IBILA.É.MAḪ - Revision history

Sushoff at 17:44, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T17:44:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:44, 26 March 2026
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	Authors: ~~Gennady Kurtik,~~ {{PAGEAUTHORS}}~~, Euin Choung Kim~~		Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
	----		----
	[[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg\|thumb\|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]		[[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg\|thumb\|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]

Sushoff at 14:59, 22 January 2026

2026-01-22T14:59:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:59, 22 January 2026
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	Authors: Gennady E. Kurtik, {{PAGEAUTHORS}}		Authors: Gennady Kurtik, {{PAGEAUTHORS}}, Euin Choung Kim
	----		----
	[[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg\|thumb\|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]		[[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg\|thumb\|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]

Sushoff at 07:32, 17 January 2026

2026-01-17T07:32:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:32, 17 January 2026
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			Authors: Gennady E. Kurtik, {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg\|thumb\|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]		[[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg\|thumb\|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]
	<sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ (𒀯𒈦𒄘𒃼𒂍𒈤) is an ancient Mesopotamian asterism in the northern polar area which MUL.APIN places at the pole of the 'The Wagon of Heaven' ([[Ursa Minor]]). This is a strong indication that this star is to be identified as modern [[Polaris]]. This was a relatively unimportant star in the Ancient Mesopotamian sky since it would not be until ca. 1500 CE that Polaris moved into its current position as the pole star of the northern hemisphere. The asterism (single star-asterism or not) of <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ is placed within the ever-visible circle. As it, therefore, does not rise and set, the identification is highly uncertain.		<sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ (𒀯𒈦𒄘𒃼𒂍𒈤) is an ancient Mesopotamian asterism in the northern polar area which MUL.APIN places at the pole of the 'The Wagon of Heaven' ([[Ursa Minor]]). This is a strong indication that this star is to be identified as modern [[Polaris]]. This was a relatively unimportant star in the Ancient Mesopotamian sky since it would not be until ca. 1500 CE that Polaris moved into its current position as the pole star of the northern hemisphere. The asterism (single star-asterism or not) of <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ is placed within the ever-visible circle. As it, therefore, does not rise and set, the identification is highly uncertain.

Sushoff: /* Additional */

2025-12-17T15:29:51Z

Additional

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:29, 17 December 2025
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	===Additional===		===Additional===

	==== ~~II.~~ Deity.====		==== Deity.====
	The deity <sup>d</sup>DI.KUD or <sup>d</sup>DI.KU<sub>5</sub>, with whom <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ is correlated in VR 46, 1:13, has various identifications: (1) = <sup>d</sup>''Ma(n)dānu'' = <sup>d</sup>''Daj(j)ānu'' "(Divine) judge," "bearing the throne of Marduk," according to AN: <sup>d</sup>''A-num'' (II 253-254), (2) = ''Ishtaran'', according to <sup>d</sup>(''iš-ta-ran'')DI. KUD = dumu <sup>d</sup>Tišpak.ke<sub>4</sub> in AN: <sup>d</sup>''A-num'' (V 289), (3) = a mythological personage from Shamash's entourage, "the judge of Shamash," according to AN: <sup>d</sup>''A-num'' (III 174) [Litke 1998, 97 (especially note 254), 135, 195]. Which of these identities is implied here remains undisclosed.		The deity <sup>d</sup>DI.KUD or <sup>d</sup>DI.KU<sub>5</sub>, with whom <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ is correlated in VR 46, 1:13, has various identifications: (1) = <sup>d</sup>''Ma(n)dānu'' = <sup>d</sup>''Daj(j)ānu'' "(Divine) judge," "bearing the throne of Marduk," according to AN: <sup>d</sup>''A-num'' (II 253-254), (2) = ''Ishtaran'', according to <sup>d</sup>(''iš-ta-ran'')DI. KUD = dumu <sup>d</sup>Tišpak.ke<sub>4</sub> in AN: <sup>d</sup>''A-num'' (V 289), (3) = a mythological personage from Shamash's entourage, "the judge of Shamash," according to AN: <sup>d</sup>''A-num'' (III 174) [Litke 1998, 97 (especially note 254), 135, 195]. Which of these identities is implied here remains undisclosed.

	====~~III.~~ Identity. ====		====Identity. ====
	= β Ursae Minoris [G. 191; Weidner 1957-59, 78]; at epoch -1000 the pole of the world was located near this star;		= β Ursae Minoris [G. 191; Weidner 1957-59, 78]; at epoch -1000 the pole of the world was located near this star;

Sushoff at 15:00, 17 December 2025

2025-12-17T15:00:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:00, 17 December 2025
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	*= lit. "Firstborn of Emach" or "Heir of the Majestic Temple";		*= lit. "Firstborn of Emach" or "Heir of the Majestic Temple";

	[G. 191; ASM, 273; Reiner 1995, 20-21; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 73].		[Gössmann 191; ASM, 273; Reiner 1995, 20-21; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 73].

	=== Sources and Identification(s) ===		=== Sources and Identification(s) ===

Sushoff: /* Astronomy */

2025-12-17T14:26:20Z

Astronomy

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 17 December 2025
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	\|-		\|-
	\|'''Hemerologies.'''		\|'''Hemerologies.'''
	* In the months of ~~'''<u>nisan~~ and ~~ulul</u>'''~~, ~~'''<u>((what are we doing about month-names??))</u>'''~~ prayers to <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ [Langdon 1935, 81; 4R, 32 i 48, 33 i 49; Landsberger 1915, 128; Reiner 1995, 21].		* In the months of Nisannu and Ululu, prayers to <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ [Langdon 1935, 81; 4R, 32 i 48, 33 i 49; Landsberger 1915, 128; Reiner 1995, 21].
	**~~'''<u>~~Spell. ÉN DUMU.UŠ É.MAḪ DUMU.UŠ É.MAḪ ''aplu rabû ša Enlil attama'' / ''ištu Ekur'' [''t'']''ūridamma ina qabal šamê itti'' <sup>mul</sup>MAR.GÍD.DA ''tazzaz is this in Hemerologies - Livingstone???~~''</u>'~~''		**Spell. ÉN DUMU.UŠ É.MAḪ DUMU.UŠ É.MAḪ ''aplu rabû ša Enlil attama'' / ''ištu Ekur'' [''t'']''ūridamma ina qabal šamê itti'' <sup>mul</sup>MAR.GÍD.DA ''tazzaz is this in Hemerologies - Livingstone???''
	**~~'''<u>~~"Spell. O Firstborn of Emach, Firstborn of Emach, you are the eldest son of Enlil, / You came out of Ekur, and you stand in the middle of the sky with the Wagon," quoted in [Reiner 1995, 21, note 71]. Stev.O.T.~~</u>'''~~		**"Spell. O Firstborn of Emach, Firstborn of Emach, you are the eldest son of Enlil, / You came out of Ekur, and you stand in the middle of the sky with the Wagon," quoted in [Reiner 1995, 21, note 71]. Stev.O.T.
	*~~'''<u>~~Two predictions:~~</u>'''~~		*Two predictions:
	**~~'''<u>~~a) DIŠ <sup>ul</sup>DUMU.UŠ.É.MAḪ ''ša'' <sup>ul</sup>MAR.GÍD.DA.<AN.NA> GAL-''ti ana'' <sup>ul</sup>ME.GAR ''is-niq'' BE.ME GAL<sub>2</sub>-''ši'' DIŠ KI.MIN ''is-si'' SU. KU<sub>2</sub> GAL<sub>2</sub>-''ši'' "If the Firstborn of Emah, (part of) the great [Celestial] Wagon, has approached Jupiter, pestilence will come; if it has withdrawn, famine will come." [Langdon 1913-23, 231:4-5, Pl. XVII; Reiner 1995, 20-21, note 73]. - could this mean that Polaris was in the pole of the Ursa major as well - the two poles connecting - and hense the rope???~~</u>~~'''		**a) DIŠ <sup>ul</sup>DUMU.UŠ.É.MAḪ ''ša'' <sup>ul</sup>MAR.GÍD.DA.<AN.NA> GAL-''ti ana'' <sup>ul</sup>ME.GAR ''is-niq'' BE.ME GAL<sub>2</sub>-''ši'' DIŠ KI.MIN ''is-si'' SU. KU<sub>2</sub> GAL<sub>2</sub>-''ši''
	**~~'''<u>~~(b) ...[there is no "b" in his book, p217] ...~~</u>'''~~		***"If the Firstborn of Emah, (part of) the great [Celestial] Wagon, has approached Jupiter, pestilence will come; if it has withdrawn, famine will come." [Langdon 1913-23, 231:4-5, Pl. XVII; Reiner 1995, 20-21, note 73]. '''- could this mean that Polaris was in the pole of the Ursa major as well - the two poles connecting - and hense the rope???'''
			**(b) ...[there is no "b" in his book, p217] ...
	\|The spell points out that the Heir is normally inside the Ekur and that The Heir culminates together with The Wagon [of Heaven] which is visible in the viewgraph.		\|The spell points out that the Heir is normally inside the Ekur and that The Heir culminates together with The Wagon [of Heaven] which is visible in the viewgraph.
	\|}		\|}

Sushoff: /* Sources and Identification(s) */

2025-12-17T14:23:01Z

Sources and Identification(s)

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:23, 17 December 2025
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	*<sup>mul</sup>DUMU×NITA É.MAḪ;		*<sup>mul</sup>DUMU×NITA É.MAḪ;
	*= lit. "Firstborn of Emach" or "Heir of the Majestic Temple";		*= lit. "Firstborn of Emach" or "Heir of the Majestic Temple";


	[G. 191; ASM, 273; Reiner 1995, 20-21; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 73].		[G. 191; ASM, 273; Reiner 1995, 20-21; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 73].
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	\|-		\|-
	\|'''MUL.APIN.'''		\|'''MUL.APIN.'''
	*~~'''<u>~~(1) Stars of Enlil (no. 20):~~</u>'''~~		*(1) Stars of Enlil (no. 20):
	**~~'''<u>~~MUL ''ša''<sub>2</sub> ''ina ṭur-ri-šu''<sub>2</sub> GUB-''zu'' <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ / DUMU ''reš-tu-u''<sub>2</sub> ''ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>d</sup>''A-nu-um~~''</u>'~~''		**MUL ''ša''<sub>2</sub> ''ina ṭur-ri-šu''<sub>2</sub> GUB-''zu'' <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ / DUMU ''reš-tu-u''<sub>2</sub> ''ša''<sub>2</sub> <sup>d</sup>''A-nu-um''
	**~~'''<u>~~"The star that stands on its (i.e. <sup>mul</sup>MAR.GÍD.DA.AN.NA "Anu's wagon") rope (perhaps a knot?)."): 'Heir of the Majestic Temple, firstborn of Anu' (I i 21-22) [~~MA, 24-25, 125;~~ Hunger-Steele 2018, 34]; ((Wagon of Heaven?? - see my ZA article - not Anu's Wagon" - change/correct everywhere~~</u>'''~~		**"The star that stands on its (i.e. <sup>mul</sup>MAR.GÍD.DA.AN.NA "Anu's wagon") rope (perhaps a knot?)."): 'Heir of the Majestic Temple, firstborn of Anu' (I i 21-22) [Hunger-Steele 2018, 34];
	*~~'''<u>~~for a parallel see:~~</u>'''~~		**((Wagon of Heaven?? - see my ZA article - not Anu's Wagon" - change/correct everywhere
	**~~'''<u>~~''mul ša i-na ṭu-ri-ša gub-''[''zu'']~~</u>'''~~		*for a parallel see:
	**~~'''<u>~~"The star that stands on its rope (knot?)" [KAV 218, B iii 11; Horowitz 2014, 39, col. iii 11];~~</u>'''~~		**''mul ša i-na ṭu-ri-ša gub-''[''zu'']
	*~~'''<u>~~however, it is not obvious that the same star is meant here, cf. [BPO 2, 5; Horowitz 1989-90, 116, BM 54817:9'].~~</u>'''~~		**"The star that stands on its rope (knot?)" [KAV 218, B iii 11; Horowitz 2014, 39, col. iii 11];
			*however, it is not obvious that the same star is meant here, cf. [BPO 2, 5; Horowitz 1989-90, 116, BM 54817:9'].
	\|[[File:MULAPIN circPol smh2 stellarium.png\|thumb\|The circumpolar constellations: The Wagon, The Wagon of Heaven, The Fox and The Ewe, The Heir and the Hitched Yoke (whose name suggests that it is only partially circumpolar; hitched there but extending to outside). The identifications of The Heir and the Hitched Yoke are uncertain; they can even be exchanged (180° uncertainty).]]		\|[[File:MULAPIN circPol smh2 stellarium.png\|thumb\|The circumpolar constellations: The Wagon, The Wagon of Heaven, The Fox and The Ewe, The Heir and the Hitched Yoke (whose name suggests that it is only partially circumpolar; hitched there but extending to outside). The identifications of The Heir and the Hitched Yoke are uncertain; they can even be exchanged (180° uncertainty).]]
	\|-		\|-

Sushoff: /* Concordance, Etymology, History[1] */

2025-12-17T14:20:08Z

Concordance, Etymology, History[1]

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:20, 17 December 2025
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	*<sup>mul</sup>DUMU×NITA É.MAḪ;		*<sup>mul</sup>DUMU×NITA É.MAḪ;
	*= lit. "Firstborn of Emach" or "Heir of the Majestic Temple";		*= lit. "Firstborn of Emach" or "Heir of the Majestic Temple";

	'''<u>Star in the constellation of the Little Bear, possibly Polaris(?), or different star aligned in the position between the poles of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor -- the Uranology example is crucial here!!!! A star in the Fox would be the Ursa Major equivalent</u>'''


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	=== Astronomy ===		=== Astronomy ===
			Up to now, the asterism is frequently identified with the pole star ([[Polaris]]). However, there was no star at the northern pole in that time. More likely, therefore is an identification with an asterism (a group of stars) in the centre of the northern circumpolar area. It must be a star in the position between the poles of [[Ursa Major]] and [[Ursa Minor]] (see Uranology<ref>Beaulieu, P.-A., Frahm, E., Horowitz, W. & Steele, J. (2018), The Cuneiform Uranology Texts: Drawing the Constellations, American Philosophical Society Press, Philadelphia, USA.</ref> example).

	==== Remarks on the Celestial Pole ====		==== Remarks on the Celestial Pole ====
	'''What does Arattus say about Polaris??- where does the term polar come from - Pole of Ursa Minor/Major - etc. Wagon in Old English etc. etc.????'''		'''What does Arattus say about Polaris??- where does the term polar come from - Pole of Ursa Minor/Major - etc. Wagon in Old English etc. etc.????'''

	There is no pole star in Aratus. Eratosthenes mentions a "pole star" but Hipparchus explicitely states that this is wrong.		There is no pole star in Aratus. Eratosthenes mentions a "pole star" in his description or [[Ursa Minor]] but Hipparchus explicitely states that this is wrong.

	Earlier scholarship speculated that it refers to the star Polaris, but this star had no special role in ancient times (its function of being a polestar only applies from around 1500 CE onwards). An extensive discussion of these uncertainties will be given in Hoffmann (202x, upcoming).		Earlier scholarship speculated that it refers to the star Polaris, but this star had no special role in ancient times (its function of being a polestar only applies from around 1500 CE onwards). An extensive discussion of these uncertainties will be given in Hoffmann (202x, upcoming).

Sushoff at 14:10, 17 December 2025

2025-12-17T14:10:56Z

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 [G. 191; ASM, 273; Reiner 1995, 20-21; Beaulieu et al. 2018, 73].
-=== Remarks on the Celestial Pole ===
+=== Sources and Identification(s) ===
 {| class="wikitable"
 |+
@@ Line 66: / Line 50: @@
 |The spell points out that the Heir is normally inside the Ekur and that The Heir culminates together with The Wagon [of Heaven] which is visible in the viewgraph.
 |}
 [[File:IBILAEMAH CH Screenshot 2025-11-29 155606.png|thumb|Convex Hull for the stars inside IBILA.É.MAḪ (CC BY Youla Azkarrula).]]
 {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
 |+

Sushoff at 14:07, 17 December 2025

2025-12-17T14:07:55Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:BabHeir inStellarium.jpg|thumb|Babylonian constellations in the north are not well identified; this is a suggestion that the Heir might ride the (complete) Horse and, this way, be in the circumpolar area. Screenshot from Stellarium (2025).]]
 <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ (𒀯𒈦𒄘𒃼𒂍𒈤) is an ancient Mesopotamian asterism in the northern polar area which MUL.APIN places at the pole of the 'The Wagon of Heaven' ([[Ursa Minor]]).  This is a strong indication that this star is to be identified as modern [[Polaris]].  This was a relatively unimportant star in the Ancient Mesopotamian sky since it would not be until ca. 1500 CE that Polaris moved into its current position as the pole star of the northern hemisphere. The asterism (single star-asterism or not) of <sup>mul</sup>IBILA.É.MAḪ is placed within the ever-visible circle. As it, therefore, does not rise and set, the identification is highly uncertain.
-==Remarks on the Celestial Pole ==
+== Concordance, Etymology, History<ref>[[Mesopotamian (All Terms)|Planetarium Babylonicum 2.0]], All Skies Encyclopaedia.</ref>==
-'''What does Arattus say about Polaris??- where does the term polar come from - Pole of Ursa Minor/Major - etc.  Wagon in Old English etc. etc.????'''
+[[File:MULAPIN-circPol smh stellarium.jpg|thumb|A suggestion for identification of the constellations in the circumpolar area of the Mesopotamian star heaven; draft in Stellarium as drawn in Stellarium (2025). The identifications of the Heir and the Yoke are rather uncertain. ]]Var. readings and designations:
          There is no pole star in Aratus. Eratosthenes mentions a "pole star" but Hipparchus explicitely states that this is wrong.
@@ Line 16: / Line 29: @@
          Yes, exactly. This would also make sense with the Yoke connecting them and a creature pulling them - an image that was suggested by Craig Crossen ~10 years ago. Yet, I don't understand his material (Sumerian sources), so I cannot judge to what extend this image is more correct than any other one. In principle, I find the idea convincing that these images create an even bigger picture - I just don't know his proof (he never published it, unfortunately, as far as I know).
 '''We need to see what the sky would have looked like at the time of Alb B which refers to the knot albeit without IBILA.E2.MAh mentioned by name.'''
 ==== Sources and Identification(s) ====
 {| class="wikitable"