In a chilling warning inscribed on ancient clay tablets, the Babylonians foretold that a lunar eclipse would herald the death of a king. These tablets, recently translated by archaeologists Andrew George and Junko Taniguchi, represent the oldest-known compilation of lunar eclipse omens from the ancient civilization of Babylonia, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries BCE.
Glimpse into Babylonian Astrology
For over a century, these precious artifacts have been housed at the British Museum, preserving the astrological beliefs of an ancient culture. The newly translated texts, discovered on four tablets, reveal 61 omens that offer a rare glimpse into the sophisticated astrological system of Old Babylonia, an era when celestial events were believed to be divine messages.
Role of Astronomers and Advisors
Four thousand years ago, Babylonian astronomers meticulously tracked the movements of the Moon and planets, convinced that these celestial bodies were controlled by the gods and could foretell the future. The king’s advisors, responsible for interpreting these omens, played a crucial role in protecting the monarchy from potential threats.
“The observation of celestial portents was a serious business for the body politic,” explain George and Taniguchi. “In the later periods, there is ample evidence to show that astrological observation was part of an elaborate method of protecting the king and regulating his behavior in conformity with the wishes of the gods.”
Decoding the Omens
The translated omens outline an organized ‘warning’ system, detailing how the time of night, the day, the month, the movement of Earth’s shadow, and the duration of the eclipse could predict specific outcomes. For example, an eclipse observed during the morning watch “signifies the end of a dynasty,” while one during the evening watch “signifies pestilence.”
The inscriptions also include warnings of political upheaval and natural disasters, such as “a king’s brother will seize the throne in a revolt,” “rain will be cut off from the sky,” and “constant devastation by the (storm) god.” Some prophecies were even more specific, like one predicting that “a dog will go mad and nobody whom it bites, whether male or female, will survive.”
Astrological Significance and Rituals
When an ominous prediction was made, the king’s advisors would conduct rituals to determine the extent of the threat and to banish any evil spirits. If the danger was deemed significant, further rituals were performed to protect the king and the kingdom from the predicted disaster.
These recently translated tablets provide a rare insight into one of the earliest organized systems of astrology in the world. While other collections of eclipse omens from Old Babylonia have been found, this newly translated set is unique in its specificity, particularly regarding lunar eclipses.
The study, published in the Journal of Cuneiform Studies, sheds light on the complex and deeply ingrained belief systems of the Babylonians, who saw the night sky as a canvas on which the gods painted their messages.
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