Ancient Testimony for a Comet-like Venus

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Scientific Paper
Title Ancient Testimony for a Comet-like Venus
Read in full Link to paper
Author(s) Ev Cochrane
Keywords Venus, comet, Inanna, Eye, cosmic disaster
Published 2011
Journal Proceedings of the NPA
Volume 8
No. of pages 6
Pages 121-126

Read the full paper here

Abstract

The paper summarizes literary and iconographic evidence for a comet-like Venus in ancient sources. In the earliest writings from Mesopotamia the planet Venus is denoted by a pictograph which shows a spiraling ?comet-like? image. A very similar form is attested in the earliest religious texts from ancient Egypt?the so-called Pyramid Texts?wherein it is employed to denote a comet-like celestial phenomenon, one associated with Venus. The question arises as to how to explain such testimony? Is it possible that the planet Venus formerly presented a comet-like form?