David Barrado — Gods, heroes and constellations: cosmography and myths in Greek ceramics

he made fundamental contributions in both Astronomy and Geography. Among the legacy he left to us is the work « Catasterisms » 

(From Ancient Greek καταστερισμός (katasterismós, “star legend”, from καταστερίζω or “to place among the stars”) which describes the celestial

 constellations known at that time and are associated with a myth, by  the rise of the protagonist to the heavens. 

However, the process of defining the constellations began much earlier and some have  their origin in Mesopotamia or Phenicia.

The literature of the Archaic and Classic Periods allows us to reconstruct the creation of new constellations based on Hellenic

 myths and trace both the original Greek contributions and the heritage of older cultures. In this talk, I will present a summary of the process.