Where do the symbols of the signs of the Zodiac come from?

In astrology, the symbols of the signs are called glyphs and each one represents a constellation. It was the ancient Mesopotamians, especially the Babylonians, who gave names to these stars.

These symbols show the direction the Sun travels through the constellations during the twelve months of the year. The word "zodiac" has a Greek origin and means "circle of animals".

Our ancestors used to associate the personality of the signs with what they noticed in animals or other representations with which they lived, which is why, with the exception of Gemini, Virgo, Libra and Aquarius, the signs are symbolized by these beings.

Such associations originated what we call today astrological symbols, which are part of maps and horoscopes.

Symbols of the signs - Origin and meanings

Chances are you've wondered about the origin of the symbols of the Zodiac. Astrological symbols, such as the Sun, Moon and the rest of the planets, were invented to represent the bodies that move around the Earth.

Initially, the Babylonians created these signs to divide the seasons. However, after some time, they began to use these symbols to identify the location of the planets and our natural satellite, the Moon.

In addition, our ancestors also wanted to understand what was the connection that the stars had with our lives, the phases and their displacements. From this appeared the astrology, bringing their superstitions, symbols and relationship with the signs.

Symbol of the sign of Aries

According to mythology, Aries was a flying ram possessed of beautiful golden hair and was used by Hele and Frixo, sons of Atamante and Nefele, to escape from their father who wanted to kill them.

When he managed to escape, Phrixo sacrificed the animal and gave its skin as a gift to King Esam, who protected it, and the treasure was preserved as a relic. Time passed and Jason, son of Esam, summoned a team to find the treasure and, consequently, assume the throne.

However, his uncle took his place, but should Jason find the golden skin, his position would be returned. Eventually, he manages to accomplish the mission, and in reverence for his act, Zeus made Aries a constellation.

Symbol of the sign of Taurus

According to the story, Zeus, intent on conquering Europa, disguised himself as a bull and carried her to the island of Crete, where they raised three sons.

Minos became a very important king and out of greed he made a deal with Poseidon. He guaranteed that if Poseidon helped him to be more powerful he would gift him with the best bull he owned.

Poseidon accepted, but Minos didn't keep his end of the bargain. So, together with Aphrodite, Poseidon orchestrated his revenge. She bewitched Minos' wife, causing her to become enchanted by a bull. Then Minotaur was born.

Humiliated, Minos imprisoned Minotaur, feeding him to Athenian citizens. However, his sister and Theseus, prince of Athens, killed the creature and as a reward, took Minotaur's head to the sky, giving rise to the Constellation of Taurus.

Symbol of the sign of Gemini

According to legend, Zeus became involved with the mortal Leda and because of this relationship the twins Castor and Pollux were born.

They fell in love with two sisters who were engaged to be married, so they decided to kidnap them. When the grooms heard the news, they confronted the brothers and fatally struck Castor with a spear.

Unlike his brother, Pollux was immortal and, realizing Castor's pain, he asked Zeus to be mortal or to make his brother immortal, since he found it impossible to live away from him. His wish was granted and, while Castor became immortal, Pollux died.

Seeing the situation Castor begged to save his brother. Then, to satisfy both of them, Zeus caused immortality to take turns between them, who met only during this alternation. Discontented, they became the constellation of Gemini, where they could be united forever.

Symbol of the sign of Cancer

According to Greek mythology, one of the 12 tasks of Hercules, bastard son of Zeus, was to kill the Hydra of Lerna, a serpent-shaped monster that caused great devastation wherever it went.

The creature had nine heads and high healing power, and each time one head was cut off, another grew in its place.

One day, as Hercules was finishing his work, Hera, the queen of Olympus, sent a giant crab to stop the demigod. Hera was Zeus' wife and, knowing that Hercules was the fruit of a forbidden relationship, she hated the boy.

Finally, Hercules managed to win and after that, he stepped on the crab and defeated it too. Hera, recognizing the great animal's efforts in helping her, put the crab in one of the constellations.

Symbol of the sign of Leo

Greek mythology tells that Hercules' first task was to kill the Lion of Nemeia; a huge creature and son of a sorceress. The animal was feared by all and no one could kill it.

In his first attempt, upon seeing the size of the Lion, the demigod fled the battle to look for his weapons. However, when he realized that they would not be enough, he decided to use his wits. Upon returning, Hercules stared at his victim and, upon seeing his reflection, was able to accomplish his mission.

Finally, the son of Zeus realized that the Lion symbolized his own vanity. To remember the event, Hercules made a tunic with the animal's leather and according to legend, Juno, the Queen of the Gods, with the desire to honor the Lion of Nameia, transformed it into the constellation of Leo.

Symbol of the Virgo sign

One of the stories that elucidate the symbol of Virgo is that of the Roman myth of Ceres. Ceres was the goddess of harvest and maternal love and in addition, she was also the mother of Prosepina; the virgin goddess of herbs, flowers, fruits and perfumes.

One day Prosepina was kidnapped and carried to hell by Pluto, the god of the underworld. Distressed by the situation, Ceres made the land infertile and ruined all the crops.

Therefore, Pluto let Prosepina visit her mother during spring and summer. Happy to see her daughter, Ceres provided everything necessary for everyone to have good harvests during this period. Therefore, the symbol of Virgo alludes to the fertile land waiting to be cultivated.

Symbol of the sign of Libra

Libra is a sign that can be reproduced by two symbols: the setting sun and the scales. The first expresses the position of the Sun in the period equivalent to the sign, September 24th and October 23rd, while the scales refer to the main characteristic of this sign: justice.

Libra is also linked to Temis, the second wife of Zeus and Greek goddess of justice; which explains the scales in his hand. The object serves to symbolize the weight of our actions and to judge them legitimately and impartially.

Therefore, the symbol of the sign of Libra is related to balance and the extinction of that which can affect you.

Symbol of the sign of Scorpio

There are some legends that relate the origin of the constellation Orion, which originated the sign of Scorpio. One of them talks about Orion, one of the great hunters who worked for Artemis, the goddess of hunting.

According to the story, one day Orion said that he was the best hunter there was and that therefore no animal was able to escape his pursuit. Artemis was furious at the line and so sent a giant scorpion to kill Orion.

To make other men remember the hunter who died from a scorpion sting thanks to his petulance, Zeus transformed him into the constellation Orion, making the event remain eternal.

Symbol of the sign of Sagittarius

For the Greeks, the centaur was an immortal creature whose body was formed half by a human, half by a horse. In general, the animal portrayed brutality and masculine rudeness. However, among all the centaurs, Chiron stood out for being good.

According to legend, during the fight against the centaurs, Hercules accidentally hit Chiron with an arrow and, because there was no treatment for the injury, the animal suffered for years.

Seeing his friend's plight, Hercules asked Zeus to kill him with the intention of ending his suffering and, feeling the centaur's pain, Zeus carried Chiron up to the sky and turned him into the constellation of Sagittarius.

Symbol of the sign of Capricorn

According to mythology, Cronos, the father of Zeus, was in the habit of swallowing his children soon after birth so that he would not be dethroned. To prevent the same thing from happening to Zeus, his mother Reia took him to the goat Amalthea.

Zeus escaped the dreaded fate and offered a magic potion to Kronos, causing him to expel his brothers and take his place.

One day, Typhon, a creature whose job it was to put an end to the gods, tried to strike them. So, to defend themselves they all took on animal forms. One of them, to confuse the monster, dived into the river and made his lower part the tail of a fish.

Capricornus, as he became known, left Zeus in awe, and after this event he was presented with the constellation of Capricorn.

Symbol of the sign of Aquarius

The symbol of the sign of Aquarius is linked to the mythological figure of Ganymede, a mortal who attracted attention for his remarkable beauty.

One day, Zeus saw the young man tending to his father's animal husbandry. Overwhelmed by Ganymede's grace, the God of the Gods decided to bring him to live with him and, in gratitude, offered his father gold.

Ganymede had the function of offering nectar to the gods; valuable drink that nourished them and made them immortal. Once, the beautiful boy let the nectar fall while serving him and, because of that, he was banished from Olympus.

Zeus, however, still charmed by the boy's appearance, and wanted to pay homage to him, so he transformed him into the constellation Aquarius.

Pisces Sign Symbol

Mythology tells that the Greek gods Eros and Aphrodite were being chased by Typhon when, thanks to Amalthea's help, they both save themselves from the hunt.

Amalthea, a goat that took care of Zeus, guided the gods to the only route that would help them escape from the creature: the sea. This was because water was the only element capable of stopping the fire launched by Typhon.

Arriving in the kingdom of Poseidon, the god of the seas demanded that two dolphins take them both to the bottom of the ocean. The animals, bound by a rope made of gold, obeyed the order, leaving the gods safe. Grateful for the dolphins' kindness, Eros and Aphrodite turned them into the constellation of Pisces.

Further information about the signs

The signs of the Zodiac are divided into twelve intervals with about thirty degrees and are ordered as follows: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

With their strengths and weaknesses, they bring out people's characteristics, yearnings, and behaviors in relation to life.

Inspired by various cultures, the signs were related to the planets and the four elements of nature: fire, earth, air and water. According to belief, these features not only explain our inherent qualities, but also highlight the energy that stands out the most within us.

Through your birth date it is possible to discover to which sign you belong and understand how it can influence your entire life trajectory. Continue reading and find your sun sign, element and ruling planet. Also take the opportunity to get to know the legitimate traits of your personality.

Dates for each sign

As we have seen, the signs show our essence. It translates our thoughts and how we face life. Check below the dates for each of the zodiac signs.

Aries - March 21 to April 20.

Taurus - April 21 to May 21.

Gemini - May 22-June 21.

Cancer - June 22 to July 22.

Leo - July 23 to August 23.

Virgo - August 24 to September 23.

Libra - September 24 to October 23.

Scorpio - October 24 to November 22.

Sagittarius - November 23 to December 21.

Capricorn - December 22 to January 20.

Aquarius - January 21 to February 19.

Pisces - February 20 - March 20.

Elements that rule the signs

The zodiac signs are ruled by the four elements of nature: fire, earth, air and water. Each group is formed by three signs that symbolize the types of energy that form the earthly life.

The fire element is composed of the signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. Generally, people of these signs are considered vain, showy and temperamental. The earth element includes the signs of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Natives of these signs are famous for being persevering, stubborn, organized and rational.

Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are air signs and represent curiosity, justice, sensitivity and idealism. Finally, there are the water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces; which are connected to sentimentality, sexuality and kindness.

Planets ruling the signs

Planets exert power and define qualities to the signs. They determine the behavior and the method people use to achieve goals.

Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, is ruled by Mars, the star of strength and courage. Taurus is ruled by the loving Venus, while the sign of Gemini is controlled by Mercury, the star of communication.

The Moon rules sensitive Cancer. Leo, in turn, is ruled by the Sun, one of the most important stars in astrology. Virgo is also ruled by Mercury; and Libra, like Taurus, has Venus as ruling planet.

Pluto, planet of transformation and radicalism, rules Scorpio, while Sagittarius is ruled by the authoritarian Jupiter. Capricorn and Aquarius are guided by the wise Saturn, and the last sign, Pisces, is ruled by Neptune, planet of impulsiveness.

How does each sign have a relationship with its symbol?

The horns of the Aryan ram represent the bravery to go forward. Like a bull; Taureans are strong, determined and intense. Gemini is symbolized by two vertical lines, the duplicity of the physical and mental sides; joined by two horizontal lines, relating to language and thought.

Like the Cancerian, the Crab is sensitive, fearful, and hides in its shell when threatened. Leo and Leoinos are courageous, strong, and imposing leaders.

The scales, the symbol of Libra, represent justice and union, typical characteristics of Librians.

Scorpio, is portrayed by the scorpion and the eagle. The first symbolizes instinct; the second, the ability to overcome it. The scorpion's tail shows resistance to dangers and the ability to hide and enter the thoughts of others.

A centaur with bow and arrow symbolizes Sagittarius. The figure represents the search for excellence and duality: on one side human intelligence, on the other, equine power and speed.

The symbol of Capricorn is the goat; a stubborn, persistent and ambitious animal, just like Capricornians. The ripples and the ruling element of Aquarius express the instinct and creative wisdom of this sign. The representation of fish refers to the complementary and conflicting nature of the sign.