that it resembled the goat-fish, after which I began to research its history and meaning as an astrological sign," she said.

Next to the Capricorn petroglyph, another unusual figure resembling a chameleon was found, making the panel enigmatic. The similar style and close association of the chameleon rock art near the Capricornus means the two petroglyphs were likely produced at the same time, possibly by the same person.

The petroglyph is believed to have been produced between the 1st century BCE and the end of the 1st century CE, coinciding with the introduction of Capricornus to Egypt during the Graeco-Roman period. The petroglyph was likely produced prior to the 2nd century CE due to the depiction of a straight tail. The Roman looped-tail variant of the Capricornus symbol only became popular after the beginning of the 2nd century CE.

The first occurrence of something resembling Capricornus occurred in Mesopotamia around 2112 BCE. The Sumerians and Akkadians adopted the goat-fish figure to represent the god Enki, who was associated with the constellation Capricorn. According to the Mesopotamians, their gods were manifestations of the stars and planets; this included Enki and Ea, who were the manifestations of the Capricorn constellation. From Mesopotamia, the zodiacs and their associations eventually spread to Greece in the 5th century BCE and from there to Rome in the 1st to 2nd century CE.

By at least 300 BCE, zodiacs were known in Egypt, with their earliest depictions found on zodiac ceilings in Ptolemaic temples, including the temple of Montu and Rattawy at Armant, where signs of the zodiac were painted during the first century BCE. The introduction of zodiac signs led to the widespread production of horoscopes during the Graeco-Roman period in Egypt, with elite and non-elite Egyptians likely aware of the zodiac signs. The sudden interest in zodiac signs in Egypt was likely introduced by the Greeks or Romans, leading to the widespread production of horoscopes for both elite and non-elite Egyptians throughout the Graeco-Roman Period.

The petroglyph's crude appearance suggests it was likely drawn from memory, possibly inspired by the engraver's exposure to the symbol of Capricornus on temples, tombs, or coins. "We are confident that the petroglyph depicts Capricornus and that it was most likely produced during the Graeco-Roman Period," the researchers write. Given that desert people use the stars to navigate by night, the petroglyph may have been created as a navigational tool for the el-Hosh region, possibly indicating certain constellations. The petroglyph may have been made due to the spread of the zodiacs into Egypt, with the creator understanding its significance and wanting to relay that same significance onto the rock.

Further evidence of the creation of the petroglyph during the Graeco-Roman period is, albeit less prolific, rock art examples that use Greco-Roman motifs. "During this period, we might find Greek inscriptions with names and dedications to gods, etc. Occasionally, there are examples of figural depictions of gods and animals along with texts," Hardtke explained. "It should be noted that overall, we observe a gradual decline in both frequency and quality of pictorial rock art in Egypt with the advent of writing," he added. This observation supports the idea that the petroglyph's crude execution reflects its temporal context.