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The History of Western Astrology and Zodiac Gemstones.

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No account of astrological history would be complete without mention of the astrologer and writer Dane Rudhyar (1895-1985) who wrote many articles and books on the subject.




A chart of the various semi-precious gemstones associated with your zodiac sign (note these are different to your Birth stone which is an entirely separate subject)




silver pendants | astrology guide | zodiac pendants


Ptolemy 1, the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty

The History of Western Astrology

Western astrology can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia and from there it spread to Ancient Greece. Many references to it can be found in the works of the great philosophers, Plato, Socrates and Aristotle. In particular the works of the astronomer and mathematician "Claudius Ptolemaeus" lay the foundation stone of how we perceive astrology today. His works called the Tetrabiblos are found in 4 books which included horoscope astrology. His greatest mistake however was placing the earth in the centre of the spherical heavens and believing that the sun, planets and fixed stars revolve around it. The name "Ptolemy" seems to have been a common one in Egypt and there is no reason to suppose he was descended from the royal household founded by Ptolemy 1.

During the middle ages astrology and astronomy went underground because of the strict Christian and religious rulings that treated astronomy as a form of blasphemy. It was not until the astrologer and alchemist - Marsilio Ficino published his works in 1470 that astrology reappeared. One astrologer - William Lilly cleverly circumvented the blasphemy laws by linking his studies to "Christian Astrology".

In the 19th century the astrologers "Alan Leo" and "Sepharial" founded the "Astrological Lodge" of the Theosophical Society in Great Britain. Thereafter the whole subject became popularised to the institution that we now know.


Gemstones associated with the Zodiac Signs

Astrology has had an influence on many silver jewellery designs. Not just the pendants that you see on this site but also the colours and types of stones associated with the astrological sign.

You be interested in further information on Amethyst which highlights the many features of this revered purple gemstone.