Download This Book of Hours calculation is a possible

The Watchers
The Powers whose name and shape no living
creature knows
Have pulled the Immortal Rose,
And though the Seven Lights bowed down their
dance and wept
The Polar Dragon slept
His heavy rings uncoiled from glimmering deep to
deep
When will he awake from sleep
W.B. Yates
There follows in this chapter a solution to the clues that have been associated with
this mystery. This will involve the Poussin and Teniers paintings along with clues
left by the Dossiers Secrets and other testimony and last but not least clues left by
Saunière himself and his church and garden.
You will remember that the only reason that the 17th century painters Poussin and
Teniers are associated with the mystery of Rennes le Chateau is through the
parchment supposedly found by Saunière known by some as the large parchment
but in this book it is called the Shepherdess parchment. Many will insist that this is
a fake and composed by Philippe de Chérisey. Comments he made in his lifetime
about him being a prankster give people an excuse to bale out and insist there is
no mystery. However most researchers who have studied this in detail know that
there is definitely something here and indeed de Chérisey himself in the early days
insisted that there was but that it should be left for the exclusive discussion of the
priesthood and initiates. It is my belief that Philippe de Chérisey was a researcher
searching for answers in the early days and that both he and Pierre Plantard de St
Clair came across some information under the auspices of the Priory of Sion that
was begun in Annemasse in 1956. In their research they had many clues, hints,
documents – call them what you will, given to them. They had many lose ends and
at the end of a long research that still didn’t have the answer but they knew that
there were people out there who did have the answer. What better way to flush
them out than to fabricate a mixture of fact and fiction that implies that they
were the holders of the truth and that if you joined them and released your piece
into the jigsaw this would be for the greater good. That names are made up in this
story is not grounds for dismissing the whole story. Even if some facts of the case
are at best dubious this does not mean that the whole story is false. This chapter
does assume the involvement by Poussin and Teniers and the most incisive clue of
Poussin’s involvement in some mystery is the letter by the Abbé Louis Fouquet to
his brother Nicolas Fouquet that will give:
“advantages which even kings would have great pains to draw from him, and
which, according to him, it is possible that nobody else will ever discover in
the centuries to come. And what is more, these are things so difficult to
discover that nothing now on earth can prove of better fortune nor be their
equal”
The fact that Teniers was directly involved with King Leopold von Hapsburg and
that he in turn was involved in various aspects of esoteric thought and was the
King to whom was entrusted the treasure of the Merovingian king Childeric I, the
son of King Mérovée, is yet another part of this story that seems to me to be too
much a coincidence to be ignored. If this is a hoax then the pranksters were over
meticulous to a fault. The following chapter requires the acceptance that the
Shepherdess parchment is in fact a genuine piece of evidence needed to solve of
this mystery. When this text was constructed is in fact irrelevant and even if
written by de Chérisey it has a message that still needs to be interpreted. That it
may lead to further information is the true value of this document. One can only
achieve this by studying it, ignoring it guarantees failure.
However let us start where our mystery started - François Beringer Saunière. You
will remember that a section of text from the Book of Hours is displayed by
Saunière as you enter the church.
Regnum Mundi et omnem ornatum soeculi contempsi propter anorem domini
mei Jesu Christi quem vidi quen amavi in cremini quem dilexi.
Why would Saunière place a passage from the Book of Hours at the entrance to his
church?
Before the invention of printing from moveable type around 1455, all books were
illuminated by a scribe on parchment or paper. Thus every manuscript was unique
and represents hours of labour in copying alone. The Book of Hours is the most
common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript each Book of Hours is
unique, but all contain a collection of texts, prayers and psalms, along with
appropriate illustrations, to form a reference for Christian worship and devotion.
An illustrated version of this book from 1505CE was owned by the Rothschild family
which is only three and half inches high. It was owned by Louis Nathaniel von
Rothschild however it looted by the Nazis in 1938 at the annexation of Austria from
the Viennese branch of the family, Mayer Amschel Rothschild. Through efforts of
Bettina Looram Rothschild, niece of the owner, it was sold at the auction house of
Christies London on July 8th 1999 for £8,580,000 ($13,400,000) a record price for
an illuminated manuscript. In its original form, a Book of Hours would list the
appropriate texts for each liturgical hour of the day. However over time other
useful references were often added, especially calendars of the religious and
secular year along with the prayers and the masses required for certain holy days.
My first attempt at the solution features the time called Sponde from the Book of
Hours and refers to almost Midday over Rennes le Chateau on the 17 th January
1681.
The Book of Hours calculations for Rennes le Chateau for 17th January 1681 are:
AUGE: 6:23AM, ANATOLIA: 7:19AM, MOUSIKA: 8:15AM, GYMNASTIKA: 9:11AM
NYMPHE: 10:07AM
MESEMBRIA: 11:03AM,
SPONDE: 11:59AM,
ELETE: 12:55PM, AKTE: 1:51PM, HESPERIS: 2:47PM, DYSIS: 3:43PM’, ARKTOS:
4:46PM
Each Hour is 56 minutes long.
Therefore
The time of the SPONDE = 11:59am
11:59AM is the time called SPONDE in the book of Hours calculation.
This would in fact result in the Blue Apples phenomena in the church
The Constellation Cygnus (The Northern Cross) is directly overhead. Venus is at
its maximum extension from the Sun 36 degrees. The Planet Mercury is at 204
degrees from Rennes le Chateau.
The Pleiades is elevated by 33 degrees from due west.
The Horse of God (Abraxas) is the Sun and is due south.
However another time would be the time of the Nymphe
from the book of Hours and one remembers the story of
Phaeton who lost control of the Golden Chariot and was
sent to earth by Jupiter a scene painted by Poussin.
Phaeton was buried by nymphs.
Time of the NYMPHE = 10:07AM
Virgo (House of Bread) is setting Pisces (House of Fishes)
rising.
WHY 10:07?
This Book of Hours calculation is a possible solution.
The date is 17th January 1681 at Rennes le Chateau.
This would be calculable by someone versed in mathematics but would not be
directly observable owning to the daylight.
This may in fact be the solution to the Poussin painting.
In the story the Shepherds of Arcadia encounted Nymphes in their journey. We first
meet these shepherds in art from Guercino where two shepherds look at a skull
who evidently is speaking to them
“Even in Arcadia there I am”. According to Virgil these Shepherds had thus far
only encountered
“nymphs and swains, purling brooks and enamelled meads”.
Now they encountered death.
At this Book of Hours time of the NYMPHE: SPICA (l’Epi) in the
House of Bread is setting
The ecliptic and the equatorial cross at each horizon forming an
arch.
The Crescent Moon is at the keystone position of this ARCH or DÔME
as it is known in France
Al Qaus (epsilon Sagittarius) is in the centre under the keystone and
from Arabic the literal meaning of Al Qaus is –
The "Southern part of the Bow"
The constellations of the Serpent and Ophiuchus form the Red Serpent above
the Arch.
As we can see this time is marked by the setting (moving into the underworld) of
the star of Bethlehem Spica in the west, which at this time of the nymphe in the
book of hours and is directly over the churches of Compagne les Bains and Les
Sauzils. But more importantly it is over the snow capped Pic de Soularac in the
Pyrenees, more about this mountain later. Porrima (due west) is the Goddess of
childbirth and is represented by Chartres Cathedral in Carpentier’s map of France.
It is due west and will be positioned in the quite distinct gap in the hills on the
western horizon.
If Virgo (The House of Bread) is the Shepherdess this time, her right arm reaching
out to the Red Shepherd's shoulder. Mars is at her forehead and the constellation
will spread out 20º of the sky over Montségur.
The Blue Shepherd is kneeling and straddles the Rose Line looking west. Although
he is pointing at the phrase ET IN ARCADIA EGO on the tomb he is also pointing at
the dove shaped cloud in the top right-hand corner and the flock of Doves are the
Pleiades. With this solution perhaps Poussin is alluding to the legend of Dionysos
who represents the white shepherd, where Ikarios represents Arcturus, Erigone is
Virgo and Maera is the lesser Dog Star (Canis Minor) Procyon. Procyon is the
eastern anchor of the three stars of the Winter Triangle, the other two being Sirius
and Betelgeuse. This legend cannot be made to fit the sky pattern on this date
however.
In the Poussin painting more likely the Russet-haired, Red-dressed Shepherd
represents the constellation of Boötes and it can be seen that he has turned
around and he faces the Shepherdess (Ursa Major), he is the bear watcher. He
points to the Rose Line running up and down and his finger is just below the line
running left right and touches it with the bright star ARC-T[A]U-RUS that is
EXACTLY on the line to the west in this gap in the hills signified in the painting by
a soon-to-be-risen sun (strongest light source). The Cabalists associates the
constellation Boötes with the Hebrew letter Teth and the 9th Tarot Trump card,
"The Hermit". The Red shepherd wears a wreath around his head which is the
Northern Crown (Coronae Borealis).
At this time of the Nymphe the 17th January 1681 the Star SPICA in Virgo would
have been seen from Rennes le Chateau setting over the Pic de Soularac and Pic de
St Bartholémy: 52km away. Another star in Virgo is Porrima and this star is due
west, Porrima is the Roman goddess of Childbirth and according to Louis Carpentier
this star is associated with Chartres Cathedral. The star Porrima would have been
visible in the gap on the horizon when viewed from the Tour Magdala; however
10:07 is of course in daylight.
At this same time the very bright star Capella in the constellation of Auriga is
setting on the Northern Horizon. Its bearing is 11degrees 21 minutes from Rennes
le Chateau. There is a well-known Menhir called la Pierre Droite near to the church
of St Salvayre.
Rennes le Chateau can be seen from
this stone, (shown left) its bearing is
11degrees 21 minutes from Rennes le
Chateau. The bright star Capella is
over this stone if it could be viewed
from Rennes le Chateau at this time,
the alignment of this stone is clearly
done during the night or with the sun
or moon during daylight. The distance
from this clearly ancient stone to the
Chateau at Rennes le Chateau is
exactly six miles and this cannot be a
chance occurrence and the positioning
of this stone is obviously directly linked to whatever previous temple that was built
at position that now has the church of St Salvayre over it.
One can also note that ‘The Great Camp’ consisting of beehive huts is close to the
Pierre Droite, these huts are called Capitelles. These beehive huts with corbelled
roofs can also be found in County Kerry in the west coast of Ireland and form part
of an offshore monastery on Skellig Michael off Valentia Island. These huts have
survived from the 5th century despite the ravages of Atlantic gales and their
construction is identical to those in the Great Camp and these stone worked camps
are called Cathairs in County Kerry. One is reminded that the largest concentration
of surviving stone circles anywhere in the world are found here in the south west
portion of Ireland and are usually orientated from 190 to 210 degrees, the
direction of the winter solstice.
But regarding Skellig Michael we have something else. We have already mentioned
the St Michael Ley Line that runs from St Michael’s Mount off Marazion (Market
Zion) through Glastonbury Tor, Avebury Ring and several points that are associated
with the Archangel St Michael. Well researchers Hamish Miller and Paul Broadhurst
have identified another Ley Line which goes from the Skellig Michael through St
Michael’s Mount Cornwall and then through Mont Saint Michel in northern France,
through Sacra di San Michele, through Assisi, through Delphi,
Athens, Rhodes and ultimately Mount Carmel in Israel. These
lines form a cross and are associated with the sighting of the
star Aldebaran at specific times of the year and this star.
Aldebaran is one of the four Royal Stars fixed around
Canopus at six hour intervals, has been associated by
Hermetic adept Cornelius Agrippa as the Archangel Michael (the Angel of the Lord).
The Talisman for Aldebaran used by Agrippa is the cross (shown left) and forms the
two angles for each St Michael Ley line and is shown here on the left.
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim was born in Cologne on September 14 th
1486 and was a German Magician, occult writer, astrologer and alchemist. He is
highly regarded amongst occult researchers and even the likes of John Dee and
Giordano Bruno are known to have consulted his work. He is even mentioned in
famous books of fiction like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and even briefly
mentioned in the Harry Potter series. His famous quote is:
“Seeing there is a Threefold world, Elementary, Celestial and Intellectual, and
every Inferior is governed by its Superior… the very Original and Chief Worker of
All doth… convey the Virtues of his Omnipotency upon Us.”
This recurring 72 degree angle is repeated again at Rennes le Chateau down David
Wood’s Sunrise (sic) Line, what is its significance? Well 90 – 72 = 18 and this
number divides into 72 four times. The recurrence of the pentacle with angles of
36 degrees (2 x 18) at the points seems to be significant here. It will shown later
that this five pointed star shape is indicative as of the position of the four Royal
stars the fifth being a place where God resides.
This pentagonal star probably has a generic name that gives its name to America.
The Jewish writer Josephus observed that the Essenes believed that good souls
lived beyond the oceans in a region that had neither snow nor intense heat. The
existence of this idyllic land was believed by the Jews, the Greeks and the Celts.
The Mandaeans however believed that the inhabitants of this land are so pure that
normal mortal eyes cannot see them and that this place is marked by a star and
the name of this star is “Merica”. This star is the star of Ishtar and is the Whore of
Babylon symbol. The worshippers of Ishtar write about this star where the dead go
after shedding their earthly form. The name of America is traditionally thought to
have originated from Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian Merchant who only journeyed to
the Americas a full seven years after Columbus. If that is the case then it would
appear that for seven years America did not have a name at all. No the continent
of America already had its name long before Vespucci. It does seem to be too
much of a coincidence that the man who supposedly discovered America is named
after a dove. But then he wasn’t named after a dove, the man who discovered
America was called Cristóbal Colón. Columbus didn’t discover the American
mainland until 1498 he merely discovered the Bahamas in 1492. Columbus worked
for the Crown of Castile and Leon, Castille being the former domain of the
Visigoths. Columbus was reportedly born in the Republic of Genoa in Italy however
there is some controversy over this and there is some speculation that Columbus
was in fact a Sephardic Jew of both Spanish and Portuguese origin, however his
writings seem to indicate that he wasn’t a natural Spanish speaker and did appear
to speak Genoese. However his wife was Portuguese and was the daughter of the
governor of Madeira. Columbus was originally in the service of another great player
in our story of the Priory of Sion and esoteric history in general. Columbus (the
Dove), the discoverer of the Americas was under the employ of René d’Anjou (Le
bon roi René) from Aix-en-Provence, the heart of the traditional legend of Mary
Magdalene and France. Good King Rene is listed as a grand master of the Prieure
de Sion indeed in the list of Grand Masters Good King Rene has a special mark
against his name. In his later years he was an artist with one of his works being the
illumination of the Book of Hours and one illustration that has occult geometry
associated with it. His daughter married Henry VI of England and he makes an
appearance in Shakespeare’s play Henry VI as Reignier. He was born at the Castle
of Angers from where the Plant Genet originated and this is the broom plant or
Fleur de Lys. The historian Desmond Seward has described René d’Anjou as “one of
the most spectacular royal losers in fifteenth century Europe.” He was however a
shadowy figure behind Joan of Arc.
Visitors to this area will note that menhirs and stone circles were positioned all
around this area in some distant epoch and are a feature of this whole area and
you are reminded that Saunière’s contemporary at Rennes les Bains wrote of ‘The
true Celtic language and the Cromlech of Rennes les Bains’.
Above shows the hemisphere clearly showing the ecliptic and equatorial meeting
on each horizon with the moon as the Keystone. This event is close to the winter
solstice, the time when the Sun stops descending for each subsequent day and
starts ascending again. It appears to stop and the name solstice means ‘sun stop’.
The northern ecliptic pole, the point around which the earth’s solar orbit seems to
travel, is at 66 degrees, a significant elevation and it is of course due North. The
constellation Draco (The Dragon) is at this point and this would carry some
significance in occult circles.
The ecliptic North Pole is due North at 10:07 17th
January 1681.
At the HOURS time of the NYMPHE.
The centre of this celestial pole is at 66 degrees elevation, two times the degree
of the master.
This would correspond to the ceiling display at the Temple of Denderah in Upper
Egypt. This Temple is so placed so that it will see the southern equivalent of this
on the Winter Solstice when the bright star Canopus appears above the horizon due
south marking the start of the year.
This time effectively marks the start of the year.
Let us examine the parchment message again.
SHEPHERDESS NO TEMPTATION POUSSIN TENIERS HOLD THE KEY
This is direct and undisputed reference to Poussin's Les Bergers d'Arcadie featuring
the Shepherdess and David Teniers the Younger St Anthony and St Paul fed by
Ravens, the only Teniers painting where St Anthony is NOT being tempted.
In Poussin’s Les Bergere d'Arcadie the shepherd dressed in red points to a line
running east/west at a specific time and point of light, the setting sun, is directly
above this line.
The Red Shepherd (whose cloak was painted by Poussin in
the colour called ROSE Madder) points at a ROSE LINE, he
does not point at ET IN ARCADIA EGO only the kneeling blue
shepherd does this. Later we shall see that star patterns on
the ground are indeed in the part of Greece kown as Arcadia.
The line marks the principle light source of the painting even
though a shadow is cast onto the tomb by the arm of the
kneeling blue shepherd. The Red Shepherd looks around at
the Shepherdess, he is watching her. The star Arcturus is
called the 'bear watcher'.
At the time of the Nymphe 10:07 on 17th January 1681
Arcturus is EXACTLY due west of Rennes le Chateau and
would appear in a gap between the hills.
The kneeling Blue Shepherd points, along with the half ARC
shaped (Bow like) shadow of his arm, at the word ARC. The
Greek letter TAU ' Т ' is clearly at the top of this line, slightly detached from the
below it that the Red shepherd points at. TAU is the symbol of St Anthony the
Hermit, and clearly seen on his upper arm in the painting by Teniers and indeed all
depiction of St Anthony the Hermit. The feast of Saint Anthony is 17th January and
this is also the feast of St Sulpice, the church in Paris where you'll find the ROSE
LINE Gnomon. This is not to be confused with the Paris Meridian that was
abandoned only as recent as 1979. Etymologically the word RUS literally means
red-head, you will notice that the Red Shepherd has quite distinctive red hair.
However although this is controversial RUS is also is the name for the Franks or the
Varangians who came down from Scandinavia but their name first appeared in
Byzantium it is a name for Germanic people of the Baltic. The words Roux & sillon
means Rust coloured furrow and this whole area is the Languedoc/Roussillon.
Contemporary texts say that the red-haired Celtic "Redones" or "rose people"
(Rutheni/Rhodanim) settled both Rennes in the Midi area of the Languedoc and
Rennes in Brittany. As a matter of interest a similar pattern of churches has been
discovered on the Danish Island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea whose capital is
RØNNE.
It is said that the resident goddess of Sion – Vaudémont, the other Sion associated
with the "Priory of Sion" near the city of Nancy, is Rosemertha - the Rose mother.
Interestingly, one interpretation of the King Arthur legends is that "Arthur" or
"Ursus" was really Riothamus, a Dark Age Celt ruler of a "Thalassocracy" that
spanned Brittany in France and Cornwall in England and possibly the west coast of
Ireland. Many of the places near the Breton Rennes are associated with Arthur and
the Grail legends, and many of the Breton kings had Judaic names and some
scholars derive Riothamus' name from... Joseph of Arimathea, the supposed bearer
of the Grail to Glastonbury. Is this the source of these legends? It is interesting
that some of the earliest drawings refer to a later culture that has been given the
title Magdalénien, named after the cave La Madeleine in the Dordogne but was
originally called “L’Age du Renne” by Lartet and Christy.
Remember we have been told to use the Language of the Birds and the three
pointers in the Poussin painting, the word ARC, the Tau at the top of the join and
the RUS coloured hair. Make up the word:
ARC+TAU+RUS
Arcturus is a RED supergiant star in the constellation of Boötes and is the fourth
brightest star in the whole sky.
The shepherdess rests her hand on the shoulder of the Red Shepherd (the bear
watcher who looks around at her) as does the constellation of the Great Bear
touches the constellation of Boötes. The blue Shepherd
kneels in a similar manner to the constellation of Hercules.
The proper motion (the speed the star moves compared to other stars) of Arcturus
is the second highest in the visible heavens, so it means that this star was in a
different place with reference to the other stars when Poussin painted Les Bergers
d’Arcadie.
Unless there is a solar eclipse no stars can be observed in the daylight hours. It is
possible that an astrologer would have the skill to be able to work out the position
of the stars and planets but we are concerned with observation here and alignment
and these must be done in the hours of darkness. Therefore observations must be
made from high places during the hours of darkness and the landscape must be
marked with beacons capable of being seen at night or the directions of towers
fixed prior to the sunset. Below is a depiction of the behaviour of planets and stars
on the 17th January 1681 during the hours of darkness and it can be seen that
features marked on the landscape take on a relationship with the position of
prominent stars and planets.
The Sunrise solution
With the Poussin painting above
the principle light source is
directly above the line pointed at
by the Red shepherd, this seems to
indicate dawn. At sunrise on the
17th January 1681 the sun rises
behind the Pech de Rhodes (Rose
Peak) and continues to rise
through the Bugarach gap. These
four constellations shown right are
directly overhead Rennes le
Chateau within a 30º cone above
and all pointing to the zenith.
Boötes is the closest to south (a
Midi) with Arcturus at 210º from
Rennes le Chateau. This means
that at sunrise the Bear Watcher
(Boötes) will be over the Grotte du
Fournet otherwise known as the Gite de la Madeleine.
These four constellations with Hercules bottom left of the inner circle, Boötes
bottom right of the inner circle, Ursa Major top right of inner circle and Draco ‘The
Dragon’ at the top left. These constellations will be clearly seen overhead in the
pre dawn twilight. The serpent just has its head in the circle and will be over the
mountain of Bezu and so will the crown (of thorns) that occurs between Hercules
and Boötes. Both the crescent Moon and Mercury will be emerging from behind
Bugarach (the highest mountain in the Corbières) and will be over Bugarach village
church and one of the Royal stars Regulus will be setting due west.
Arabic legend saw the movement of the constellation Ursa Major as a funeral
procession of Al-Na’ash who was assassinated by al-Jadi, the Pole Star.
More significantly later it was thought by Arabic Christians to be the
funeral bier of Lazarus with the three stars of the handle
representing the women Mary, Martha and Mary Magdalene
following behind the four stars making up the funeral bier.
There are seven major stars in Ursa Major (The Great Bear).
Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, Dubhe.
These Arabic Christians called the stars Banat Na’ash al Kubra – The Daughters of
the Great (funeral) Bier.
An older name for this constellation is The Wain (or Charls Wain) and in Britain it is
known as The Plough and evidence suggests that the name Celt has been taken
from the name of a Plough.
The second star in the handle of the Plough is Mizar and it has a companion
(double star) called Alcor - the Forgotten, Lost, or Neglected One. Mizar is
coloured blue and Alcor is coloured yellow the same colours as the clothes of the
shepherdess. Alcor is the Arabic name for Black Horse and it was discovered to be
a double star in 1650. However it is said that double star astronomy was to have
first been discovered by Benedetto Castelli (1578 – 1643), a student of Galileo
Galilei at Padua.
The position of the four stars forming the funeral bier at Sunrise on 17th
January 1681 would be over the western end of the pointed hill of Roque
Fumade.
Previously the astronomer Nicolas Copernicus, who first proposed the heliocentric
theory, had also studied and taught alchemical astronomy began by St Anthony at
Padua also, he had been the canon at Frauenberg Cathedral. Is this why Saunière
placed St Anthony of Padua in his church supported by the four Royal Angels
represented in the heavens by the four Royal stars placed equally at the six hour
periods? Is Saunière giving a reference to Padua and astronomy here?
Under Hercules (a name that means Glory of Hera or Glory of the air) is the story
that the three stars in the tail of the Great Bear represent the three golden apples
- Alioth (epsilon), Mizar (zeta) and Benetnash (Alkaid, eta) - which Hercules (11th
labour) had to fetch from the garden of the Hesperides. The Hesperides are said to
be the stars of Ursa Minor, Daughters of the Evening and seven daughters of Atlas,
- Atlas had three sets of seven daughters, Pleiades, Hyades and Hesperides. When
these three stars of the Hesperides culminate in the spring, Hercules is just rising
in the east, meaning that he is just beginning his labours. The Hesperides are the
Three Graces and are sometimes called the ‘Sunset Goddesses’.
Therefore perhaps Poussin meant the Blue Shepherd to be the kneeling figure of
Hercules and, as well as the phrase “I am in Arcadia” he points at the shepherdess
and to the Pleiades which are behind The Shepherdess in the form of a Dove. The
Pleiades move together and are passing through a gas cloud which occasionally
gives them a blue tint. The alpha star of the constellation of Hercules is Rasalgethi
from Ra's al-Jathi, which means "Head of the kneeling one". It was variously called
Al Ras al Jathiyy, Ras Algeti, Ras Algiatha, Ras Algetta, Rasacheti, Ras Elhhathi,
Ras Alhathi, Ras Alheti; — all Arabian translations of the Greek names. The early
Arabic nomads' title for it was Al Kalb al Ra'i, "the Shepherd's Dog", which our alpha
star shared with the adjoining constellation of Ophiuchus, 5° distant (Ras Alhague)
which was the Shepherd. (Allen)
Manilius described Hercules in Phenomena:
“…like a toiling man, revolves a form.
Nor to what toil he is attached;
But, simply, Kneeler they call him.
Labouring on his knees, like one.
Who sinks he seems;
And his right foot is planted on the twisting Serpent’s head”.
The Red Shepherd is Boötes
The constellation of Boötes is the Huntsman, it is also known to the Cabbalists as
‘The Hermit'.
Arcturus (alpha Boötes), is the Roman title and takes its name from its nearness to
the “Sky Bears”, Big and Little Bears, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. The name is
from Arktouros or Arctophilax meaning "the Bear Guard". It is also called "the Bear
Watcher" and one remembers how the Red Shepherd with red hair and red cloak is
looking around at the Shepherdess – Ursa Major - Arcturus the red supergiant star.
The famous Islamic mathematician and astronomer Al Biruni (973-1048CE) called
Arcturus ‘the Second Calf of the Lion’, the early Asad (Lion) in early Arabian
astronomy; Spica in Virgo being the First Calf of Lion. The Greeks had a word
meaning "Javelin-bearer", while Bayer had Gladius, Kolanza, and Pugio and these
all applied to Arcturus, which probably marked in some early drawing the "Sword",
"Lance", or "Dagger" in the Hunter's hand. Similarly it took the title Alkameluz of
the whole constellation. It has been identified with the Chaldaeans' Papsukal, "the
Guardian Messenger" (Demon Guardian?) and it held the divinity of their 10th
month Tibitu.
On the Euphrates Arcturus was the ‘Shepherd of the Heavenly Flock’ or the
Shepherd of the Life of Heaven the star eta Boötes being often included in this,
and thus making one of the several pairs of Euphratean Twin Stars. Another title
was Audiens, which seems unintelligible unless the word is a misprint for Audens,
the "Bold One". With others it was Arturig and Ariture, or the Carlwaynesterre from
the early confusion in applying the title Arcturus to Charles' Wain as well as to
Boötes and its stars.
In astrology the star Arcturus brought riches and honour to those born under it.
(Allen).
Inside the same 30º area around the zenith is Ophiuchus or Serpentarius the right
foot of Hercules is on his head.
A sapphire star on the head of the Snake Charmer Ophiuchus is called Ras alhague,
or Rasalague, is from Ra's al Hawwa', "the Head of the Serpent-charmer", the
Moorish El Hauwe. Variations: Rasalauge, Ras Alhagas, Ras Alhagus, Rasalange, Ras
al Hangue, Rasalangue, Ras Alaghue, Rasalhagh, Alhague, and Al Ra'i, "the
Shepherd", was a title from the early Arabic astronomy, the near-by alpha Hercules
(Ras Algethi), 6° to the west, being Kalb al Ra'i, the Shepherd's Dog. (Allen).
The Serpent Holder is generally known as Asclepios or Aesculapius and in the King
James Bible is described as a “mediciner after made a God”. You will remember
that Aesculapius was the ships surgeon onboard the Argo during the search for the
Golden Fleece by Jason. As you can see he stands on the ecliptic.
Teniers guards the KEY - This painting fixes the Time as indicated in the picture.
In the Teniers painting St Paul points at the Raven and the Raven
points at the date i.e. St Anthony and the date for his feast 17th
January. The Thorn bush is down the middle of the painting. Christ
is shown crucified in the physical centre and Virgo, the House of
Bread (Beth-Lehem) is setting.
Right in the centre is a skull and crossed sticks with the sand timer
and a wine bottle at the base of crucifix.
The Cross
The Star REGULUS (The little king) another of the Royal stars is a bright second
magnitude star in the constellation of Leo which has some significance regarding
THE CROSS (It represents the Archangel Raphael).
This star is the timing for this and just before dawn (when the winter sky is still
able to be observed) Regulus will be observed EXACTLY due west through the gap
in the hills and the elevation is 20°. Pegasus is rising in the East at this time of the
rising of the Sun on 17th January 1681.
In addition to the four constellations at zenith described above there are some
other alignments. At this precise moment another important star SPICA (l’Epi) is
overhead the Grotte de la Madeleine at 33°and yet another important star that
we've already mentioned: ARCTURUS is directly above this star at 66°. Both are
above the Grotte du Fournet and obviously the Gite de la Madeleine also.
The planet SATURN at the very bright magnitude of -0.3 is on the horizon at this
moment at sunrise on the 17th January 1681 here one is drawn to possibility that
the Roman midwinter festival of Saturnalia is being practiced although the date
for this is usually 17th December.
Also the star Kochab in Ursa Minor is EXACTLY due north at this time. The Arabic
name is Al-Kaukab, meaning “The star".
Kokab or Kochab is from the Arabic title that it shared with alpha (Polaris). It was
near the pole 1000 years ago at around the height of Templar activity. Alrucaba or
Reicchabba, variously written, is also common to it and Polaris, as well as to its
constellation Ursa Minor. Na'ir al Farkadain and Anwar al Farkadain, "the Bright
One", and "the Lights, of the Two Calves", were titles in the Desert for this star,
from an early figure here, in the Fold, of these timid creatures keeping close to
their mother, beta was often designated by pre-Islamic poets as the faithful and,
from its ever visible position, the constant companion of the night traveller.
Indeed the Badawiyy claimed that they had a perpetual treaty with Al Farkad to
this effect, and their poets made the Two Pherkads, beta and gamma, symbols of
constancy. Alferkathan is a variation.
“Ursa Minor alpha, beta, gamma1, gamma2, delta, and epsilon constituted the
group Circitores, Saltatores, Ludentes, or Ludiones, "the Circlers", "Leapers", or
"Dancers" around the early pole, well known from classical times to late
astronomy.” (Allen).
The Kabbalists associated this star Al-Kaukab with the Hebrew letter TAU and the
21st Tarot Trump "The Universe", "The World". (Robson).
Polaris (The pole star) is at the other end of this constellation also naturally due
north at our present time within the precession cycle.
Kochab is yet another DOUBLE STAR and although faint at the moment, may well
have varied dramatically in brightness over the centuries.
A 4th Magnitude star NEKKAR (The Cattleman) in the constellation of Boötes is
EXACTLY at the zenith (overhead) at this time. This star despite being only the
sixth magnitude star in Boötes has been designated β Boötes after α Boötes –
Arcturus and Nekkar (Nakkar) is the Arabic word for the whole constellation of
Boötes. The Cabbalists associate it with the Hebrew letter Teth and the 9 th Tarot
Trump card, The Hermit". This star, beta (Nekkar), with gamma (Seginus – from
Theguius the Greek name for Boötes), delta (Princeps – The Prince), and mu
(Alkalurops – The Herdsman’s club), constituted the trapezium Al Dhi'bah, "the
Female Wolves", or, perhaps, Hyenas, an earlier interpretation by the Arabs before
they adopted the Greek constellation. These animals, with others similar shown by
stars in Draco and near it, lying in wait for the occupants of the ancient Sheep fold
around the pole. The hyena is shown close the centre of the ceiling painting at the
temple of Denderah.
Just a reminder this that we are referring to the position at SUNRISE on 17th
January 1681
At sunset on the same day however the double stars Mizar and Alcor (The
Shepherdess) are both EXACTLY due North and the Pleiades will be directly over
Rennes les Bains church at Sunset.
There are no significant stars over the Sunrise line (i.e. David Wood’s sunrise line)
but the planet Saturn will be over
the Chateau at Arques at Sunset
17th January 1681 and it would
have been magnitude -0.3 and one
of the brightest objects in the sky.
Note: The Sun is physically over the
horizon at these times, however
because of atmospheric refraction
the Sun's disk will be visible and
disappearing into the golden cup of
sunset.
The Thorn is the symbol of Christ's
death and rebirth and the
Christmas thorn at Glastonbury
flowers twice in year, once on old wood, once on new wood. It usually flowers
around Christmas or around mid January.
The Raven stars γ and δ point at SPICA, the Thorn but it also points at Orion’s belt
and the Pleiades in the other direction. The rising, the transit and the setting of
SPICA mark the time of day.
The setting of the Constellation of Virgo (The house of Bread) at the time when the
Ecliptic and the Equatorial meet on each East West horizons is called the ARC or
the Döme. This is depicted in the Teniers painting as denoting a specific time.
In the painting by Teniers the Holy Cross symbolised by the four angels in
Saunière’s church is featured and consists of Antares, Regulus (already
mentioned), Fomalhaut and Aldebaran. The constellation of Corvus (The Raven) is
the pointer to Spica (The Thorn bush on the side of the vertical rock) this time and
this direction is important and is marked by the dead Christ as depicted on the
crucifix right in the centre of the painting.
SPICA is the time marker and its setting and rising mark the time - Death and
rebirth or as we shall see Transfiguration.
The Pleiades are marking due west at this precise time. The 'sunrise' line of David
Wood now takes on a new meaning.
Here is the sky over Rennes le Chateau at 20 minutes to midnight (Greenwich Mean
Time) on 17th January 1681 looking from southwest to west.
Now, at local midnight, Aldebaran will be over the twin peaks of St
Bartholomew and Soularac.
And here something unique happens: The stars Sirius, the central belt of Orion and
the Pleiades form almost a straight line across the sky. ALCYONE in the Pleiades
and ALNILAM, the star reportedly denoting the Great Pyramid, are EXACTLY 45
degrees apart. These stars were EXACTLY due WEST and SOUTH WEST respectively
at 20 minutes to midnight (GMT) on 17th January 1681 as viewed from Rennes le
Chateau. In the bottom left corner of the picture above is the Constellation of
Leporis (The Hare). The early Arabs designated the principal stars — alpha, beta,
gamma, and delta — as Al Kursiyy al Jabbar and Al 'Arsh al Jauzah, "the Chair of
the Giant" and "the Throne of the Jauzah" Orion (one of the many thrones which
the Arab astronomers had in their heavens).
Greenwich meantime was not adapted in France until as recent as 1979, up until
then they used the Paris meridian for time measurement. The Paris Meridian runs
through the Paris Observatory, this was not exactly the same as the ROSE LINE that
runs through St Sulpice. There is in fact approximately 20 minutes difference
between GMT and the ROSE LINE so in this situation this rising of SPICA 20 minutes
before midnight was the French Midnight in 1681.
The ROSE LINE (or RUS Line) passes some three miles east of Rennes le Chateau. In
1681 there was a dispute over the exact placing of the French meridian in the
court of Louis XIV. This time would have been 'designated' midnight using the Rose
Line (A MIDI i.e. Midnight Local Sidereal Time) with just a small error of
approximately 13 seconds (the difference between the Tour Magdala and the Rose
Line).
The Pleiades would have been clearly seen in a gap in the hills on the horizon that
is directly due west from Rennes le Chateau and marks the western datum line and
the star VINDEMIATRIX, the Grape Gatherer, would have been precisely due east.
The constellation of Orion would have been seen directly over a series of snow
capped mountains actually in the Pyrenees, the central peak being called Pic de
L’Hommé. This time was fixed by rising of the Star SPICA in VIRGO which would
have been fixed on Rennes les Bains Church, exactly three miles away. The first
'ARCH' of the day would have occurred at 22:00:52 GMT i.e. the point where the
Equatorial and the Ecliptic meet at each horizon.
At this time the sun is precisely on the opposite side of the earth from Rennes le
Chateau which is the French Middle of the night. A Midi – Midnight.
On the right is the equivalent daylight
view looking east along David Wood's
"Sunrise line" from Rennes le Chateau
over Blanchefort and towards the
mountain of Cardou on the right and to
the Chateau of Arques (left of centre).
The line to the Grotte is just above the
lower left hand most crest of the dark
green Blanchefort, the tower of Arques
is just to the right of this line as
indicated. The Tour Magdala was built
by Saunière and would not have existed
in 1681 however the ruined Chateau of
the Dame d'Hautpoul has a tower with
wedge shaped holes cut in it at unusual
angles. These are almost certainly for sighting and marking astronomical events.
The name of this tower is called the 'Alchemical Tower'.
Below is the view of the stars down this ‘Sunrise line’ at midnight on 17th January
1681.
SPICA (The Ear of Corn) also known as l’Epi (The Thorn) in France and Virgo (The
House of Bread: Beth-Lehem) is rising over Rennes les Bains. The bearing of SPICA
is 102° 27' true from Rennes le Chateau. The bearing of Rennes les Bains church
from Rennes le Chateau church (using map IGN 3615) is 102.5° at a distance of
EXACTLY 3 miles.
The pointer stars of the Raven δ and γ rises over L’Hommé Mort at this time. In
Greek mythology the Raven serves Apollo, a diety that will become significant
later. The painting 'Christ of the Hare' that hangs in the church of Rennes les Bains
depicts the dead Christ (L’Hommé Mort) held by Mary Magdalene. In the painting
Christ points at the 'Crown of Thorns' close to a plateau. The Hebrews called the
constellation Virgo ‘The House of Bread’. L’Hommé Mort is next to a plateau and
nearby is Source de la Madeleine, Coume Sourde, l'Ermitage Valdieu (the valley of
God) What it signifies is the birth of the King of the Jews I.N.R.I Iesus Nazaramus
Rex Idiurum (Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews).
JANVIÉ MDCOLXXXI
Remember Abbe Jan Vié was a former Curé of Rennes les Bains and is buried in the
graveyard there. Al Kraz - The Claw is on the horizon over the plateau of L’Hommé
Mort.
An interesting if possibly irrelevant coincidence is that the man widely involved in
bringing to the world the original Beringer Saunière story is Noel Corbu if we take
the name's root it is Corbeau in French literally means: "Raven". Noel Corbeau is
therefore "the Raven of Christ's birth." - The pointer serving Apollo?
The significance of this apparent non-sequitur is that the birth of Christ is not 25 th
December, which is linked to the winter solstice, but is indicated by an
astronomical date marked by the rising of the constellation of Virgo when the Sun
is in Virgo i.e. Jesus born of a Virgin in Beth Lehem – The House of Bread – Virgo.
This date when the sun is in Virgo occurs in August or September, Jesus was born
of a Virgin on this date which is likely to have been the start of the third Decan or
September 11th.
The Chateau at Arques can just be made out in daylight down the valley from
Rennes le Chateau. With Spica on the horizon on the 17th January 1681 the star
Arcturus (ARC+TAU+RUS) will be at Azimuth 71° 13' at midnight (local sidereal
time). This is EXACTLY over the Chateau at Arques and directly down the line at
the top of the pentacle from Rennes le chateau through the Templar Commanderie
at Blanchefort. Or what David Wood called 'The Sunrise line'.
The Pentacle of David Wood describing the Astrological Temple built into the
landscape. Wood calls the line from Rennes le Chateau to Arques "The Sunrise
Line". He maintains that the sun rises along this line on the Feast day of St Mary
Magdalene or the 22 July. The problem is that it doesn't rise at this angle on this
day. However Arcturus is positioned along this line bearing 71º 13’ the instant
Spica rises over Rennes les Bains.
The Raven δ Corvus and γ Corvus point at SPICA (The Thorn) on the Feast of St
Anthony. 17th January 1681. The rising of Spica (The Thorn) fixes this exact time
AND the two pointer stars of the Raven also point in the other direction to Orion's
belt and the Pleiades. Orion's Belt is EXACTLY South west at this time and Alcyone
(Sion) is EXACTLY due West.
THEREFORE The Rose Line is fixed on the Feast of St Sulpice. [Sulpitus the Pious]
which is 17th January 1681.
This particular Rose Line goes through the Gnomon in the Church of St Sulpice in
Paris.
The star ε Virginis known as VINDEMIATRIX (the wine gatherer) is due east from
Rennes le Chateau at this time.
Due South at this rising of Spica and Alcyone marking due west at midnight 17th
January 1681 is the constellation of ARGO NAVIS.
This Friend, how to present it to you? His name remained
a mystery, but his number is that of a famous seal. How
to describe him to you? Perhaps like the nautonnier of
the arch imperishable, impassive like a column on its
white rock, scanning about the middle, beyond the black
rock.
Le Serpent Rouge –Pisces
ARGO NAVIS is a constellation that is no longer in general use and has been spit
into smaller asterisms. It contains the second brightest star in the sky called
Canopus, however Canopus can never be seen at Rennes le Chateau as the
observer will be too far north. But this constellation is at the southern Ecliptic pole
(Draconis is the Northern pole). It sits almost in the centre of the cross made up of
the four arch angels: Aldebaran, Fomalhaut, Regulus and Antares, which are stars
placed roughly at six hour intervals around Canopus.
The views looking back along Wood’s sunrise line to the West in the distance are
the Mountains of St Bartholemy and Soularac.
At midnight local time, this same rising of Spica in the east and Alcyone marking
due west, the star ALDEBARAN (one of the Arch Angels) in Taurus will be over
these snow capped mountain (Pic de Soularac and St Bartholomew: 52km away)
Azimuth 254 degrees. These two mountains are a mere 8km south west of Cathar
castle of Montségur. Vivian Robson says that Aldebaran is one of the four Royal
Stars or Watchers of the Heavens. These stars were later associated with four
archangels: Aldebaran with Michael, Fomalhaut with Gabriel, and Regulus with
Raphael and Antares with Uriel. These are the four knights alluded to in 'Le
Serpent Rouge'.
Cornelius Agrippa says that, "Under Aldebora [Aldebaran] they made an image
after the likeness of God, or of a flying man; it giveth riches and honour."
Aldebaran is known as 'The Follower' of the Pleiades.
The lunar mansion for Aldebaran in the Vedic calendar is known as Rohini and is
the Hindu name for this star and for the 2nd nakshatra; and literally means "Red
Deer" and is the name of river in Nepal and was adopted as the name for a series
of Satellite Launch vehicles in the Indian Space Program. Rohini is also known as
the "The Star of Ascent" (Ascension?)
'Renne' is French for Red Deer and this is what later observers
called the constellation of Taurus, the Bull.
Here shows sunrise over Rennes le Chateau as seen from Pic de St Bartholémy
7703ft. On the left of the Sun right in the distance is Mt Bugarach (the highest
mountain of the Corbières) on the right is the peak overlooking Quillan. But
probably more significantly this would have been the scene at dawn on the 16th
March 1244, the day the besieged Cathars marched down from Montségur and into
the flames.
The Star SPICA is important in the modern era. In France this star is called l'Epi (as
in Mort Epee). It is in the Constellation of Virgo. As we have seen in Hebrew the
constellation of Virgo is called The House of Bread or 'Beth Lehem'. When this
constellation rises the constellation of Pisces (the House of the Fishes) sets. The
star of Beth Lehem, the house of Bread, is the star SPICA. (l'Epee). The rising of
this star and various other alignments will signify to a Magi Priest schooled in
Astrology (the world's oldest science) the coming of a Jewish Messiah.
You can read the word 'Mort' and the word 'Epee' rising over Mt Cardou at around
midnight every year on the 17th January how you will. Perhaps I should mention
here that Schellenberger and Andrews in their book The Tomb of God reached the
conclusion that the Tomb of Jesus was in the Mountain of Cardou. You will
remember that the words 'Mort Epee', taken from the Hautpoul tombstone, are
used as a key word for the Vigenere code used to decode one of the parchments.
One has to say that it would be an appropriate place to bury the body of Jesus
should his body be in the Languedoc.
There is a Cathedral in Reims
called Notre Dame L’Epine - Our
Lady of the Thorn. According to
Louis Carpentier in his book
Mysteries of Chartres Cathedral
this, and the Cathedral at Reims,
are part of a map of France that is
laid out in the shape of the
constellation of Virgo, the House of
Bread (Beth-Lehem). According to
him
this
constellation
was
important to the founders of
France who of course were the
Merovingians.
The upper pattern shows his linking
for the Constellation Virgo; the
lower pattern shows all the towns
containing churches or Cathedrals
called Notre Dame - Our Lady.
Chartres Cathedral was built from
1194 and 1220. Twenty six years
and all of these churches were
built around the same time.
Chartres itself was only a small
village; Carpentier asks the question why it was built in preference to the
Churches of Amiens, Reims and Paris. His linking is not the same as the Skymap
diagram above. Note that he calls alpha Virginis L'EPI - The Thorn - This is SPICA.
There is this enigmatic inscription in Chartres Cathedral it says:
"All the answers are written here. All that should be said is said. What has
vanished only the work of those barbarous children, men, whether bishop or
lamplighter, despot or leader of revolutions. In the name of religion they have
shattered its religious symbols. In the name of liberty they have broken down the
doors of liberty. In the name of light they have shattered the doors of light. But
not all the answers have vanished. Interrogate."
There is however one star that forms a significant part in religions throughout the
world and that star is
ALCYONE: The Central star of the Pleiades
Alcyone was once 33º from what is still known as the First Point of Aries, to point
where the ecliptic and the Equatorial meet at a point that used to be in Aries.
When the Sun reaches the First Point of Aries, as it does once each year, an
equinox occurs, however due to precession this point is now in Pisces. The
significance of 33 degrees is from the Mystery schools of Isis. 33 degrees is the
number of the Master. The astrological circle equals 360 degrees that is 12
zodiacal houses of 30 degrees each. In a Vedic (Hindu) astrology book the Moon
was exalted at 3 degrees of Taurus and debilitated in 3 degrees Scorpio. Exaltation
was considered to be the optimum position, where the planet is strong and potent
and debilitation was the opposite. The difference between the Vedic zodiac and
the modern interpretation is currently 24 degrees and corresponds to a precession
shift over 1700 years. However the sidereal zodiac used by the Vedic tradition and
the one used by modern astrologers known as the Tropical zodiac vary by 39
degrees along the ecliptic and the sidereal zodiac was said by Irish astrologer Cyril
Fagan to have its base line at 786BCE.
Why 3 degrees of Taurus?
In Vedic astrology, the Lunar Zodiac is based on the Moon's movement against the
brightest stars divided into 27 Nakshatras measured in the modern vernacular as 13
degrees and 20 minutes each. It is in effect the arc covered by the moon during
the full cycle of its phases. 3 degrees of Taurus corresponds with the Nakshatra
called Krittika - which we now know as The Pleiades similarly 3 degrees of Scorpio
corresponds with the Nakshatra called Vishakha which we know as the North and
South Scale of Libra called Tula in Sanskrit. If you plot 3 degrees of Taurus on the
great wheel of 360 degrees starting with zero degrees Aries, 3 Taurus equals 33
degrees. Alcyone is the brightest star in the Pleiadian cluster and thus Alcyone is
33 degrees - the number of the Master. Using Etymology (origins of words) when
the word Master is divided into two becomes Ma /Ster and it means Mother Star.
Thus, Alcyone is the number of the Mother Star - 33 degrees and everyone will
recognise 33 degrees as being significant in some forms of freemasonry.
The Pleiadian star system has been one of the most revered cosmic objects in
history, poetry and mythology across all cultures. According to the cultural
traditions, the seven visible stars of the Pleiades have been referred to by many
names, such as the Seven Sisters, Krittika, Kimah, Flock of Doves, Hens, Virgins of
Spring, Sailor's Stars and the Seven Atlantic Sisters. 'The Pleiades were known as
Seven Sisters by indigenous people in North America, Siberia and Australia and this
common heritage means they were described as the Seven Sisters more than
40,000 years ago.'
'The Pleiades seem to be among the first stars mentioned in astronomical
literature, appearing in the Chinese annuls of 2357 BC, Alcyone, then being near
the vernal equinox. And their beginning of the year gave rise to the title 'The Great
Year of the Pleiades' for the one whole cycle of precession of about 25,900 years."
Professor Charles Piazzi Smyth in the late 19th century suggested that that the
seven chambers of the Great Pyramid of Giza commemorate these seven stars. He
said:
“And here is a wonderful corresponding fact, that the date of the Great Pyramids
completion, at midnight of the autumnal equinox the Pleiades was distributed
over the meridian of this pyramid, with Alcyone precisely on the line.
What if the Great Pyramid was actually built in honour of the Pleiades when they
rose near the vernal equinox 2357 BC and completed by 2170, as suggested by
Siess.
According to Albert Churchward the name of the Great Pyramid was 'Khuti,' which
denoted the seven Lights, or Glorious Ones. Likewise, the Tower of Babel with its
seven tiers was also symbolical of the 'Great Altar Stairs,' by which men climbed
heavenward:
“Many ancient traditions state that Alcyone was the Central Spiritual Sun, the
Mother Sun (the Ma Ster) that emits creative Light, that which births great
teachers of Light into the world. It was believed to be the centre of the Universe
around which our own solar system revolves. Our current astronomers do not
support this idea although in the 1850's it well accepted. Science has at last
discovered that the Sun is not a dead centre, with planets and comets wheeling
around it but itself stationary. It is now ascertained that the Sun is also in
motion, around some other and vastly mightier centre. Astronomers are not fully
agreed as to what or where that centre is. Some however believe that they have
found the direction of it to be the Pleiades, and particularly Alcyone. To the
distinguished astronomer, Prof.J.H, Maedler belongs the honour of having made
this discovery. Alcyone, then, as far as science can perceive, would seem to be the
"midnight throne in which the whole system of gravitation has a central seat, and
from which the Almighty governs his universe.”
An astronomer will tell you this is complete rubbish but I want to go back to the
ancient traditions and deal with their beliefs in order to get to the bottom of the
mystery. Alcyone was called Al Wasat, the Central One by the Arabs and Temennu,
the Foundation Stone by the Babylonians. The next quotation I found in a
wonderful book on ancient constellations called The Mazzaroth. 'Wasat, an Arabic
name for Alcyone, was first given by Ulugh Beigh from early Arabian astronomy and
describes a centre of some sort. It thus testifies to the knowledge of the first
astronomers of some long lost but lately removed fact, that in this group is the
centre of something revolving and all traditions contain this same reference. The
ancient name Alcyone is evidently of Oriental origin, having the Arabic and old
Hebrew article Al, prefixed to its root Cyon, its meaning - centre, or foundation
and one of the greatest achievements in ancient astronomy, the discovery that to
this point, this centre, gravitates the whole magnificent arrangement of the stars
called the Galaxy, to which our sun belongs. One cannot help noticing the
similarity between the word Cyon and Sion/Zion - the heavenly city of God. It may
be no more than a coincidence but in the Bayer catalogue eta Tauri (Alcyone) is
the 32nd star of Taurus.
An intriguing article has been written by Ken Raines called Jehovah: Ancient
Astronaut from the Pleiades' Raines says that apparently for 62 years, 1891 - 1953,
the Watchtower Society (The Jehovah's Witnesses) taught that God resided on the
star Alcyone in the Pleiades constellation and that from this star he governed the
universe. It was also stated that the City of Zion in heaven was Alcyone. The
original Watchtower magazine was called Zion's Watchtower and the article is
quoted below:
"1927 "The face of the deep, of course, would be toward the Pleiades, which are
claimed to be the habitation of Jehovah." (Creation; 1927; 2,175,000 ed.; p. 94)
1928 "The constellation of the seven stars forming the Pleiades appears to be the
crowning center around which the known systems of the planets revolve even as
our sun's planets obey the sun and travel in their respective orbits. It has been
suggested, and with much weight, that one of the stars of that group is the
dwelling-place of Jehovah and the place of the highest heavens;..."
(Reconciliation; 1928; p. 14)
1928 "The constellation of the Pleiades is a small one compared with others which
scientific instruments disclose to the wondering eyes of man. But the greatness in
size of other stars or planets is small when compared with the Pleiades in
importance, because the Pleiades is the place of the eternal throne of God."
(Reconciliation; 1928; p. 14)"
These are extracts from Zion's Watchtower - The Journal of the Jehovah's
Witnesses – from 1927-28.
If one takes up the watchtower theme then in Micah 4:8 of the Old Testament, we
find:
'And thou, O tower of the flock (Migdal Eder - Magdalene?), the strong hold of the
daughter of Zion, unto thee shall come, even the first dominion; the kingdom
shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.'
The Pleiades were most frequently represented as a flock of doves. Indeed the
word is from 'Peleiades' and is the Greek for 'Flock of Doves'.
From the Tour Magdala on 17th January 1681 the Foundation Star Alcyone transits
(i.e. is due south) at around 7:30 pm. The time itself has no significance but at this
precise moment Venus is directly on the horizon over the previously mentioned
mountain of St Barthélemy which is known locally as Mt Thabor which is the name
of the mountain of Christ’s ascension. St Barthélemy is a snow-capped mountain in
the Pyrenees, 8km from Montségur. Barthelemy is the Greek form of an Aramaic
name meaning "son of ‫( ַי ְמ ַלת‬Talmay)". Talmay is a Hebrew name meaning
"furrowed".
The Constellation of Leo (The Sphinx) is rising in the east down the valley shown
about towards Poussin's Tomb at Arques. ALNILAM (the central star of Orion) is
directly over the Templar Commanderie at Bezu. Sirius is at 18 degrees elevation
directly over La Pique, the centre of the pentacle of mountains.
The star Sirius is the star of ISIS whose number is 18.
That astronomy forms a major part of freemasonry was illustrated in a book by
Robert Hewitt Brown a 32° mason.
Here is an extract from Stella Theology and Masonic Astronomy by Robert Hewitt
Brown - 32°
THE SEVEN STARS
"Q: To what does the Masonic emblem of the seven stars allude?
A: To the Pleiades, or seven stars in Taurus. These stars were called by the
Romans Vergili, or Virgins of Spring. The constellation Taurus was anciently at the
vernal equinox, and the year formerly then began. Thus Virgil, referring to a
remoter age, in the "Georgics," Book I, says:
"Candidus auratis aperit cum
Cornibus annum taurus."
"When the bright bull with gilded horns opens the year."
Job speaks of the Pleiades, also, as exerting "a sweet influence," expressive of the
balmy air of spring which accompanies the approach of the sun to the
constellation Taurus and the "seven stars." This Masonic emblem, therefore, has a
direct allusion to the vernal equinox, and thus becomes a beautiful symbol of
immortality, reminding us, also,, of that starry home beyond the grave to which
the soul of man aspires. It was for these reasons that, of all the "hosts of heaven,"
the Pleiades were selected as an emblem by our ancient brethren.
THE MASONIC LADDER OF THREE ROUNDS
Ladder of three rounds to Pleiades
Q: What is the signification of the ladder of three rounds, and why is it
represented as leading up to the "seven stars," or the Pleiades?
A: This emblem is clearly but a modification of the latter of the Mysteries,
consisting, as we have seen, of seven rounds - and is of the same general
astronomical meaning. The sun, when ascending from the winter solstice to the
vernal equinox, the constellation Taurus, and the Pleiades, or seven stars,
situated therein, passes successively through three signs of the zodiac, to wit,
Aquarius, Pisces, and Aries. These three signs are therefore emblematically
represented by a ladder of three principal rounds, by means of which the sun
climbs up from the point of his lowest southern declination to the vernal equinox
and the "seven stars" in Taurus. The foregoing is the emblem of the Masonic
ladder as generally represented.
THE ZODIACAL LADDER.
Ladder of three rounds on the zodiac to Pleiades
"The emblematic meaning now attached to the Masonic ladder, which refers it to
the one "Jacob saw in his vision," is neither lost nor sacrificed, even if we admit
the probable origin of the emblem in that of the ancient mysteries. Its symbolism
is, however, thus made more extended and impressive, so that we gain rather
than lose by so referring it.
The initiation into all the ancient mysteries, it will be remembered, was a drama
founded upon the astronomical allegory of the death and resurrection of the sun,
and was intended to, and did, impress upon the mind of the candidate, in the
strongest manner possible, the two great doctrines of the unity of God and the
immortality of man.
These are to-day the two great fundamental principles of Freemasonry, and are
illustrated and taught in a similar manner in the ritual of the third degree.
The solar allegory and emblems of the ancient mysteries have, however, a
twofold meaning:
1) Being founded, as before stated, on the passage of the sun among the twelve
constellations of the zodiac - his overthrow by the three autumnal months, his
return to life at the vernal equinox, and his exaltation at the summer solstice
they therefore taught and illustrated all the leading principles of astronomy, and
thus had an important scientific value to the initiated.
2) By personifying the sun, and requiring the candidate to represent him, the
whole solar phenomena were exhibited in an allegorical manner, and became
symbolical of the unity of God and the immortality of the soul. The ladder of the
Mysteries, being but an emblem intended to illustrate the main solar allegory,
had the same twofold symbolism.
When full explained to the initiated, it fixed upon the mind certain great facts in
astronomical science. It taught the order and position of the signs of the zodiac;
the ascent of the sun from the point of his lowest declination below the equator
to that of his highest above it, by seven equal gradiated (sic) steps. It also taught
the duration of and order of the seasons, the length of the solar year, and many
other particulars of the greatest importance to agriculture, as well as to science
and art generally.
The emblem, viewed in an allegorical sense, also taught, by solar analogy, the
unity of God and the life everlasting. The ladder in this sense was the emblem of
the ascent into heaven from the lower hemisphere - the underworld of darkness,
winter, and death. This mystic ladder leads to the "seven stars," or the Pleiades,
shining in the constellation Taurus, at the golden gates of spring. It mounted still
onward and upward, to the summit of the Royal Arch of heaven, thus
emblematically teaching us that by the ladder of virtue the soul of man will at
last pierce the "cloudy canopy," and mount to the highest circle of "the starrydecked heavens," to dwell for ever triumphant over death and the grave.
Thus, it is logical that the Pleiades as a Masonic symbol in America is as old as the
craft's beginnings on this continent due to its importance in the old country. It
was only a matter of years after 1717 that Speculative Masons, later called
"Moderns," were setting up shop in Boston and the Carolinas. Masonic aprons,
engravings, and other paraphanalia (sic) were emblazoned with a grouping of 7
stars, and this practice continues to this day. As discussed in the Sibly treatise,
the chart for the Grand Lodge of London boasts the Moon conjunct the Pleiades."
According to Robert Hewitt Brown the very name ‘freemason’ is from the Egyptian
words Phre meaning Sun and Mas meaning children so according to him the very
word ‘freemason’ means Children of the Sun.