Nowadays, the twelve zodiacs or signs are associated with astrology, but it was also used in astronomy by the ancient Greek. The zodiac is a circle consisting of twelve equal divisions, with each division measuring 30°. These divisions are centered upon the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun as seen from Earth, across the celestial sphere during a year. In other words, the zodiac was a celestial coordinate system. Each of the
twelve divisions has an animal assigned to it, but because the divisions are regular, the star constellation do not correspond precisely to each of the twelve parts of the circle.
The word “zodiac” comes from the Latin word zodiacus, which itself derives from the Greek zodiakos kyklos (translated “circle of animals”). Half of the constellations in the zodiac circle are named after animals and therefore the name of “circle of animals” was derived.
Each zodiac also has a gemstone associated with it, in which case they are normally referred to as birthstones. The allocation varies between countries and cultures and also saw changes in the course of history.
The twelve zodiacs in ascending order (from 0° to 330°) are listed in the following table:
- Latin NameEnglish name1AriesRam2TaurusBull3GeminiTwins4CancerCrab5LeoLion6VirgoMaiden7LibraScales8ScorpioScorpion9Sagittarius(Centaur) Archer10Capricorn“Goat-horned”11AquariusWater-Bearer12PiscesFish
So far for the background of the zodiac signs.
Similar to Initial Pendants, Zodiac Pendants make a great gift which is well received and it's hard to go wrong with it – as long as you know the zodiac of the presentee. To allow you to quickly find the right one for you, we created a dedicated page on our website for zodiac pendants, made from 18ct Yellow Gold. Because gold is a highly priced metal, the prices for the pendants vary to reflect the amount of gold used. We treat you fairly and don't want you to pay more for less.
And as always, if there is something you can not find, please do get in touch with us.
Enjoy Browsing,
Your JAREEYA team
This article was first published in the time of the Cancer, 2016