9. Mesopotamian Civilization and Astrology

According to oldest records belong to the 2nd millennium BC, the very ancient Astrology was an occult practice that originated in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China. The Sumerian Astrologers was having some understanding of the subject early before 3000 BC who observed the movements of the planets and assigned them god like features and spiritual powers. Each planet represented as god or goddess and ruled certain areas of life. The astrologers advised the rulers interpreting the pattern of planetary movements as omens for understanding the future. The practice was deeply rooted in the concept of foresight as an important aspect of the Mesopotamian life. Divination was employed as a technique to communicate with lunar gods in accordance with Mesopotamian religious thoughts that shaped destinies of humans and controlled all events in the cosmos. Their insights presuppose supernatural cause and effect in all perceived phenomena and assume determination of the gods in their willingness to reveal their future intentions. Observing the luni-solar phases resulted in rudimentary scientific advances in astronomy and the practitioners of the prophetic astronomy became astrologers afterwards and influenced the Mesopotamians substantially.