Astronomical diaries and related texts from Babylonia 9783700117056, 3700117051, 9783700130284, 3700130287, 9783700137276, 3700137273, 9783700176275, 3700176279

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ASTRONOMICAL DIAR IES AND RELATED TEX TS FROM BABYLONIA ABRAHAM J. SACHS and HERMANN HUNGER Volume I Diaries from 652 B.C. to 262 B.C.

OSTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN PHILOSOPHISCH-HISTORISCHE KLASSE DENKSCHRIFTEN, 195. BAND

ASTRONOMICAL DIARIES AND RELATED TEXTS FROM BABYLONIA BY THE LATE

ABRAHAM J. SACHS COMPLETED AND EDITED BY

HERMANN HUNGER

Volume I

Diaries from 652 B.C. to 262 B.C .

•

VERLAG DER OSTERREICHISCHEN AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN WIEN 1988

Vorgelegt von w.M.

MANFRED MAYRHOFER

in der 8itzung am 14.,Janner 1987

Alie Rechte vorbehalten ISBN 3 70011227 o . Copyright © 1988 b Osterreichische Akademie . der W~1ssenschaften Wien Druck: Ernst Becvar, A-1150 Wien

DEDICATION These volumes are dedicated to my wife Janet and to my son Jonathan. Their presence in my life gave it purpose and more pleasure than I can thank them for here. Sharing my life with them was a privilege and a joy. To my colleagues, Professors 0. Neugebauer and G. Toomer, I wish to express my deepest appreciation for their friendship and support. My gratitude to them both is inexpressible. I am also grateful to Brown University, The British Museum and my colleagues there, and the National Science Foundation for their continued support of my work over many years.

A. J.Sachs

PREFACE

When Abe Sachs in April of 1983 made known to me his wish that I should complete the edition of the diaries and related texts which he could no longer expect to finish, I felt honored to have been chosen by him for this task. It was already too late for my affirmative answer to be given to Abe himself. When the papers left by Abe (as far as they concern this edition) reached me, I set to work on them at once. This turned out to be not as easy as one might have expected. Although Abe had worked on the diaries over a period of more than thirty years, nothing was available that could have been used unchanged as a manuscript for a printer. Among the materials are transliterations for almost all dated diaries and for many as yet undated ones; computations of planetary and lunar positions and phenomena, mostly using the tables of B. Tuckerman or of P. V. Neugebauer, but also others; finally, translations of some (better preserved) diaries. I therefore had to complete unfinished transliterations, occasionally do more computations, and (in most cases) produce a translation. Since almost all diary tablets are damaged, passages with uncertain readings abound; although Abe had collated many of them, I had to undertake more collations of the tablets in the British Museum. Abe had found numerous joins among fragmentary diaries; I was able to add a few more, but there are certainly still more fragments in the British Museum which belong together. Since Abe's work on the diaries extended over such a long time, details of the presentation varied from one text to another; different transliterations and translations for the same words and phrases were found in many places. For a printed edition, the tedious work of going through each text and producing a consistent format was unavoidable. From all that I realized that I would have to write the whole manuscript on my own. While this meant that the edition would appear later than I had first hoped, it at least gave me the opportunity to prepare the manuscript with the help of a computer which made proofreading, corrections, and especially the final production easier. Whereas Abe had intended not only to edit the diaries, but also to restore "a huge archive .... to its full usefulness .... in all its aspects, philologically, historically, and astronomically" (0. Neugebauer, in B. Tuckerman: Planetary, Lunar, and Solar Positions 601 B.C. - A.D.1, p.V), I had to restrict myself primarily to the philological part of this task. I may (or may not) be able to evaluate the historical and astronomical information contained in the diaries, but it certainly would take a long time to do so. I feel obliged, however, to publish Abe's work as soon as possible; completion and striving for consistency have already delayed me long enough. It is clear that I am responsible (at least in a negative sense) for whatever is printed in this book.

8

While I have done my best to make this edition a fitting memorial for Abe, I am still aware that he could have done most of it better. Readers will therefore usually be right if they follow the judgment which a colleague anticipated when he heard that I was to edit the diaries: "People will attribute all the good ideas to Sachs and all the mistakes to you". I nevertheless hope that this edition will be useful. It remains to thank 0. Neugebauer and G. Toomer, who went through the materials left by Abe, sorted them, and handed over to me what was relevant to this edition of non-mathematical astronomical texts. I am indebted to the Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften which at the recommendation of 0. Neugebauer and M. Mayrhofer undertook the publication of this work. Their printer, E. Becvar, helped to remove technical problems from the task of preparing the manuscript. From an earlier time thanks are due to the Rockefeller Foundation which supported Abe's coming to Brown University, and then his travels to the British Museum and to J. Schaumberger. Thanks are also due to G. R. Meyer, former director of the Staatliche Museen in Berlin (GDR), who kindly permitted publication of photographs of tablets in Berlin. I thank the Trustees of the British Museum who gave permission to publish these tablets. Both Abe and I enjoyed the generous help of the staff of the Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities over an extended time and on innumerable occasions. I especially want to thank C. B. F. Walker, who is now in charge of the tablets concerned, and I. L. Finkel. Finally, I wish once more to thank 0. Neugebauer who is to me an example of a scholar, and who has always encouraged me to proceed with this work.

Hermann Hunger

CONTENTS Introdu ction . . . .

11

List of Abbrev iations

39

Texts .

41

Plates

see separat e brochu re

INTRODUCTION

OVERVIEW

A. Sachs had planned to edit all non-mathematical astronomical texts in the order in which he had arranged them in LBAT (and defined in his article "A Classification of the Babylonian Astronomical Tablets of the Seleucid Period" in JCS 2 271ff.). The four main groups within this material are: Diaries Normal-Star Almanacs Almanacs Goal-Year Texts In each group, datable texts will be edited first, arranged in chronological order; undated texts will then follow and are arranged by museum number. Since the diaries are the largest group (ca. 1200 pieces), and are also most likely the source for much of what is contained in the other groups, they will be presented first. The present introduction, written before the text edition was complete, is necessarily preliminary. Discussions of terminology etc. will be contained in the glossary, which will appear after the texts are published. Similarly, indices will have to wait until the end of the whole work.

DIARIES I

The texts edited here are usually called "diaries" or "astronomical diaries" by modern authors. The Akkadian term for them is na~aru sa gine "regular watching" which is written at the end and on the edges of the tablets. That a regular watch was kept by observers specifically trained and employed for this purpose is shown by two documents dealing with such employment by the assembly of the temple Esangila in Babylon 2 • In 1 Much of the matter discussed here can be found, albeit in shorter form, in two articles by A. 8achs (JCS 2 271 ff. and Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 276 (1974) 43ff.). Although the first of these articles· was based on very limited material, its classification of the astronomical texts of the Seleucid period remained valid even after hundreds of tablets more had become available. A preliminary translation of a diary by A. Saehs is included in an article by A. Aaboe (Observation and Theory in Babylonian Astronomy. Centaurus 24 17ff.) where one can also find a short description of the diaries' content. The diaries and related texts are treatt>d by P. Huber in B. L. van der Waerden, AA. 2 BOR 4 132, see B.Landsberger, ZA 41 298f., and CT 49 144, see G. McEwan, FAOS 4 18ff.; cf. tlw additional remarks on these texts, and on others referring to astronomers, by R.,J.van dt>r Spt>k. BiOr 42 548ft'.

12

these documents the term na~ara na{;aru is used for one of the duties of the employees, and it seems very likely that this can be translated "to make regular observations ". They also have to "give" to their employer yearly tersetu and rnd-lJimes_ terlftu occurs in the colophons of astronomica l tablets (cf. ACT p.22f.) where it seems to refer to the tablets themselves or their contents; rnel-b,£ is tht> word for the texts called "almanacs" by A. Sachs in JCS 2 277-ff. It is therefore likely that the same people who had to make observations also prepared almanacs and astronomica l tables. Diaries were filled with entries day by day as the observations were made. This can be seen from the "short diaries" which cover from a few days to a little over a month. In several cases the last lines on these short diaries have rather shallow wedges which are scratched into the clay (e.g., Nos. -200 and -191). This is probably because the tablet was already too dry to allow impressing the wedges in the normal way. While tablets can be kept humid (e.g., by wrapping them in wet cloths) and remain inscribable for a time, some obviously dried too fast in the course of the observation period for which they were used. Some observations were first written down on writing boards 3 , as is indicated by a note in No. -384 r.6, referring to such a board. From these short diaries, longer diaries covering usually half a year were compiled. It is evident from several points that the longer diaries were not the immediate observational notes: they are more carefully written (usually in smaller script) than the short diaries, and they show no signs of successive adding of material. Occasionally a remark by the scribe that they were checked (i.e., compared to an original) can be found (e.g., No. -384 rev. 5). In one case a diary for a half-year period was compiled although material for part of the time to be covered was not available (No. -384 rev. 6). Scribes are only infrequently mentioned on the diary tablets. It is not clear why the scribe in most cases did not put his name on the tablet. One guess could be that the tablets were kept in an archive belonging not to a single astronomer but to the community of them or even to the temple Esangila. The latter possibility is given more weight by the documents mentioned above (p. 11) in which the "assembly of Esangila" agrees to pay certain astronomers who will make observations and prepare tablets. One should keep in mind, however, that these two documents are of comparative ly late date (SE 185 and 193), and that the situation may have been different earlier. Also, nothing is known.abou t the locations of discovery of the tablets and their original arrangement , whether they were all found in one building or come from different places within Babylon. The earliest diary found so far concerns the year -651. We know however that observation of the sky with the intention to control the observed phenomena is older than this date. Eclipse reports preserved on tablets go back to the second half of the 8th century B.C.4, thus confirming the well-known claim of Ptolemy (Almagest III, 7) that he had at his disposal more or less continuous eclipse records from the time ofNabonass ar (747-734 B.C.) onwards. Eclipse records and observations of the moon are also among the

3

For these wax-covered boards see D. J. Wiseman, Iraq 17 3ff.; S. Parpola, LAS II p. 333; idem, JNES

42 lff. 'Cf. LBAT 1413ff.

13

scholarly correspondence in tlw royal archivni of Nineveh r._ .Frag1mmts of texts derived from observations of Mercury havf' also heen found in Nineveh, thm1 dating to the 7th or 8th century6 • Planetary observations, some of them from the 6th century, are also found in the LBAT material;. A text containing ohsnvations of i:-;aturn from the reign of Kandalanu (7th cent.) was discovered by C.B.F.\ValkerH. Since the Babylonian day began with sunset (see below p. 1fJ), the diaries record first the events of the nighttime, and then of the daytime segment of a day. Xighttime is identified as such by the word GE 6 "night" before the day number; daytirrn' haH no specification. For a given night, the weather Hituation is usually reported first: then follow lunar and finally planetary observations. During daytime. weather phenomena naturally dominate.

CONTENTS OF DIARIES

A typical diary contains information on the following topics: 1. Moon 2. Planets 3. Solstices and equinoxes, Sirius phenomena 4. Meteors, comets, etc. 5. Weather 6. Prices of commodities 7. River level 8. Historical events These topics will be taken up in detail below. Before that, some general concepts and preliminary information have to be presented.

THE BABYLONIAN CALENDAR

The Babylonian calendar uses days, months, and years. No weeks or units longer than a year are attested. The month begins after sunset on the evening when the lunar crescent becomes visible for the first time after conjunction. Each month contains either 29 or 30 days. Babylonian month names are represented in this edition by Roman numerals; intercalary months (see below) are identified by a subscript 2 , i.e. VI 2 or XII2. The names of the months are: Nisannu (BAR) I Ajjaru (GU 4 ) II Simanu (SIG) III AHL 882, 909, 1408, and 1444, 11ee Parpola LAH Nos. 80, 84, an lwlow set•tion

:1.

15

The Babylonian day begins with sunset. In the diaries, the night is divided into three parts which correspond to the three watches of the night, as can be seen from the abbreviated terminology. These technical terms are: USAN "first part of the night" MURUB 4 "middle part of the night" ZALAG "last part of the night" A fourth designation, SAG GE 6 "beginning of the night", is listed before l'RAN if both are used on the same night. The duration of this interval is unclear. Either "beginning of the night" or "first part of the night" may be used in connection with any meteorological phenomenon. Their use with lunar and planetary data, however, is usually differentiated. Observations of the moon with stars or planets during the first half of the month always take place (with rare exceptions) in the "beginning of the night", and even this temporal designation is omitted when the lunar phenomenon occurs in the first few days of the month. On the other hand, observations of planets in relation to stars or other planets before midnight are always timed in the "first part of the night", never in the "beginning of the night". No similar temporal differentiation occurs with corresponding lunar observations in the second half of the month and with planetary observations in the east; they are always labeled "in the last part of the night". Daytime, too, has a tripartite division: ina se-ri "in the morning" AN-BAR 7 "(around) noon" ina KIN-SIG "in the afternoon" A relatively shorter period at the end of the last part of the day is called KI SU samas "with sunset". The precise definitions of the beginning of night, presumably the end of sunset, and of the beginning of daytime, presumably the beginning of sunrise, are uncertain. The relation between the Babylonian and the Julian calendar as far as covered by each diary is given in this book in tabular form. To facilitate computations, I give the equivalent not of the 1st day of a Babylonian month, but of the preceding day 0. I list the two consecutive days in the Julian calendar on which this zero day of the Babylonian month fell. This deviates from PD who give the Julian date of the day which contains the daylight part of the first day of the Babylonian month. Their Julian date for the beginning of a Babylonian month is therefore one day later than the second part of my date. I also indicate if the calendar resulting from the diary and presented here does not agree with the tables in PD. If no remark is added, PD's tables are not contradicted by the diary. "Day O" of a month is the same as "last day of the preceding month"; in the calendar tables, both designations for this day are given. This makes it possible to see at a glance the lengths of the months as attested by the diary; II O = I 29 shows that month I had 29 days. Example (from No. -302): -302 Apr 2/3 NE 9 I 0 May 1/2 II 0=129

16

SE 10

III 0= II 29 IV 0=III 30 V 0=IV 29 VI 0=V 30 VII 0= VI 30 VIII 0 = VII 30 IX 0= VIII 30 X 0=IX 30 XI 0=X 29 XII 0=XI 29 XII 2 0 = XII 30 I 0=XIl 2 29 II 0=1 29 III 0=11 29

May 30/31 (PD: May 31/,Jun 1) ,Jun 29/30 ,Jul 28/29 Aug 27/28 Hep 26/27 Oct 26/27 Nov 25/26

Dec 25/26 (PD: Dec 24/25) -301 ,Jan 23/24 Feb 21/22 Mar 23/24 Apr 21/22 May 20/21 Jun 18/19 (PD: Jun 19/20)

TIME MEASUREMENT Time intervals shorter than a day are measured in the diaries by the unit US, which corresponds to 4 of our minutes. An appropriate translation for US is_ "time degree: because the celestial sphere moves 1° in right ascension in the time of 1 US. 1/60 of an US is called 1 NINDA. These units are well known from other astronomical texts, see ACT pp. 39f. From the diaries it is not apparent how time intervals were measured. The general assumption is that waterclocks were used 10 • These instruments are attested in texts (see the dictionaries s.v. dibdibbu, maltaktu) but little is known about their construction 11 • Another candidate for time measurement is the sundial. In the astronomical compendium mu1APIN we find tables for shadow lengths which show that the Babylonians were interested in the variations of the shadow in the course of the day. The tables in mu 1APIN are very crude and in addition contain a basic error 12 • In any case sundials, which work only during daytime, would have been of very limited usefulness for the purposes of the diaries. It is of course also possible to measure time at night by means of fixed stars. Lists of ziqpu stars which give the time in US between successive culminations of stars could be used for exactly this purpose. Unfortunately most time intervals recorded in the diaries, es~e~ially those concerning the moon, fall around sunrise or sunset when only few stars are v1s1ble. On the other hand, the inaccuracy of time measurement seems to have been of little importance for the development of Babylonian astronomy1a

10

A. 0. 12 0. 13 0.

11

Aaboe, Centaurus 24 24. Neugebauer, Isis 37 37ff. Neugebauer, HAMA 544f. Neugebauer, HAMA 545.

17

NORMAL STARS

In order to give the position of the moon and the planets a number of stars close to the ecliptic are used for reference. These have been called "Normalsterne" by Epping 14, and the term has remained in use ever since 15 . The Akkadian word for them is MU L SIDmes (attested in a diary for SE 175 XIl 2 , and in a procedure text concerning planetary periods 16 }, probably to he read kakkabu minati, which seems to mean something like "stars of counting, predictable stars" (see CAD s.v. min"itu). Note that Mars had the epithet kakkab la minati (see CAD Joe.cit.), which has been taken to refer to the difficultier,; in predicting its motion 17 . The following table lists the Babylonian names, their translation, the modern namer,;, and the ecliptic coordinates for the years -600, -300, and 0, of the usual Normal 8tars: '1J

MDL KUR Piscium

~

MDL IGI Arietis

MDL ar oc Arietis '1J

sa DUR nu-nu

The bright star of the Ribbon of the Fishes 350. 73/5.23 354.87 /5.24 359.02/5.26

sa SAG ij:UN

The front star of the head of the Hired Man 357.88/8.39 2.02/8.40 6.17/8.41

sa SAG ij:UN

The Bristle 23.90/3.78

MDL-MUL Tauri

is le 10 oc Tauri

The Jaw of the Bull 33.65/-5.65

SUR GIG IR ~ Tauri

sa SI

SUR GIGIR ~ Tauri

sa ULU

'1J

The rear star of the head of the Hired Man 1.52/9.90 5.67 /9.90 9.82/9.91 28.04/3.81

32.19/3.84

37 .80/-5.63

41.95/-5.61

The northern .... 18 of the Chariot 46.47/5.17 50.61/6.19

54.76/5.22

The southern .... of the Chariot 48.68/-2.53 52.83/-2.49

56.98/-2.45

MUL IGI sa se-pit MAS-MAS The front star of the Twins' feet Geminorum 57.38/-1.23 61.52/-1.18 65.67 /-1.14 The rear star of the Twins' feet MUL ar sa se-pit MAS-MAS 59.16/-1.09 63.31/-1.06 67.46/-1.02

µ Geminorum

MAS-MAS

sa SIPA

y Geminorum

MAS-MAS IGI oc Geminorum

The Twins' star near the Shepherd 62.98/-7.06 67.13/-7.02

The front Twin star 74.23/9.86

78.37 /9.89

71.28/-6.98 82.50/9.92

AB p.115. 0. Neugebauer, HAMA p. 545f. 16 O.Neugebauer and A. Sachs, JCS 21 201 rev. lff. 17 Schaumberger, SSB Erg. 307. 18 I do not know of a part of the chariot called SUR ls SUR to be taken as logogram of {iarii?!u ''to twinkle"? 14

15

18

MA~-MA~ dr ~

UPminor um

Tlw !'Par Twin star 77.f>4/n.4H

Ht .n4/H.no

Hf>.74/U.5B

Tlw front star of tlw Crab to Uw north !\t(TL IGI .~d ALLA M HT !l7.fH/1.:m !l:l.4n/t.:lH 89.:12/1.:l:l 'YJ Caneri Tlw front star of tlw forp tranHlatc· Dl H. AN DI B aH ",·loudH croHHt•d the sky", although etequ is not so far attt>::-.ted with elouds aH a, ::-.uhjPd. Tiu• rPadPr should keep in mind that this is a proYisional tran::-.laJion intc•rnlPd to maintain tlw diffnrmwe lwtwn(m DIR AN DIB and DIR AN ZA. \VhilP thP translation ma,v lw wrong philologically, it is meant to indicate that there wc•re too man,v clouds to pt>rmit ohsPrvationH. Additional material may one da~· provide tlw clmi to thPHe logogrnrm,.

DeGrD ''heavy" is said of fog and clouds. DUJJ see TUJJ DUL is one of the most problematic weather words. It occurs exclusively with rain of different kinds (and hail). It is written either alone or followed by PA; during part of the 3rd century B.C., it may also be followed by JJA. PA or JJA never occur alone, i.e., without DUL before them; so they do not stand for independent words, but are complements to DUL. This is confirmed by the occurrence of DUL-PA in TCL 6 20 rev. 7. lfboth PA and JJA are meant to indicate the same reading of DUL, a common initial consonant "IJ can be found by reading PA as "!Jat and JJA as "!Ja. Unfortunately, no fitting reading for DUL can be suggested. DUL is a well known logogram for katamu, but this cannot be reconciled with a complement "IJ. To assume a word dul"!Ju or dulu"!Jtu which would have the literal meaning "confusion" does not seem to fit the syntax; DUL must .~fiS('. Nl'. IUI UE,1 1 rne-lji KURu ULUSAR 1 kal l' 4 1- ... ina l
ury's rising] until its setting dense mist, when I watched I did not see it; in the west I f.... j thin clouds crossed the sky. The 8th, clouds crossed the sky. Night of the 10th, first part of the night, [ .... ) [Night of the 1]1th, first part of the night, the moon was 1 2/3 cubits in front of the head of Scorpius; the north wind [blew 1 •••• ] [ .... )The 12th, ZI IR. Around the 12th, [when] Saturn [became stationary] towards [the west, .... ) [ .••. ) •••• [ •.•• ] 4 2/3 1 [ •••• )

C'Rev.' 1· 2'

3'

4'

5'

6'

7'

8'

9'

to'

Night of the 9th,] [beginning of the ni]ght, the moon was 1/2 cubit in front of a ] in .. 7 i (lE 'f r1 f fXuf ~1,X1 X · I I Z A 2H / .. ·· l" '( 'H N A , JH l) ,)r,: ··· · ] , .J · · · ' / L I L IT T ;( . .. • LFGA T il l( I l\ H .) a .;. ) in 4 (h 2 4 . 4 A '> P · 1r c E , " • t in a _ \X d d e -h a < f1 /l ' "'·] 1 /· · · · ' ' . a n in u '- R srA L3A~~MB B I.-1 ,"·'L TUF-8•UB, T1tllflK . 11 fT . · · · f[ .. .. 1-I/ A N -P a n a lH B P 4 -R C M f..•. .... T]A r. ... ~ i MCL X -h ~ h u m a a n ] r· · • · [ .. .. ] r.... ] x x T

T

, 9 10

ll 12

13

E Left edge [EN-NUN] D 'Rev.'

r

,. ,.

,.

s· ,,•·

., .,10'

[. .. . ]

.. ] id g[i-ne-e ..

AN 1 f / s in N A S E, 9 U

_,[ ~ff~~~ [. . . . ]

I [ B J 'G E ~ P I S A NKD S U ~ L A G U SIG L IR M] SI 1 2 /3

s in

61

2 2 /3

R GIG IG S.U [ .. .. ]G S R A B B . A . N MrD[sLd-BU R - A n n rnrn . ] A S U .] 0 1 , E [ .. .. G K U S x [. . . IG GlR d B S IN 1 2 /3 U S A N sin S

. .. .J

KUS GE, 11

f. ...] SIG SA, Ba A S G V ,- U D in U s K N /2 A 1 ]S L U ) .MU [.. .. GE, 13 U R M MIJL K U R M B il _p," [.. .. K L iJ M I G I UI, inaJ [.. .. GU,-UDin a ZALAGU s4inS [inI a..I..G] I M .. .. GE, 1]8EN 22 IL L [ .. . .J [f. .. . TJA 18 -hat 3 KUS le e d e in 1 s UR . .J [. · · · ~1'7 2is~ Kina TIL I T U 2 P I S [ ia . . J-G [ .. .. ] f.. · . SE~

[ .• .. ]

Calendar

I Y•ar 32 Artaxerxes I

I

o~xn 30

I I 0:::::J 29 I I I O:::::IJ 29 IV O:::::IJI 3 0 V 0:::::JV 29 VI 0:::::V 30 0 VII 0::::: VI 3 29 V II I 0::::: V II IX 0::::: VJIJ 29

x o:::::rx 30o

XI O:::::x 3 xn2 o

7/28 -372 M a r 2 A p r 2 5 /2 6

M a y 24/25 J u n 23/24 JuJ 22/23 A u g 2 1 /2 2

S e p 20/21 O c t 1 9 /2 0 N o v 1 7 /1 8

D e c 1 7 /1 8 6 /1 7 -371 ,Tan 1 M a r 1 6 /1 7

No. -372

119

12

Night of the 14th, moonrise to sunset: 1°; clouds, I did not watch; last part of the night, the moon was 3 1/2 cubits behind Mars [... .] Night of the 17th, last part of the night, the moon was 2 cubits behind IX Virginis. The 18th, .... [ .... ] [ .... Night] of the 21st, last part of the night, Mars, while moving back to the west, was [ .... ] above p Leonis [ .... ] [ ••.. ]Night of the 24th, the 24th (and) the 25th, clouds were in the sky. The 26th, [.... ] [ .... ] That month, the equivalent (of 1 shekel of silver was): barley, 4 silt, in the midd[le of the month, .... ] [ .... At that time, Jupiter was in] Taurus; Venus was in Sagittarius, at the end of the month [in Capricorn .... ] [ .... fr]om the middle of the sky to the nor[th .... ] [ .... ] towards the star . . . . [. ... ]

13

[ .... ] . . . . [ .... ]

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

E Left edge [Di]a[ry .... ] D 'Rev.'

9•

PISAN DIB. Night .... [.... ] Night of the 9th, first part of the night, the moon was 1 2/3 cubits below IX Leonis, the moon being .... [ .... ] [ ..•• Night of the 10th, first part of the night, Jupiter was] 2 2/3 cubits [below ~ Tau]ri. Night of the 11th, first part of the night, the moon was[ .... ] below~ Virginis [.... ] [ ...• Night of the 13th, first] part of the night, the moon was 1 2/3 cubits below ct. Virginis . . . . [ .... ] [ .... Mercury] was 1/2 cubit in front of 'YJ Tauri, Mercury being[ .... ] [.... Night] of the 18th!, last part of the night, the moon was [.... ] in front of & Ophiuchi [.... ] [ .... Fr]om the 18th to the 22nd, the river level [.... ] 4 fingers [.... ] [... .The 2]7th1, moonrise to sunrise: 22°; the moon was 3 cubits above Venus[ .... ] [ ••.. ; se]same, at the end of the month, 2 pan; w[ool, .... ]

10'

[ .... ] .... [ .... ]

t' 2·

3•

4•

5•

o· 7'

s·

[ .... ] .... ,

[ .... ]

No. -370 120

tJ £or a u se th e Wor n e h !j U T r- (n i) N P < lc(h) ZC-LUM 2(p) 1(b) ina TIL ITG r.... ] I OiN K(T-BABBAR qa-lu-11. i-nu-,~l( Ml'L-BABBA.R £na CR-A [ .. .. ] 7 M BAR MC-B6-KAM ILLC 2 KCR 8 81 f.... ERIN ]'1'p"-Ju id-ke-e-ma ana ,'ial-tn.1 ina K CR Ra-za-un-du [ .... ] rx 1 -nu-u0 TA TIL ur-0u 8(JD-hi [ .... ] r x1 nu r x x x 1 a-na [ .... ] rx x 1

[ .... ]

Comments Rev. 3': This line probably refers to Jupiter's second stationary point (on the 6th of the following month according to computation ). Before UR-A one could restore SAG "begin. ,, mng. Rev. 4': Eclipse of -368 Apr 11.

No. -368 BM 36832 ( = 80-6-17,572)

Artaxerxes II year 36

Photo: PI. 19

'Obv.'

[I] II III Ir [

t [.... GE

I'

[xx] rGE 6 1 2

2'

[USAN s]in SIG LUGAL 2 K[USI .... ] fGE6] 7 USAN sin ina IGI G[IR cir sci UR-Ann mm .... ] 8 ina ~IN-SIG J?IR AN ZA G[E 6 ..•. GE 6 11 USAN sin .... RIN] sci ULU ~ 1/2 KUS GU 4 -UD SIG MAS-MAS ci[r .... ] DIR u l!,i-lu AN DIB samcis ina pit1-[nu .... ] GE 6 13 20 ME 13 11,10 na NU PA[P .... ] TA 30 sci BAR E,N 13 ILLU [.... ] MA' ~?', nn mm .... ] GE 6 17 ina ZALAG sin cir MDL cir sci [HUHlJR 1.. d ele-bat e is le 10 2 1/2 K (JS dele-bat [.... ] ~

3'

4' 5' 6' 7'

8' 9'

10'

6

5]

No. -368

125

'Rev.' I'

[ .... ] ....

2'

10'

gusty wind, rain shower. f.... Jupiter] did not reach f.... ] of Leo, became stationary and went back to the east [ .... ]gusty south wind; .... in 6° daytime 1/3 of the cfo,k was covered. [ .... the equivalent] for 1 shekel of refined silver was: barley, 1 pan 4 si1t, at the end of the month, 1 pan 5 siit; dates, 2 pan 1 si1t, at the end of the month, [ ...• ] At that time, Jupiter was in Leo; [ .... to] the 7th of month I of year 36, the river level f.... ] 2 cubits 8 fingers. [ .... ]mustered his [troops] and [went] to fight in the land Razaundu [ .... ] .... from the end of a far journey [ .... ] .... to

11'

[ .... ] ... .

[ .... ]

3'

4'

5'

6'

7'

8' 9'

Date From rev. 7' it appears that the reverse deals with the last month of a year :15, because a measurement of the river level from some day of the current month "to the 7th of month I of year 36"_ is mentioned. Solar eclipses occur in the last month of both year 35 of Artaxerxes II and of SE 35; Jupiter in Leo (rev. 6') fits only Artaxerxes II.

No. -368

'Obv.' 1· 2'

3'

Night of the 2nd 1, .... [.... Night of the 5th,] [first part of the night, the m ]oon was 2 cu[bits] below IX Leonis [.... ] [Night] of the 7th, first part of the night, the moon was [. ... ] in front of[~ Virginis [ .... ]

.... ] 4'

5' 6' 7'

8' 0'

10'

The 8th, in the afternoon, clouds were in the sky. Ni[ght .... Night of the 11th, first part of the night, the moon was] 2 1/2 cubits [.... ] 1X Li brae; Mercury was f.... ] below ~ Geminorum [ .... ] clouds and haze crossed the sky; the sun [. ... ] in a "bof x" 1 •••• ] Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: 20°. The 13th, sunrise to moonset: 11° 10'; I did not watch. [ .... ] From the 30th of month I to the 13th, the river level[ .... ] Night of the 17th, last part of the night, the moon was f.... ] behind 3 Capricorni [.... ] Venus was 2 1/2 cubits above IX Tauri, Venus being f... .]

No. -3 68 126

13'

a. IG I ALAG s£n in I Z r• l'n , 1 J( ~ .:< , . ~. ('T ' [ .'TL / .. .. GU4 -UD ana ~ A Z N A IR 28 £na se-ri D .] . ka-si 3 P l f..

14'

i- [

-

r.... J

d

11 , 12,

nu-su . , , ·]

'R e v .'

1:rw~,

] ~ [ .. ..

1'

e G IR [d r sd

2·

UR-A .. . .]

.. . .] is le 10 1 K[lTS d r f.. . .] IG MAS-MAS S at -b le .] de 4' 2(p) 1(b) f.. . U = IT IL T a in , _ ) ; 2(p) l( b ) .. [ a s· q 4 (b) .. . .] 3 qa iiE-GIS 1 -u N U I[ G I U S sa ,a!J-le10 3(b) D -U •· A N u G U4 in a P A -B IL A .. . .] N N E G r a K U R G A [L in A L I. 16 .T N GIGme A s· •• •• ] E 6 3 SAG G [E 6 G R 4 U K a n .. .. ] SU 30 14,30 d r dele-b[at S U 9' K /2 1 r d .. . .] r MAS-MAS D 1 /2 K[US 3 A N 8 US d -U U 10· G 4 I B IG I U 4 in 22 sd SIG A [ B S IN .. .. ] sd 11· A S r 4 d n .. ] E6 si a n a N I M [.. D GE6 5 SAG G U ,12· U G u a AN i 5 dele-bat a n E [ • .. • ] rn· 1 1 /2 Kt:ri-TAB 3 K U S G E 6 7 SAG G 6 .. ] 1 /2 K IJ /i [.. SAG GIR 1 14• IL -B A P lil-ta!Jl UR] 1s· [MU]L(tKraces) [.. .. ]

3'

rsa

16'

[ .. ..

Left edge 1

BAR i-ne-e sd T A EN-NUN sd g

Calendar y e a r 36 Artaxerxes II

rx , [.. .. ]

I I 0==I 30 I I I 0==II 30 IV 0==III 29

M a y 1 1 /1 2 D : J u n 9/10) J u n 1 0 /1 1 (P J u l 9 /1 0

Comments . MAX. fi rs t Obv. 5'· MAX tt e n w it h a · 1 ri w s ~ Wedge fo r th e l ~ a ic rt • e v le g sin '. 4 . vre A ·373

MAS also in No.

No. -368

11' 12' 13' 14'

127

Mercury being low to the south; last part of the night, the moon was in front of [. ... ] The 28th, in the morning, clouds were in the sky; .... [... .] mustard, 3 pan [ .... ] At [that time, .... ]

'Rev.' 1'

.... [ .... ]

2'

above ~ [Virginis .... ] 1 cu[bit .... ] ex Tauri [.... ] Venus was below ~ Geminorum [ .... ] 2 pan 1 siit, at the end of the month, 2 pan 1 sut [.... ] cress, 3 siit 3 qa; sesame, 1 siit 4 qa [.... ] Saturn was in Sagittarius; Mars and Mercury, which had set, were not vi[sible .... ] There was recovery 1 of sick people in the land [.... ]

3' 4'

5' 6'

7'

s·

15'

Month IV, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month), sunset to moonset: 14° 30'; it was bright. Night of the 3rd, beginning of the ni[ght, .... ] The 3rd, Mars was 8° behind ~ Geminorum, 1/2 cubit behind Ven[us .... ] (ideal) first appearance around the 22nd of month III. That day, Mercury was 1/2 cu[bit .... ] Night of the 5th, beginning of the night, the moon was[ .... ] behind ex Vir[ginis .... ] 1 1/2 cubits. The 5th, Venus [ .... ] towards Mars and Mercury to the east [.... ] 3 cubits [.... ] ~/8 Scorpii. Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, [.... ] 1 1/2 cubits [ .... ] 3- Ophiuchi [ .... ]

16'

[ .•.. ] .... [ .... ]

9'

10· 11'

12' 13' 14'

Left edge Diary from month I [ .... ] 1 Date On the 3rd of month IV, Mars was 8° east of~ Geminorum and 1/2 cubit east of Venus (rev. 10'); on the 5th, Venus was next to Mars and Mercury (rev. 13'). During the preceding month 111, Saturn was in Sagittarius; Mars and Mercury were invisible (rev. 7'). Towards the end of month III, Venus was below~ Geminorum (rev. 4').

No. -366

128

No. -366 A: BM 32149(=S t 76-11-17,1876)

Artaxerxes II year 38

+ 32886( = 77-11-14,15)

I II III IV V VI

BM 32252 (=St 76-11-17,1979); BM 32529 (=Rt 7H-11-17.2271) Listed as LBAT •183 (32886). '184- (322/i2) and '18/i (32/i2!l) Photo: Pl. 20 and 21 Although the~· do not now join becamie the connecting piec·es arP missing. tlw thrPe fragmentH are clearly part of the same tablet.

B: BM 35184 (=Sp.II 737)

J IV V [

Copy: LBAT 186 Photo: Pl. 22 This text duplicates the other exemplar and will be inserted in the transliteration at col. ii and iii of A.

A Col. i

5'

f§d 1 ALLA [ .... GE 6 7 SAG] GE 6 sin SIG LUGAL [ .... IG]I SUR GIGIR sa ULU [ .... SAG G]E 6 sin ina IGI TUR NIGIN [ .... )

6'

[ .... ]

7'

[ .... )

1' 2'

3' 4'

s· 9'

10'

11'

12'

13'

14'

15' 16'

17' 18'

[ .... )

fnr

~

A

f.... GE 6 ) 12 USAN 12 ina KIN-SI[G .... GE 6 ) 13 GiR GU U

~ [gi]sgap-nu u gisGISIMMAR f.... ra-a-d]u 1 PISAN MAIJ DIB ULU u KUR GINme 13 9 SU DIR NU PAP GE 6 14 SAG G[E 6 sin ina IGI MDL MURUB 4 sa SAG] GiR-TAB 3 KUS ina ZAL.AG SU AN UTAIJ GIR i ina ULU GIR 14 20 NINDA na DIR NU [PAP .... ) GIR ina VLt GIR ina AN-BAR 7 GU U AN UTAIJ GE 6 15 5 ME SAG [GE 6 sin .... SI 4 .... USAN GU 4 -UD ina] IGI MUL IGI sa se-pit MAS-MAS 1 KUS 20 SI GU 4 -UD ana SI GUB G[E 6 16 ina ZAL.AG sin .... MUL KUR sci KIR 4 slil PA [.... ] ~ 2 2/3 KUS AN ina IGI GUcUD 1 2/3 KUS ana SU GUB DIR rt7 GiR 1 f.... ] ~ GU U AN DUL GE 6 18 GiR GU U MAIJ AN ana SU GUB 18 ina se-ri SU AN UTAij 19 ina KIN-S[IG .... TIR-AN-NA ] ina KUR GIB GE 6 20 USAN GiR GiR 01e ina ZAL.AG s[in dr MDL dr sd SUIJTR MAS .... GE6 24] ina ZALAG sin ina IGI DUR nu-nu 2 KUS 8 SI rx, [.... ] r27 1 11 KUR 29 AN DUL SIS.AR TA [ .... ]

No. -366

129

No. -366 Line numbering in the translation follows the linP numbers of exemplar A even if more of the text is preserved in exemplar B.

Col. i 1' 2'

3' 4'

5' 6'

7' 8'

9'

10'

11'

12'

13'

14' 15'

16'

17'

18'

of Cancer [ .... Night of the 7th, beginning] of the night, the moon was below ct. Leonis [ .... in] front of~ Tauri [ ...• beginning of the ni]ght, the moon was in front of [ .... ] .... was surrounded by a halo [ .... ] .... [ .... Night] of the 12th, first part of the night, [ ..•. ] ..•• The 12th, in the afternoon, [ .... Night of] the 13th, lightning, thunder r_ .. .1 bush and date palm [.... cloud] burst', much PISAN DIB, south and east winds blew. The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 9°; clouds, I did not watch. Night of the 14th, beginning of the ni[ght, the moon was] 3 cubits [in front of o] Scorpii; last part of the night, overcast, rain shower, a little lightning flashed in the south. The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 20'; clouds, I did not [watch .... ] lightning flashed in the south; around noon, thunder, rain shower. Night of the 15th, sunset to moonrise: 5°; beginning [of the night, the moon was .... a Scorpii; first part of the night, Mercury [ .... ]

was] 1 cubit 20 fingers in front of "YJ Geminorum, Mercury stood to the north. Ni[ght of the 16th, last part of the night, the moon was] 2 2/3 cubits[ .... & Ophi]uchi; Mars stood 1 2/3 cubits in front of Mercury to the west; clouds .... [.... ] The 17th, lightning, thunder, rain DUL. Night of the 18th, lightning, much thunder, rain I- ... ] stood to the west. The 18th, in the morning, overcast, rain shower. The 19th, in the after[ noon, .... a rainbow] stretched in the east. Night of the 20th, first part of the night, lightning flashed continuously; last part of the night, the m[ oon was .... behind o Capricorni .... Night of the 24th,] last part of the night, the moon was 2 cubits 8 fingers in front of "YJ Piscium ..... [ .... ] The 27th, moonrise to sunrise: 11 °. The 29th, rain DUL, gusty north wind. From [ .... ]

No. -3 66 130

19'

20' 21' 22 '

23 ' 24 '

25 ' 26 '

21·

28' 29 '

.. ] IG IR 1 8(J .. [ G a in N A in a 2 8 ] dr G IG IR S(T D -U l: 1 1(p ) ( .. .. U 4 G IT 2 2 L J ina rT a in .. ] IT U 1(p) 4 (b ) T IL 1 fI T U .. a n ri a ina M U R U B 4 q /2 J 1 I IL fL U .. .. G IT U 1(b) 4 B A S U a IT in • IS rm -G SE N U IG u AN sd S U -u D -U 4 U G at .. J -b dele sipki If G I' .. ra B a in a E 6] n f~ l~ 6 . . . . G 6 N U IG I 14 n G si A i 8 ,5 rn d n -k E a G 0 GU4 3 K[VS . 1 /2 -~~8 K U S s in 1/2 : sd A L L A 2 1 m dr ~ A L D G l: M .. .] L r d GE6 4 sin sd ~ K U S ar UR-A [.. .. ] R ld U r T d L U IR ~ G SIG in a IG I [SA]G GE6 sin A R G IR si n M a in IR IN 1 G 6 E E M. IG I A B S L E [GE 6 ] 7 SAG G D I IG a s in in E, 9 SAG GE, G ~ ] [x x ] I SAR 1 [ .. .. s r I S 8 [ .. .. ] S U 1 1 K A4 sd] rA B S IN S e in s 6 E G SAG.. ] [GE6 10x ,[ ..

>\

[ .. .. ]r

roken a w a y ) (1 o r 2 lines b .. ]

31 '

32 ' 33' 34'

35•

:::

.. ana SI N IM [ R? ] Barnas ina D[I 13 X ' -u ir -s .] · · [. IN ~ IG N T tu ru a1 1 a-Barn-Bd[ ~ JJ A 0 3 15 ; ···· U S IR D a a n B in [ . .. . Barn ]d A ] GE [ 18 DIR A N Z 6 18 SU

[. · · .]

]~v

,

,

]J 24 GU4 -UD [. · · · A ]N UTA ••••

[ .. .. A Col. ii

U ] ma i-nu- V , M ] n n in a rR iN 1 [.. . . IG R [S A ~ B 1 A -B L U ~ IsGuI IT B I L U [ .. .. ] AN Ba SU-u NU r~ 2 , 16 .. ..] -n i LUGAL 3 [ ]E R iN lib-b_i .."E..R]fN-ni [ 4 -ma L[U ~~JUR--t uiDiame GAzme ~ 5 sa bi-ri , . ITU B I f.. . .] -s [ a Ba E g-il ina a-mat LUGAL a-na~ ~ .. .. ] Eme aU BI U 19 16 '\ "" 7 ] [ IG IT • R • • G • A 4 inasvu -sv,a-ank'i ana m u ma , . . -tu [. .. . ] 8 -u 2 r 9 hiGAL - - i-ir[ .. .. ] 5 Tat-tan-nu u -m m u 10 ITU BI l6GIQ AN-TI-L[A .. .. ] ~ SIG 11 sia, [... .] 1 15 na sin r

bi-rit fD::i;;:..ana

No. -366

19'

20· 21'

22·

23'

24'

25'

26'

27'

28'

29'

Around the 22nd, Mercury's last appearance behind the Chariot. Around the 28th, Mars' [last appearance J in the Chr ariot 1 • • • • 1 in the middle of the month, 1 pan 4 silt, at the end of the month, 1 pan [... .] sesame, at the beginning of the month, 1 silt 4 1/2 qa, at the end rof the month, .... 1 Venus, Mercury, and Mars, which had set, were not visible. That month, the river [level .... ] Month II, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month); a little mist, I did not see the moon; sunset to moonset: 14°; in Borsippa it was sreen' .... ] Night of the 4th, the moon was 2 1/2 cubits behind the rear stars of Cancer. Night of the 5th, beginning [of the night, .... Night of the 6th,] [beginn]ing of the night, the moon was 1 cubit below p Leonis, the moon being 1/2 cubit [.... ] [Night] of the 7th, beginning of the night, lightning flashed in the west; the moon was [.... ] in front of~ Virginis. [.... ] [ .... ] .... Night of the 9th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 [ .... ]in front of y Virginis [ .... ] [Night of the 10th, beginning of the night, the moon was] 1 cubit 8 fingers [above ix Vir ]ginis; gusty north wind [ .... ] [ .... ] .... [ .... ]

36'

(1 or 2 lines broken away) [ .... ] high to the north [.... ] [ .... ] .... The 13th, the sun[ .... ] in a cl[oud 1] [ .... rain] shower, tornadoes 1 whirled 1 .... [ .... the s]un set in a cloud. The 15th, sunrise to moonset: 7° 30'. [ •... ] Night of the 18th, overcast. The 18th, clouds were in the sky. [ .... r]ain shower. The 24th, Mercury

37'

[ .... ] ....

31'

32' 33• 34' 35•

131

Col. ii [wool, .... ] minas. At that time, Jupiter was in Libra [.... ] Mars, which had set, was not visible. That month, .... [ .... ] 2 the troops of the king fought against the troops [of the .... ] 3 mountain between the rivers and the [.... ] 4 between the rivers were killed. That month, .... [.... ] 5 of Esagil at the command of the king to .... [ .... ] 6 went out. That month, the 19th day, the ad~inistrator r.... ] 7 in Susa to the governorship [ .... ] 8 on the 25th Tattannu, the chief .... [.... ] 9 That month, sick people recovered 1 r.... ] 10 11

Month III, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month); sunset to moonset: 15°; the moon was faint [ .... J

No. -366

GE 6 :l SAG GE 6 1- ... ] r2;:P K (T~ s1·11 1/2 K ('H 1- ... ] 1:1 1- ... ] rRAG (U 2/3 KUS ' 26 ,..., lTri..., '-' [T. ina . r.... ] . ... ] , 3 . ZALAG] s1,n a [GE 6 2 ina , 1 • • IGidele-Jat.:. . ZALA](l sin ina , - , -r l lr-:., ] [GE6261rw "' CF. 20 ,rw , ,, ' .i., [· · · ·] r 1 NIM ~ x 'h .

•

'-'

VI

'Rev. [.... ]x[ .... ] , . 1' iu A]r- ba-a-a DUme[s • · · ·] [.... 2' 3' 4'

5' 6'

7' 8' 9'

10·

[DIR-SE .... G]U 4 -UD ina NIM ina zibme l[GI .... ] [.... GE6 5 SAG] GE6 sine MAS-MAS sa SIP~[ .. :) [.... A]N ZA GE 6 7 SAG GE 6 sin ina rIGI MUL 1 [ar sa ALLA sa ULU .... ] [.... ]GU U AN DUL 9 SU-SU ina se-ri GiR GU [U .... ] [.... A]N DIB GE 6 13 SAG GE 6 sin ar SA 4 sa ABSI[N .... ] [.... 2 TIR-A]N-NA ele-nu a-b,a-mes ina KUR GIBmes GE 6 14 12 G[E 6 ? •••. ] [.... SA]G GE 6 AN b,a-an-tis PISAN MAij DIB TIR-AN-NA ~ [. · .. ] [GE6 16 DIR AJN DIB AN DUL ina ZAL.AG sin ar MDL e sa SAG GiR-TAB VI

VI

'

1 + [x .... ] 11 '

12·

:::

AJN SIG MAS-MAS cir 2 KUS GE 6 21 ina ZALAG sin ar SI M[AS .... ] [ .... N]!M DI~ :2 DIR AN DIB 24 BURU 5 [ ..•. ] [.···~JI~ ~LU SAR 28 ULU SAR 29 ina . , [ .... ] [. · · .] se-im sa_GUR? LUGAL 2 PI[ .... ] [ .. · ·

::: ~-. ·. ·. ·t;~ l] GIN KU-BA~~AR qa-lu-u i-nu-su M[UL-BABBAR ina MAS · · · .] . 11 ILLU 2/3 KUS LAL-is T[A 12 .... ] 17'

[ .... ]

(maybe 1 line missing)

ill'z

[ .... ]

No. -329

183

14

[Night of the 13th, beginning of the night, the moon was] 11 2/3 cubit [in front of] ~ Tauri; clouds crossed the sky. The 13th, 8° .... [ .... ] [.... ] .... clouds, I did not watch; very overcast; in the morning, rain show[er .... ] [ ...• the moon] having passed 2/3 1 cubit to the east. The 17th, clouds crossed the sky. Night of the 19th, [.... ] [ .... the moon] having passed to the east[ .... ]. Night of the 20th, _last part of the night, the moon was f.... ] below y Virginis [.... ] [Night of the 23rd, last part of the night,] the moon was 2/3 cubit behind ex Librae. The 23rd, in the afternoon, [.... ] [Night of the 26th, last part of the ni]ght, the moon was 2 2/3 cubits in front of Venus. The 26th, very overcast; in [.... ] [ .... ]The 27th, when Mars became stationary in the west, [it became stationary] 2 1/2 cubits behind ex Tauri [.... ] [ •••. ] dew. The 29th, fog [ .... ]

15

[ .... ] .... [ .... ]

7

s 9

to 11 12

13

'Rev. 1'

[ .... ] ... [ .... ]

2'

[ .... ]

3'

16'

[Month Xll 2 , •••• ] Mercury's first appearance in the east in Pisces [.... ] [ .... Night of the 5th, beginning of] the night, the moon was [.... ]above y Geminorum [.... ] [ .... clouds we]re in the sky. Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, the moon was [.... ] in front of 8 Cancri [.... ] [ .... ]thunder, rain DUL. The 9th, very overcast; in the morning lightning, thunder [.... ] [ .... ]crossed the sky. Night of the 13th, beginning of the night, the moon was[ .... ] behind ex Virginis [.... ] [.... 2 rain]bows stretched in the east above one another. Night of the 14th, sunset to moonrise: 12° [.... ] [ .... beg]inning of the night, rain quickly much PISAN DIB, a rainbow [ .... ] [Night of the 16th, clouds] crossed the sky, rain DUL; last part of the night, the moon was 1 + [x mm] behind ~ Scorpii [.... ] [ .... Ma]rs was 2 cubits below~ Geminorum. Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was [.... ] behind ~ Capricorni [.... ] [ .... ]having passed [ .... ]to the east. The 22nd, clouds crossed the sky. The 24th, locusts [.... ] [ .... ] lightning, gusty south wind. The 28th, gusty south wind. The 29th, in .... [.... ] [ .••. ] barley of the king's kur-measure, 2 pan [.... ] [ ..•. for 1] shekel of refined silver. At that time, J[upiter was in Capricorn, .... ] [ .... ] to the 11th, the river level receded 2/3 cubit. Fr[om the 12th to .... ]

17'

[ ....

4'

5'

6'

7'

s' 9'

10·

11' 12'

13'

14'

15'

the Arabs made [.... ]

1 .... [.... ]

No. -328

184

Cafonda.r AIPxarnkr II I .war i

VO Vlll O

rx 0= VIII

2B

Xll:! 0

-:J2B .Ju I 28/2B t)II

..

flf;\.

, ''\I.\( ,. ' •, ·, sl'. .111" " I B I .... I I ' • .. ] t; En •I~ ~• l~ ) (' 1 I ) 11 \> \ :\I I>,Wfj l, ... ]i1111h.l'.\, ' , . '.\ZA ~ 1-··•I , ..\S :\1.-\~ 1 113 SP ~A •)'{ KA K-BA I n ' · · ·; I....· ·rx1 .\.Nn a-a-s · r..:11l t\''I' ,, \ oplt':s.

·)•)t .,,....

(4"ii'l4)· , 1, BAT 222 (:lM"i2!l); LBAT 22:1 (41i01fi) • ,

T TT TIT TV V [VT]

Photo: l'l. 4fl

B: B1\1 :l2272 + :32288 + :12422 + :32501 + :32fl24 ( = 8 + 76-11-17, 2000+:wrn+ 2t57+2241 +2:no) [T] II III IV V VI

LiRt~d as LBAT '224 (32501 only) Photo: Pl. 45 and 46

Sinre the two pieces run parallel to a large extent their lines are presented alternatingly to facilitate rompanson.

A 'Obv.', B 'Obv.

Ar A2' A3'

A4' As'

A6' A7' As'

A9'

Bl' A10' B2'

All'

r.... J ;4 K , . si,. ] , [ x x r ] .. ] .. [ 13 s) [·..· .. .. . G E 14 · .. ·] [, P · • (trace A P U T J\ IR 6 0 na D , A 2 KV's· 10,1 N · V .K 16 IS D E L E sd] IGI E O I ] G x ·. IG in · a {,~ [. in n si , ALAG [ABf-;JJN 2 3 I[ G ·6· · .J zna Z -S IN K a in 16 V sAL : r J [x nn' KU,],~1 DK-Z sin X X X 1 f (T A N ne-hi [ 4 18 ., E G ) , . ' .. .. 8 , , .. ~,,.t:_ N J r rX X) 191 / [.. .. ] Ix XJ T A .f p a t 'U l\T A ) ·. .. I J '~ ~ R f. ·... ] A-u 1 -~ Ix nn[ 'K c if '( T V N A r l_ .. 4 .. ~ I "6 { L,J (x E 6 24. 2 . [ • •• • ] (x x x j . a's '~ R .. .. J m u l lam IGI •· · ./ .. ., zna NA K(T .. [ U S a in D U .r 00 · I.... ] KUS ana SO

' •

16'

GE . .

~

·~,r~r

s

,u.su r... ,)

ii

No. -284

26'

27'

28'

29'

30'

31'

32'

33'

34'

35'

36'

299

fNight of the 16th, last part of the night,] the moon was .... Geminorum f.... Night] of the 17th (and) the 17th, .... f.... ] Night[ .... ,] clouds were in the sky; lightning flashed; last part of the night, the moon was [ .... ) [ . ... ] last part of the night, the moon was [. ... ] Mercury was 3 cubits above a Scorpii; clouds crossed the sky. Night [... .] [ .... ]last part of the night, the moon was r x 1 cubits in front off .... ) Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was 1/2 cubit in front ofy Virginis [ .... ] [ .... ] .... , a little rain shower. The 22nd, very overcast; in the afternoon, lightning, thunder, [ .... ] [ .... ]cloudburst, a little PISAN DIB; last part of the night, Venus was 14 fingers above Jupiter [.... ] [ .... Night of the 24th,] very overcast, rain shower; last part of the night, the moon was 1/2 cubit in front of a Librae [.... ] [ .... ] .... Night of the 25th, clouds were in the sky; lightning flashed continuously in the south and east [.... ] [ .... ] .... Night of the 27th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 cubit behind & Ophiuchi; clouds were in the sky. The 2[7th, .... ] [ .... ]so that the sandal was removed. Night of the 30th, overcast, rain shower!. The 30th, clouds crossed the sky. That month, the ef quivalent .... ] [ .... At that] time, Jupiter was in Libra; Venus was in Libra, at the end of the month, in Scorpius; the 14th, Mercury's [.... ] [ .... ] . . . . receded . . . . fingers . . . . [ .... ]

'Rev.' 1' - 4'

(traces)

[Month X, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), .... ] (traces) [ .... ] stood [nn] cubits to the west; in [.... ] 7' [ .... ]clouds were in the sky. Night of the 8th, beginning of the night, the moon was [.... ] in front of a [Tau]ri [.... ] .... [.... ] s· [ .... ]crossed the sky. Night [of the 9th, beginn]ing of the night, the moon was f.... ] below•~ Tauri [ .... ] (traces) 9• [ ••.. ] clouds [.... ] .... [.... ] .... [.... ] clouds crossed the sky. Night of the 12th, ,,.~ overcast .... [ .... ] 10• [ ..•. ] .... [ .... ] .... The 13th, sunrise to moonset: 10° 10'; clouds, I did not watch. [.... Night of the 14th, .... ] 11· [the moon was] 2 cubits[ .... ] & Leonis [.... Night of the 16th, last part of the night, the moon was] 2/3 cubit [in front of y] Virginis. The 16th, in the afternoon, [ .... ] 12· [ .... cu]bits; last part of the night, the moon was .... f.... ] Night of the 18th, overcast; slow rain [.... ] 13' [ ... . ] .... The 19th, very overcast [....t·, .... [... .] 14' [ .... ] .... [ .... ] rain shower, lightning [. ... ] 15' [ ... . ] cubits. Ni[ght .... ] rain shower. Night of the 24th (and) the 24th, [ .... ] 16' [ . ... ] .... [ . ... ] measured; the sun rose in a "box"; Mercury's ffirst appearance] in the west [ .... ] 5'

6'

No. -284

300

Hr

[x x x] ina ZALAU delP-lmt [... -1 r28 1 ina rKJN-SIG 1 DIR AN ZA ITU BI fJO .LAl\P le-[ .... l [xx x l rqa 1 Z[ (r_Ll:Ml r2(p) 1 [ .... MC' IL-BAI BBARI ina UiR-TAB dele-bat ina PA ina TIL ITU ina MAS I- ... ] [ .... 11/2 Kf'S LAL :Hi na rn 20 A 4 l: UIN [.... [

20·

[ZIZ 30 .... ] (traC'PH) DIR AN ZA GE{i 2 DI HAN ZA HAG CH: 6 AN

ti'

t~·

1

1

[ .... ] 21'

22'

23' 24'

25'

26'

27'

28'

29'

30'

31'

32'

33'

[.... GE 6 4] SAG OE{i sin SIG MtL rir hi SAU LC 4 K(:S 4 IM SAR [ .... ] [.... ] rIMl SAR KALAG AN r rad 11 PISAN DIB 6 SU AN PISAN DIB G[E 6 •... ] [.... ]_rs(" 1 1 AN CTAJj in EN 8 1\fCL-BAB BAR ana rNIM ki US-u 1 [ .... US .... ] ina ZALAG r AN 1 PISAN i DIB 9 ina KIN-SIG DIR rAN 1 DIB [.... ] ~ GE 6 10 DIR 1 [ •.. •] [.... ](traces) fdele-bat 1 [x] M[UL] IGI §a SUJjUR MAS 1 KUS 12 7,30 SU fDIR NU PAP 7 [.... fam]as ina NA 5 KUR GE 6 14 1,40 GE 6 ina ZALAG sin ni-di [ina IGI DELE sa IGI ABSIN nn] rKUS 1 [ .... ] rx x 1 [x xx] ina IGI lamas u r x 1 Ju SUB AN UTAJj GE 6 17 ina ZALAG sin SIG [RIN §a UL• nn mm .... ] (traces) f18 1 GU 4 1 -UD ina SU ina zib SU NU PAP GE 6 19 U4 -ZAL rsI 4 7 ana SA sin KU 4 DIR AN ZA 19 [.... G]E 6 20 DIR AN ZA [.... ] r21 DIR AN [ZA 1 GJE 6 22 DIR AN DIB AN UTAJJ i IM SAR 22 DIR AN ZA ULU SAR [.... ]DIR AN ZA 25 ina KIN(-SIG) DIR AN DIB IM SAR KALAG AN UTAJJ GE 6 26 SU SAG GE 6 AN UTAJj [.... ] DIR AN ZA GE 6 29 29 DIR AN ZA ITU BI KI.LAM Je-im 1 GUR ZU ina SAG ITU 2(p) rx xl [.... ] ri-nu-su 1 MUL-BABB AR u rGENNA 1 ina GiR-TAB dele-bat ina MAS ina [TIL IT]U ina GU rin 1 18 GU 4 -UD ina SU ina zib SU NU PAP AN [ina MU]L[M]UL [.... ] 8 na 7 1 8 1 A 1 SI GIN [x xx x] 9 10 A 8 U LAL 29 na 12 A 4 U GIN 28 na 14 15 A 1/2 KUS GIN 25 na [.... ]

f-

No. -284

17'

18'

19'

20·

21'

22'

23'

24'

25'

26'

27'

28'

29'

30'

31'

32'

33'

301

part of the night, Venus r.... ] The 28th, in the afternoon, clouds were in the sky. That month, the equivalent (of 1 shekel of silver was): barley. i .... ] [ ... . ] qa; da[tes,] 2 pan [ .... ,JupJirter] was in Scorpius; Venus was in Hagittarius, at the end of the month, in Capricorn [.... J [ .... ] receded 1/2 cubit; 35 was the na (gauge); the 19th (and) the 20th, the water rose 4? fingers [. ... ] [ .... ]last

[Month XI, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month), .... ] .... clouds were in the sky. Night of the 2nd, clouds were in the sky; beginning of the night, Mars .... [.... ] [ .... Night of the 4th,] beginning of the night, the moon was 4 cubits below rx Arietis. The 4th, gusty wind [.... ] [ .... ] strong gusty wind, cloudburst, PISAN DIB. The 6th, overcast, rain PI8AN DIB. Ni[ght .... ] [ .... ] overcast?, rain shower; around the 8th, when Jupiter became stationary to the east, [it became stationary in Scorpius? .... ] [ .... ] .... , last part of the night, rain, a little PISAN DIB. The 9th, in the afternoon, clouds crossed the sky. Night of the 10th, clouds? [.... ] [ .... ] .... Venus was 1 cubit[ .... ] y Capricorni. The 12th, moonset to sunrise: 7° :30'; clouds, I did not watch. [ .... the s]un rose in a "box". Night of the 14th, sunset to moonrise: 1° 40'; last part of the night, the moon was [nn] cubits [in front of y Virginis .... ] .... [... .] a cloud-bank lay in front and .... of the sun, rain shower. Night of the 17th. last part of the night, the moon was [ .... ]below [rx Librae .... ] .... The 18th, Mercury's last appearance in the west in Pisces; I did not watch. Night of the 19th, last part of the night, rx Scorpii entered the moon; clouds were in the sky. The 19th, [ .... Ni]ght of the 20th, clouds were in the sky [.... ]The 21st, clouds [.... Ni]ght of the 22nd, clouds crossed the sky, a little rain shower, gusty wind. The 22nd, clouds were in the sky, gusty south wind. [ .... ] clouds were in the sky. The 25th, in the afternoon, clouds crossed the sky, strong gusty wind, rain shower. Night of the 26th, overcast; beginning of the night, rain shower. [ .... ]clouds were in the sky. Night of the 29th (and) the 29th, clouds were in the sky. That month, the equivalent (for 1 shekel of silver was): barley, 1 kur; dates, in the beginning of the month, 2 pan .... [ .... ] At that time, Jupiter and Saturn were in Scorpius; Venus was in Capricorn, at [the end of the mon]th in Aquarius; on the 18th, Mercury's last appearance in the west in Pisces, I did not watch; Mars was in Taurus. [ .... ]+8 was the na (gauge); the 7th 1 and 8th?, the water rose 1 finger; .... the 9th and 10th, the water receded 8 fingers, 29 was the na (gauge); the 12th, the water rose 4 fingers, 28 was the na (gauge); the 14th and 15th, the water rose 1/2 cubit, 25 was the na (gauge) [ .... ]

No. -284

:30:!

34'

fSE l .... DI]R

AN ZA GEt1 2 ina ZAl. AG DIR AN ZA 2

PTAH GEt\ :~ sin dr M(TL-MlTL 1 1/2 K(TF; ..,,

3fi'

36'

l

'

....,

~

,.,,

,.

80 ina KIN(-SIG ) AN r.... ]

8in [ .... GEn 4 SA(} GE 11 sin 1:nal f(H AN 2/?, KUR ana 8 U G UB GEfi 5 SAG GE 6 ina IOJ 1\1(:L HH M lr-pit MAH-MAH 1 I K OF; .... ] [ .... DIR] AN ZA H DIR AN ZA frw K[N-RIG BlTRl\ MAij ZI-a GE 6 7 SAG GE 6 DIR AN[ .... ]

37•

GEti 9 SAO GEti sine LGGAL 2 rKt;F; 7 sin 1/2 KUS ana SU LAL ' DIR [.... ] {IRAN AN SIG S[UR GIGIR] KUS 1/2 A sci ar GIR cir [ .... GEt1 11 SAG GE 11 ] 8in ·,M SI 1 1/2 KUS ina ZALAG [... .] 1 [ .... DI]R AN ZA ina KIN-SIG BURe 5 ZI-a GE 6 13 6 M[E DI]R rmus.,, [ ... . ]

,{~tt:'-~

V

38'

39•

V

r~

(traces)

r.... ] r 53 l

G[E6 .... ]

40'

[ .... ]

41'

r.... J JfY~r~~AJ

42'

[ .... ]

43'

[ .. .. ]

r nn 1 ina ZALAG sin ina [.... ] rM-0L-BA BBAR 1 ~-]

44'

[ .... ]

(traces) [.... ]

[ .... ]

Calendar SE 27

VII 0 VIII 0 = VII 29 IX 0= VIII 30 X 0=IX 30 XI 0=X 29 XII 0=XI 30

-284 Oct 7 /8

Nov 5/6 Dec 5/6 -283 Jan 4/5 Feb 2/3 Mar 4/5

Comments 4': in No. -293 rev.14', a fire behind a wall of Nabonidu s is mentione d; possibly BAD "wall" is to be restored here between kutal and sci. Another passage mentionin g Nabonidus occurs in the undated fragment BM 37456; it too may have mentione d a fire: 5' ina KI SU-AN-NA ina GU ID [.... ] 6' sa Id AG-I ina la si-man-ni [.... ] This is tantalizingly similar to our passage, but I did not succeed in making sense of either verswn. 9': on the 21st, the moon was already to the east of & Leonis, not to the west as said in the text. 14': at the end of the line, computat ion would lead to expect 8in e 81 4 .

No. -284

303

40'

[Month XII, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), .... ] clouds were in the sky. Night of the 2nd, last part of the night, clouds were in the sky. The 2nd, overcast; in the afternoon, rain shower. Night of the 3rd, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits behind YJ Tauri .... f.... ] f.... Night of the 4th, beginning of the night, the moon] stood 2/3 cubit in front of Mars to the west. Night of the 5th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit] in front of YJ Geminorum [ .... ] [ .... clouds] were in the sky. The 6th, clouds were in the sky; in the afternoon, heavy attack of locusts. Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, clouds[ .... ] [ .... ] .... Night of the 9th, beginning of the night, the moon was 2 cubits above a Leonis, the moon being 1/2 cubit back to the west; clouds [ .... Night of the 11th, beginning of the night,] the moon was 1/2 cubit behind ~ Virginis; first part of the night, Mars was 1 1/2 cubits below~ Tauri; last part of the night, [ .... ] [ .... ] clouds were in the sky; in the afternoon, attack of locusts. Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: 6°, measured (despite) clouds .... [ .... ] .... 53° 1 ni[ght .... ]

41'

[ .... ] ... .

42'

[ .... ] ....

34'

35'

r

36'

37'

r.... ]

38'

39'

last part of the night, the moon was in [front of .... ] Jupiter [.... ]

43'

[ .... ] ....

44'

[ .... ] .... [ .... ]

Date The date of this text is easily established by several planetary summaries.

No. -2 83 :{04

No. -2 8 3 (= R m A: BM :1:1so.5

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No. -283

305

No. -283 A:

Obv.

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

Year 28, Seleucus. Month VII, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), [sunset to moonset:] 12+[x]°, [cloud]s 1 , I did not watch[ .... ) The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 3° 10'; I did not watch. Night of the 14th, moonrise to sunset: [x]+50'; I did not watch.[ .... ] Night of the 15th, sunset to moonrise: 30'; I did not watch. The 15th, Saturn's [last appearance] in Scorpius. [The nnth, Jupiter's] last appearance in Scorpius; I did not watch. The 27th, Mercury's last appearance in the west, omitted [.... ] watch. The 30th, Mars' first appearance in Libra; rising of Mars to sunrise: 19°; (ideal) first appearance on the 21st. That month, the equivalent [(for 1 shekel of silver was): barley, .... ] dates, 3 pan; mustard, 1 kur; cress, [x] + 1 pan; sesame, 4 sut; wool, 4 minas. At that time, Jupiter and Saturn, which had set, were not visible; Mercury's last appearance in the west, omitted;

Rev. 1 2

3

Venus was in Sagittarius; the 30th, Mars' first appearance in Libra. Month VIII, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), sunset to moonset: 17°; it could be seen while the sun stood there. Year 28, Seleucus.

Upper edge Year 28, kings Seleucus and Antioch us.

B:

Obv.' Year 28, Seleucus and Ant[iochus .... ] 2 [nn fin]gers, Mercury being a little high to the north [.... ] 3 [ .... ] .... cubits. Night of the 6th, last part of the night, thin clouds were in the sky. The 6th, [.... ] 4 [the moon was] 1 1/2 cubits behind (X Arietis ....

No. -281

:l06

ri

Ii

-,

jx 1 DIR AN ZA UEn 12 HAO OE., sin r x 1 [ . . . . ] [.... [ 7' lx]~l1R