Monday, December 12, 2011


TWELVE = cosmic, mystical

  • also known as duodeca- or dozen (n.b. A "baker's dozen" is actually 13)
  • associated with the duodecaagon; a group of twelve things is called a duodecad; a dodecad is a group of twelve gods or holy persons
  • the word "twelve" is derived from the Germanic word twalif meaning "two leftover"
  • twelve is the smallest number with exactly six divisors (1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12); was once called "the great cosmic number"
  • twelve is also the largest number with one syllable
  • Roman numeral is XII
  • twelve is the atomic number of magnesium
  • the twelfth and final sign of the Zodiac is Pisces, the Fish (February 20 - March 20)
  • in astrology, 12 is ruled by Jupiter or Neptune
  • 12 ball in billiards is striped purple
  • "on the 12th [and final] day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree"
  • twelfth wedding anniversary gift is silk or linens
  • twelve is central to the Western calendar and units of time (12 months, 12 hours). The basic units of time (60 seconds, 60 minutes, 24 hours) can all perfectly divide by twelve.
  • the human body has twelve cranial nerves, and usually holds 12 pints of blood
  • the duodenum (from Latin duodecim, "twelve") is the first part of the small intestine and is approximately twelve inches long
  • there are normally twelve pairs of ribs in the human body.
  • most keyboards have 12 function keys (F1 through F12)
  • most standard digital telephones have 12 buttons (1 through 9, 0, * and #)
  • twelve was significant in the television series Battlestar Galactica; the characters came from the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and worship the twelve lords of Kobol. In the newest series, there were also twelve models of the humanoid version of Cylons.
  • Twelfth Night is a comedy by William Shakespeare (The Twelfth Night is a festival celebrated in some branches of Christianity marking the eve of the Epiphany and concludes the Twelve Days of Christmas.)
  • standard vinyl records are 12" in diameter
  • there are twelve basic hues in the color wheel; 3 primary colors (red, yellow, blue), 3 secondary colors (orange, green & purple) and 6 tertiary colors
  • twelve people have walked on Earth's moon
  • there are twelve inches in a foot
  • there are twelve face cards in a deck of cards
  • Alcoholics Anonymous has 12 steps
  • the Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters: a, e, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, u, w
  • checkers/chess has 12 pieces/men per player
  • one trillion has 12 zeros (1,000,000,000,000)
  • a pica has 12 points (a typographic measure)
  • "dime a dozen" means something is very common, readily available
  • Medieval Christians held that twelve represented faith (the trinity) diffused to the four corners of the earth (4 x 3 = 12)

COMMON TWELVES:

  • Apostles (Christianity): Peter, Andrew, James the Greater, James the Lesser, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Thaddeus, Simon, Judas, and Iscariot
  • Apostles (Mormonism): Nephi, Timothy, Jonas, Mathoni, Mathonihah, Kumen, Kumenonhi, Jeremiah, Shemnon, Jonas, Zedekiah, and Isaiah
  • Chinese zodiacs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig
  • Western astrology signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces
  • Months in western calendar: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December