GU4.AN.NA - Revision history

YoulaAzkarrula at 06:27, 20 May 2026

2026-05-20T06:27:19Z

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	[[Category:Mesopotamian]]		[[Category:Mesopotamian]]
	[[Category:Constellation]]		[[Category:Constellation]] [[Category:Asterism]]
	[[Category:West Asian]]		[[Category:West Asian]] [[Category:Asian]]
	[[Category:Eurasia]]		[[Category:Eurasia]]
	[[Category:Cuneiform]]		[[Category:Cuneiform]]

Sushoff at 05:29, 13 May 2026

2026-05-13T05:29:49Z

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	*('''1)''' the Stars of Anu (no. 6): <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA <sup>d</sup>''is le-e'' AGA <sup>d</sup>''A-nim'' "Heavenly Bull, Bull's Jaw, Crown of Anu" (I ii 1).		*('''1)''' the Stars of Anu (no. 6): <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA <sup>d</sup>''is le-e'' AGA <sup>d</sup>''A-nim'' "Heavenly Bull, Bull's Jaw, Crown of Anu" (I ii 1).
	*'''(2)''' Simultaneous daily risings and settings: <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA KUR-''ma'' <sup>mul</sup>ŠU.PA ŠU<sub>2</sub>-''bi'' "The Heavenly Bull rises, Shupa sets" (I iii 15).		*'''(2)''' Simultaneous daily risings and settings: <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA KUR-''ma'' <sup>mul</sup>ŠU.PA ŠU<sub>2</sub>-''bi'' "The Heavenly Bull rises, Shupa sets" (I iii 15).
	*'''(3)''' The intervals between the dates of heliacal risings: TA KUR ''ša''<sub>2</sub> MUL.MUL 20 UD<sup>meš</sup> ''ana'' KUR ša<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA / TA KUR ''ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA 20 UD<sup>meš</sup> ''ana'' KUR ša<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>SIPA.ZI.AN.NA "20 days from the rising of the Stars to the rising of the Celestial Bull. 20 days from the rising of the Heavenly Bull to the rising of the ~~True~~ Shepherd of Anu" (I iii 45-46).		*'''(3)''' The intervals between the dates of heliacal risings: TA KUR ''ša''<sub>2</sub> MUL.MUL 20 UD<sup>meš</sup> ''ana'' KUR ša<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA / TA KUR ''ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA 20 UD<sup>meš</sup> ''ana'' KUR ša<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>SIPA.ZI.AN.NA "20 days from the rising of the Stars to the rising of the Celestial Bull. 20 days from the rising of the Heavenly Bull to the rising of the Faithful Shepherd of Anu" (I iii 45-46).
	*'''(4)''' Stars "in the way of the moon": <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA (I iv 33), see (Kurtik s20) ''[[Sîn]]''. [MA, 30, 48, 56, 68].		*'''(4)''' Stars "in the way of the moon": <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA (I iv 33), see (Kurtik s20) ''[[Sîn]]''. [MA, 30, 48, 56, 68].
	\|[[File:HeavenlyBull JessicaGullberg stellarium.jpg\|alt=Stellarium map\|thumb\|Heavenly Bull drawn by Jessica Gullberg for Stellarium (2021)]]		\|[[File:HeavenlyBull JessicaGullberg stellarium.jpg\|alt=Stellarium map\|thumb\|Heavenly Bull drawn by Jessica Gullberg for Stellarium (2021)]]
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	*'''§A.''' mul dil.bad <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.n[a] "Star with great brilliance from the Heavenly Bull" (γ Tau).		*'''§A.''' mul dil.bad <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.n[a] "Star with great brilliance from the Heavenly Bull" (γ Tau).
	*'''§B.''' mul dil.bat <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.[an.na mul] ˹aga˺ <sup>mul</sup>sipa.zi.an.na <sup>mul</sup>x[...] / [3 m]ul.meš gu s[i.sa<sub>2</sub>] ˹dub<sub>2</sub>˺.ba 2 dal.ba.an.na dal.ba.an.n[a...] "The star with the great brilliance of the [Heavenly] Bull (γ Tau), the crown of the ~~True~~ Shepherd of Anu (λ<sup>1</sup> Ori), [...] / [3 st]ars, straight tightrope, 2 intervals, interval[l]."		*'''§B.''' mul dil.bat <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.[an.na mul] ˹aga˺ <sup>mul</sup>sipa.zi.an.na <sup>mul</sup>x[...] / [3 m]ul.meš gu s[i.sa<sub>2</sub>] ˹dub<sub>2</sub>˺.ba 2 dal.ba.an.na dal.ba.an.n[a...] "The star with the great brilliance of the [Heavenly] Bull (γ Tau), the crown of the Faithful Shepherd of Anu (λ<sup>1</sup> Ori), [...] / [3 st]ars, straight tightrope, 2 intervals, interval[l]."
	*'''§M.''' mul dil.bat gu<sub>4</sub>.a[n.na mul.mul] ''maḫ-ra-tum ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na [3 mul.meš ...] 2 dal.ba.an.na [dal.ba.a]n.na ''mal''<sub>2</sub>-''ma-liš'' "Star with great luster of the Hea[venly] Bull (γ Tau), [Stars] (η, 27 Tau), beginning of the Heavenly Bull (ζ Tau): [3 stars ...]. 2 intervals, [inter]val. Equal." [Walker 1995, 32; Koch 1995, 46, 58; ASM, 106].		*'''§M.''' mul dil.bat gu<sub>4</sub>.a[n.na mul.mul] ''maḫ-ra-tum ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na [3 mul.meš ...] 2 dal.ba.an.na [dal.ba.a]n.na ''mal''<sub>2</sub>-''ma-liš'' "Star with great luster of the Hea[venly] Bull (γ Tau), [Stars] (η, 27 Tau), beginning of the Heavenly Bull (ζ Tau): [3 stars ...]. 2 intervals, [inter]val. Equal." [Walker 1995, 32; Koch 1995, 46, 58; ASM, 106].
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Sushoff at 13:30, 11 May 2026

2026-05-11T13:30:39Z

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	==Concordance, Etymology, History<ref>[[Mesopotamian (All Terms)\|Planetarium Babylonicum 2.0]], All Skies Encyclopaedia.</ref>==		==Concordance, Etymology, History<ref>[[Mesopotamian (All Terms)\|Planetarium Babylonicum 2.0]], All Skies Encyclopaedia.</ref>==
			[[File:TauAll+year2 stellarium vat7851.jpg\|thumb\|Division of the Taurus sign in ancient Mesopotamia: above in the Astronomical Diaries before 320±10 BCE, middle mapped to Stellarium, on VAT 7851 (CC BY Susanne M Hoffmann, WGSN 2026).]]
	Var. readings and designations:		Var. readings and designations:

Sushoff at 13:29, 11 May 2026

2026-05-11T13:29:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 11 May 2026
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	----		----
	[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]		[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]
	[[File:Fig1 taurus tablet 150dpi sciLogs.jpg\|thumb\|Taurus sign on clay tablet VAT 7851 with drawings of Pleiades (Bristle), Hyades (Chariot), Bull, and the Moon during a total lunar eclipse in the Moon's hypsoma; drawing by Hoffmann (2025) <ref name=":0">Hoffmann, S.M. (2025). Image Analysis of VAT 7851, Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO) 56, 45-53</ref>]]		[[File:Fig9 stellarium Tau drawing cut gray 800dpi.jpeg\|thumb\|Taurus sign on VAT 7851, interpreted by Hoffmann (2025): MUL.MUL refers to the whole, and GIGIR and GU<sub>4</sub>.AN to the divisions.<ref name=":0">Hoffmann, S.M. (2025). Image Analysis of VAT 7851, Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO) 56, 45-53</ref>]]
	[[File:Fig9 stellarium Tau drawing cut gray 800dpi.jpeg\|thumb\|Taurus sign on VAT 7851, interpreted by Hoffmann (2025): MUL.MUL refers to the whole, and GIGIR and GU<sub>4</sub>.AN to the divisions.<ref name=":0" />]]
	<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA (𒀯𒄞𒀭𒈾), The Heavenly Bull (or Bull of Heaven) is an ancient Mesopotamian constellation in the area of [[Taurus]]. The abbreviation GU<sub>4</sub>.AN also refers to the first half of the zodiac sign of Taurus before 300 BCE (thereafter, the sign name is MUL.MUL).<ref>Steele, J. M. (2018), `The development of the Babylonian zodiac: Some preliminary observations', Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 18(4), 97--105.</ref><ref name=":1" /> The spelling variant GU<sub>3</sub>.AN.NA can also be read KA.AN.NA (Mouth of Heaven)<ref>Horowitz 2014, 34:26</ref> and, thus, invites the interpretation as a "Gate of Heaven" that can have a religious function.		<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA (𒀯𒄞𒀭𒈾), The Heavenly Bull (or Bull of Heaven) is an ancient Mesopotamian constellation in the area of [[Taurus]]. The abbreviation GU<sub>4</sub>.AN also refers to the first half of the zodiac sign of Taurus before 300 BCE (thereafter, the sign name is MUL.MUL).<ref>Steele, J. M. (2018), `The development of the Babylonian zodiac: Some preliminary observations', Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 18(4), 97--105.</ref><ref name=":1" /> The spelling variant GU<sub>3</sub>.AN.NA can also be read KA.AN.NA (Mouth of Heaven)<ref>Horowitz 2014, 34:26</ref> and, thus, invites the interpretation as a "Gate of Heaven" that can have a religious function.

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	* 1) from <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA "Heavenly Bull". [G. 75],		* 1) from <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA "Heavenly Bull". [G. 75],
	* 2) from <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.UD "Mercury" [G. 79] in Seleucid texts.		* 2) from <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.UD "Mercury" [G. 79] in Seleucid texts.
	\|		\| rowspan="2" \|[[File:Fig1 taurus tablet 150dpi sciLogs.jpg\|thumb\|Taurus sign on clay tablet VAT 7851 with drawings of Pleiades (Bristle), Hyades (Chariot), Bull, and the Moon during a total lunar eclipse in the Moon's hypsoma; drawing by Hoffmann (2025) <ref name=":0" />]]
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	*GU<sub>4</sub> — sign of the zodiac or the constellation Heavenly Bull.		*GU<sub>4</sub> — sign of the zodiac or the constellation Heavenly Bull.
	**'''''VAT ~~7847~~'''''.		**'''''VAT 7851'''''.
	***mul.mul <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>		***mul.mul <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>
	***"Star Cluster, Bull" are two alternative designations for the zodiac sign Taurus [Weidner 1967, 17, Tafel 6].		***"Star Cluster, Bull" are two alternative designations for the zodiac sign Taurus [Weidner 1967, 17, Tafel 6].
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	*GU<sub>4</sub> — the designation of Mercury.		*GU<sub>4</sub> — the designation of Mercury.
	**'''''A 3456''''', passim [Hunger 1988], see also [Sachs 1948, 280, 287].		**'''''A 3456''''', passim [Hunger 1988], see also [Sachs 1948, 280, 287].
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Sushoff at 17:39, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T17:39:43Z

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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA}}
	Authors: ~~Gennady Kurtik,~~ {{PAGEAUTHORS}}~~, Euin Choung Kim~~		Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
	----		----
	[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]		[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]

Sushoff: /* Historical Dictionaries */

2026-03-17T06:30:19Z

Historical Dictionaries

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	=== Additional===		=== Additional===

	==== ~~II.~~ Deity.====		==== Deity.====
	A mythological character amidst Ana's entourage. Ištar, Ana's daughter, asks her father to place the Heavenly Bull at her own disposal in order to use it to destroy the city of Uruk — thus avenging Gilgamesh, who had rejected her claims. Accordingly, the bull reaped mass destruction, only to be eventually killed by Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu. In the Sumerian version of the myth, the same name is used for the bull [Cavigneaux, al-Rawi 1993; ETCSL, Text 1.8.1.2], Akkadian descriptions are found in the epic, "About the one who has seen it all" (VI 92-180) [I will open to you, 152-155]. Although the mythological text does not explicitly relate the Heavenly Bull with <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA as being the same character, this hypothesis is, however, considered as the most probable [Black-Green 1992, 49; G. 77, I; Soltysiak 2001, 2001]. In astrological geography, the Heavenly Bull is associated: (a) with Aratta, (b) with Ur, Der or Duranki [Weidner 1963].		A mythological character amidst Ana's entourage. Ištar, Ana's daughter, asks her father to place the Heavenly Bull at her own disposal in order to use it to destroy the city of Uruk — thus avenging Gilgamesh, who had rejected her claims. Accordingly, the bull reaped mass destruction, only to be eventually killed by Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu. In the Sumerian version of the myth, the same name is used for the bull [Cavigneaux, al-Rawi 1993; ETCSL, Text 1.8.1.2], Akkadian descriptions are found in the epic, "About the one who has seen it all" (VI 92-180) [I will open to you, 152-155]. Although the mythological text does not explicitly relate the Heavenly Bull with <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA as being the same character, this hypothesis is, however, considered as the most probable [Black-Green 1992, 49; G. 77, I; Soltysiak 2001, 2001]. In astrological geography, the Heavenly Bull is associated: (a) with Aratta, (b) with Ur, Der or Duranki [Weidner 1963].

	See also: [...] <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na ''ki''-˹''i''˺ [''qabû''] "[...] Heavenly Bull, [said]," found in a Neo-Assyrian mythological text with unclear contexts [Lambert 1989, 216:8; Livingstone 1986, 64:8].		See also: [...] <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na ''ki''-˹''i''˺ [''qabû''] "[...] Heavenly Bull, [said]," found in a Neo-Assyrian mythological text with unclear contexts [Lambert 1989, 216:8; Livingstone 1986, 64:8].

	====~~III.~~ Symbol.====		====Symbol.====
	In Mesopotamian glyptics and ceramics there are many images of bulls, but few of them have astral significance. The most famous are two Seleucid tablets from Uruk. On one of them (O 175) is a description of a ritual for making a sacred drum from an ox hide; a lying humpbacked bull is depicted, with the inscription: <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>2</sub>.AN.NA / ''ša''<sub>2</sub> GU<sub>4</sub> IGI-''šu''<sub>2</sub> ''ana'' IGI <sup>d</sup>''En-lil''<sub>2</sub> GAR-''nu'' "The heavenly bull — a bull whose face is placed before Enlil". [TU, 47 rev.; Livingstone 1986, 194; Kurtik 2007, fig. 10], on another tablet (VAT 7851) — a galloping humpbacked bull with its head turned backwards, next to symbols of the Moon and Pleiades [Weidner 1927, Taf. V 1; Weidner 1967, Taf. 1-2; Kurtik 2007, fig. 13]. Similar images of a galloping, walking, or lying bull, surrounded with astral symbols (month, stars, signs of the zodiac) are found on Seleucid seals [AUWE 19, no. 705-714, 841, p. 154], see for example [Kurtik 2007, figure 15]. These images fully depict the whole figure of the bull. In the list of zodiacal constellation symbols W 22646, the name MUL2.MUL2 (=Pleiades), which was more often used for the second zodiac sign, corresponds to the entry: al-pi ana [x ...] "bull for [...]". [Foxvog 1993, 107; SpTU II, 43:2, 20].		In Mesopotamian glyptics and ceramics there are many images of bulls, but few of them have astral significance. The most famous are two Seleucid tablets from Uruk. On one of them (O 175) is a description of a ritual for making a sacred drum from an ox hide; a lying humpbacked bull is depicted, with the inscription: <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>2</sub>.AN.NA / ''ša''<sub>2</sub> GU<sub>4</sub> IGI-''šu''<sub>2</sub> ''ana'' IGI <sup>d</sup>''En-lil''<sub>2</sub> GAR-''nu'' "The heavenly bull — a bull whose face is placed before Enlil". [TU, 47 rev.; Livingstone 1986, 194; Kurtik 2007, fig. 10], on another tablet (VAT 7851) — a galloping humpbacked bull with its head turned backwards, next to symbols of the Moon and Pleiades [Weidner 1927, Taf. V 1; Weidner 1967, Taf. 1-2; Kurtik 2007, fig. 13]. Similar images of a galloping, walking, or lying bull, surrounded with astral symbols (month, stars, signs of the zodiac) are found on Seleucid seals [AUWE 19, no. 705-714, 841, p. 154], see for example [Kurtik 2007, figure 15]. These images fully depict the whole figure of the bull. In the list of zodiacal constellation symbols W 22646, the name MUL2.MUL2 (=Pleiades), which was more often used for the second zodiac sign, corresponds to the entry: al-pi ana [x ...] "bull for [...]". [Foxvog 1993, 107; SpTU II, 43:2, 20].

	We believe, however, that these images have no astronomical significance. In fact, Mesopotamian astronomers distinguished in the sky as a figure of the constellation <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA only the front part of the bull, as later Greek astronomers did. This is indicated by the following three circumstances: (a) the Akkadian name of the constellation <sup>mul</sup>Is lê "Jaw of the Bull" (see i15), (b) the absence of references to the hind parts of the bull in the description of the positions of stars in the constellation, (c) on some seals with astral symbols, only the Bull’s head is depicted, thus lacking a complete figure of the Bull [Kurtik 2007, Fig. 16, 29, 30]. Note, in addition, that the constellations <sup>mu''l''</sup>''Is lê'' "Bull's jaw" (=Hiades) and <sup>mul</sup>''Zappu'' "Bristles, mane (of the Bull)" (=Pleiades) stretch out to areas corresponding to the borders of the Greek Taurus — as such, there is simply not enough room for a full figure of the bull to be attested [Kurtik 2002, 94-95]. The absence of the rear portion of the Heavenly Bull is probably connected with the Akkadian myth in which Enkidu, following his victory, tears off the bull’s hind leg and throws it at Ištar’s face [I will reveal it to you, 154:154-155].		We believe, however, that these images have no astronomical significance. In fact, Mesopotamian astronomers distinguished in the sky as a figure of the constellation <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA only the front part of the bull, as later Greek astronomers did. This is indicated by the following three circumstances: (a) the Akkadian name of the constellation <sup>mul</sup>Is lê "Jaw of the Bull" (see i15), (b) the absence of references to the hind parts of the bull in the description of the positions of stars in the constellation, (c) on some seals with astral symbols, only the Bull’s head is depicted, thus lacking a complete figure of the Bull [Kurtik 2007, Fig. 16, 29, 30]. Note, in addition, that the constellations <sup>mu''l''</sup>''Is lê'' "Bull's jaw" (=Hiades) and <sup>mul</sup>''Zappu'' "Bristles, mane (of the Bull)" (=Pleiades) stretch out to areas corresponding to the borders of the Greek Taurus — as such, there is simply not enough room for a full figure of the bull to be attested [Kurtik 2002, 94-95]. The absence of the rear portion of the Heavenly Bull is probably connected with the Akkadian myth in which Enkidu, following his victory, tears off the bull’s hind leg and throws it at Ištar’s face [I will reveal it to you, 154:154-155].

	====~~IV. Identification~~.====		====Previous Identifications.====
	= Taurus [Waerden 1949, 14; 1952-53, 219; 1974, 74; Weidner 1957-59, 76a; BPO 2, 12; MA, 138; Mesop.Astrol., 207; ASM, 271; Horowitz 2014, 246; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 72].		= Taurus [Waerden 1949, 14; 1952-53, 219; 1974, 74; Weidner 1957-59, 76a; BPO 2, 12; MA, 138; Mesop.Astrol., 207; ASM, 271; Horowitz 2014, 246; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 72].

	= αθ1.2γδε Tauri [Koch 1989, 77-79, 111].		= αθ1.2γδε Tauri [Koch 1989, 77-79, 111].

	==== V. Parts of the constellation and individual stars. ====		==== Parts of the constellation and individual stars. ====
	(1) mul dil.bat gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na, mul sa<sub>4</sub> ''ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na "Star with great brilliance of the Heavenly Bull" (γ Tau or rather α Tauri, see [Roughton-Steele-Walker 2004, 555]), see dbn-text (§§A, B, M), Lunaria et al, and (Kurtik i15) [[Is le10\|''Is lê'']].		(1) mul dil.bat gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na, mul sa<sub>4</sub> ''ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>mul</sup>gu<sub>4</sub>.an.na "Star with great brilliance of the Heavenly Bull" (γ Tau or rather α Tauri, see [Roughton-Steele-Walker 2004, 555]), see dbn-text (§§A, B, M), Lunaria et al, and (Kurtik i15) [[Is le10\|''Is lê'']].

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	(3) SI <sup>múl</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA "Horn of the Heavenly Bull" (β Tauri), see text BM 36609.		(3) SI <sup>múl</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA "Horn of the Heavenly Bull" (β Tauri), see text BM 36609.

	====~~VI.~~ Astrology. ====		====Astrology. ====

	===== Identifications: =====		===== Identifications: =====

Sushoff at 14:56, 22 January 2026

2026-01-22T14:56:45Z

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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA}}
	Authors: Gennady E. Kurtik, {{PAGEAUTHORS}}		Authors: Gennady Kurtik, {{PAGEAUTHORS}}, Euin Choung Kim
	----		----
	[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]		[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]

Sushoff at 07:27, 17 January 2026

2026-01-17T07:27:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:27, 17 January 2026
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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA}}
			Authors: Gennady E. Kurtik, {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]		[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024)<ref name=":1">Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. ''Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 4, 121</ref>.]]
	[[File:Fig1 taurus tablet 150dpi sciLogs.jpg\|thumb\|Taurus sign on clay tablet VAT 7851 with drawings of Pleiades (Bristle), Hyades (Chariot), Bull, and the Moon during a total lunar eclipse in the Moon's hypsoma; drawing by Hoffmann (2025) <ref name=":0">Hoffmann, S.M. (2025). Image Analysis of VAT 7851, Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO) 56, 45-53</ref>]]		[[File:Fig1 taurus tablet 150dpi sciLogs.jpg\|thumb\|Taurus sign on clay tablet VAT 7851 with drawings of Pleiades (Bristle), Hyades (Chariot), Bull, and the Moon during a total lunar eclipse in the Moon's hypsoma; drawing by Hoffmann (2025) <ref name=":0">Hoffmann, S.M. (2025). Image Analysis of VAT 7851, Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO) 56, 45-53</ref>]]

Sushoff at 20:21, 15 December 2025

2025-12-15T20:21:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:21, 15 December 2025
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	<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA (𒀯𒄞𒀭𒈾), The Heavenly Bull (or Bull of Heaven) is an ancient Mesopotamian constellation in the area of [[Taurus]]. The abbreviation GU<sub>4</sub>.AN also refers to the first half of the zodiac sign of Taurus before 300 BCE (thereafter, the sign name is MUL.MUL).<ref>Steele, J. M. (2018), `The development of the Babylonian zodiac: Some preliminary observations', Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 18(4), 97--105.</ref><ref name=":1" /> The spelling variant GU<sub>3</sub>.AN.NA can also be read KA.AN.NA (Mouth of Heaven)<ref>Horowitz 2014, 34:26</ref> and, thus, invites the interpretation as a "Gate of Heaven" that can have a religious function.		<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA (𒀯𒄞𒀭𒈾), The Heavenly Bull (or Bull of Heaven) is an ancient Mesopotamian constellation in the area of [[Taurus]]. The abbreviation GU<sub>4</sub>.AN also refers to the first half of the zodiac sign of Taurus before 300 BCE (thereafter, the sign name is MUL.MUL).<ref>Steele, J. M. (2018), `The development of the Babylonian zodiac: Some preliminary observations', Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 18(4), 97--105.</ref><ref name=":1" /> The spelling variant GU<sub>3</sub>.AN.NA can also be read KA.AN.NA (Mouth of Heaven)<ref>Horowitz 2014, 34:26</ref> and, thus, invites the interpretation as a "Gate of Heaven" that can have a religious function.

	==Concordance, Etymology, History==		==Concordance, Etymology, History<ref>[[Mesopotamian (All Terms)\|Planetarium Babylonicum 2.0]], All Skies Encyclopaedia.</ref>==
	~~===Krebernik~~ (~~2023~~)~~===~~
	~~The sumerogram means “Bull of Heaven”~~. ~~Its normal Akk. equivalent is ''alû'' as attested~~, e.g., in the Gilgameš epic (etymology unclear, perhaps identical with the homophonous name of a demon and/or a drum). As a star name, GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA is read ''Is-lê'' “Jaw of the Wild Bull” (see below). ~~<sup>mul~~</~~sup>GU<sub~~>~~4</sub>.AN.NA.~~

	~~===Kurtik with Hilder, Hoffmann, Horowitz, Kim=~~==
	Var. readings and designations:		Var. readings and designations:

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	*AN.GU<sub>4</sub>;		*AN.GU<sub>4</sub>;
	*= <sup>mul</sup> <sup>(d)</sup>''Is lê''; mur. "Heavenly Bull", acq. "Bull's jaw"; constellation in Taurus (Taurus) [G. 77; BPO 2, 12; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 72].		*= <sup>mul</sup> <sup>(d)</sup>''Is lê''; mur. "Heavenly Bull", acq. "Bull's jaw"; constellation in Taurus (Taurus) [G. 77; BPO 2, 12; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 72].
			The sumerogram means “Bull of Heaven” and its normal Akk. equivalent is ''alû'' as attested,<ref>Hoffmann, S. M. and Krebernik, M. (2023). What do deities tell us about the celestial positioning system, in: R. Rollinger, I. Madreiter, M. Lang, C. Pappi (eds.). The Intellectual Heritage of the Ancient Near East, Papers held at the 64th Rencontre Assyriologique International and 12th Melammu Symposium July 16-20 2018, Innsbruck. Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 539-579</ref> e.g., in the Gilgameš epic (etymology unclear, perhaps identical with the homophonous name of a demon and/or a drum). As a star name, GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA is read ''Is-lê'' “Jaw of the Wild Bull” (see below). <sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA.

	In the book Kurtik (2007), the content of this lexicon entry was distributed across the following lemmata:		In the book Kurtik (2007), the content of this lexicon entry was distributed across the following lemmata:

Sushoff at 20:57, 3 December 2025

2025-12-03T20:57:44Z

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	[[Category:Eurasia]]		[[Category:Eurasia]]
	[[Category:Cuneiform]]		[[Category:Cuneiform]]
			[[Category:Tau]]

	[[Category:4workWayne]]		[[Category:4workWayne]]

	<references />		<references />