Magic and Medicines #14: The Zodiac

Magic and Medicines is BACK for it's second series, and in this episode Eleanor talks us through the ancient origins and subsequent history and major developments of the Zodiac.

We start by chatting through how the Zodiac is divided, including what the 'Celestial Sphere' is, and how the Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians used Sidereal Time to inform their agrarian calendar systems.

After that, we're off to the races, exploring how Ancient Greek's like Ptolemy and the wise astronomers of the Islamic Golden Age developed and refined the Zodiac and the associations with its signs. This, in contrast to other examples, such as the Chinese Zodiac, saw an increasing emphasis on the use of Horoscopes, Birth Charts and other forms of divination, and the shearing away of Astronomy from Astrology as time went on.

Folding in writers like Dante, Chaucer and Shakespeare, and 19th century commercialization of things like Daily Horoscopes in newspapers, it's a slightly bonkers journey - as you might expect from Three Ravens.

Yet, what do the stars say about Eleanor and Martin's compatibility? And why are particular star signs associated with specific deities or body parts? Well, have a listen and find out!

Martin will be back on Saturday for our Local Legends interview with Dr Francis Young, and we then hope you will join us on Monday for our next county episode, in which we will be exploring the history and folklore of Worcestershire!

The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

Three Ravens is a myth and folklore podcast hosted by Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux.

In each Monday episode we explore a historic county, digging into heritage, folklore and traditions, then we tell a new version of a legend from that county. Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays and Saturdays.

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