William Tyler Olcott

“ Considering the imagined aqueous nature of this region of the sky it is not difficult, as Plunket says, to understand how the Vedic Rishis, who appear to have combined the characteristics of poets, scientists, and observers of the heavens, should have in 3000 b.c., when the sun was in conjunction with Aquarius at the time of the winter solstice, have described the fire of the solstitial sun as "hiding in, being born in, and rising out of the celestial waters of the constellation Aquarius." ”

“ Aquarius is represented even on very early Babylonian stones as a man or boy pouring water from a bucket or urn; around the waist is a scarf, part of which is held up by the left hand. For some reason, which is lost to us, his right arm is stretched backward to the fullest extent possible so as to reach over almost the entire length of the constellation Capricornus, which bounds Aquarius on the west. ”

“ Aquarius, in spite of the importance attached to it by the ancients, is an inconspicuous constellation. It is characterised by a "Y"-shaped figure representing the water-jar, composed of the stars γ, ζ, η, π Aquarii. This figure was called Situla or Urna by the Latins. A rough map of South America and a rude dipper are also to be traced out in the stars of this constellation.
Alpha Aquarii is but one degree south of the celestial equator. It was called "Sadalmelik" by the Arabs, which means "the fortunate star of the king." ”