One of the most endearing sights in the Spring in the UK must be the lambs playing in the fields. Who would have thought that these little creatures have a long pedigree of folklore and mythology associated with them?
Indeed, rams skulls have been found in shrines dating back to 8,000 BCE. In Ancient Egypt there were a number of sheep related gods including; Khnum, Heryshaf and Amun; sheep in Madagascar fared even better – eating them was taboo as they carried the souls of the ancestors.
In the ancient Greek colony of Kyrene; Aristaios was worshipped by herdsmen because he was the protector of both the men and their flocks. In Western astrology the ram is the symbol of Aries which is the first astrological house; it also appears in Chinese astrology.
In Mongolia shagai are dice made from the sheep’s cuboid bones which are used in divination. The Roman’s used sheep to foretell the future, although they preferred to use the sheep’s liver.
Ovine symbols – such as the ceremonial blowing of a shofar – still find a presence in modern Judaic traditions. Followers of Christianity are collectively often referred to as a flock, with Christ as the Good Shepherd. Sheep certainly seem to lead the flock of mythical animals.
