Position in chronology
SAA 08 057. New Moon on 1st Day (RMA 043) [lunar]
Translation · reference
High confidence(1) [If the moon] at its appearance wears a crown: [the kin]g will reach the highest rank; [the land] will dwell as if in pastures near the city. (4) — [The moon] will wear a crown when it is seen. (5) If the moon's right horn at its appearance pierces the sky: there will be stable prices in the land; a revolt will be staged in the Westland. (r 1) "Its right horn pierces the sky," as it says, means it will slip into the sky and will not be seen; dir is "to slip," said of a horn. (r 5) At the appearance of the moon its right horn (signifies) the Westland. (r 6) If the moon becomes visible on the 1st day: good for Akkad, bad for Elam and the Westland. (r 8) The moon will be seen with the sun on the 14th day. (r 10) From Nabû-ahhe-eriba.
Source: Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336388/
Why it matters
Transliteration
[1 30] ina IGI.LAL-šú AGA a-pi-ir / ⸢LUGAL⸣ a-šá-ri-du-tú DU-ak / [KUR] a-bur-riš uš-šab / [d30 ina] na-mu-ri-šú a-gu-u ep-pi-ir-ma / 1 30 ina IGI.LAL-šú SI ZAG-šú AN-ú ṭe-rat / KI.LAM ke-e-nu ina KUR GÁL-ši / na-áš-kun ḪI.GAR ina KUR—MAR.TU.KI GÁL-ši / qar-nu ZAG-šú AN-ú ṭe-rat / ša iq-bu-u-ni / ina šá-me-e i-ḫal-lu-up-ma la in-na-mir / DIRI ḫa-la-pu / ša qar-ni / d30 ina IGI.LAL-šú SI ZAG-šú…
Scholarly note
Astrological report from a court scholar to an Assyrian king, edited by Hermann Hunger (SAA 8, 1992). Celestial and meteorological observation correlated with omens. ORACC text P336388.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P336388). source
Translation excerpted from Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336388/.
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