Hathor

Egypt

The four cherubim can also be found in Egypt where they are represented by sphinxes. Sphinxes were placed near the entrance of temples and they were often placed on pillars. Sphinxes incorporated all of the four Cherubim signs of the zodiac, since it had the face of a man (Aquarius), the legs of a bull (Taurus) and the body of lion (Leo) along with the wings of the Eagle (Scorpio) mentioned in Revelations 4:8.

Sphinx on a pillar

The famous Sphinx at Giza is facing due East where it aligned with its celestial counter part Leo at the vernal equinox around 10.500 BC (Time of the Great Flood). This was the time that the summer solstice Sun aligned with the Dark Rift of the Milky Way; it was the time of a Great Celestial Conjunction. 

When the sphinx is placed on top of a pillar its significance becomes apparent since the pillar represents the Milky Way and the four Cherubim represent the Galactic Cross. The most important pillar in ancient Egypt was the Djed pillar and it was associated with the backbone of Osiris. Authors like John Major Jenkins and Vincent Bridges have convincingly argued that it also represents the Milky Way. We will have more to say on this issue later.

The Egyptians believed that the Heavens were supported by four pillars that they equated with the four legs of the celestial bull (Taurus) and the female deity Hathor. Since Taurus is one of the signs of the Galactic Cross, the four pillars of the word (Milky Way) could also correspond with the Milky Way-ecliptic crossing at the Gemini-Taurus nexus that defines the quadripartite nature of the Great Year when the Sun aligns with this crossing four times in a Great Year at equinoxes and solstices.

Dendera Temple of Hathor

The temple of Dendera is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Hathor means ‘house of Horus’ and she was the personification of the Milky Way. In the Egyptian Ogdoad cosmogony, Hathor was said to be the wife of Ra and Horus was their son. Isis was the sister and wife of Osiris and she too was thought to be the mother of Horus. Horus was immaculately conceived from the virgin mother Isis.

Hathor and Isis were later assimilated into Isis-Hathor since they are believed to be one and the same deity in the Egyptian pantheon. Isis and Hathor are both depicted with cow-horns with a solar disk in between the horns.

Left: Hathor with the Sun in between the horns holding the Ankh
Centre: Hathor as the cow, notice the 8 pointed cross on her Menat necklace!
Right: Isis breastfeeding her son Horus

The celestial counterpart of Isis in the sky is the star Sirius, while Osiris celestial counterpart is Orion. While scholars generally agree that Isis with the horns must be associated with Canis Major the constellation containing Sirius, I suggest that she should be associated with Taurus as will demonstrate.

First of all could the Holy Trinity, Osiris, Horus and Hathor-Isis with the Sun between the horns and the association of Hathor with the Milky Way have something to do with the crossing of the ecliptic and the Milky Way?

Holy Trinity from left to right: Osiris, Horus on the pillar and Isis.
Horus on the pillar represents the Sun on the Milky Way!

Below is the sky-chart of the summer solstice Great Celestial Conjunction (Galactic Alignment) of 1998. Notice how the Sun resides in between the horns of Taurus! Sirius, Orion, Taurus (Aldebaran) and the Pleiades are in line and form Osiris’s backbone! (The Pleiades are part of the constellation Taurus). The Pleiades show the way to the Sun on the Milky Way as we have demonstrated in our article ‘Stonehenge Summer Solstice Galactic Alignment’ and ‘2012 Freemasons Revelations’.

The importance of the crossing of the ecliptic and the Milky Way is expressed in several Egyptian texts such as in the Pyramid texts: ‘May you ferry over by means of the Great Bull’ and ‘The Bull of the Sky has bent down his horn that he may pass over thereby’. In the Coffin texts we find the expression: ‘O Horn, ferry across Him who is in his shrine’. I suggest that these texts hint at the precession of the Sun; it’s Horus who needs a ferry across the Milky Way river near the Gemini-Taurus nexus. Have a look at the next picture and see what the symbolism of Isis-Hathor represents.

Hathor-Isis represents the crossing of the ecliptic and the
Milky Way near the Gemini-Taurus nexus.

There is another crossing of the Milky Way near the Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus where Horus requires a ferry to cross the Milky Way in the precession cycle. In the papyrus Khensumes the God Nun appears with outstretched arms and holds aloft the solar bark of the Heavens. The ship is made of two cosmic serpents (representing the ecliptic). In the Egyptian creation myths Nun is the female deity of the waters of chaos, the primeval waters.

Left: Nun holding the solar bark with the scarab beetle
Right: Scarab beetle 22nd Dynasty reign of Sheshong II

The boat Nun is lifting is occupied by 8 deities including the scarab deity Khepera. In the Egyptian mythology the scarab beetle (dung beetle) Khepera pushed the rolling Sun along the ecliptic with his hind legs, just like the scarab beetle rolls his dung ball around all day. From the dung ball of the scarab beetle the eggs of the beetle are hatched and therefore the dung ball can not only be associated with the Sun but with birth as well. Khepera was a minor solar deity in the Egyptian pantheon but he was associated with rebirth and resurrection, as such he may represent the rebirth of the Sun on the Galactic Cross. The fact that the scarab beetle pushes the dung ball (Sun) with his hind legs backwards suggests that he should be associated with precession. While the Sun moves through the zodiac in a tropical year in one direction, the precession of the equinox Sun along the ecliptic moves in the opposite direction! The scarab beetle pushing the Sun backwards along the ecliptic is expressing exactly this aspect of precession.

In the artefact of Sheshong we see the scarab beetle flanked by two cobras that emerge from the Shen (O| ring). The cobras suggest the ecliptic while the Shen suggest the crossings of the ecliptic and Milky Way. Tutankhamun’s cartouche contained a scarab beetle with the Sun inside the Shen glyph, which most likely expresses the idea of the Sun on the ecliptic-Milky Way crossing.

The scarab beetle, the scorpion and the crab all have hard shells and are very similar in appearance. The scarab beetle may also have been used as the sign of Scorpio. The scarab beetle rolling the Sun on the ecliptic may express the idea of the Sun precessing through the Galactic Equator near the Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus. Notice that there is a cross (Tau Cross) in the shell of the scarab beetle that was also depicted in Egyptian Hieroglyphs. The scarab beetle as a symbol expresses perfectly the crossing of the ecliptic and Milky Way near Scorpio. In the picture below the sky chart of the winter solstice of 1998 is depicted.

Scarab representing the crossing of the ecliptic and Milky Way
 near Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus.

Circular Dendera Zodiac

In the roof temple of Hathor at Dendera we find the circular Dendera zodiac.

Dendera Zodiac, temple of Hathor

In the picture below we notice that Horus (1) is depicted in his barque on the Milky Way on the green cross. This cross represents the Galactic Cross since it runs through the signs Taurus, Aquarius, Scorpio and Leo. Horis needs his barque to cross the Milky Way (Great River in the sky) during a precession cycle when the Sun shifts through the Galactic Equator at Great Celestial Conjunction solstices and equinoxes as a result of precession.

Notice also that the bull with horns and solar disk (Taurus) is depicted multiple times (blue circles 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10). These bulls got the solar disk in between their horns and demonstrate that Isis-Hathor must have been regarded very important by the zodiac makers since it is referenced six times in the zodiac! The four bulls head on a pillar (9) might represent the four Great Celestial Conjunctions that occur during a Great Year. During a Great Year, the Sun aligns with the Milky Way near the Gemini-Taurus nexus on two equinoxes and two solstices, hence four conjunctions! Also the bull (2) with the horns and solar disk on the pillar next to Isis represents a conjunction of the Sun and Milky Way on the Gemini-Taurus nexus. Notice that Isis makes a four pointed cross with her flail and sceptre! Egyptian Pharaohs were buried in this gesture. The presence of all these bulls with the solar disks could mean that the Dendera Zodiac encodes Great Celestial Conjunctions.

 Dendera Zodiac, red circles contain the signs of Leo. The blue circles contain the signs of Taurus. In the black circle Horus in depicted in his barque on the Milky Way and the Galactic Cross (green cross)

In the picture below all of the signs of the zodiac are encircled and numbered. Notice that the signs are not evenly distributed. There are also two four pointed crosses in the zodiac. The green cross represents the Galactic Cross since it runs exactly through the signs Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo and Taurus. The second cross red cross runs next to the signs Capricorn, Libra, Cancer and Aries and I suggest it represents the Earth Cross.

The Earth Cross (red cross) is held by Horus (falcon headed deity) who’s depicted in twofold in the outer rim of the zodiac. Horus is holding the Earth Cross because he represents the Sun that moves along the zodiac during the precession cycle. The Galactic Cross (green cross) is held by the female deity Isis. Isis is associated with the fixated Galactic Cross since she corresponds with the Gemini-Taurus nexus where the ecliptic and the Milky Way intersect.          

1 Aries 2 Taurus 3 Gemini 4 Cancer 5 Leo 6 Virgo 7 Libra 8 Scorpio 9 Sagittarius 10 Capricorn 11 Aquarius 12 Pisces 13 Lion

Dendera Zodiac contains an 8 pointed cross.
The green cross represents the Galactic Cross.
The red cross represents the Earth Cross, the red arrows
correspond with the counter clockwise direction of precession

Apparently the designers of the zodiac wanted to preserve the symmetry of the 8 pointed cross otherwise the Earth Cross would have been drawn straight through the signs Capricorn, Libra, Cancer and Aries as was done with the Galactic Cross. However for the Earth Cross the signs are depicted next to the cross.

There is another very important reason why this was done. If we look at the sign Cancer (4) we notice that it is not placed on the Earth Cross (red cross) where it should have been if the signs were evenly distributed, instead Gemini (3) takes its place. Cancer (4) is placed to the left and pushed upwards on the Galactic Cross along with Leo (5)! This odd placement of Cancer could suggest the conjunction of the Earth Cross and Galactic Cross!

The conjunction of both crosses is also suggested by depicting Leo twice in the zodiac. Leo is depicted once near the Earth Cross (13) and once where he really belongs on the Galactic Cross (5) (see picture above)

In addition the tail of the lion near the Earth Cross (13) is turned up over his back while the lion is looking at its own tail. The tail of the lion near the Galactic Cross (5) has his tail turned down. The tail has swayed in counter clockwise direction, the direction of precession in the Dendera Zodiac (notice the red arrows on the Earth Cross). As a result of the counter clockwise rotation of the Earth Cross, it becomes conjunct with the Galactic Cross where the second lion is depicted! In addition the Lion on the Galactic Cross (5) is now depicted on a barque as if he’s travelled! 

Left : Lion (13) corresponding with the Earth Cross
Right: Lion (5) corresponding with the Galactic Cross,
this lion is placed inside a barque!

Dendera Zodiac and Great Celestial Conjunctions

R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz has pointed out that there are two hieroglyphs (1, 8) used on the exterior of the zodiac disk that represents the cardinal directions East and West (see picture below). In other words the axis (blue line) drawn through these glyphs represents an equinoctial axis and Schwaller de Lubicz believed that this line encoded the start date of the cult of the sacred bull Apsis and the inauguration of the new Pharonic calendar around 4240 BC. This time coincidentally happens to be close to the previous Great Celestial Conjunction!

Let’s have a careful look at the equinoctial line (blue line); it passes in between Gemini (5) -Taurus (6) and Sagittarius (4) -Scorpio (3). In other words the equinoctial axis also represents the Galactic Equator. Both the Galactic Equator and the equinoctial axis align! Gemini occurs twice (5, 7), once on the Galactic Equator (5) and once on the rim (7) near the East glyph (8). At the other end of the Galactic Equator we find Sagittarius (4) and Scorpio (3). Near the West glyph on the Galactic Equator we find Isis and the cow with the solar disk in between the horns placed on a pillar (2)! This glyph suggests the Sun on the Milky Way near the Gemini-Taurus nexus; it’s the symbolism behind Isis-Hathor that we decoded above!

We therefore conclude that Schwallar de Lubicz equinoctial axis is in fact encoding the Great Celestial Conjunction about 6480 years ago when the vernal equinox aligned with the Galactic Plane near the Taurus-Gemini nexus. In other words the equinoctial line through the hieroglyphs of East and West (blue line) in the Dendera zodiac encodes the Great Celestial Conjunction around 4480 BC. This is within a 240 year range of Schwaller de Lubicz estimated year. Since the year 4480 BC for the previous Great Celestial Conjunction is an estimation that is based on a Platonic Year (25920 years) that various within time, it’s safe to suggest that the previous Great Celestial Conjunction was indeed targeted by the Dendera zodiac.

Dendara Zodiac Swaller de Lubicz.
On the outer rim the hieroglyphs of the cardinal directions east and west appear.

But let’s also point out an inconsistency as well! The blue line in the picture above denotes the equinox axis that aligns with the Milky Way at the Gemini-Taurus nexus in the constellation Gemini. However at the opposite side of the Galactic Equator at the Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus, the equinox axis runs through Scorpio (3) instead of Sagittarius (4) which is incorrect! Fortunately there is a very specific reason for this and we can pardon the zodiac makers; Sagittarius had to be used for another Galactic Equator axis in de zodiac as well and it can’t be in two places at the same time. If we take a look at the axis that reads ‘Axis of the Temple’ (vertical red line, picture above) we notice that this line runs through Gemini (5) and Sagittarius (4), this is the correct axis for the Galactic Equator! In addition Horus (Sun) appears on the pillar (Milky Way) (9). Horus is actually represented here as the falcon (Horus is the falcon headed deity) on a papyrus stem, but the symbology is identical, solar god on the pillar, the Sun on the Galactic Equator.

Could it be that there is another Great Celestial Conjunction encoded in the Dendera zodiac?

Dendera, Winter Solstice Sunrise

In the picture above the winter solstice at Dendera is depicted. Notice that the azimuth of the winter solstice sunrise at Dendera is 116 º 30’. The angle between Swaller de Lubicz equinoctial axis and the Axis of the Temple in the zodiac is exactly 26 º 6’ (See bottom of the picture above).

But this angle also happens to be the exact angle between the vernal equinox axis and the winter solstice axis!

The accuracy is stunningly precise! But what does it mean?

If we rotate the red line of the Axis of the Temple that we just identified as the Galactic Equator over an angle of 26 º 6’ in the direction of precession, that is to say in a counter clockwise direction, the axis will align with Schwaller de Lubicz equinoctial line. We therefore suggest that the red line of the Axis of the Temple also corresponds with the winter solstice axis (see picture above). But if this is true we have a winter solstice axis aligned with the Galactic Equator, in other words we’ve found another Great Celestial Conjunction!

This Great Celestial Conjunction occurred half a precession cycle ago around 10.500 BC when the Sun aligned with the Galactic Equator near the Gemini-Taurus nexus (Isis-Hathor association) on the winter solstice. This time corresponds with the Egyptian first time or Zep Tepi and the time of the Great Flood. Not only the Sumerians and Babylonians paid much attention to the Great Celestial Conjunction of half a precession cycle ago (Great Flood), but the Egyptians as well!

Rectangular Dendera Zodiac

In the Hypostyle Hall at Dendera we find the rectangular zodiac. The zodiac is flanked by two deities that are both adorned with 8 pointed crosses (rose like). The 8 pointed cross exists of a 4 pointed cross with large petals and one with small petals that are superimposed. The crosses appear from head to toe and four additional crosses are depicted near the head that may represent the four Great Celestial Conjunctions in a Great Year.

Rectangular zodiac Dendera

The rectangular Dendera zodiac expresses the importance of the ecliptic-Milky crossings in various ways and it seems to be the most important message of this zodiac. All deities in the bottom bar are placed inside barques beneath the zodiac signs; they suggest they are travelling along the ecliptic. The barque is required to cross the great river in the sky, the Milky Way when the gods travel along the ecliptic in a precession cycle. Near the female’s head with the 8 pointed crosses, the winged disk of Ra is depicted. Ra as the solar god travels along the ecliptic during a precession cycle.

Top: the four signs associated with the Galactic Equator and deity in circle
Bottom left: Winged disk of Ra as the sun travelling along the ecliptic
Bottom centre: Notice the 8 pointed crosses from head to toe on the deity
Bottom right: The bull Taurus with the solar disk in the nape of his neck

At the exact place where the ecliptic crosses the Milky Way at the Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus a deity is placed seated inside a circle in a boat! I suggest that he’s inside a womb since this place is the birthplace of the Sun on the Galactic Cross. He’s the only deity that is seated; all other deities are standing erect. The zodiac signs that are associated with the ecliptic-Milky Way crossings are placed in the sequence Taurus, Sagittarius, Gemini, Scorpio and not in the natural order they occur in the zodiac. Grouping them together in this way expresses the fact that these signs are important and belong together. They belong to the Galactic Equator! In addition in the zodiac Taurus the bull is depicted with the solar disk on his back (Isis-Hathor association, sun on the Milky Way near Gemini-Taurus).

Leg of the Bull

In the centre of the circular Dendera zodiac as well as in the rectangular Dendera zodiac (see picture above) there is a theme depicted that is recurring in several Egyptian temples. It has to do with the leg or thigh constellation of the bull (Taurus). While some researchers such as Robert Bauval and Andrew Collins have identified the ‘Leg of the Bull’ with Ursa Major (Big Dipper), others like Wayne Herschel have identified the ‘Leg of the Bull’ constellation with the Pleiades. The Pleiades in shape resemble a leg and in the Book of the Dead a text alludes to Sokar (tripartite deity Ptah-Sokar-Osiris) slaying of the Bull and chopping off of his leg. The severed leg of Taurus was transferred to another place in the sky, a so called mooring post in the sky that presumably corresponds with the Pleiades.

I fully endorse Herschel’s research, however I do not share his conclusions that the Pleiades in the star maps that he’s discovered around the world point to a star. He believes that the Egyptians did not worship Ra our own Sun, but instead worshiped another Sun like star that belonged to another solar system. This solar system was the home of extraterrestrials who in ancient times visited Earth according to Herschel. I suggest that Herschel’s mystery star in fact is the Sun on the Galactic Equator near the Gemini-Taurus nexus. The Pleiades are simply a pointer to the Sun on the Milky Way. Earlier I decoded the role of the Pleiades as a pointer to the summer solstice Sun on the Milky Way in my Stonehenge and the Freemasons Revelations article.

The Leg of the Bull theme is presented in the centre of the circular zodiac and expresses its importance. In the temple of Hathor at Dendera a text occurs that refers to the ‘Leg of the Bull’.

“The living god Thoth – nourished by the sublime goddess in the temple – the sovereign of the country – stretches the rope in joy (align with it) – With his glance .. - ..towards the ‘ak’ of the bull’s thigh constellation.. – he establishes the temple house of the mistress of Dendera, as it took place there before”

(Wayne Herschel, The Hidden Records, pg 141)

I believe that this text is referring to the Galactic Alignment (align with it) that have occurred in ancient past (took place there before) and that the Pleiades (Ak of the bull’s thigh constellation) is the pointer to this alignment of the Sun on the Milky Way near the Gemini-Taurus nexus (establishes the temple house of the mistress of Dendera).

Leg of the Bull, Dendera zodiac

In the picture above the Leg of the Bull (1) of Dendera is depicted. Notice that this leg is pointing to the cow with the falcon on top (5). The falcon (Horus) on the back of the cow represents the Sun on the Milky Way near the Gemini-Taurus nexus. To the left the falcon headed Horus (4) is depicted and he’s accompanied by Isis to the right (6). Notice the little deity inside the circle (3). It may represent the womb that contains the foetus Horus, who as son of Isis is to be reborn as the Sun on the Galactic Cross during a Great Celestial Conjunction. Remember that we saw a similar deity inside a circle in the rectangular Dendera zodiac exactly at the crossing place of ecliptic and Milky Way in Gemini, the birthplace of the Sun!

The hippopotamus deity (2) is Taweret or Thoeris. In the Old Kingdom she was seen as the protector of childbirth and was depicted pregnant. Her celestial counterpart is the northern constellation Draco. Taweret was often depicted with a crocodile on her back. Draco resides next to Cygnus, the constellation of the swan also known as the Northern Cross. At Cygnus the Dark Rift of the Milky Way starts and runs down all the way to the Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus. The crocodile on the back of Taweret therefore represents the Milky Way and the mouth of the crocodile represents the Dark Rift. Taweret was also associated with Hathor and was also depicted with the solar disk and horns.

Left: Hippo Taweret with the crocodile
Right: Taweret with the Ankh and solar disk in between the horns on a pillar

Taweret can therefore both be associated with both the Sagittarius-Scorpio nexus (crocodile, Dark Rift association) and the Gemini-Taurus nexus (Isis-Hathor, sun disk and horns association). Appearing in the centre of the zodiac she represents the midwife who will help with the rebirth of the Sun on the ecliptic Milky Way crossings. One birthplace is represented by Isis-Hathor; it’s the place where the Sun resides in between the horns of Taurus, the other is the mouth of the crocodile on the back of Taweret, it’s the Dark Rift. Notice how Taweret is connected through a kind of umbilical cord to the Leg of the Bull (red line).

The Leg of the Bull is also depicted on the ceiling in the tomb of Seti I and in murals in the tomb of Senmut. In the tomb of Senmut we see Sokar pointing his spear at the Leg of the Bull (not to be mistaken for Taurus). The Leg of the Bull is the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus. Isis with the solar disk in between her horns appears beside the Leg of the Bull. The Leg of the Bull is pointing to a particular place, a red dot (star) on a pillar erected from the Earth. Next to the pillar (obelisk?) we find the hippo deity Taweret and a figure pointing upwards to the skies.

Tomb of Senmut, Deir el Bahri Egypt. Upper right corner, the Leg of the Bull theme.
Sokar points with his spear towards the Leg of the Bull.

This is how I think the Leg of the Bull theme should be interpreted (see picture below); Sokar (Ptah-Sokar-Osiris) with his spear represents Orion that is pointing the way to the Pleiades in Taurus. As the falcon headed deity, Sokar is often also associated with Horus. The Pleiades are a pointer to the crossing of the ecliptic and the Milky Way where the sun resides during Galactic Alignments on solstices and equinoxes. The obelisk like pillar actually represents the Milky Way. The Pleiades occur above the back of Taurus. In the Leg of the Bull theme in the tomb of Senmut however it is depicted as the tail of the bull. The tail functions as the pointer and thus points the way. So the Leg of the Bull theme does not represent the actual representation of the star configurations in the sky but should be interpreted symbolically. Notice that the bull as Taurus is shaped in the form of the leg itself! Taweret is present to assist with the birth of the Sun.

Leg of the Bull, Dendera and Senmut tomb. Notice that while the horns of Taurus correspond with the mural of Senmut, the Milky Way resides to the left and not to the right as is depicted in the mural.

The reason why the mural of the Senmut tomb does not correspond with the situation in the sky is that the graphical representation was meant to symbolically depict the Galactic Alignment. The Sun and Milky Way actually should have appeared left of Orion, but it would have destroyed the simplicity and symbolism of the Leg of the Bull theme in the mural. 

Mirror image of the Leg of the Bull, Senmut tomb

Greek influence

There’s one inconsistency concerning the circular Dendera zodiac that I would like to explain. The zodiac makers on one hand used the heliacal rising of stars to denote the Galactic Cross and Earth Cross, while on the other hand they used the exact constellations to denote the Galactic Equator. Scholars agree that the temple of Hathor was built in the Ptolemaic period (304-30 BC) but the majority of the Dendera complex must be dated back to ancient times of the Old and Middle Dynasties. The Greco-Roman influence in the construction of the temple of Hathor explains why different references to the Galactic Cross have been blended and used in the Dendera zodiac. Referencing the Galactic cross by means of the four cherubim is a custom that can be traced back to ancient Sumer and Babylon, while the Greek and Romans used the exact Sun-constellation conjunctions to denote celestial events (Also see the paragraph about the Greek Cross below). Ancient astronomical understanding may have been blended with Roman/Greek astronomical knowledge in the Dendera zodiac making it hard and confusing to understand. It explains why many scholars have proposed different theories about the enigmatic zodiac.