a Astrology in medieval Central Asia
ancient Khwārazmian astronomy and astrology
that the Khwārazmians “knew them [the con-
The ancient practice of astrology,1 the interpre-
stellations] better than the [pre-Islamic] Arabs ”5
tation of the movement of celestial bodies as
Later Parthian (250 bc–224 ad) and Sasa -
reflecting divine powers and enabling prognos-
nian (224–652 ad) kings are recorded as hav-
tication of the future, had a deep and pervasive
ing maintained a “chief of the star-gazers”
influence on early and medieval Islamic thought
( axtar mārānsālār) at court where a regnal horo-
and culture 2 The history of astrology, which had
scope would be drawn up for each king However,
been introduced into the Iranised world of Cen-
only during the reign of the Sasanian king Shāpūr
tral Asia through Graeco-Babylonian influence,
I (r 241–271) was the study of Iranian astronomy
goes back to ancient times Moreover, with the
and astrology known to have been encouraged
spread of Buddhism into Central Asia, Iran and
According to the Dēnkard (Book IV), the ninth-
China, Indian nakṣatra (lunar asterism) astrology
century compendium of the Zoroastrian religion,
was introduced 3
the king is said to have gathered the astrological
Interest in the science of astronomy, closely
writings, “which were dispersed throughout India,
and in practice inextricably linked with astrol-
the Byzantine empire and other lands ”6 Another
ogy, is further corroborated in Central Asia by
Sasanian ruler who, according to al-Bīrūnī,
findings during excavations at the religious and
en cour aged Greek or Graeco-Syrian and Indian
funerary complex of Qoy-Qrylgan-Qalʿa (fourth/
scholars in Iran was Khusraw I Anūshirwān
third century bc to the third/fourth century ad) in
(r 531–579) 7 According to a tradition reported
the region of Toʿrtkoʿl in Khwārazm, which might
by Firdawsī, the colossal throne (taq-i taqdis) of
indicate that the site could have been used for
his grandson, the last Sasanian king Khusraw II
astronomical observations The findings include
Parwīz (r 591–628), was embellished with images
clay fragments and rings that could be recon-
of the seven regions as well as the seven planets
structed to form an astrolabe with a circular
and the twelve signs of the zodiac 8 As the centre
alidade 4 The great tenth-century Khwārazmian
of the astrological throne the ruler represented the
scholar Abu ’l-Rayḥān Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad
one who held the power to influence the stars 9
al-Bīrūnī, known as “the Master” (al-ustādh), who
Political crises were regarded as inevitable at acute
devoted more than half of his extensive writings
aspects of the constellations 10
to astronomy and astrology, writes in relation to
1 Astrology seems to have been widespread and practised
purpose of the upper storey of the tower at the complex was
at a very early time by all nations in the ancient East Cf
not, as supposed by the excavators of the site, to function as
Jeffers, 1996, p 147
an observatory; the use of the primitive astrolabes found at
2 The ʿAbbasid caliphs, in particular al-Manṣūr, accorded
the site was only secondary
5
particular prominence to the study and practical application
Kitāb al-Āthār, tr and ed Sachau, 1876–8, p 226
6
of astrology Gutas, 1998, p 16 and n 7, and p 33
Zaehner, 1955, repr 1972, p 8; Pingree, 1963, p 241;
3 Pingree,
1963,
pp
230–1,
240–1
The
Gutas, 1998, p 36, see also p 41
7
Śārdūlakarṇāvadāna, which contains an exposition of this
Kennedy, 1956, p 50
8
system, was widely diffused ( idem, pp 240–1) and sum-
Tr and ed Mohl, 1838–1878, vol 6, p 253 Compa-
marised in Chinese by the Parthian prince An Shih-kao in the
rable imagery is reported secondhand from Theophanes
second century ad ( Śārdūlakarṇāvadāna of the Divyāvadāna,
through Kedrenos that in Ganzaca (Ganjak) when Heraclius
tr Mukhopadhyaya, S , Santiniketan, 1954, pp 213–7; and on
captured Khusraw’s palace in 624, he saw Khusraw’s image in
An Shih-kao, see Zürcher, 1959, vol 1, pp 32–4; cited after
the domed roof of the palace, as though enthroned in heaven
Pingree, 1963, pp 240–1) and fully translated twice in the
and surrounded by the sun, moon and stars Texts cited in
third century ad ( Śārdūlakarṇāvadāna, tr Mukhopadhyaya,
full in Herzfeld, 1920a, pp 1–3; L’Orange, 1953, pp 18–27,
1954, pp xii–xiii, cited after Pingree, 1963, pp 240–1)
esp pp 19–21 Cf also Carter, 1974, p 177 and n 25
4
9
Schirmer, 1926–7, pp 43–6, 63–79 According to Boyce
Herzfeld, 1920, pp 1–24 and 103–47
10
and Grenet (1991, pp 184, n 133, 193, n 173) the primary
On court astrologers, cf Christensen, 1944, p 396; on
134