and the Origins of Astronomy - Nr. 32
The world tree of this relief palette marks the line of the winter-solstice. The bird, a falcon, marks Ursa Minor. The crocodile is the early Egyptian symbol for the constellation Draco, as also carved as a lizard on Rock 11 of the Extern Stones in Germany.
Found additionally on the relief palette are two antelopes. The ibis and antelope symbolized the constellation Capricorn, where the winter-solstice occurred ca. 3000 B.C.
That the antelopes on the palette portray the stars of Capricorn is found confirmed by Richard Hinckley Allen. Allen writes about the stars of Capricorn:[64]
"It was thus shown [as a goat] on some Egyptian zodiacs; although on that of Denderah it appears in its double form, where "an ibis-headed man rides on Capricornus...."
Jewish Rabbis asserted that the tribe of Naphtali adopted this sign as their banner emblem, -"Naphtali is a hind let loose," - as if Capricorn were a deer, or antelope...."
Figure 24: Protodynastic Falcon on a Falcon Standard
We finish with a quotation about the falcon’s role in ancient Egypt (our translation):[65]
"Already in the Protodynastic period, the king is represented on official monuments, palettes and relief-designed mace-heads, all fronted by the Horus falcon standard bearers. This is a group of usually four priests carrying four long standards surmounted by carved figures of their gods.
The [above pictured] small falcon is a miniature version of such a carved top of a standard, as evidenced by the original hole on its underside. On the basis of its ducked posture, this falcon belongs to the oldest known falcon representations, whose evolution over time is substantiated unbroken by the oldest inscriptions. From the "falcon name" of a prehistoric ruler, the oldest title of kings developed, Falcon = Horus."
It is a title of kings, taken from the stars.
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[64] Richard Hinckley Allen, Star Names, Dover, NY, 1963, p. 138.
[65] Alfred Grimm and Sylvia Schoske, Am Beginn der Zeit, Ägypten in der Vor- und Frühzeit; Ausstellungskatalog, Heft 9, Schriften aus der Ägyptischen Sammlung (SAS); München, Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, 24.12. 2000 - 22.4.2001, .p. 41.