Egyptians created one of the world's first zodiacs using animals familiar to them, including the crocodile, hippopotamus, and scarab beetle. The modern Western zodiac is based upon this ancient view of the night sky as an arc covering a round world. Egyptians viewed the sky as a giant ocean through which gods sailed in celestial boats, much as they plied the waters of the river Nile. This concept of a universal ocean surrounding the world was vital to Egyptian mythology and religion and remained virtually unchanged through more than three centuries of Egyptian history.

A band of 12 constellations along the ecliptic, or sun's annual path around the celestial sphere. 


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