The illustrations on this page have been compiled from a variety of sources. If advised that copyright has been infringed I will immediately remove the particular illustration(s).
S: Pioneer Western Constellation Studies
43: Wilhelm Gundel's Sterne und Sternbilder im Glauben des Altertums und der Neuzeit
Cover page of Sterne und Sternbilder im Glauben des Altertums und der Neuzeit by Wilhelm Gundel (1922). Note: The cover title is Sterne und Sternenbilder im Glauben des Altertums und der Neuzeit whilst the title page is Sterne und Sternbilder im Glauben des Altertums und der Neuzeit.
Wilhelm Gundel (1880-1945) was a renowned German classical philologist who specialized in the history of ancient astronomy and astrology (and alchemy). He received his PhD in 1903 from the University of Giessen. (It was published (in Latin) in 1907 as De stellarum appellatione et religione Romana.) He was a specialist in Greco-Roman and Egyptian astral-lore and wrote prolifically on these topics. During his career he published over 100 papers and (encyclopedia) articles. Many of his articles appeared in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. He was born in Strassburg and at the time of his early death he was a Professor at the University of Giessen. He also taught at the High School in Gissen. His academic career was spent studying ancient astronomy and astrology. He prepared the 3rd edition (1931) of Sternglaube und Sterndeutung by Franz Boll and Carl Bezold (an uneven but excellent short introduction to ancient Western astrology). Gundel was criticised for over-emphasising the Egyptian influence on the development of astrological beliefs. He denied any substantial Babylonian influence on Hellenistic astrology and held that Egyptian mythology was the main influence. This position arose from his recognition of how little is actually known about Babylonian astrology. Towards the end of World War II he was detained and mistreated by the Gestapo. This led to his early death. A small memorial volume was printed. It contains 3 of Wilhelm Gundel's articles from Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, an evaluation of his scientific work by Albert Rehm, a biography by his son Hans Gundel, and a list of his publications. Relevant key publications include Sterne und Sternbilder im Glauben des Altertums und der Neuzeit (1922), Dekane und Dekansternbilder (1936), and Neue Astrologische Texte des Hermes Trismegistos (1936).
His son Hans Gundel. (1912-1999) was a renowned German papyrologist. He was Professur für Alte Geschichte, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Giessen. Relevant key publications include Zodiakos (1992).
In his Sterne und Sternbilder im Glauben des Altertums und der Neuzeit (1922) Wilhelm Gundel comprehensively surveys ancient star beliefs and astrological beliefs.
In his Neue Astrologische Texte des Hermes Trismegistos (1936) Wilhelm Gundel published the text of, and his brilliant analysis of, a Latin Renaissance manuscript containing the Liber Hermetis Trismegisti. He established that parts of the text were a translation of Greek astrological literature of the 3rd-century BCE. The astrological manuscript was written circa 1431 CE and is a conglomeration of older astrology-related treatises. Especially interesting is the 3rd chapter containing a listing of 68 bright stars (originally thought to be 72 in the source document by way of a doubling of the 36 decans of the zodiac discussed in the first chapter) distributed over the entire sky which date to the time of the Greek astronomer Hipparchus (2nd-century BCE). The origin of the star list is connected with the star catalogue established by Hipparchus (and some stars listed might even pre-date it).
Copyright © 2006-2008 by Gary D. Thompson
This Web Page was last updated on: Friday, January 5, 2007, 10:30 pm.
This Web Page was created using Arachnophilia 4.0 and FrontPage 2003.
You can reach me here by email: 