Considering Mark's suggestion, and based on the article ?I colori nell?astrologia mesopotamica? (Lorenzo Verderame) I decided to start a new thread about the interpretations of colors in Mesopotamian astrology.


The colors in Mesopotamian astrology are used in the description of two kinds of phenomenon: 1. optical, linked to the diffusion of the light in the atmosphere; 2. atmospheric, like clouds and precipitations.

The colors attested in Babylonians texts are the four main colors: white (pesu) ?( my note: I don?t know why is he considering white a color; if I am not in error I know that white actually is not a color in the real sense, because it contains in it all the colors; anyway I shall stick to the text); black (salamu), red (samu), yellow-green (araqu).

Ex: if the Moon is surrounded by a black halo?
If the right or left Moon?s horn is black when it is rising?
If Venus has a black crown
If Auriga has a black (somber, sinister) appearance.
If Sun when rising becomes green and when sets is surrounded by a pattern
If the Moon is red
If the sun rise and the sky is red
If a red cloud is constantly present in the sky (-here I would joke and say that in this case it means we are dealing with another case of pollution-)
If the star in the front of the pole of Enmesarra (zeta Persei?) is very red
If the stars of Aratro (alfa and beta Andromedeae) are very red.

Besides the main colors, other two terms are used: pelu and burrumu

Burrumu doesn?t indicate a real color; it?s not a color in itself, but the concept of multicolor, the combination of two or more colors.

Pelu indicates a color similar to red (samu). The expression ?sum-su? is used in describing the color of the Moon during the eclipse and confirms the idea that pelu is actually a tone of red (according to Landsberger, or better a copper red according to Rochberg-Halton and in a second opinion even Landsberger). Considering the expression ?SIG7-sa pe-li? ?its yellow tends to pellu?, it?s likely that pelu indicates in fact the tone of red that tends to became yellow-green, probably a dark-orange.

The omens relative to the colors of certain phenomenons are considered in the same way and consequently analyzed in groups or collected in paragraphs: in the hypothesis there are the same descriptions of a certain group of phenomenon, only the colors of these phenomenons being different. The sequence of the succession of different colors inside one group of phenomenon isn?t the same (in the sense that is not fallowing a pattern).

-In the text fallows a statistical analysis. I am going to omit these passages.-

There are mentioned in the texts also terms that describe the aspect of light, covering the various nuances of the couple clear (lucid, bright)/dark (somber, gloomy), shining (bright)/opaque (matt).

The words used for clear/shining are:
-nam/waru, used relative to the light of Sun, Moon, or phenomenons linked with the two.
- and ba?alu that indicates a particular sparkle (shine) of a star.

The concept of dark (somber) is expressed in the texts by a series of terms, the most important being: adaru, da?amu, ekelu, etu, taraku, unnutu. It?s not easy to establish the exact difference between them, because all indicate the same: being dark (somber), or overshadowed. The terms are also interchangeable. The only thing that can be noted is that some of the terms are used only for indicating certain phenomenon: adaru for eclipses or for the darkening (dimming) of a star; erepu for indicating the leaden color of a cloudy day; taraku for the dark aspect of Moon?s horns.

Next in the text, follows some assertions of the author. Resuming: the fundamental rule in divination is that a certain announced event corresponds to a certain pheonomenon. The phenomenon can be interpreted as positive or negative according to the good or bad omens that accompany. The clear/dark aspect of phenomenon doesn?t influence directly the omen, it can only influence the character of the phenomenon, and indirectly the kind of event announced by the omen. For example: if the rising of a star is considered as positive, and accompanied by a good omen, its clear (bright) appearance will confirm the positive character of the phenomenon or it will amplify its positive character. If on contrary it has a dark (gloomy) appearance, this will reverse the character of the phenomenon, transforming it in a negative one.
But, the author considers that in the case of colors, the above mentioned rule is inadequate. He says: A further step would be to give specific characters to colors. In this way every color would have its one character, positive or negative, and would influence directly the omen, canceling the phenomenon or interacting with it. This interpretation seems to be sustained in the case of yellow-green color. In the case of this color if we exclude the situations in which the conclusions, instead of an event, announce the occurrence of an astronomical phenomenon or an atmospheric one, all the omens about araku (yellow-green color) are negative. From this we can conclude that the yellow-green color contains in itself a negative potential, of determining a bad omen, and this is happening irrespective of the phenomenon occurred at that moment. Though this conclusion works in the case of yellow-green color, if we try to extend this interpretation to other colors, we observe that this hypothesis loses its consistency: the relation between color and omen not only doesn?t follow a distinction between good and bad, but escapes from any superficial schematization.
If the character of the omen can?t be found, the color of a phenomenon could influence one of its characteristics, whether temporal or spatial. The relation between a variable of conditional element that influence the conclusion (the ?if clause?) and a variable of conclusion appears quite evident in the case of the omens related to lunar eclipse: in these cases to the quadrant where the eclipse occur (spatial variable) or to the period of obscurity (temporal variable) corresponds certain geographical entity (spatial variable) affected by the omen. In 2Sp LVIII: 1-4 the four points of the Moon in which Jupiter enters (becoming occulted) corresponds to different geographical entities:
Front IGI region: Subartu
Behind (at the back) egir region: Elam
Right ZAG region: Akkad
Left GUB region: Amurru


Another correspondence can be found in BPO2 IX:27-32 and XII: 16-19: stars ?that pass- above Pegasus correspond to Subartu and Amurru, while the stars -that pass- under Pegasus to Elam and Akkad.
In the case of colors, the correspondence with a temporal-spatial variable is evident only in two passages.
In the omen for the month IX in the table 16 EAE, the color of eclipse corresponds to certain geographic entity:

White: Akkad
Black: Amurru
Red: Elam
Yellow-green: Subartu

The omen from EAE VII, referring to Moon eclipse, presents a relation between the color of Moon, color or aspect of its light and the period in which the eclipse will occur:
If the Moon when becomes visible is red/black/green and its light is flickering/red/ bright: the eclipse will occur during the evening/median/dawn part of the night.

In EAE IIIc: a dark (obscure) diadem of the eclipse signifies that the criminal will go down in ruin

Moreover, the color of a star could signify arrival of rains, or flood, but in this case is more evident the relation between certain colors of clouds and the precipitations or other meteorological phenomenon.

sasha_i wrote:Considering the suggestion of Mark, and based on the article ?I colori nell?astrologia mesopotamica? (Lorenzo Verderame) I decided to start a new thread about the interpretations of colors in Mesopotamian astrology.

Nice abstract, thanks.
I investigated a little about this Verderame, it seems he is quite famous.
He should teach here in Rome, at La Sapienza, my former University - still unfortunately I have not a degree in Lettere

I would be interested to know if there is some link between comets' omina and Sumerian astrology. I'm not sure that comets' colour is linked just with planet which rules the comet.

Mark, where are you?

Margherita

Thanks Sasha for presenting this information here - wonderful!

Thanks Sasha,

Very interesting. Thankyou for going to the trouble of typing all that out. .

This is probably getting a bit greedy after all you have done already but do you have the estimated dates attached to these omens? One of the reasons I like the term Mesopotamian is its a good generic term for all the different eras. I find Mesopotamian chronology quite tricky.

I would be interested to know if there is some link between comets' omina and Sumerian astrology

.

There is actually very little cuniform evidence of comet observation that has survived from Mesopotamia. Hermann Hunger has published material on two tablets relating to comet observations. Nothing I have seen yet confirms the origin of hellenistic colour associations for comets directly back to the Mesopotamians. However, the record of cuniform tablets that have survived (or been analysed) is of course quite random. The very limited material we have from Mesopotamia does not compare to the extensive material from ancient China or even India.

Seneca, in his 'Quaestiones Naturales' , written shortly after 60 AD refers to Apollonius of Myndus who did claim that the Chaldeans (Babylonians) had conceived of comets as planets and actually, calculated their orbits. However, Seneca also quotes Epigenes as stating that the Babylonians made no discoveries in this area (Quaest. Nat 7.4.1).

MarkC wrote:do you have the estimated dates attached to these omens? One of the reasons I like the term Mesopotamiam is its a good generic term for all the different eras. I find Mesopotamian chronology quite tricky.

Verderame's quotes come mostly from En?ma Anu Enlil tablets.
Other references are :
Weidner (1941/44) e (1954/56); Reiner and Pingree (1975), (1981) e (1998); Rochberg-Halton (1987a) and (1988); Van Soldt (1995); Al-Rawi and George (1991/92); Verderame (2002a) e (2002b).

I don't see any date, maybe Sasha?


Margherita

Hello Margheria,

Verderame's quotes come mostly from En?ma Anu Enlil tablets.

Ah I thought so. Thanks.

Weidner (1941/44) e (1954/56); Reiner and Pingree (1975), (1981) e (1998); Rochberg-Halton (1987a) and (1988); Van Soldt (1995); Al-Rawi and George (1991/92); Verderame (2002a) e (2002b).

Are these references for Babylonian colour associations or the general references mentioned in the article?

Mark

Interesting material Sasha,

From which century BC are these?

Many of these texts seem related to weather-like phenomena.
As far as I know the (early) Babylonians didn't distinguish between celestial and meteorological phenomena. Only later the Greeks distinguished between the 'perfect' universe of planets moving in circular orbits and the 'corrupt' sublunar world.

I wonder what that 'black crown' of Venus would have meant.

MarkC wrote: Are these references for Babylonian colour associations or the general references mentioned in the article?

I understand both.
In the beginning Verderame says that in these years there has been a growing interest for Sumerian literature, but the only work about colours was more centered on philology, so he feels the necessity to give a contribution about the connections between colours and omina's nature.

Margherita

Thanks for your kind words.
The pleasure was on my side. I know how it feels to search for real informations and not just for some commercial products sold by the so called guru.

Enough with my ?Soup opera?. Let's go further.

3rd century CE
Roman Empire

Syriac Book of Medicines, fol. 261a:
When the disk of the moon is of a fiery red, and its circle is wide (or, broad), it portends wind and trouble.


fol. 211b-12a, 260b:
Portents [derived] from shooting stars. When a star goes from the east to the west, the king of Persia will die in B?t H?z?y?, and there will be sicknesses and diseases among men. When a star goes from the west to the east, there will be great wrath and all mankind will suffer tribulation, and evil words will be spoken, but finally it shall be well. When the star goes from the north to the south, the king will see evil, and women will not go with child, and a father will slay his son, and a brother his brother for [a period of] three years, and then there shall be peace. When the star goes from the south to the north, and is red, or if it falls from the heavens to the earth, there will be a pestilence in that year, and the king will go to a far country, and war and darkness will prevail, and there will be much sickness and [leading away into] captivity, but in the towns there shall be peace. When the star goes from the west to the east, and bursts (?), there will be pestilence among the exalted ones, and men will increase in their habitations. When the star descends from the highest heaven to the earth, there will be tranquillity and peace, and we shall praise God. When the star bursts forth from the east, and is like unto fire, and does not burst (?), the offspring of beasts (or, cattle) will flourish, and flowers will bloom, and the towns which have been laid waste will be rebuilt.


1st century CE
Neo-Assyrian Empire


Gargasamhit? 6.30, 41-4:
30. If Venus at its rising is coloured it brings fear. ?
41. Venus, when it has the gleam of gold and silver, when it shines like the scum of melted butter, when it is bright with the (red) colour of Indian madder, having rays, causes rain.
42. Gleaming like diamonds and pearls, shining like oil, fat, and honey, and with the colour of white lotuses, snow, milk, and silver, it is praised.
43. When the son of Bhr?gu is black or tawny, there is fear; when it is coppery (or) has disappeared, a measurable (amount of) water is not produced.
44. When it is red coloured, depressed, or deprived, rain is spoken of; when the son of Bhr?gu shines like flesh and blood, there is fear.

En?ma Anu Enlil, VAT 10218, 13-17:
If Venus at its appearance is red, abundance for the people, the harvest of the land will prosper, the king of Akkad will see [ ? , ? ] the East wind blows. If Venus at its appearance is black, Enlil will look angrily upon the land, in the land the market will be low, [ ? ] the South wind blows. If Venus at its appearance is white, there will be drought in the land, [ ? ] the North wind blows. If Venus at its appearance is green, there will be famine in Amurru, [ ? ] in its [ ? ], the West wind blows. If Venus is coloured green and red, there will be [ ? ] in the land [ ? ].

En?ma Anu Enlil, VAT 10218, 14:
If Venus at its appearance is black, Enlil will look angrily upon the land, in the land the market will be low, [ ? ] the South wind blows.

2nd century CE
Roman Empire

Ascensio Isaiae 4.14-18:And after (one thousand) three hundred and thirty two days the Lord will come with his angels and with the hosts of the saints from the seventh heaven, and will drag Beliar with his hosts into Gehenna, and he will bring rest to the pious who shall be found alive in the body in this world (and the sun shall grow red with shame), and to all who through faith in him have cursed Beliar and his kings. But the saints will come with the Lord in their garments which are stored on high in the seventh heaven; with the Lord they will come, whose spirits are clothed, they will descend and be present in the world, and those who are found in the body will be strengthened by the image of the saints in the garments of the saints, and the Lord will minister to those who were watchful in the world. And afterwards they will turn themselves upwards in their garments but their body will remain in the world. Then the voice of the Beloved will in wrath rebuke this heaven and this dry place (= the earth) and the mountains and hills, the cities, the desert and the forests, the angels of the sun and of the moon and all things wherein Beliar manifests himself and acts openly in this world, and resurrection and judgement will take place in their midst in those days, and the Beloved will cause fire to go forth from himself, and it will consume all the impious and they will be as if they had not been created.



Drower 1937, 5Drower, Ethel Stefana. The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. Their cults, customs, magic, legends, and folklore. London: Clarendon Press 1937.


A Mandean priest in Ahwaz, speaking of the secret knowledge transmitted from priest to priest, vaunted this knowledge to Lady Drower:
If a raven croaks in a certain burj (astrological house) I understand what it says, also the meaning when the fire crackles or the door creaks. When the sky is cloudy and there are shapes in the sky resembling a mare or a sheep, I can read their significance and message. When the moon is darkened by an eclipse, I understand the portent: when a dust-cloud arises, black, red, or white, I read these signs, and all this according to the hours and the aspects.

Thanks again Sasha,

Great posts. Thanks for sharing all this.

Mark

sasha_i wrote:Thanks for your kind words.
The pleasure was on my side. I know how it feels to search for real informations and not just for some commercial products sold by the so called guru.

Hello Sasha, nice quotes indeed and I never saw "a guru" with true knowledge.
What is Ascensio Isaiae? It is not Sumer or from Babylon, no?

Margherita

Hello,

What is Ascensio Isaiae? It is not Sumer or from Babylon, no?

Yes you are right, it?s not from Sumer or Babylon, at least directly. But I think most of early Christian writing whether they want or not are influenced by the Mesopotamian culture. Ant it seems to me in this case we have this kind of influence.