Tony_Tarantula on 28/5/2014 at 15:53

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So, I figured I'd start a post on the topic since it's one that I find interesting. Given the literary-bent of TTLG, I'm sure a couple other posters will as well.. I'm curious to see what other symbolisms people have discovered.


For starters, I have found (http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Oedipus_Judaicus.html?id=TNDEQwAACAAJ) this book (at least the first half of it) to be an excellent introduction to some of it. The book(originally published for private, selective distribution) documents some very interesting connections("connexions", in the author's diction) between Eastern and Egyptian Zodiac symbology and the language used in the Old Testament. He also includes illustrations of zodiacal tablets that he bases his conclusions from.


Another interesting tidbit:(http://www.proflowers.com/blog/origin-of-birthday-cake-and-birthday-candles) the modern birthday cake is based in Greco-Roman moon worship. The lit candle is symbolic of the moon's glow. There's implications to that, but I will refrain from comment because I am not entirely confident in my conclusion. I will wait to see what everyone else says.


One explanation for why the number 13 is unlucky has to do with Norse Mythology. Supposedly all 12 Gods were seated at the table, and their harmony was disrupted by the arrival of the 13th God Loki. His presence disrupted the harmony of the number 12. 12 has extensive symbolic meanings, primarily meaning harmony and completion(esp. genetic completion). IE the 12 Tribes of Israel, the 12 disciples, etc. It harkens back to the original Eastern Zodiacs which all divide the heavens into 12 "signs".

Has anyone else found anything interesting in this area?

Tony_Tarantula on 28/5/2014 at 17:09

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I've never heard that one. Either way though, 13 is unlucky because it is no longer the perfect 12.


I also left out a key point from the first paragraph: One example is the "four faces" commonly seen in Jewish and Christian iconography. These consist of an eagle, a lion, an ox, and human(in some cases, cherub) faces. The symbols are present on the Ark of the covenant, and if you go into any Catholic cathedral (or any catholic church in Europe) the odds are that you will see this symbol somewhere. Drummond makes a connection between this and the Egyptian zodiac: these four animals correspond to four equally separated zodiac symbols. In other words, these for signs together symbolize the all-encompassing entirety of the heavens. In the case of the ark it means that god's home is (literally) the entire universe.

june gloom on 28/5/2014 at 19:08

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Thank God for "mark all threads as read."

SubJeff on 28/5/2014 at 22:43

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Better still, read something else.

My recommendation for the day - Crime and Punishment.

SubJeff on 29/5/2014 at 08:25

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Isn't the most perfect number then 7? Most likely score on a die and the perfect union of 4 and 3?