[moon and star] Star Catalogue


This catalogue is derived from BPO2. The Sumerian transliteration is in all-caps, and then the Akkadian is in italics. The English translation of the name is in quotes, followed by the modern star or constellation to which it refers.

I have not included alternate spellings for any of the constellation names, as this would lead to a maze of circular definitions. Also, this catalogue is alphabetized by the Sumerian. In the event that the Sumerian name is not known, the constellation is still included and alphabetized by its Akkadian name, but only in this event.

For the sake of anyone looking for the Sumerian or Akkadian translation of a particular constellation, I may try to make an English-Sumerian version of this list. However, because many of the ancient constellations defy modern constellation boundaries, I've gone ahead and done the Sumerian-English first. If I do make an English version, it will probably only include the major zodiacal constellations. Until then, just skim the list and you should find what you're after.


For quick reference, here is a diagram:

[diagram]

For more information on the transliteration of the Sumerian and Akkadian, please see the Introduction.


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S Sh T U V W X Y Z


A


AB.SÍN
"The Furrow"; The star Spica in Virgo

A.EDIN = Erua
gamma Comae Berenices (?) and possibly others

AGA dA-nim
"The Crown of Anu"

AL.LUL =alluttu
"The Crab"; Cancer

dAMAR.UD = dMarduk
Jupiter

Á.MUSHEN = erû
"The Eagle"; Aquila

ANSHE.KUR.RA = sisû
"The Horse"

AN.TA.SUR.RA = sariru
"Flashing"; Probably a meteor

AN.TA.SHUB.SHUB.BA
"Falling from Above"; Probably a meteorite

APIN = epinnu
"The Plow"; Triangulum Boreale with gamma Andromedae

ASH.GÁN = ikû
"The Field"; alpha, beta and gamma Pegasi with alpha Andromedae


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B


BAL.TÉSH.A = kakkab balti
"Star of Dignity"; Corona Borealis (?)

BAN (GISH.BAN) = qashtu
"The Bow"; tao, delta, sigma, and epsilon Canis Maioris

BIR = kalitu
"The Kidney"; zeta Puppis

BURANUN = Purattu
"The Euphrates"


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D


DAR.LUGAL
"The Rooster"; Canis Minor (?)

DINGIR.GUB.BA.MESH
"The Standing Gods"

DINGIR.KU.A.MESH
"The Sitting (?) Gods"

DUMU.USH.É.MAH
Polaris (?)


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E


EN.GISHGAL.AN.NA
Jupiter

EN.ME.SHÁR.RA
zeta and omicron Persei with, perhaps, the northern stars of Taurus

EN.TE.NA.BAR.HUM = habasiranu
Centaurus

ESH4.DAR = Ishtar
Venus

É.TÙR = tarbasu
"The Cattle Pen"


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G


GABA SHU.GI
"The Chest of the Old Man"; Probably delta Persei

GAL = rabbu, rabû
"The Great"

GÀM = gamlu
"The Crook"; Auriga

GÁN.ÙR(.RA) (GISH.GÁN.ÙR) = mashkakatu
"The Harrow"

GIGIR (GISH.GIGIR) = narkabtu
"The Chariot"

GÌR.MESH SHU.GI
"The Feet of the Old Man"; Probably beta Persei

GÍR.TAB = zuqaqipu
"The Scorpion"; Scorpius

GISH.KAK dEN.ME.SHÁR.RA
"The Cart Pole of EN.ME.SHÁR.RA"; Probably zeta Persei

GU4.AN.NA
"The Bull of Heaven"; Taurus

GU.LA
"Great"; Aquarius

GU4.UD = shihtu
"Jumping"; Mercury


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H


HÉ.GÁL-a-a = kakkab nushi
"Star of Abundance"; Part of Coma Berenices (?)


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I


IDIGNA = Idiglat
"The Tigris"

dIM.DUGUD.MUSHEN = Anzû
"The Anzû Bird"

dIMIN.BI = ilu sibitti
"The Seven Gods"; The deities of MUL.MUL (the Pleiades)

IM.SHU.RIN.NA = tinuru
"The Oven"


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K


KA5.A = shelebu
"The Fox"; Ursae Maioris (?)

KAK.SI.SÁ = shukudu
"The Arrow"; alpha Canis Maioris

KA.MUSH.Ì.KÚ.E = Pashittu
beta Andromedae

KU6 = nunu
"The Fish"; Piscis Austrinus


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L


dLAMMA
alpha Lyrae

LI.DUR SIPA.ZI.AN.NA
"The Navel of the True Shepherd of Anu"; Probably alpha Orionis

LI9.SI4
alpha Scorpii

LUGAL = sharru
"The King"; alpha Leonis

LÚ.HUN.GÁ = argu
"The Hired Man"; Aries

LU.LIM = lulimu
"The Stag"; Andromeda

LUL.LA = sarru
"False"; Probably not a real star


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M


MAR.GÍD.DA = eriqqu
"The Wagon"; Ursa Major

MAR.GÍD.DA.AN.NA
"The Wagon of Heaven"; Ursa Minor

MASH.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL = tu'amu rabûtu
"The Great Twins"; alpha and beta Geminorum

MASH.TAB.BA.TUR.TUR
"The Little Twins"; zeta and lamda Geminorium

MUL.MUL = zappu
"The Stars" (Sum.) or "The Bristle" (Akk.); The Pleiades

MUSH
"The Snake"; Hydra


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N


dNIN.KILIM = shikkû
"The Mongoose"


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P


PA.BIL.SAG
Sagittarius


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S


SIM.MAH = shinunutu
"The Swallow"; Western fish of Pisces

SIPA.ZI.AN.NA = shidallu
"The True Shepherd of Anu"; Orion

SUHUR.MÁSH = suhurmashû
"The Goat Fish"; Capricorn


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Sh


SHAH
"The Pig"; Delphinus

SHAR.GAZ
lamda or upsilon Scorpii

SHAR.UR4
lamda or upsilon Scorpii

SHUDUN = niru
"The Yoke"; Boötes

SHU.GI = shibu
"The Old Man"; Perseus

SHU.PA
Boötes


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T


TIR.AN.NA = manzât
"The Rainbow"

tultu
"The Worm"


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U


UD.KA.DU8.A
"The Demon with the Gaping Mouth"; Cygnus and part of Cepheus

UGA(.MUSHEN) = aribu
"The Raven"; Corvus

UR.BAR.RA = barbaru
"The Wolf"; alpha Trianguli

UR.GU.LA
"The Lion"; Leo

UR.IDIM
"The Mad Dog"; Lupus

ÙZ = enzu
"The She-Goat"; Lyra


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Z


ZI.BA.AN.NA = zibanitu
"The Scales" (Akk.); Libra

ziqit GÍR.TAB
"The Sting of the Scorpion"; Identified with SHAR.GAZ and SHAR.UR4


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[Index] Go back to the Index

[scorpion with moon and star] A Guide to Ancient Near Eastern Astronomy

Comments Are Very Welcome

Hope Anthony
February 12, 1996