For some reason, when we turn our eyes to the night sky, a tiny cluster of stars always seems to capture our gaze. This little grouping seems so small, faint and insignificant when compared to the brighter, more defined and better known areas of the heavens.

Could this be a clue to man's evolution on Earth? Could this beautiful cluster called the Pleiades, be home to some of us? History from around the world indicates that this may indeed be a strong possibility.

Pleiades Constellation From ancient manuscripts and cuneiform to legends and mythology, is seems no stars were more talked about and considered more influential to man's destiny than this small heavenly group. They were considered "The Creator of the Universe", "The Center of the Heaven", or "The Seat of the Soul of God." Why were the ancients so fascinated by this tiny group of heavenly orbs?

They seem to be the first stars mentioned in astronomical literature. The Pleiades appear in the Chinese annals of 2537 BC as a point of worship and identity for young women who called them the 'Seven Sisters'. Later, the Emperor Huang Ti, considered by many scholars to be the driving force behind cultural, social and economic development of China, attributed his vast knowledge to visits from beings from the Pleiades.

The earliest Greeks left no written record, but erected temples on hilltops that aligned to the helical rising or setting of the Pleiades. As that culture developed into one of the greatest of its time, several temples were oriented to specific positions of the Pleiades. The Temple, built in 1530 BC was the first. The Hecatompedon, erected in 1150 BC and the Parthenon, finished in 438 BC are among the notable.

The Dyaks of Borneo, the Berbers of North Africa and the early Arabic nations believed this small cluster of stars was the central point of the universe and the seat of immortality. Muhammad wrote, "When these stars rise all harm rises from the earth."

The Pleiad month, as the Greeks called it, held special meaning to primitive people as it was the beginning of their new year. On midnight, November 17th, when the stars are directly overhead, the culmination of the Pleiades marked a time when the Kings of Persia could refuse no request. This was also the precise event at Bursiris for the commencement of the feast of Isis where the stars were worshipped as Arthur-ai.

In Egypt, in the year 2170 BC, on the first day of spring, at precisely midnight. the Pleiades were visible through the south passageway of The Great pyramid. Cheops contains fascinating mathematical correlations to the Pleiades including, the seven mystical chambers. The rotation of our solar system around the Pleiades takes 25, 827.5 years. This number was worked into the structure of Cheops in four separate locations. The most notable is in the base diagonals of the pyramid which are 12, 913.75. This number multiplied by two is 25, 827.5. Coincidence? Is it also coincidence that the three major pyramids of the Giza plateau are a mirror image of the stars in Orion's belt? What was the connection between the two stars systems?

The Temple of Hathor in the ancient city of Denderah was dedicated to the goddess of love and the stars of Hathor: the Pleiades. A star clock in the Temple celebrates the Pleiades, marking the marking the greater center on which our solar system revolves, taking 25,827.5 years to complete one cycle.

Even the Bible addresses the Pleiades. Of all the star groupings in the heavens, why does the Bible only mention these four: the Pleiades, Orion, Arcturus and the Cambers to the South? Why is the influence of the Pleiades denoted as "sweet" when Orion's depiction is constricting?

"...which maketh Arcturus, Orion, the Pleiades and the Chambers to the South."

Job 9:9

"Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion."

Amos 5:8

"Canst thou bind the sweet influence of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion?"

Job 38:32

The polarity dance of good versus evil even takes form in the heavens. To ancient societies, certain star systems held what was considered positive or peaceful influence over Earth and mankind. Others systems were to be feared because of their power and legendary abuse of their strength. Orion has long been viewed in the latter category.

Admired in all historic accounts as one of the most striking and brilliant of the stellar groups, Orion is known as 'The Hunter', 'The Giant' and 'The Warrior'. The constellation's stormy character appears early in Hindu texts and classical literature often alludes to Orion as an imposing, sinister force to be wary of, yet to be respected.

The Arabians had several names for Orion. Al Najid, 'The Conqueror'. Al Jabbar, 'The Giant'. Al Shuja, 'The Snake'. AL Babadur, 'The Strong One'. This cluster in the constellation of Taurus was also called 'The Slayer' by many desert tribes who feared its imposing energy. It is even believed by many that the three major pyramids on the Gisa plateau were placed in a mirror alignment with the belt of Orion; as above, so below.

While the Chinese referred to it as 'The White Tiger' and revered it's unseen power, many eastern traditions believed the stars signified 'The Lurking Enemy' and 'The Hunter of Men'.

The early Greeks attributed disasters and plagues to Orion's presence. In the second century before Christ, the Greek historian, Polybios, ascribed to Orion, the loss of the Roman Squadron in the first Punic War. The squadron had sailed at the foreboding time of Orion's rising and suffered the consequence.

The most notable star clusters in this polarity dance of the heavens is the Pleiades and her ageless nemesis, Orion. Greek mythology states that Orion boasted that he could slay any animal as none was an equal match to his cunning and strength. His bragging excited the ire of the god Juno, who sent a small scorpion to sting Orion in the foot, mortally wounding the great hunter. Curiously, the Pleiades, The Seven Sisters, look like a tiny scorpion in the night sky. Coincidence?

The original Hebrew word for Orion is Ke Sil, which signifies foolishness, impiousness, arrogance and rebellion. Also called Gibbor, the Giant, many early Hebrews considered Orion to be Nimrod who was bound to the sky for rebellion against Jehovah.

In the Bible two scriptures specifically address the two heavenly systems and their opposing natures.

Job 38:31 states: Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion?

Amos 5:8-9 says: Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth; The Lord is his name: That strengthen the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

In this theater of celestial good and evil, the Pleiades were the protagonist and Orion the antagonist. Hesiod wrote, "...strong Orion chases to the deep the seven virgin stars." In this play, Orion can, and always will, chase the Seven Stars across the firmament, but the powerful Hunter is doomed to failure as he will never catch them.