Ancient Egyptian Astronomy and Astrology: The History of Celestial Observations in Egypt

Among the most intriguing aspects of ancient Egyptian culture is the relationship between their observations of the heavens and their beliefs about life, death, and cosmic order. While modern Egyptologists debate whether the Egyptians practiced astrology in the sense familiar to people today, it is universally acknowledged that they maintained a profound “Star Religion” from very early times. The term “Star Religion” encompasses a reverence for celestial phenomena, especially the stars, and their integration into religious ritual, calendar systems, and mythology. However, whether this system extended to linking human birth and life with celestial positions remains contentious. Some independent researchers, such as John Anthony West, an American Egyptologist and writer, argue that the Egyptians did indeed incorporate astrology as part of their sacred science. West contends that astronomical observations were closely connected to the timing of human life and the divine order, implying that celestial patterns influenced both earthly events and the lives of individuals. Traditional Egyptologists, however, caution against projecting later astrological practices backward into the prehistoric or early dynastic periods of Egypt, emphasizing that surviving textual evidence primarily reflects religious and ritualistic use of celestial phenomena rather than predictive or personal astrology. Regardless of how they’re analyzed, from the earliest periods of their civilization, the Egyptians observed the night sky with remarkable attention to detail. Astronomical phenomena were integrated into their ritual calendar, architecture, and mythological narratives, and the brightest star visible from Earth, Sirius (known in ancient Egypt as Spdt), is mentioned as early as 2300 BCE in the Pyramid Texts, although it was undoubtedly observed much earlier.