Babylon's Horizon
Updated: 25th July 2020 19:01 (UTC)This article builds on the discussion found in Timed Events it is best to consider that article first
Did the walls of Babylon create a horizon?
Babylon is situated in a wide valley, from a high tower in Babylon it would be possible to see for many miles (Check out this site). It's been surmised that the astronomical observations were made within the city walls from a high tower or the walls themselves. The walls were reported to be very high, some say as much as 97 metres high (320'), which is hard to believe. If the observations were made from this kind of height, then the horizon would be a long way off without any obstruction. This is probably the assumption of modern day scholars studying astronomical diaries.
What difference does it make if the horizon is higher?
For the purpose of this website, if there was just a small difference in the height of the horizon that would make some of the observations in 568 BC impossible. The observations affected the most are the "one god seen with the other". It would also affect all the "sunset to moonset" times on the tablet. Not just this tablet, it could affect most of the timed events on astronomical diaries.
Is there evidence of a higher horizon in Babylon?
The article Timed Events demonstrates how many of these times are not accurate. No amount of adjusting the horizon up or down produces consistent results for the events they are meant to be measuring. It's almost as if they were timing something else.
The timed rising of Jupiter to sunrise in 379 BC is of interest (-378 Obv 7). The diary gives a time of 11.5° which equates to 46 minutes. That is the exact time between Jupiter rising above the horizon to when the Sun rose, and yet 48 hours earlier presumably the same observer with the same timer was 56% out with the time between sunrise to moonset! How can one measurement be so precise and yet another time be incorrect?
Consider, the measurement of time between Jupiter rising and the Sun rising (in 379 BC) is not affected by the height of the horizon. The reason for this is because they are both rising over the same horizon. Whereas the time measurement that is out by 56% is between two opposite horizons (east and west).
Another consideration is that acronychal risings are said to be calculated once the rising planets are seen for the first time. This calculation is made backwards to when they think the planet would have been at the true horizon (Source). It makes you wonder how the time between Jupiter and the Sun rising was observed, if the acronychal rising of a planet was difficult to observe on the day it occurred. Could it be that the Babylonians knew that the wall created a higher horizon? Maybe acronychal risings were calculated back to when it would have been visible if they had observed it from the city wall. Did they also know that it didn't affect the time between the two rising bodies of Jupiter and the Sun in 379 BC.
The Twilight Zone
If the observations were made from behind the walls in Babylon in a position where the walls created a higher horizon, this creates a couple of possibilities
Firstly, could this fortuitously put the observer in the optimum situation to view the moon. How so? If you want to observe Venus during the day, it is easier if you completely block out the Sun with something like a building. The high walls in Babylon would be perfect way to block the Sun for the observer. Maybe from this vantage point early sightings of the new Moon were possible.
Secondly, if there was a higher horizon (higher than 0°) how would this affect the timed events? As mentioned above if you consider the very varied accuracy of the timed events it is difficult to determine what is being timed . Due to the amount of inaccurate times VAT 4956.com experimented with the times using different horizon heights. The results are reproduced below. The purpose of the experiment was to see if the times could be related to another event.
How did the experiment work?
The events are identified on the tablet by the NA symbol, which is translated as one of the Lunar Six intervals (Sachs & Hunger, 1988), either "sunset to moonset" or "moonset to sunrise" depending on what time of the day it is interpreted to be measuring. Only times identified by the NA symbol will be considered.
Assumptions: Timed events made in the evening were triggered by the Sun setting and the events measured in the morning ended when the Moon set. This was based on the Sun being the god of the Day and the Moon being the god of the night.
The horizons: The west horizon was set at 3° 30' above the true horizon. The east horizon was set at 2° 30' above the true horizon. These heights were arrived at by raising them by 30' at a time.
This experiment tried to simulate the perceived beginning and end of twilight either after the Sun set (Beginning or end of the month) or before the Moon set in the morning (around the middle of the month) This was carried out using the method below
- When the setting Sun reached the 3° 30' horizon in the west the position of the Sun was recorded after the amount of minutes in the tablet had passed. This would be the distance in degrees the Sun was below the horizon (the height of the horizon was added to this amount).
- For the early morning times when the setting Moon reached the 2° 30' horizon the position of the Sun was recorded after the amount of minutes were subtracted. This would record the position of the Sun below the horizon prior to the Moon setting (the height of the horizon was added to this amount).
The calculated result represented the amount of degrees the Sun was below the horizon created by the walls.
Anythingabove -7° 30' was considered a fail. The results are reproduce below:
No. | Year | M | d | Date | ° | Mins | Start | End | Horizon | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAT4956 - Data for year 588 BC | ||||||||||||||
1 | -587 | Obv 4 | 1 | 14 | BC588-05-16 | NA | 4 | 16 | 03:53 | -13°52'16.8" | 02°30'00.0" | -16°22'16.8" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
2 | -588 | 2 | 26 | 23 | 92 | |||||||||
3 | -587 | Obv 12 | 3 | 1 | BC588-06-30 | NA | 20 | 80 | 18:45 | -11°08'58.8" | 03°30'00.0" | -14°38'58.8" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
4 | -587 | Obv 17 | 3 | 15 | BC588-07-15 | NA | 7.5 | 30 | 03:55 | -11°07'32.8" | 02°30'00.0" | -13°37'32.8" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
5 | -587 | Rev 5 | 11 | 1 | BC587-02-22 | NA | 14.5 | 58 | 17:30 | -08°47'58.2" | 03°30'00.0" | -12°17'58.2" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
6 | -587 | Rev 8 | 11 | 15 | BC587-03-08 | NA | 7 | 28 | 05:48 | -09°38'33.1" | 02°30'00.0" | -12°08'33.1" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
6 | -587 | Rev 8 | 11 | 15 | BC587-03-08 | NA | 17 | 68 | 05:48 | -18°04'37.3" | 02°30'00.0" | -20°34'37.3" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
7 | -587 | Rev 12 | 12 | 1 | BC587-03-24 | NA | 25 | 100 | 17:51 | -17°53'06.1" | 03°30'00.0" | -21°23'06.1" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
8 | -588 | Rev 16 | 12 | 12 | BC587-04-05 | NA | 1.5 | 6 | 04:44 | -14°57'21.7" | 02°30'00.0" | -17°27'21.7" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
VAT4956 - Data for year 568 BC | ||||||||||||||
1 | -568 | Obv 4 | 1 | 14 | BC568-05-06 | NA | 4 | 16 | 04:51 | -04°58'46.4" | 02°30'00.0" | -07°28'46.4" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
2 | -567 | 2 | 26 | BC568-06-17 | 23 | 92 | ||||||||
3 | -567 | Obv 12 | 3 | 1 | BC568-06-20 | NA | 20 | 80 | 18:42 | -11°12'01.4" | 03°30'00.0" | -14°42'01.4" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
4 | -567 | Obv 17 | 3 | 15 | BC568-07-05 | NA | 7.5 | 30 | 04:29 | -04°20'32.5" | 02°30'00.0" | -06°50'32.5" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
5 | -567 | Rev 5 | 11 | 1 | BC567-02-12 | NA | 14.5 | 58 | 17:21 | -08°26'16.8" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°56'16.8" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
6 | -567 | Rev 8 | 11 | 15 | BC567-02-27 | NA | 7 | 28 | 07:22 | +07°40'38.6" | 02°30'00.0" | +05°10'38.6" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
6 | -568 | Rev 8 | 11 | 15 | BC567-02-27 | NA | 17 | 68 | 06:42 | -00°34'32.0" | 02°30'00.0" | -03°04'32.0" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
7 | -567 | Rev 12 | 12 | 1 | BC567-03-14 | NA | 25 | 100 | 17:44 | -17°45'09.2" | 03°30'00.0" | -21°15'09.2" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
8 | -568 | Rev 16 | 12 | 12 | BC567-03-26 | NA | 1.5 | 6 | 05:42 | -05°48'45.7" | 02°30'00.0" | -08°18'45.7" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
Data for other diaries | ||||||||||||||
9 | -463 | Obv 2 | 5 | 27 | BC464-09-04 | NA | 14 | 56 | 18:09 | -08°22'42.8" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°52'42.8" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
10 | -463 | Obv 5 | 6 | 1 | BC464-09-08 | NA | 18 | 72 | 18:05 | -11°39'01.3" | 03°30'00.0" | -15°09'01.3" | Sunset to End of Twilight | |
11 | -463 | Obv 8 | 6 | 14 | BC464-09-21 | GE6 | 3.5 | 14 | ||||||
12 | -453 | UE 4 | 11 | 1 | BC453-02-12 | NA | 14 | 56 | 17:22 | -08°03'27.5" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°33'27.5" | Sunset to Twilight end - Dense clouds | |
13 | -418B | Obv 2 | 8 | 1 | BC419-10-19 | NA | 20 | 80 | 17:12 | -13°35'37.5" | -03°30'00.0" | -17°05'37.5" | Sunset to End of Twilight | |
14 | -384 | Obv 8 | 9 | 15 | BC385-12-15 | GE6 | 11.5 | 46 | ||||||
15 | -382 | Obv 8 | 2 | 15 | BC383-05-31 | NA | 5 | 20 | 04:29 | -04°53'53.2" | -03°30'00.0" | -08°23'53.2" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
16 | -382 | Obv 16 | 3 | 14 | BC383-06-29 | SU | 3.66 | 15 | ||||||
17 | -382 | Obv 16 | 3 | 15 | BC383-06-29 | ME | 1.33 | 6 | ||||||
18 | -382 | Obv 18 | 3 | 27 | BC383-07-12 | KUR | 16.33 | 66 | ||||||
19 | -382 | Rev 9 | 11 | 12 | BC382-02-19 | SU | 5 | 20 | ||||||
20 | -381 | Obv 1 | 1 | 1 | BC382-04-07 | NA | 24.33 | 98 | 18:00 | -17°07'14.4" | 03°30'00.0" | -20°37'14.4" | Sunset to Twilight end | |
21 | -381 | Obv 7 | 1 | 12 | BC382-04-19 | SU | 4.33 | 18 | ||||||
22 | -381 | Obv 21 | 2 | 14 | BC382-05-20 | NA | 6 | 24 | 04:28 | -06°34'26.1" | 02°30'00.0" | -09°04'26.1" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
23 | -381 | Rev 5 | 6 | 1 | BC382-09-01 | NA | 13.66 | 55 | 18:12 | -08°03'39.5" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°33'39.5" | Sunset to Twilight - Mi[st] | |
24 | -381 | Rev 11 | 6 | 16 | BC382-09-16 | GE6 | 6 | 24 | ||||||
25 | -380B | Obv 2 | 10 | 14 | BC381-12-31 | NA | 3 | 12 | 07:02 | -01°49'48.7" | 02°30'00.0" | -04°29'48.7" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
26 | -380B | Obv 8 | 10 | 27 | BC380-01-13 | KUR | 12.66 | 51 | ||||||
27 | -380B | Rev 6 | 12 | 13 | BC380-02-27 | NA | 1.5 | 6 | 06:11 | -06°35'01.7" | 02°30'00.0" | -09°05'01.7" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
28 | -380B | Rev 7 | 12 | 15 | BC380-02-28 | GE6 | 16.5 | 66 | ||||||
29 | -379 | Rev 2 | 11 | 13 | BC379-02-16 | SU | 9.66 | 39 | ||||||
30 | -378 | Obv 3 | 8 | 1 | BC379-10-27 | NA | 14.5 | 58 | 17:02 | -08°42'27.9" | 03°30'00.0" | -12°12'27.9" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
31 | -378 | Obv 6 | 8 | 14 | BC379-11-09 | ME | 9.5 | 38 | ||||||
32 | -378 | Obv 6 | 8 | 14 | BC379-11-10 | NA | 4.5 | 18 | 05:57 | -06°39'41.3" | 02°30'00.0" | -09°09'41.3" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
33 | -378 | Obv 7 | 8 | 16 | BC379-11-12 | NA-SU | 11.5 | 46 | ||||||
34 | -375A | Obv 1 | 7 | 14 | BC376-10-07 | [GE6] | 5.66 | 23 | ||||||
35 | -375B | Obv 5 | 10 | 12 | BC375-01-03 | SU | 16.33 | 66 | ||||||
36 | -375B | Obv | 10 | 15 | BC375-02-05 | GE6 | 11.16 | 45 | ||||||
37 | -375B | Obv 12 | 11 | 1 | BC375-01-20 | NA | 15 | 60 | 17:01 | -08°21'47.0" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°51'47.0" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
38 | -375B | Rev 2 | 11 | 13 | BC375-02-02 | SU | 6.5 | 26 | ||||||
39 | -375B | Rev 3 | 11 | 15 | BC375-02-03 | GE6 | 3.33 | 14 | ||||||
40 | -375C | Rev 3 | 12.2 | 1 | BC375-03-20 | NA | 14 | 56 | 17:49 | -08°33'53.5" | 03°30'00.0" | -12°03'53.5" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
41 | -372 | A. Col i, 8 | 1 | 13 | BC373-04-09 | ME | 13 | 52 | ||||||
42 | -372 | A. Col i, 9 | 1 | 13 | BC373-04-10 | SU | 7 | 28 | ||||||
43 | -372 | A. Col i, 9 | 1 | 14 | BC373-04-10 | GE6 | 3.33 | 13 | ||||||
44 | -372 | A. Col i, 9 | 1 | 14 | BC373-04-11 | NA | 2.83 | 11 | 05:18 | -05°35'05.3" | 02°30'00.0" | -08°05'05.3" | Twilight Start to Moonset | |
45 | -372 | C. Obv 5 | 3 | 1 | BC373-05-25 | NA | 19 | 76 | 18:29 | -10°58'57.5" | 03°30'00.0" | -14°28'57.5" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
46 | -372 | C. Rev 8 | 4 | 27 | BC373-07-21 | KUR | 23 | 92 | ||||||
47 | -372 | C. Rev 11 | 5 | 1 | BC373-07-23 | NA | 12 | 48 | 18:43 | -05°48'11.6" | 03°30'00.0" | -09°18'11.6" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
48 | -372 | A. Col iii, 6 | 6 | 15 | BC373-09-05 | ME | 5 | 20 | ||||||
49 | -372 | A. Col iii, 6 | 6 | 15 | BC373-09-06 | [NA] | 16 | 64 | ||||||
50 | -372 | D. Obv 2 | 7 | 27 | BC373-10-18 | KUR | 11.5 | 46 | ||||||
51 | -372 | D. Obv 7 | 8 | 15 | BC373-11-04 | […] | 18.5 | 74 | ||||||
52 | -372 | E. Rev 1 | 11 | 1 | BC372-01-17 | NA | 16 | 64 | 16:59 | -09°11'32.0" | 03°30'00.0" | -12°41'32.0" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
53 | -372 | E. Rev 5 | 11 | 14 | BC372-01-30 | ME | 1 | 4 | ||||||
54 | -370 | Obv 6 | 5 | 1 | BC371-08-01 | NA | 14.5 | 58 | 18:39 | -07°49'28.2" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°29'28.2" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
55 | -370 | Rev 5 | 8 | 1 | BC371-10-28 | NA | 13.5 | 54 | 17:02 | -08°05'31.5" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°35'31.5" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
56 | -368 | Obv 7 | 2 | 13 | BC369-05-23 | ME | 20 | 80 | ||||||
57 | -368 | Obv 7 | 2 | 13 | BC369-05-24 | NA | 11.16 | 45 | Dated correctly? | |||||
58 | -368 | Rev 9 | 4 | 1 | BC369-07-10 | NA | 14.5 | 58 | 18:46 | -07°26'32.6" | 03°30'00.0" | -10°56'32.6" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
59 | -366 | Col. i 9 | 1 | 13 | BC367-05-03 | SU | 9 | 36 | ||||||
60 | -366 | Col. i 10 | 1 | 14 | BC367-05-04 | NA | [4] | 16 | 04:47 | [-09°06'39.2"] | 02°30'00.0" | [-11°36'39.2"] | Twilight start to Moonset - See notes | |
61 | -366 | Col. i 11 | 1 | 15 | BC367-05-04 | ME | 5 | 20 | ||||||
62 | -366 | Col. i 18 | 1 | 27 | BC367-05-17 | KUR | 11 | 44 | ||||||
63 | -366 | Col. i 23 | 2 | 1 | BC367-05-19 | NA | 14 | 56 | 18:25 | -07°31'24.9" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°01'24.9" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
64 | -366 | Col ii 11 | 3 | 1 | BC367-06-18 | NA | 15 | 60 | 18:42 | -07°47'32.9" | 03°30'00.0" | -11°17'32.9" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
65 | -366 | Col. Iii, 1 | 4 | 27 | BC367-08-14 | KUR | 17.33 | 69 | ||||||
66 | -366 | Col. Iii, 7 | 5 | 1 | BC367-08-17 | NA | 19 | 76 | 18:27 | -11°41'31.6" | 03°30'00.0" | -15°11'31.6" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
67 | -366 | Col. Iii, 34 | 6 | 1 | BC367-09-15 | NA | 14 | 56 | 17:55 | -08°36'31.0" | 03°30'00.0" | -12°06'31.0" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
68 | -366 | Col. iv, 21 | 7 | 1 | BC367-10-15 | NA | 19 | 76 | 17:16 | -12°44'50.4" | 03°30'00.0" | -16°14'50.4" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
69 | -346 | Obv 1 | 9 | 1 | BC347-12-02 | NA | 20 | 80 | 16:38 | -12°23'25.8" | 03°30'00.0" | -15°53'25.8" | Sunset to Twilight End | |
70 | -346 | Obv 8 | 9 | 13 | BC347-12-15 | SU | 5.66 | 23 | ||||||
71 | -346 | Obv 8 | 9 | 14 | BC347-12-15 | GE6 | 3 | 12 | ||||||
72 | -346 | Obv 8 | 9 | 14 | BC347-12-16 | NA | 11 | 44 | 06:35 | -05°21'46.0" | 02°30'00.0" | -07°51'46.0" | Twilight start to Moonset | |
73 | -346 | Obv 15 | 10 | 1 | BC346-01-01 | NA | 5 | 20 | broken? - 2nd day | |||||
74 | -346 | Rev 16 | 12 | 1 | BC346-03-01 | NA | 22.5 | 90 | 17:36 | -15°34'18.1" | 03°30'00.0" | -19°04'18.1" | Sunset to Twilight | |
75 | -346 | Rev 34 | 1 | 1 | BC346-03-30 | NA | 17 | 68 | 17:54 | -10°48'54.8" | 03°30'00.0" | -14°18'54.8" | Sunset to Twilight |
Conclusion
The results demonstrate that there is a correlation between the times and the position of the Sun below the horizon. The position of the Sun in the middle of the month could be due to the bright full moon affecting the observation. The times highlighted in amber that are greater than -18° below the horizon could have been affected by light reflecting off the moon after it had dipped below the horizon.
Whilst the results don't necessarily prove that the Babylonians were timing the length of twilight or that the walls created a higher horizon, it does show that the timed events in the year 588 BC are consistent with all the other astronomical diaries (with one exception) and that 568 BC is not consistent with all the other diaries
Notes
Line 60 - The tablet reads "20 NINDA na" NINDA is the same as LIMMU which means 4 (erbet) if it was 4 na this equates to 16 minutes which is consistent with the other results. Otherwise it could read 24 which makes the error greater
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