Astrology through History: Interpreting the Stars from Ancient Mesopotamia to the Present

(Hardback)

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Description

Alphabetically arranged entries cover the history of astrology from ancient Mesopotamia to the 21st century. In addition to surveying the Western tradition, the book explores Islamic, Indian, East Asian, and Mesoamerican astrology. The field of astrology is growing rapidly, as historians recognize its centrality to the intellectual life of the past and sociologists and anthropologists treat its importance in a number of modern cultures. Despite the historical and cultural significance of the subject, most reference works on astrology focus on instructional techniques and are written by astrologers with little or no interest in the history of the topic. This book instead offers an objective treatment of astrology across world history from ancient Mesopotamia to the present. The book provides alphabetically arranged entries by expert contributors writing on such topics as horoscopes, court astrologers, Renaissance astrology, and comets. While it considers the Western tradition, it also treats Islamic, Indian, East Asian, and Mesoamerican astrology. In doing so, it explores the role of astrology in shaping science, literature, religion, art, and other defining cultural traditions. Sidebars offer excerpts from various historical texts, while entries provide suggestions for further reading.

Reviews

More complicated than horoscopes in the morning newspaper might suggest, astrology and its history are aptly introduced in this single-volume reference work. . . . [T]his work doesn't disappoint. . . . [R]ecommended for academic and large public libraries. * Booklist Online *
A welcome addition to the burgeoning academic literature on astrology. . . . Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. * Choice *

Author Bio

William E. Burns is a historian who lives in Washington, D.C. He is author or editor of numerous books related to the history of science, the Enlightenment, and other topics.