Astrolabe B
Astrolab B, Astrolab-B (also Sumerian , Babylonian and Assyrian calendars ) is the scientific name of a Mesopotamian compilation that lists the astronomical positions of planets , stars and constellations in an annual calendar on cuneiform tablets .
origin
As early as the 3rd millennium BC, Sumerian inscriptions Chr. Stars and constellations identified and equated with the main deities. In the following epochs, their visibility in the night sky determined the religious cults and processions . The Sumerian name MUL was used as a unit term for today's terms planet / star / constellation, since the sparkling planets were viewed as stars and the constellations consist of the individual stars .
MUL was placed in front of the named object as a determinative , for example MUL BAN ( bow ) for the constellation of the Big Dog . The Sumerian names were adopted almost unchanged by the later dynasties and neighboring countries and only adapted to the respective temporal viewing conditions in the calendar.
MUL.APIN boards
The Assyrian MUL.APIN clay tablets date back to 2300 BC. BC to 687 BC And contain the lists of the heliacal rising of the constellations in the sky. They were always created in three sentences and used until around 300 BC. Duplicated as needed. The astrophysicist Bradley Schaefer assumes that many of the constellations of this MUL.APIN were used by the Greek astronomer, mathematician and physicist Eudoxos of Knidos for his cataloging work.
Bradley Schaefer examined the period 1460 BC by statistical analysis of 190 observations. BC to 1290 BC He chose the city of Assur as the observation site, as he believed that historical records were at 36.3 ° to 33.9 ° north latitude. Previously, Schaefer had examined the Eudoxos data in the same way, and found the same results within the statistical uncertainty.
The stars assigned to the MUL.APIN tables are occasionally not to be regarded as secure. In addition, it must be noted that heliacal evening rises were sometimes noted. In addition, there are shifts in the months due to the rising times, since the celestial objects have constant times within a period of 100 years regardless of a calendar.
In the example year 1365 BC The 1st of Nisanu fell on April 1st and was about a week before the latest possible beginning of the month. 1364 BC Some of the observations were postponed to the next month according to the Assyrian calendar. In order to be able to make reliable statements, the heliacal risings from different epochs must be examined.
MUL.APIN path of the moon
In MUL.APIN series 1, section 8, the path of the moon represents the annual lunar orbit , which is based on the Babylonian lunar calendar .
| No. | MUL name | translation | Constellation | Main star | Belonging God |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MUL.MUL | Lots of stars | Pleiades (bull) | Alkiones | Anu |
| 2 | GU 4 .AN.NA | Celestial bull | bull | Aldebaran | Anu |
| 3 | SIPA.AN.NA | Faithful Shepherd of Heaven | Orion | Rigel | Anu |
| 4th | ŠU.GI | Charioteer | Perseus | Mirfak | Enlil |
| 5 | GAM | Carter | Capella | Enlil | |
| 6th | MAŠ.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL | Big twins | Twins | Wasat | Enlil |
| 7th | AL.LU | cancer | cancer | Asellus australis | Enlil |
| 8th | UR.GU.LA | lion | lion | Regulus | Enlil |
| 9 | AB-SIN | Seed furrow | Virgin | Spica | Sala |
| 10 | RIN | Libra | Libra | Zuben-el-dschenubi | Anu |
| 11 | GIR.TAB | Scorpio | Scorpio | Antares | Ea |
| 12 | PA.BIL.SAG | Shine of god | Sagittarius and Snake Bearer | Nunki | Ea |
| 13 | SUḪUR.MEŠ | Goat fish | Capricorn | Deneb Algedi | Ea |
| 14th | GU.LA | giant | Aquarius | Hydor (λ Aquarii) | Ea |
| 15th | KUN MUŠ | Fish tails | fishes | ??? | Ea |
| 16 | SIM.MAḪ | Sublime swallow | fishes | λ Piscium | Anu |
| 17th | Dingir anunitu | Ištar from Sippar | Eastern fish | ζ Piscium | Anu |
| 18th | LU HUN.GA | Rental workers | Aries | Botein | Anu |
MUL.APIN visibilities (morning rises)
In the case of heliacal rising and setting it should be noted that the twilight times are much shorter than those in Central Europe. On average, the time between sunset and onset of darkness is around thirty minutes in winter and up to fifty minutes in summer. This gives an average of forty minutes and means that most stars are visible one hour before sunrise or one hour after sunset. In the case of very weak objects, a further thirty minutes (summer) may have to be added.
| MUL name | translation | Visible in 1365 BC Chr. | date | Beginning of the month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajaru | ||||
| MUL.MUL (Pleiades) | Lots of stars | 01. Ajjaru (+ 17 °) | 1st of May | 1st of May |
| Simanu | ||||
| SIPA.AN.NA (Rigel) | faithful shepherd of heaven | 10. Simanu (+ 3 °) | 8th June | 30th May |
| MAŠ.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL | great twins | 10. Simanu (+ 10 °) | 8th June | 30th May |
| You'uzu | ||||
| KAK.SI.SA (Sirius) | Sea muller | 15. Du'zu (+ 10 °) | July 13th | June 29th |
| UR.GU.LA (Regulus) | lioness | 15. Du'zu (+ 4 °) | July 13th | June 29th |
| MAŠ | Snake | 15. Du'zu (+ 15 °) | July 13th | June 29th |
| Ululu | ||||
| NUN.KI (Nunki) | Fish of the Abzu | 10. Ululu ( - 72 ° lowest point below the horizon ) | September 4th | 26th of August |
| UGA.MUŠ.EN | Crow | 10. Ululu (+ 17 °) | September 4th | 26th of August |
| ŠU.PA (Arcturus) | Sky Guardian | 15. Ululu (+ 13 °) | the 9th of September | 26th of August |
| AB.SIN (Spica) | Seed furrow | 25. Ululu (+ 17 °) | September 19th | 26th of August |
| Tašritu | ||||
| UR.DIM | wolf | 15. Tašritu (+ 4 °) | 9th October | 25th of September |
| RIN | Libra | 15. Tašritu (+ 17 °) | 9th October | 25th of September |
| EN.TE.NA.BAR.HUM | wild boar | 15. Tašritu ( - 9 °, below the horizon ) | 9th October | 25th of September |
| UR.KU | Sitting dog | 15. Tašritu (+ 17 °) | 9th October | 25th of September |
Organizational principle of the Astrolab-B compilation
The night sky was divided into three sections, which were subordinate to the chief Sumerian deities Anu , Enlil and Enki . Each deity was given twelve month names for their area of supervision . Each month consisted of three alternating gods' weeks , each lasting ten days. A celestial object was assigned to the corresponding deity for a week. This resulted in 36 MUL objects .
Special scientific attention was given to the fact that today's twelve-month astronomical zodiac constellations correspond to nine of twelve Sumerian months with their names and divisions unchanged.
The Astrolabe-B divisions
The following classifications and visibilities were made around 1100 BC. Created by Tukulti-apil-Ešarra I. The author of the cuneiform tablets expressly points out that these are the times of the heliacal rising of the celestial objects. This means either the common rise with the sun at dawn or the rise with the simultaneously setting sun at dusk.
It is important to consider the fact that the new day in the Mesopotamian cultures began with the setting of the sun at dusk and that morning rises mark the middle of the day, depending on the season. In contrast, in ancient Egypt , for example, the day began at dawn. The assignments in Astrolabe B must therefore be taken into account with regard to the changed day counts.
The Astrolabe-B visibilities (morning rises)
Depending on the brightness of the object and the time of year, the sighting of the common rise can only take place if faint stars or constellations appear on the horizon at least one hour before the actual sunrise . The actual ascents show the clearly earlier calendar origin in Sumerian times, as the constellation dates no longer match. At the time of Hesiod , the heliacal early sunset of the Pleiades on November 3rd was used in the latitudes of Greece in a similar way for calendar classifications.
| MUL name | translation | Celestial object | Remarks | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nisannu , good start, installation of the king | ||||
| IKU (Enki week) | Field | Pegasus | Upper Pegasus square | 7th March |
| DILI.BAT (Anu week) | Mistress of the gods | Venus | Ruler of the seven main deities | |
| APIN (Enlil Week) | plow | Triangulum | ||
| Ajaru , wet floor opening, harnessing the cattle | ||||
| MUL.MUL | Tufts of hair | Pleiades | God of seven | May 9 |
| ŠU.GI | Charioteer | Perseus | 11 April | |
| ANU.NI.TUM | Holy Temple of Anu | Pegasus | ||
| Simanu , brick molds for the king, residents build houses / huts | ||||
| SIPA.ZI.AN.NA | faithful shepherd of heaven | Orion | God of seven | 18th of June |
| UR.A | lioness | lion | 3rd August | |
| MUŠ | Snake | Hydra | ||
| Dumuzi , fettering of Dumuzi, late sowing | ||||
| KAK.SI.SA | Sea lance | Water snake | God of Seven as KAK.TAG.GA (sky arrow) | July 9 |
| MAŠ.TAB.BA | little twins | Twins | c and ν 18 from the constellation Gemini | |
| U.AL.TAR | Signal transmitter | Jupiter | ||
| Abum , ignition of the brazier , month of Bilgamesh | ||||
| BAN | arc | Big dog | God of seven | |
| MAŠ.TAB.BA.GAL | great twins | Twins | 25th June | |
| MAR.GID.DA | Trucks | Big car | ||
| Ululu , purification of the Inanna in the Ordal River | ||||
| BIR | kidney | Canopus | Symbolically, Nanna too | |
| UGA | Crow | Crow | ||
| ŠU.PA | Sky Guardian | Bear keeper | God of seven | September 23rd |
| Tašritu , victims of years of first-fruits for the open brazier (KI.NU.NU) | ||||
| NIN.MAH | Celebration of the mountain star | Sails of the ship | Equation to Inanna | |
| ZI.BA.NI.TUM | Libra | Libra | ||
| EN-TE-NA-BAR.GUZ | Mistress of? | centaur | ||
| Araḫsamna , hoe and plow in dispute, harvest festival 2nd seed | ||||
| UR.DIM | wolf | Snake | ||
| GIR.TAP | Scorpio | Scorpio | God of seven ; Star of Išhara | November 12th |
| HA.NIŠ | ? | Alpha Centauri | November 24th | |
| Kislimu , abundance and abundance, month of Nergal | ||||
| SAL.BAT.ANU | Wild sky fire | Mars | ||
| U.KA.TUH.A | Panther | swan | With Cepheus | |
| UZ | goat | lyre | ||
| Tebetu , inundation of the valleys, terrible splendor of the Inanna | ||||
| GU.LA | giant | Aquarius | Lucky star of the king | January 29th |
| AL.LUL | cancer | To fill | ||
| A.MUŠEN | Eagle | Eagle | 15th December | |
| Sabatu , steppe herbs, month of wild pigeons and eagles | ||||
| NU.MUŠ.DA | Swarm | crane | ||
| ŠIM.MAH | swallow | Pegasus | ||
| DA.MU | ? | dolphin | ||
| Addaru , filling the steppe ducks | ||||
| KU | fish | Southern fish | ||
| KU.A | The one above | lyre | God of seven | |
| AMAR.DU | Marduk | Southern fish | Star of Marduk | |
The seasons in connection with the astrolabe B
autumn
Grape and fig harvest
Autumn was considered the time of sowing . The grape and fig harvest was mostly carried out between August and October. The old oriental proverb When August comes, cut the grapes documents the main activity in August. During this time, the grapes and figs require constant observation, as the incoming migratory birds (see also bee-eater ) would otherwise have endangered the harvest. Therefore, the inhabitants built small reed houses and in forest areas of Tabernacles named and inhabited this through to the end of the vine and fig harvest.
In the Old Testament , that time is also referred to as living under the vine and the fig tree . The stay in the huts ended in Mesopotamian regions with the grape festival : in October the grapes and figs pass . In the Gezer calendar , the months of September and October are also known as the months of retreat . In Greece this time corresponds to October and November as the festival of pyanepsy ( salvage of all crops ).
Wheat seeds
In the Aramaic work Contest of Wheat with Gold , which is of Mesopotamian origin , the following is reported: Wheat says that it now wants to be sown in autumn and autumn and means the two-month sowing in October and November by the double mention of autumn and autumn .
Migratory birds
At the time of sowing, the star appeared in large swarms and fed on the grain seeds. Since they were assessed as a good omen for the harvest when they appeared in particularly high numbers, they were sown in higher quantities, which fulfilled the omen itself. The stork , also known as the April flyer , served as a snake devourer . The passage of the crane usually signaled the time of the impending rain in October.
The same applied to the appearance of the swallows and the lovebirds , which later started their return journey with the stork. The quail also appeared in swarms and fed on the olives ready for harvest . Its peak season began in late August and lasted until early October before moving on to the Egyptian coast . As a culinary specialty, the quails were caught in high nets.
literature
- Otto Kaiser : Texts from the environment of the Old Testament , Vol. 1 (Old Series), Gütersloher Verlagshaus, Gütersloh 1994
- Dietz-Otto Edzard and a .: Real Lexicon of Assyriology and Near Eastern Archeology , Vol. 3 , de Gruyter, Berlin 1971, ISBN 3-11-003705-X , pp. 74-75
- Wayne Horowitz : Mesopotamian cosmic geography . Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake 1998, ISBN 0-931464-99-4
- Jean Meeus : Astronomical algorithms with applications for "Ephemeris Tool 4,5" , Barth, Leipzig 2000, ISBN 3-335-00400-0
Web links
- Explanation of MUL.APIN tablets by Gary D. Thompson
- "The Mul.Apin Tablets" by Dr. Shepherd Simpson ( October 25, 2009 memento on WebCite )
- "Cuneiform texts from the Mul.apin tablets of the British Museum"
- Representation of the astrolabe B
Notes and evidence
- ↑ Braedley E. Schaefer: The Latitude and Epoch for the Origin of the Astronomical Lore in MUL.APIN., AAS / AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 210, May 2007, # 42.05, bibcode : 2007AAS ... 210.4205S
- ↑ Wayne Horowitz: Mesopotamian cosmic geography . Pp. 170-171.
- ↑ Name assignment of Dr. Shepherd Simpson
- ↑ The moment of the actual sunrise was chosen as the time of the degree calculations.
- ↑ a b Observation site Assur 1365 BC BC, date conversion with correction of 13 days compared to the proleptic Julian calendar information in the Gregorian calendar; Calculation program Ephemeris Tool 4.5 , cf. on this Jean Meeus Astronomical Algorithms with Applications for "Ephemeris Tool 4,5" , Barth, Leipzig 2000.
- ↑ Publication series Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft : Otto Schröder: Cuneiform texts from Assur with various contents (KAV), No. 218 , Zeller, Osnabrück 1970
- ↑ Observation site Babylon 1100 BC BC, date conversion with correction of 11 days compared to the proleptic Julian calendar information in the Gregorian calendar; Calculation program Ephemeris Tool 4.5 , cf. on this Jean Meeus Astronomical Algorithms with Applications for "Ephemeris Tool 4,5" , Barth, Leipzig 2000.
- ↑ 1 Kings 5.5; 2 Kings 18:31