Astrology in Art

Gracie Neirynck, Publications Director

February 15, 2022

Astrology today is, I hate to say it, a bit of a joke. It makes you think of Buzzfeed and CO-Sign and while all that’s well and good, they don’t have any sizable impact on your livelihood (or at least I hope not). Maybe that’s because when we go out late at night, with a baggie hoodie draped around our shoulders and the wind is rustling through our hair and we look up at the sky, most of what we see is smog, littered with one or two sparkling stars. Our relationship with stars has drastically changed because we only ever see a handful of them at a time. Before this however, stars had a very real impact on mechanics of life and art.

Here are a few examples of ancient architecture which was inspired by stars:

Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Temple of Sun, Machu Picchu, Peru

Sun Temple, Mesa Verde, CO

The designs of these archaeological sites, as well as countless others are aligned with astronomical patterns in the sky above. In fact, these temples were often used for astronomical observations. Astrology has influenced the ways in which entire buildings and civilizations were constructed. When people were able to see the stars, they integrated their patterns into their daily lives. The fact that we can no longer see their patterns daily when we look up to the sky makes it far more difficult for people to align their lives with the patterns of the stars today, so what we have now in the digital age is something a little more detached from the stars.

While this is sad, certainly, so many people’s attraction to astrology is kinda awesome. After all, all organic matter comes from dead stars, so our lives are intrinsically tied to them. Even if we don’t build monuments based on star placement, we still strive to be connected to them. Even with something as simple - and detached - as a horoscope.

Image Sources: