Heavenly Writing: Divination and Horoscopy, and Astronomy in Mesopotamian Culture (2004)(en)(330s)

This book examines the various ways the heavens were studied and understood in ancient Mesopotamia. HALF-TITLE 3 TITLE 5 COPYRIGHT 6 DEDICATION 7 CONTENTS 9 PREFACE 11 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 19 ABBREVIATIONS 21 CHRONOLOGICAL REFERENCES AND AKKADIAN AND ASTRONOMICAL TERMINOLOGY 25 CHRONOLOGY OF ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIAN HISTORICAL PERIODS 25 CHRONOLOGY OF MESOPOTAMIAN HISTORY AND THE PERIODIZATION OF CUNEIFORM TABLETS 25 TYPOGRAPHY OF SUMERIAN AND AKKADIAN WORDS 26 AKKADIAN MONTHS (STANDARD BABYLONIAN/LATE BABYLONIAN LOGOGRAPHIC SPELLINGS) 26 NAMES OF ZODIACAL SIGNS (LATE BABYLONIAN SPELLINGS) 27 AKKADIAN NAMES OF THE PLANETS (STANDARD BABYLONIAN/LATE BABYLONIAN LOGOGRAPHIC SPELLINGS) 27 THE GREEK LETTER PHENOMENA 27 Outer Planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars) 27 Inner Planets (Venus, Mercury) 28 THE HEAVENLY WRITING 29 PROLOGUE 31 1 THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF MESOPOTAMIAN SCIENCE 44 1.1 THE RECEPTION OF BABYLONIAN ASTRONOMY INTO THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE 45 1.2 PHILOSOPHICAL INFLUENCES 59 1.2.1 Practical Knowledge: The Epistemological Problem 60 1.2.2 Religious Aims: The Pragmatic Problem 65 2 CELESTIAL DIVINATION IN CONTEXT 74 2.1 AN INTRODUCTION TO MESOPOTAMIAN SCHOLARLY DIVINATION 74 2.2 A DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY OF THE “UNPROVOKED” OMEN TEXTS 96 2.2.1 Celestial Omens (Enmacronma Anu Enlil) 96 2.2.2 Terrestrial Omens (Summa Alu) 108 2.2.3 Dream Omens (Ziqiqu) 111 2.2.4 Physiognomic Omens (Alamdimmu) 117 2.2.5 Malformed Birth Omens (Summa Izbu) 118 2.2.6 Medical Diagnostic Omens (SA.GIG/Sakikku) 122 3 PERSONAL CELESTIAL DIVINATION: THE BABYLONIAN HOROSCOPES 128 4 SOURCES FOR HOROSCOPES IN ASTRONOMICAL TEXTS 151 4.1 ASTRONOMICAL ELEMENTS OF THE HOROSCOPES 153 4.1.1 The Ecliptic 153 4.1.1.1 The Zodiac 156 4.1.1.2 Norming of the Zodiac 161 4.1.2 The Sun 163 4.1.3 The Moon 164 4.1.3.1 Daily Motion 164 4.1.3.2 Synodic Motion 165 4.1.3.3 Eclipses 168 4.1.3.4 Latitude 170 4.1.4 The Planets 172 4.1.4.1 Synodic Phenomena 173 4.1.4.2 Daily Motion 174 4.2 ASTRONOMICAL SOURCES FOR HOROSCOPES 175 4.2.1 Astronomical Diaries 177 4.2.2 Goal-Year Texts 181 4.2.3 Almanacs and Normal Star Almanacs 183 4.2.4 Ephemerides 187 5 SOURCES FOR HOROSCOPES IN THE EARLY ASTROLOGICAL TRADITION 194 5.1 THE IDEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 194 5.2 CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE PHENOMENA AS SIGNS 195 5.3 THE AUTHORITATIVE CHARACTER OF THE CELESTIAL SIGNS 211 5.4 DIVINE–HUMAN RELATIONS 215 5.5 PERSONAL CELESTIAL DIVINATION 232 6 THE SCRIBES AND SCHOLARS OF MESOPOTAMIAN CELESTIAL SCIENCE 239 6.1 THE SCRIBES, SCHOLARSHIP, AND KNOWLEDGE 240 6.2 THE SCRIBES OF ENUMA ANU ENLIL 249 7 THE CLASSIFICATION OF MESOPOTAMIAN CELESTIAL INQUIRY AS SCIENCE 267 7.1 THE EVIDENCE OF TRANSMISSION 267 7.2 A CONSIDERATION OF CRITERIA 274 7.3 THE FOUNDATIONS OF MESOPOTAMIAN SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE: THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL CRITERION 276 7.3.1 The Empirical Character of Objects of Mesopotamian Scientific Knowledge 277 7.3.2 Omens are Not “Observation Statements” 286 7.3.3 Observables in Mesopotamian Divination 289 7.3.4 A Brief Look at Babylonian Astronomical Observations 291 7.4 THE AIM OF PREDICTION: THE PRAGMATIC CRITERION 295 7.4.1 The Case of Celestial Divination 295 7.4.2 The Case of Astronomy 303 7.4.3 Questions About Theory 306 EPILOGUE 317 BIBLIOGRAPHY 331 NAME INDEX 353 Akkadian Personal Names 354 Divine Names 355 Geographical Names 355 SUBJECT INDEX 356 HALF-TITLE......Page 3 TITLE......Page 5 COPYRIGHT......Page 6 DEDICATION......Page 7 CONTENTS......Page 9 PREFACE......Page 11 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 19 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 21 CHRONOLOGY OF MESOPOTAMIAN HISTORY AND THE PERIODIZATION OF CUNEIFORM TABLETS......Page 25 AKKADIAN MONTHS (STANDARD BABYLONIAN/LATE BABYLONIAN LOGOGRAPHIC SPELLINGS)......Page 26 Outer Planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars)......Page 27 Inner Planets (Venus, Mercury)......Page 28 THE HEAVENLY WRITING......Page 29 PROLOGUE......Page 31 1 THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF MESOPOTAMIAN SCIENCE......Page 44 1.1 THE RECEPTION OF BABYLONIAN ASTRONOMY INTO THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE......Page 45 1.2 PHILOSOPHICAL INFLUENCES......Page 59 1.2.1 Practical Knowledge: The Epistemological Problem......Page 60 1.2.2 Religious Aims: The Pragmatic Problem......Page 65 2.1 AN INTRODUCTION TO MESOPOTAMIAN SCHOLARLY DIVINATION......Page 74 2.2.1 Celestial Omens (Enmacronma Anu Enlil)......Page 96 2.2.2 Terrestrial Omens (Summa Alu)......Page 108 2.2.3 Dream Omens (Ziqiqu)......Page 111 2.2.4 Physiognomic Omens (Alamdimmu)......Page 117 2.2.5 Malformed Birth Omens (Summa Izbu)......Page 118 2.2.6 Medical Diagnostic Omens (SA.GIG/Sakikku)......Page 122 3 PERSONAL CELESTIAL DIVINATION: THE BABYLONIAN HOROSCOPES......Page 128 4 SOURCES FOR HOROSCOPES IN ASTRONOMICAL TEXTS......Page 151 4.1.1 The Ecliptic......Page 153 4.1.1.1 The Zodiac......Page 156 4.1.1.2 Norming of the Zodiac......Page 161 4.1.2 The Sun......Page 163 4.1.3.1 Daily Motion......Page 164 4.1.3.2 Synodic Motion......Page 165 4.1.3.3 Eclipses......Page 168 4.1.3.4 Latitude......Page 170 4.1.4 The Planets......Page 172 4.1.4.1 Synodic Phenomena......Page 173 4.1.4.2 Daily Motion......Page 174 4.2 ASTRONOMICAL SOURCES FOR HOROSCOPES......Page 175 4.2.1 Astronomical Diaries......Page 177 4.2.2 Goal-Year Texts......Page 181 4.2.3 Almanacs and Normal Star Almanacs......Page 183 4.2.4 Ephemerides......Page 187 5.1 THE IDEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND......Page 194 5.2 CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE PHENOMENA AS SIGNS......Page 195 5.3 THE AUTHORITATIVE CHARACTER OF THE CELESTIAL SIGNS......Page 211 5.4 DIVINE–HUMAN RELATIONS......Page 215 5.5 PERSONAL CELESTIAL DIVINATION......Page 232 6 THE SCRIBES AND SCHOLARS OF MESOPOTAMIAN CELESTIAL SCIENCE......Page 239 6.1 THE SCRIBES, SCHOLARSHIP, AND KNOWLEDGE......Page 240 6.2 THE SCRIBES OF ENUMA ANU ENLIL......Page 249 7.1 THE EVIDENCE OF TRANSMISSION......Page 267 7.2 A CONSIDERATION OF CRITERIA......Page 274 7.3 THE FOUNDATIONS OF MESOPOTAMIAN SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE: THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL CRITERION......Page 276 7.3.1 The Empirical Character of Objects of Mesopotamian Scientific Knowledge......Page 277 7.3.2 Omens are Not “Observation Statements”......Page 286 7.3.3 Observables in Mesopotamian Divination......Page 289 7.3.4 A Brief Look at Babylonian Astronomical Observations......Page 291 7.4.1 The Case of Celestial Divination......Page 295 7.4.2 The Case of Astronomy......Page 303 7.4.3 Questions About Theory......Page 306 EPILOGUE......Page 317 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 331 NAME INDEX......Page 353 Akkadian Personal Names......Page 354 Geographical Names......Page 355 SUBJECT INDEX......Page 356 "The Heavenly Writing discusses Babylonian celestial divination, horoscopy, and astronomy, the differentiations and interconnections within them, and their place in Mesopotamian intellectual culture. Focusing chiefly on celestial divination and horoscopes, it traces the emergence of personal astrology from the tradition of celestial divination and the way astronomical methods were employed for horoscopes. It further takes up the historiographical and philosophical issue of the nature of these Mesopotamian "celestial sciences" by examining elements traditionally of concern to the philosophy of science (empiricism, prediction, and theory) in relation to the Babylonian material without sacrificing the ancient methods, goals, and interests to a modern image of science." "This book will be of particular interest to those concerned with the early history of science and the problems introduced by modern distinctions among science, magic, and religion for the study and understanding of ancient cultures."--BOOK JACKET In antiquity, the expertise of the Babylonians in matters of the heavens was legendary and the roots of both western astronomy and astrology are traceable in cuneiform tablets going back to the second and first millennia BC. The Heavenly Writing, first publsiehd in 2004, discusses the place of Babylonian celestial divination, horoscopy, and astronomy in Mesopotamian intellectual culture. Focusing chiefly on celestial divination and horoscopes, it traces the emergence of personal astrology from the tradition of celestial divination and the use of astronomical methods in horoscopes. It further takes up the historiographical and philosophical issue of the nature of these Mesopotamian'celestial sciences'by examining elements traditionally of concern to the philosophy of science, without sacrificing the ancient methods, goals, and interests to a modern image of science. This book will be of particular interest to those concerned with the early history of science. In antiquity, the expertise of the Babylonians in matters of the heavens was legendary and the roots of both western astronomy and astrology are traceable in cuneiform tablets going back to the second and first millennia BC. The Heavenly Writing discusses the place of Babylonian celestial divination, horoscopy, and astronomy in Mesopotamian intellectual culture. Focusing chiefly on celestial divination and horoscopes, it traces the emergence of personal astrology from the tradition of celestial divination and the use of astronomical methods in horoscopes. It further takes up the historiographical and philosophical issue of the nature of these Mesopotamian 'celestial sciences' by examining elements traditionally of concern to the philosophy of science, without sacrificing the ancient methods, goals, and interests to a modern image of science. This book will be of particular interest to those concerned with the early history of science IF SCIENCE HAS A UNIVERSAL ASPECT UNDERLYING ANY AND ALL its manifestations in human culture, then a reappraisal of the nature of scientific inquiry should pertain in some measure to modern and to Babylonian science alike.