Re: PIE astronomy

From: Paola Raffetta
Message: 16728
Date: 2002-11-13

--- In cybalist@..., João Simões Lopes Filho wrote:

> I've discussed this subject some time ago, but now I come back to
it: Is there any PIE name for the planets or the main constellations
and stars?

Well, I expected an answer to this with some interest. No luck yet :(

> Is there any Gothic, Church Slavic or Celtic names for the planets?

There must be, of course!!!

> We know the Greek (and their Roman "translations") and Sanskrit
ones. And the Avestan ones?

Pahlavi Bundahisn, though linguistically "modern" retains the
(probably) oldest ideology. Bd. II:1 -> akhtar, constellation of the
zodiac -> apakhtar, North / "away from the zodiac" / planet. Persians
identifies planets with gods (no surprise!) -> Tir (Mercury), Vahram
(Mars), Auharmazd (Jupiter), Anahid (Venus), Kevan (Saturn). Sometimes
in Bd is also said that Planets are opposed to Stars, the former being
Ahriman's, the later, Ahuramazda's. (SBE. Max Muller)
In Darius time (according to Olmstead, History of the Persian Empire,
old but uncontested in this subject) Ululu (Jupiter), Dilbat (Venus),
Kaimanu (Saturn), Salbatanu (Mars), following babilonian calculations
and still not so much influenced by "zoroastrian" ideology.

My grain of sand.

Paola Raffetta
www.geocities.com/paola_raffetta/