Cetus
One of the 88 IAU constellations. It is related to the group of constellations around the constellation Andromeda and highly likely originates from the Mediterranean coast, definitely not from Mesopotamia (as this region was covered by the constellation SIM.MAH). There is a comprehensive paper on this constellation.[1]
Etymology and History
The Greek name κῆτος (ketos) does not in any case refer to a real animal, but only to a mythological creature. Its Latinized version "cetus", however, may also designate a whale. "Though archaeological findings of whale remains are uncommon in Greece, there exist few examples of ancient whalebones in the Aegean Sea, probably originating from stranded whales. ... Combined with archaeological artifacts as the bones of prehistorical giant sea creatures in the Wādī al-Ḥītān (Valley of Whales) in today's Egypt, this might have triggered traveller's imagination and have led to further stories (and cock-and-bull story)."[1]
Origin of Constellation
The Greek constellation probably originates from the east coast of the Mediterranean as the mythology of this seamonster either includes it in the tale of princess Andromeda threatened by a seamoster and rescued by the hero Perseus, or princess Hesione exposed to another seamonster and rescued by Hercules. The Andromeda saga is related to a rock in the ancient habour of Old Jaffa (Tel Aviv) while Hesione is a princess of Troy (Anatolia). In both cases, the seamonster is home to the Mediterranean.
As this constellation does not have a Babylonian equivalent, we suspect that it was taken from another culture in order to diversify the sky culture in Alexander's new empire.
Babylonian
Greco-Roman
Aratos
Eratosthenes
Hipparchus
Geminos
Almagest Κῆτος
| id | Greek
(Heiberg 1898) |
English
(Toomer 1984) |
ident. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Κήτους ἀστερισμόρ | |||
| 1 | ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ μυκτῆρος | The star on the tip of the nostrils | |
| 2 | τῶν ἐν τῷ ῥύγχει ἢ ὁ ἑπόμενος ἐπ’ ἄκρας τῆς σιαγόνος | The three stars in the snout: the rearmost, on the end of the jaw | |
| 3 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῷ στόματι | The three stars in the snout: the middle ane, in the middie of the mouth | |
| 4 | ὁ προηγούμενος τῶν ν’ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γένυος | The three stars in the snout: the most advanced of the 3, on the cheek | |
| 5 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀφρόος καὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ | The star on the eyebrow and the eye | |
| 6 | ὁ τούτου βορειότερος ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς τριχός | The ~;;~ne ta the north of this, about on the hair | |
| ὁ τούτων προηγούμευος ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς χαίτης | The one in advance of this, about on the mane | ||
| τοῦ ἐῃ τῷ στήθει τετραπλεύρου τῆς ἠγουμένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος | The quadrilateral in the chest: the northernmost star on thc advance side | ||
| ὁ νότιος τῆς ἠγουμένης πλευρᾶς | The quadrilateral in the chest: the southernmost one on the advance side | ||
| τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος | The quadrilateral in the chest: the northernmost one on the rear side | ||
| ὁ νότιος τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς | The quadrilateral in the chest: the southernmost one on the rear side | ||
| τῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι ἢ’ ὁ μέσος | The midmost of the 3 stars in the body | ||
| ὁ νότιος αὐτῶν | The southernmost of them | ||
| ὁ βόρειος τῶν τριῶν | The northernmost of the three | ||
| τῶν πρὸς τῷ παρούρῳ β ὁ ἐπόμενος | The rearmost of the 2 stars by the section next to the tail | ||
| ὁ προηγούμευος αὐτῶν | The more advanced of them | ||
| τοῦ ἐν τῷ παρούρῳ τετραπλεύρου τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος | The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the northernmost star on the rear side | ||
| ὁ νότιος τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς. | The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the southernmost one on thc rear side | ||
| τῆς προηγουμένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος | The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the northernmost one on thc advance side | ||
| ὁ νότιος τῆς προηγουμένης πλευρᾶς | The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the southernmost one on the advance side | ||
| τῶν ἐν ἄκροις τοῦς οὐραίοις ᾑ ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ βορείου. | The 2 stars at the ends of the tail-fins: the one on the northern [tail-fin] | ||
| ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ φοτίου οὐραέου | The 2 stars at the ends of the tail-fins: the one on the end of the southern tail-fin | ||
| ἀστέρες πβ, ὥν γ’ μεγέδους ἰ, δ’ ἢ, εἱ δ. | {22 Stars, 10 of the third magnitude, 8 of the fourth, 4 of the fifth} |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
an apparent vessel for Cetus on the Kugel-Globe (drawing SMH 2024), 2nd or 1st century BCE
map of the Kugel Globe, Cetus in the center of two lines with rings, drawing by SMH 2024, 2nd or 1st century BCE
Some lines forming a stream of water in which Cetus is centered on the Farnese Globe (drawing by SMH 2021), 2nd or 1st century CE with Hellenistic predecessor
Figures of the Farnese Globe mapped to the Stellarium star chart (drawing and implementing by SMH 2021). Cetus-region.
map of the Mainz Globe with Cetus in the center, surrounded by many dots (star symbols), perhaps representing The Water (drawing by SMH 2023), 2nd century CE
Cetus at Planisferio celeste (Carlos Simón 1894)
Greek Mythology
Weblinks
- Ridpath, Ian, “Star Tales: online edition”.
