Blog #21 The constellation Cancer as the Egyptian Seth/Set- Finding the Egyptian Neters/Gods in the Stars

If Osiris and Horus were Ancient Egyptian representations of stars and constellations and their movements[1], then what or where did they see Seth, the shadowy, often evil brother of Osiris? Is it possible to identify Seth as a representation of the sky and its changes?

Sellers suggest on page 224 of her book that “It could also be that Seth is here indicated as a zodiacal constellation rising with the sun. The most likely candidate in that case would be Scorpius, the classical world’s slayer of Orion.[2]” The constellation Scorpio is opposite of the constellation Taurus in the zodiac (Figure 1). Such opposition fits well with the conflict that is recorded in the myths about Seth and Horus battling for supremacy following the death of Osiris. But it doesn’t easily support the theme of Seth killing Osiris. Where could this have arisen?

Figure 1. Artistic impression of the zodiac constellations showing the opposition between Taurus and Scorpio (https://www.amazon.ca/Hippolya-Tablecloth-Constellations-Astrology-Divination/dp/B082RVLNXC/ref=asc_df_B082RVLNXC/).

Figure 1. Artistic impression of the zodiac constellations showing the opposition between Taurus and Scorpio (https://www.amazon.ca/Hippolya-Tablecloth-Constellations-Astrology-Divination/dp/B082RVLNXC/ref=asc_df_B082RVLNXC/).

Recognizing that there is no point in searching for a single one-to-one mapping of the sky to the myths, we look here for another view of Seth. Returning to the basic premise that the precession of the equinox is the basis of ancient myths proposed in Hamlet’s Mill[3], and that Osiris and Horus are representations of the constellations Gemini and Taurus, it makes sense to continue our search for Seth in the zodiac around the time of the Spring Equinox. With precession constantly changing the location of the location of the constellations, the time of a “living” Gemini/Osiris would have been from 8,000 to 6,000 years ago. Preceding it in the precession was the constellation that we presently call Cancer the crab.  It would have risen with the sun on the Spring Equinox from 10,000 to 8,000 years ago. Could the theme of “brother killing brother” that was highlighted in Hamlet’s Mill be at play here? Could the precession of the constellation Cancer/Set have been seen as resulting in Osiris/Gemini’s ultimately “death”?

As an initial step in the speculation we can ask about any characteristics of the constellation, presently known as Cancer (Figure 2A), that line up with what has been recorded about the god Set (Figure 2B). To start, the constellation is made up of dimmest stars of the zodiac constellations[4]. It is not nearly as noticeable as the other constellations. This corresponds with Set as a “dark and moody god”[5].  It contains two stars that are presently called for the animal “donkey”. Although the representations of Set took many forms throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, and no animal has all of the physical characteristics of Set images, Set is strongly connected to a donkey or ass[6]. Finally, the brightest star the Cancer constellation has an orange-coloured hue. The god Set was known as the lord of the Red Land. He is often represented with the colour red: hair, eyes, mantle. The image of the Christian “red devil” comes to mind. Could this be Seth? Although not obvious in the photos presented here, the typically forked tail of Seth, and/or the bottom of the Was scepter that he often holds, may be related to the present day view of the claws that one would expect in a crab constellation.

Figure 2. A) On the bottom the constellation Cancer with named stars ( https://www.space.com/16970-cancer-constellation.html). Note the two stars named Asellus Borealis and Asellus Australis, Latin for “"northern donkey" and "southern donkey" respectfully (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_(constellation)).  The star Asellus Australis has an orange hued colour. B) On the top is an image of Seth from Karnak, Egypt.

In regard to the timeline of the precession of the equinox, it may also be important to note that Set was one of the earliest, original family members of the gods along with Osiris, Isis and Nephthys. A Set constellation would have been seen rising helically on the Spring Equinox between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago. There are strong suggestions that Set was represented in the very earliest pre-dynastic culture. There is evidence that the Ancient Egyptians were creating art objects reflecting Set 6,000 years ago long before the Pyramids were built[7]. Perhaps their earliest art was an act of remembering the earlier age of Set just before the pre-dynastic time of Ancient Egypt that began 8,000 years ago[8]

The first Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt is referred to as Narmer. He is believed to have reigned about 5,000 years ago. By this time the Set constellation would have been seen to have “descended” below the horizon on the Spring equinox and have been replaced by Gemini/Osiris constellation. Set’s descent may be reflected in the Pyramid Texts suggestion that Osiris “kicked” Set – maybe this action having sent him down below the horizon[9].  In any event, later Set is said to have killed his brother Osiris. One version relates that Osiris is drowned in water. Is this a representation to the fact that Set would have been below the horizon and have dragged Gemini/Osiris with him to his death below the horizon?

What the speculation comes down to is a rather straight forward interpretation of the Osiris myth based on the precession of the equinox. Using the zodiac constellations as the basic framework, going back through time, the timeline of the myth starts with Set/Cancer, followed by Osiris/Gemini before the time that Horus/Taurus ruled the unified Egypt (Figure 3).

Figure 3. A starchart with images of the Ancient Egyptian gods overlaid on constellations from left to right: Cancer, Gemini and Taurus. https://skyandtelescope.org/interactive-sky-chart/.

Figure 3. A starchart with images of the Ancient Egyptian gods overlaid on constellations from left to right: Cancer, Gemini and Taurus. https://skyandtelescope.org/interactive-sky-chart/.

There are many representations of Set and Horus standing on each side of the Pharaoh such as seen in Figure 4A. With Horus/Taurus on the right, Osiris/Gemini as the king in the middle, it stands to reason that Cancer/Seth stand on the left! This is a common theme dating to with the early Pyramid Texts and the Pharaoh Unis[10]. Figure 4B shows a theme from Hamlet’s Mill relating the two gods in a similar arrangement with the Axis Mundi[11]. Figure 4C shows the theme from around the Pharaoh Seti I.

Figure 4. A) Sketch of relief from Gebel Adda - Rock Temple; Horemheb depicted between Seth and Horus (from Lepsius 1849: iii; 122a) https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:180305&datastreamId=…

Figure 4. A) Sketch of relief from Gebel Adda - Rock Temple; Horemheb depicted between Seth and Horus (from Lepsius 1849: iii; 122a) https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:180305&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF. B) https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/2015/05/lettuce-and-kings-the-power-struggle-between-horus-and-set-2/. C) https://www.thenotsoinnocentsabroad.com/blog/horus-vs-seth-homosexuality-hippos-and-familial-violence

“There is also evidence identifying Seth with the pillar that supported the sky. In the Ramesseum Dramatic Papyrus, Seth is identified as a sacred pillar beneath Osiris, while according to G.A. Wainwright the djed-pillar at Busiris (Djedu) belonged originally to Seth prior to its reassignment to Osiris." (Alan F. Alford, _The Midnight Sun_, page 294)”[12]. This is another possible statement regarding the effect of the precession of the ages. The Djed column is tied to the great Axis Mundi of the world that is at a tilt from the north pole. At one point in time Seth would have been in control, but that would be passed to Osiris when the constellations were seen to shift. By the time of Seti I images represent Horus erecting the Djed Column (Figure 5).

Figure 5 The pharaoh Seti I, as Horus, on the right erects the djed column with the help of Isis on the left. The small kneeling figure on the left is likely another representation of Seti I as Osiris. From the Temple of Osiris in Abydos.

Figure 5 The pharaoh Seti I, as Horus, on the right erects the djed column with the help of Isis on the left. The small kneeling figure on the left is likely another representation of Seti I as Osiris. From the Temple of Osiris in Abydos.

There is evidence for the suggestion that Seth is a representation of the constellation presently called Cancer. The precession of the equinox that would have slowly moved this constellation below the horizon on the Spring equinox 8000 years ago and leading to the age of the living Osiris. But Seth’s pre-descent may be been seen as connected with the falling of Osiris – essential accusing Seth with the death of his brother at the end of the age of Osiris. Not that the Ancient Egyptians were so literal as to simply imagine a story in the sky, they frequently expressed subtle and complex levels of thought that expressing multi-levels of existence[13]

[1] http://www.awhico.com/2021/2/12/blog-20-gemini-as-osiris-and-taurus-as-horus-egyptian-myths-in-the-stars

[2] Sellers, J.B., 2003. The Death of Gods in Ancient Egypt, a study of the threshold of myth and the frame of time.

[3] de Santillana, G., and H. von Dechend. 1977. Hamlet’s Mill: An Essay Investigating the Origins of Human Knowledge and Its Transmission through Myth. David Godine, Boston.

[4] https://www.space.com/16970-cancer-constellation.html.

[5] http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/set.htm

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_(deity)

[7] http://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/3200bce.html

[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehistoric_Egypt

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris_myth

[10] http://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/seti1.html

[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_mundi

[12] http://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/laterwas.html

[13] www.awhico.com/…/chapter-5-the-egyptiannbspbodies-of-a-human