Greek, Syriac and Arabic astrological and astronomical texts all
associate with the Signs of the Zodiac twelve groups, each containing
three stars, which are commonly known as the "Thirty-six Dekans." [2]
The text of line 4 of the Fifth Tablet of the Creation Series proves
that the Babylonians were acquainted with these groups of stars, for we
read that Marduk "set up for the twelve months of the year three stars
apiece." In the List of Signs of the Zodiac here given, it will be seen
that each Sign is associated with a particular month.

[Footnote 1: This is the original of the Syriac word for the Signs of
the Zodiac _malwashe_ (plural of _malwasha_). The Syrians
added to it an _m_, thus giving it a participial form.]

[Footnote 2: [Greek: Dekanoi] also called [Greek: prosopa], [Greek:
horoskopoi], [Greek: philokes] and [Greek: episkopoi]. They were well
known to the Egyptians, who, as early as the fourteenth century B.C.,
possessed a full list of them. See Lepsius, _Chronologie_,
Berlin, 1848, and Brugsch, _Thesaurus (Astronomische und
Astrologische Inschriften)_, Leipzig, 1883.]

[Illustration: Tablet inscribed with a list of the Signs of the
Zodiac. [No. 77,821.]]

At a later period, say about 500 B.C., the Babylonians made some of
the gods regents of groups of stars, for Enlil ruled 33 stars, Anu 23
stars, and Ea 15 stars. They also possessed lists of the fixed stars,
and drew up tables of the times of their heliacal risings. Such lists
were probably based upon very ancient documents, and prove that the
astral element in Babylonian religion was very considerable.