Egyptologists have detailed a petroglyph found at the el-Hosh site. Researchers reported that the carving shows a Capricorn—a mythical creature with a goat's head and forelegs and a fish's body.
In recent research, Linda Evans from Macquarie University and her colleagues from Australia and Belgium have described a newly discovered petroglyph on a rock in Upper Egypt. Next to the previously discovered image of a chameleon, the researchers found a petroglyph about 40 centimeters long, which apparently represents the mythological creature. This creature has a mammalian head with two horns or ears, a small beard, two legs, and a fish-scaled body ending in a tail. Scientists believe it likely showcases an ancient depiction of Capricorn.
The authors suggested this unique petroglyph most likely dates back to the Greco-Roman period, possibly created between the late 1st century BCE and the early 1st century CE. The earliest known use of the 12 zodiac signs in Egypt dates to about 300 BCE, shown in a Greek astronomical text. Over time, Egyptians included these symbols in temple art, burial chambers, and sarcophagi. For instance, a Capricorn depiction can be found in the Temple of Hathor in Dendera, dating from 14 to 37 CE.
The first images of Capricorn appeared on cylinder seals from the era of the Third Dynasty of Ur (Mesopotamia) in the late 3rd millennium BCE. In Mesopotamia, Capricorn eventually became one of the constellations noted in the night sky, referenced on the cuneiform tablets known as MUL.APIN—compilations of astronomical and astrological knowledge from Ancient Babylon. This sign seems to have traveled from the Middle East to Greece and then to Rome.