Mu’izz al ahrar fi daqaiq al ashkar (The Free Man’s Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi - Ilkhanid period (1206–1353), Iran, Isfahan

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

 This poem from an anthology of Persian poetry tells the story of the Moon as it enters the houses of all twelve Zodiac signs. In each vignette, the Moon is depicted as a figure holding a crescent that visits the personifications of each sign, here Aries (a ram) and Taurus (a bull). Taurus (al-thawr, “the bull”) is always shown as a bull with horns and a prominent hump on its back. Said the Wise Abu Ma’shar:

“Those born under this decade have a dark complexion with a tendency to redness. They have a small build, a large head, and a loud voice. Easily bored, they are interested in noble matters. They have a mark on their head and many smaller marks on their shoulders, feet, and legs. When they sit down, it becomes difficult for them to get up again. [For this reason], they do not sit down at night. Allah the Highest knows more…”

(metropolitan museum)