Sumerian·Book

Position in chronology

SAA 08 243. Snake Omens (CT 40 021) [terrestrial]

~670 BCE·Neo-Assyrian·P336152

Translation · reference

High confidence
(1) If a snake is seen in a temple: the offerings of that temple will continue for a long time. (3) If a snake keeps scaring (people) in a temple: angry gods will return to the country. (5) If a snake is seen in the temple of Ištar: there will be a food-offering of Ištar. (r 1) If a snake [...] in the temple of Ištar: that temple [...]. (r 3) These are the pertinent omens.

Source: Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336152/

Why it matters

Transliteration

1 MUŠ ina É—DINGIR IGI É—DINGIR ⸢BI⸣ / zi-ir-qú-šú uš-ta-bar-ru-ú / 1 MUŠ ina É—DINGIR up-ta-nar-rad / DINGIR-MEŠ šab-su-ti ana KUR GUR-MEŠ-ni / 1 MUŠ ina É—dINNIN IGI-ir / PAD.dINNIN dINNIN GÁL-⸢ši⸣ / 1 MUŠ ina É—d⸢INNIN⸣ [x x x x] / É—DINGIR BI ⸢x⸣+[x x x x] / an-nu-ti MU-MEŠ šá ina UGU-ḫi / qur-bu-u-ni

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 P336152.

Attribution

Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P336152). 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/P336152/.

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