Early Irish astrology, also referred to as Celtic Astrology, is the obscure astrological system practiced by the ancient Irish. Little is known about this native system of astrology, as it is only described in a few Old Irish manuscripts, none of which have been published or fully translated. However, it does seem to have been based on an indigenous Irish symbol system, and not that of any of the more commonly-known astrological systems such as Western, Chinese or Vedic astrology.[1] The phrase "Celtic Astrology" has also been inaccurately used to refer to the "tree calendar" invented by Robert Graves, which was inspired by his superficial study of the Ogham script. Graves details the system in his 1946 “work of poetic imagination,” The White Goddess. Though it has been popularized by some New Age authors, in actuality Graves's "Tree Calendar" has no relation to any historical Celtic calendar.[2]
Notes
- ^ Ellis, Peter Berresford (1996). "Early Irish Astrology: An Historical Argument". Réalta vol.3 (issn.3).
- ^ Ellis, Peter Berresford (1997). "The Fabrication of 'Celtic' Astrology". The Astrological Journal vol.39 (issn.4).
Additional References
- Maxwell II. Close, 'Remarks on a Cosmographical Tractate in the Irish Language', Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol vi, 1900-1902
- Henry S. Crawford, 'Notes on the Irish Zodiac Preserved in the Library of Basel', Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol iv, 1925
- Mario Esposito, 'On the pseudo Augustinian treatise De Mirabilius & etc.', Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol xxxv, 1918-20.
- D. McCarthy and Dáibhi Ó Cróinin, 'The "Los"' Irish 84 year Easter Table rediscovered', Peritia, 6-7, 1987/8
- D. McCarthy, 'The Chronological Apparatus of the Annals of Ulster AD 431-I 131', Peritia, 8(1994)
- Dáibhi Ó Cróinin, 'Mo-Sinu maccu Min and the computus at Bangor', Peritia, 1982
- Dáibhi Ó Cróinin , 'A Seventh Century Computus from the Circle of Cummianus', Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. lxxxii (1982)
- Maura Power, An Irish Astronomical Tract, based on a Medieval Latin version of a work by Messahalah, Irish Text Society, London, 1914.
- William Reeves, 'On Augustin, an Irish writer of the 7th Century', Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol ii, 1861
