Rochelimit's Symbology of Astronomy: Historic Centaurus & Lupus

The constellation Centaurus, closely associated with Lupus and Crux, changed a lot as history progressed. The original Centaurus was probably depicted as a Centaur, holding a hunted animal Therion (usually a goat) and a flask in one hand, and holding a spear with a rabbit hanging from it in the other.

Farnese Globe (2nd century Roman copy, believed to represent a Greek star map during the time of Hipparchus 129 BC). Here Lupus is not held in Centaurus’ hand. Source: The Farnese Globe Controversy

Limoges Aratea (early 11th century). Source: Limoges Aratea

Muslim period prefers the depiction of Lupus as a lion-like animal, called al Sabu’ (“the wild beast”), not to be confused with al Asad (“the lion”). The Muslim was also the first to introduced the idea that the sacrificed animal is held at its hind paws.

9th century Assyrian scholar Hunayn ibn Ishaq. The spear is replaced with a vine here, following the traditional Arabic rendition of some of the stars as Al Kadb al Karm, “the Vine Branch” and sometimes as Al Shamarih, “the broken-off Palm Branches loaded with dates” which Kazwini described as held out in the Centaur's hands. Some thought that the vine branch represents’ the Greek thyrsus, Dionysus’ vine staff. Source: Kitab Suwar al Kawakib

Ottoman era (1717) depiction of Centaurus and Lupus based on writings by Zakariya al Qazwini’s (13th century). Source: The Art Walters Museum

Another Muslim depiction of Centaurus and the Wild Beast in a 15th century interpretation of Sufi (10th century). There is no spear in here, similar to the depiction of Centaurus in 9th century Kitab Suwar al Kawakib. depicted as a lion. Source: Google image, Saudi Aramco World

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Liber der Locis Stellarum Fixarum (14th century) is clearly based from the Muslim depiction of the constellations. Source: Scientific Library

Lapidario of King Alfonso X of Castile (13th century), still influenced with the Arabic depiction of the vine. Source: Gerald la Favre

Hyginus’ Poeticon Astronomicon (1482). This is the first time where the hare, the water container appears (where the libation is kept). Grotius called this canteen, “Arma”. The sacrificed beast is now identified as a small goat, much smaller in size than the previous lion and even the precious unidentifiable animal in Farnese Globe. Source: Naval Oceanography Portal

Hyginus (1488). Source: Constellation of Words

Johannes Regiomontanus’s Kalendarius (1512). Source: Kalendarius teütsch Maister Joannis Küngspergers

16th century showed some of the first sign of the sacrificial animal appearing as a wolf. Bayer is the first to officially named it Lupus, “wolf”.

Mercator Globes (1551). The Arabic vines is fused with the Greco-Roman spear. Source: The Mercator Globes

Zacharias Bornmann’s Astra (1596). Source: Astra

Aratus, Solensis Hug. Grotii Syntagma Arateorum (1600) follows Hyginus depiction of Centaurus. Source: Linda Hall Library

Bayer’s Uranometria (1624) and its colored version. The vined spear reappears. Source: Mexican Sky, Rare Maps

Colored version of Hevelius’s Uranographia (1687). Source: Rare Maps

Being an almost southern constellation, many modern maps of Centaurus shows it as part of the group around Hydra, so it is actually kinda difficult to find a decend image of Centaurus.