The Death of a King

This image displays a cuneiform tablet that has been decoded by the researchers.

Researchers have successfully interpreted ancient cuneiform tablets, dating back 4,000 years, which were discovered over a century ago in what is currently known as Iraq. These tablets detail how certain lunar eclipses were believed to foretell death, devastation, and disease.

According to a recently published paper in the Journal of Cuneiform Studies, written by Andrew George, an emeritus professor of Babylonian at the University of London, and Junko Taniguchi, an independent researcher, the four clay tablets are the oldest recorded instances of compilations of lunar-eclipse predictions. Lunar eclipses happen when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow.

The tablet writers utilized nighttime, shadow movements, and the timing and length of eclipses as a means of forecasting omens.

An elongated and rectangular tablet featuring cuneiform script

The complete display of the tablet's length.

For instance, a prediction states that if "a solar eclipse suddenly becomes completely covered [and] then suddenly becomes clear: a monarch will pass away, leading to the downfall of Elam." Elam was a region in Mesopotamia located in present-day Iran. Another prophecy suggests that if "a solar eclipse starts in the south and then becomes clear: Subartu and Akkad will face defeat," both of which were territories in Mesopotamia during that period. Another omen states: "A lunar eclipse during the evening watch: it indicates the outbreak of a deadly disease."

According to recent studies, the ancient Middle East experienced an increase in violence during the establishment of states and empires, as evidenced by the discovery of damaged skulls.

It is probable that ancient astrologers relied on past events to aid in their interpretation of what the eclipses symbolized.

According to George, the roots of some of the omens may have been based on real-life encounters, such as witnessing a sign that was followed by a disastrous event. However, he added that the majority of omens were likely established through a theoretical framework that connected the attributes of an eclipse to different omens.

According to George, the cuneiform tablets originate from Sippar, a city that thrived in present-day Iraq. During the time of their creation, the Babylonian Empire was flourishing in various parts of the area. These tablets were acquired by the British Museum from 1892 to 1914, but their translation and publication were not completed until recently.

Attempting to forecast what lies ahead

The people of Babylonia and other regions in Mesopotamia had a firm conviction that astronomical occurrences had the power to foretell what is to come.

According to George and Taniguchi's article, individuals held the belief that the movements of the celestial bodies were symbolic messages from the gods, serving as forewarnings of the fate of those on earth. The king's advisors would closely monitor the night sky and cross-reference their observations with the academic collection of texts on celestial omens.

The rulers in ancient Mesopotamia did not solely rely on eclipse omens to forecast future events.

According to the authors George and Taniguchi, if a prophecy was deemed to be ominous, such as "a king will perish," the priests would use extispicy (examining animal entrails) to discern if there was a genuine threat to the king's life.

According to the authors George and Taniguchi, individuals believed that by performing specific rituals they could negate any potential harm indicated by animal entrails. This was in order to counteract the malevolent forces believed to be responsible for the bad omens. Therefore, despite the negative predictions, people still held onto the belief that they could escape their foretold fate.