posted 05-13-2002 12:16 AM            

The name Chaldean (pronounces Kal-de'an) stems from one of the ancient groups which inhabited the land known in ancient times as Mesopotamia. This 'the land between two rivers' is in the lower Tigris and Euphrates valley in South Babylonia. An advanced civilization flourished in this region.

This is where the Towers of Babylon were constructed, and where the Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar, built the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Chaldeans associated seven heavenly bodies with seven metals and this association inspired the symbols applied in Western alchemy that is a form of chemistry dealing with the philosophy of transmuting base metals into more valuable substances. Each metal is also associated with a day of the week.

In this symbolism, Sol (gold) was represented by a circle and Luna (silver) by the crescent. The associated days of the week and the planetary signs are as follows:

Gold is associated with Sunday and the Sun; the Sun represents the Father God of the ancient religions with male tenets; gold is the opposite of silver

Silver is associated with Monday and the Moon; the Moon represents the Mother God of the ancient religions with female tenets; silver is the opposite of gold

Iron is associated with Tuesday and Mars; iron is the metal of war and is the opposite of copper

Mercury is associated with Wednesday and Mercury; Mercury is known as quicksilver likely because of its quick motion

Tin is associated with Thursday and Jupiter; tin represents the Thunderbolt of Jove perhaps due to the crackling "cry" tin emits when bent

Copper is associated with Friday and Venus; copper is the opposite of iron

Lead is associated with Saturday and Saturn; lead is thought to be heavy and dull as slow-moving Saturn; it is the opposite of mercury