Medieval astrology used the seven visible planets and the four humours of Galenic medicine. The "Zodiac Man" (homo signorum) appeared in almanacs and Books of Hours to show which sign governs each part of the body. Entertainment and history only.
| Sign | Ruler | Element | Body part (Zodiac Man) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♈ Aries | Mars | Fire | Head and face |
| ♉ Taurus | Venus | Earth | Neck and throat |
| ♊ Gemini | Mercury | Air | Shoulders, arms and hands |
| ♋ Cancer | Moon | Water | Chest, breasts and lungs |
| ♌ Leo | Sun | Fire | Heart, back and spine |
| ♍ Virgo | Mercury | Earth | Belly and intestines |
| ♎ Libra | Venus | Air | Kidneys, loins and lower back |
| ♏ Scorpio | Mars | Water | Genitals and bladder |
| ♐ Sagittarius | Jupiter | Fire | Hips and thighs |
| ♑ Capricorn | Saturn | Earth | Knees |
| ♒ Aquarius | Saturn | Air | Shins and ankles |
| ♓ Pisces | Jupiter | Water | Feet |
Before Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered, each zodiac sign was ruled by one of the seven visible planets, linked to one of the four humours of medieval medicine, and to a part of the body — shown in the famous 'Zodiac Man' of medieval almanacs.
Enter your birth date to see your Sun sign with its traditional ruler, element, quality, humour, the body part it governs and its planetary dignities.
| Date of Birth | 20 Mar 1990 |
| Sun sign | ♓ Pisces |
| Traditional ruler | ♃ Jupiter |
| Element & quality | Water · Mutable · Feminine |
| Humour (temperament) | Phlegmatic (cold & moist) |
| Zodiac Man — body part ruled | Feet |
| Planetary dignities | Exaltation: Venus · Detriment: Mercury · Fall: Mercury |
| Cusp | Born on the edge of Aries — the exact sign depends on the time of birth (try the rising sign calculator) |
| Medieval medicine | Physicians avoided bleeding or operating on the feet while the Moon passed through Pisces |
♓ Pisces, ruled by ♃ Jupiter.
Try this example →| Date of Birth | 15 Aug 1995 |
| Sun sign | ♌ Leo |
| Traditional ruler | ☉ Sun |
| Element & quality | Fire · Fixed · Masculine |
| Humour (temperament) | Choleric (hot & dry) |
| Zodiac Man — body part ruled | Heart, back and spine |
| Planetary dignities | Exaltation: — · Detriment: Saturn · Fall: — |
| Medieval medicine | Physicians avoided bleeding or operating on the heart, back and spine while the Moon passed through Leo |
♌ Leo; Heart, back and spine.
Try this example →Mars. Pluto is a modern addition; traditional astrology still uses Mars.
A medieval diagram linking each sign to a body part, from Aries at the head to Pisces at the feet; physicians used it to time bloodletting.
Signs where a planet was thought especially strong (exaltation) or weak (fall), e.g. the Sun is exalted in Aries and falls in Libra.
No. Astrology has no scientific support; these tools reproduce historical medieval methods for interest and entertainment.