http://SaturnianCosmology.Org/ mirrored file For complete access to all the files of this collection see http://SaturnianCosmology.org/search.php ========================================================== *Illustration Gallery* *Astronomical Artefacts and Portraits, etc* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *The illustrations on this page have been compiled from a variety of sources. If advised that copyright has been infringed I will immediately remove the particular illustration(s).* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Return To Section Index Page* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Drawing of Babylonian star calendar fragment Sm. 162 (from CT 33 11) in the British Museum. Multiple fragments of late second millennium circular star calendars are in the British Museum collection. Unfortunately some of these fragments can no longer be located within the collection of cuneiform material. Above is a late 19th-century drawing by the British Assyriologist Theophilus Pinches of the obverse and reverse sides of the circular star calendar fragment SM 162 from Nineveh. It is on display in the British Museum, London. (These circular star calendars are popularly but erroneously called "astrolabes" or "planispheres" but correctly are calendars and have the Babylonian title "the stars, three of each.") (See CT 33, Plate 12.) The star calendars are an example of simple mathematical astronomy. Their functions are to: (1) correlate the heliacal risings of chosen stars with calendar dates; and (2) set out a numerical system for estimating the changing length of day hours and night hours throughout the year. SM 162 is a copy of an older text. The text in the British Museum is a copy by Nabű-zuqup-k?nu. He was a scribe who flourished during the reigns of Sargon II (720-704 BCE) and Sennacherib (703-680 BCE). The information contained on SM 162 probably dates back to circa 1100 BCE. Three circular star calendar fragments are briefly described in the "Catalogue of the Cuneiform Tablets of the Kouyunjik Collection of the British Museum" by Carl Bezold (5 Volumes; 1889-1899): The description of Fragment Sm. 162 (in Volume IV. Page 1385) is: "Portion of the section of a sphere or astrolabe, 2 9/16 in. by 2 in.; 7/8 in. high. The flat side is inscribed with the names of the months, names and figures of certain stars and numbers of certain degrees." (See also CT 33 11.) The description of Fragment Number 83-1-18, 608 (Page 1904) is: "Portion of a sphere or astrolabe, 2 3/8 in. by 1 5/16 in.; 5/8 in. high. The flat side appears to have been inscribed with the names and figures of certain stars." (See also CT 33 12.) The description of Fragment Number 81-07-27, 94 (Page 1803) is: "Portion of a sphere or astrolabe, 3 3/4 in. by 2 1/8 in.; 1 in. high. The flat side appears to have been inscribed with the names of the months, and names and figures of certain stars." A 1934 reconstruction of a Babylonian circular star calendar by the German Assyriologist Albert Schott.. The circular star calendar was divided into 36 individual sectors comprising 3 concentric circles (rings) each divided by 12 radial segments. The stars of Ea comprise the outer circle (ring); the stars of Anu comprise the middle circle (ring); and the stars of Enlil comprise the inner circle (ring). The 12 radial segments represent the 12 months of the year. The names of each month of the year, from Nisan to Adar, appear in clockwise order in the outer circle segments. Examples of star calendars from the late second millennium BCE are known to us in both circular format and list format. The circular format is the earlier. It appears likely that the circular star calendars originated as early as the Old Babylonian Period (and certainly no later than the Middle Babylonian Period, possibly originating circa 1150 BCE earliest). The Mesopotamian star calendars had the function of identifying "stars" that rose (ideally) each month in the Paths of Ea, Anu, and Enlil. Each month was marked by 3 calendar "stars" (one lying in each of the star Paths of Ea, Anu, and Enlil) with the year being marked by a total of 36 calendar "stars." Each of the 36 stars marked one-third of an ideal month (of 30 days length). This enabled the Mesopotamians to know when the lunar months were shifting out of correlation with the seasons. The numbering system on the star calendars, that has values assigned to each of the month-stars, relates to a system for calculating the length of day hours and night hours over the ideal 12-month calendar year. (The presence of some planets as month-stars suggests that the star calendars had been intended to predict heliacal risings for a single year.) The reverse side contains text (illustrated in one section by a geometrical figure) that seems to be related to HS 245 (formerly designated HS 229 but more commonly known as the "Hilprecht Text"). A number of stars and constellations are listed (Moon and Stars, Bull, Arrow, Yoke, Scorpion, and Habasiranu) and their "positions" described in a way that suggests a mathematical problem. Johannes Koch in his book /Neue Untersuchungen zur Topographie des babylonischen Fixsternhimmels/ suggests that the circular astrolabe was used as a graphic aide-mémoire. It was turned counterclockwise, the dividing line on the right side representing the eastern horizon. (The horizon at least, if not the actual sky, was divided into the Paths of Ea, Anu, and Enlil.) The stars of Enlil would rise in the north, the stars of Anu would rise in the centre, and the stars of Ea would rise in the south. Copyright © 2001-2006 by Gary D. Thompson ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Return to top of page.* <#top> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This Web Page was last updated on: Saturday, September 30, 2006, 10:00 pm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This Web Page was created using Arachnophilia 4.0 and FrontPage 2003. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ You can reach me here by email: gtosiris.mpx.com.au ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Return To Site Contents Page*