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Cow's Husband, Duke, Gentleman Cow, He Thing, Surly, Steer, Bologna ... and the list goes on.
For he is a potent beast. He symbolizes the male principle in nature. His roaring is the thunder. He is rain. He is fertility. He is ridden by the sun and sky gods. Jupiter. Ashur. Ra. Thor. Shiva. Zeus.
In Celtic lore bull-gods implied divine power. The Druids believed the sun was a bull and the moon was a cow. So in Hey Diddle Diddle ... when the cow jumped over the moon ... perhaps they meant the sun and she was actually goin' a courtin'.
In Egypt ... the bull Apis was the avatar of Osiris as well as the reincarnation of Ptah. In France ... in the city of Toulouse ... the oldest church is dedicated to St. Taur (from the Latin Taurus).
Bull-cults were once widespread ... and still survive to this day in varied forms ... the best known probably being the bull-run at Pamplona in Spain as well as Bull Fighting. There was even a Bull-Man--found from Sumeria to Europe--who stood guard to protect treasure ... much like the dragons of lore.
The Age of Taurus spanned 2000 years starting 4000 BC. It is the second sign of the Zodiac and Taureans are said to be sensuous, placid, and home-loving ... unless of course they're angered.
All of which brings us to a silver rhyton in the shape of a bull's head. It has horns of gold and a gold rosette on its forehead. It was found in Grave IV of Grave Circle A at Mycenae. It is a superb example of the goldsmith's art in the 16th century B.C.
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And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all next week. Benjamin Mark
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