Astro-life: How the Egyptian Queen Berenices II “rules” beyond her lifetime…
- Fran Arnet
- Sep 19
- 13 min read
GERMAN translation - klicke hier
As so often, I find myself inspired by an article – this time an archeological one – a gold coin was found that is roughly 2’270 years old (ca. 241 to 246 C.E.).
This coin is tiny and shows the head of Queen Berenices II of Egypt on one side and a cornucopia on the other side.
Here the link to the article in “live science.com”:
Queen Berenices II’s hair is depicted in the stars as the constellation Coma Berenices.
When her husband Ptolemy lll (Hellenistic era) was in the Third Syrian War, Berenice was worried about her husband and cut her hair as offering for the safe return of her husband. It’s not clear, when exactly it happened that the hair disappeared or “how and by whom” but it’s said, to keep everyone safe and the Queen calm, the temple or court Astrologer and Astronomer suggested her hair being in the stars now and so the constellation Coma Berenices was born…
In a little different variation of the story, it’s said, that Berenice ll made the offering to Aphrodite who then placed it into the heavens as “acknowledgment” of the offering.
This constellation used to be an Asterism depicting the tuft of hair at the Lion’s tail and many even after the new constellation was born, continued to see the lion’s tuft here.
In Greek, the word for “hair” is “coma” but written “come” – so, it’s distinguishably different to the actual word coma, which we’re still using nowadays in many languages… still, the fact that it sounds the same, and for some other “correlations”, I find the similarities rather interesting.
Either way, it’s a “hairy” part of the heavens and therefore, I thought it interesting to look into the symbolism of hair in general…
Culturally hairstyles and length have been used to differentiate social status, identity, beauty etc. For example, are long hair often seen as a sign of “freedom and rebellion”.
Long hair are also like in fairytales a symbol of strength and vitality and even spiritual strength.
Hair can also be seen as an “antenna” (also like body hair, that can react as like danger or truth detector) and also an extension of the nervous system.
Hair also holds memory – analysis can show different elemental combination at different lengths (what was absorbed at different times) and that’s not only on the physical plane but energetic as well.
Cutting hair is sometimes seen as an act of releasing old energies or memory.
In various traditions, “full hair” is seen as a “halo or crown” as a symbol of direct connection to the divine, spiritual authority, and as a channel for cosmic energy into the body.
Interestingly though, in some traditions when entering “priesthood” (or as a novice) hair is cut or even completely shaved away.
What did strike me with that gold coin, was also the symbol of the cornucopia, as I have encountered it within the mythology of Pluto / Hades.
Cornucopia is a Latin word and means “the horn of plenty” and Pluto’s name means “wealth”.
What is “hidden” beneath the Earth’s surface or within the subconscious represents “wealth” just as precious metals, plant seeds that make roots etc. are “hidden” from sight.
Pluto’s orbit brings him pretty north in this area of the heavens even though, he doesn’t reach the constellation Coma Berenices.
Interestingly, we do have another constellation in the heavens, quite a bit south of Coma Berenices that isn’t a cornucopia but a cup due to different cultural correlations as it was “put into the heavens” (as many southern constellations) much later.
Al-Thu’aba (ancient Arabic name) meaning the snake or serpent
Was an Asterism involving the modern constellation Coma Berenices.
I find this very interesting as it did remind me of the Uraeus – the “cobra” on the forehead in ancient Egyptian depictions of gods and pharaohs.
