Zaamth

Authors: ASE Tech Team

---

Seri constellation: Zaamth (Crab) in the planetarium software Stellarium (CC-BY Raúl Pérez-Enríquez in Stellarium)

Zaamth is Seri constellation name. This constellation is referring to the crab.

Etymology and History

All this knowledge of Comca'ac people comes from prehispanic epoch, and it has prevailed through centuries. Still today, it is possible to hear the stories and legends behind the naming of constellations and the events on the sea and on the desert.

The description of the Comca'ac (Seri) Constellations presented here comes from the book "Bajo el cielo Comca'ac: Astronomía entre el mar y el desierto", written by Arturo Morales Blanco, in which it is possible to identify the relations between sky, sea and desert, as they are recovered by oral tradition and family memories.

This knowledge has arrived to us by oral transmission from generation to generation through time and shows how the events from the sea like the appearance of crabs or the abundance of Totoaba (a large fish, now in danger), comes along with the presence of sets of stars in the sky.

Variant Spelling

• Zix cam caoc'la

Origin of Constellation

When the stars of Orion's Belt, Rigel and Betelgeuse appear above the western horizon, in the month of March, Comca'ac people see how in shallow waters of the marsh, the crabs are found forming groups of about 300 or 400 items which can be collected easily; that is the reason to call Zaamth to constellation. After six months, when the sea is cold, the crabs do not appear any more going from one place to another; instead the sea wheat, xnois, comes and their seed has been used to make flour and different food plates for centuries.

Mythology / Religion

The legend says that in the days corresponding to the crab "harvesting", it must be avoided to break a leg or a claw because, if this happens, the day after there will not be any more crabs at the site.

References

• References (general)