Origin: A tablet made up of two joining pieces, BM 76738 and BM 76813, acquired by the British Museum in 1883 [1].
1' [Year 1 of Kand]alanu, ⌜month⌝ [..., day ..., last appearance.]
2' [Year 1, mont]h 4, day 24, in fr[ont of ... the Crab, first appearance.]
3' [Ye]ar 2, month 4, day 10+[x, ..., last appearance.]
4' [Year 2, mon]th 5, broken, in the head of the Lion, first appearance; not [observed?.]
5' [Ye]ar 3, month 4, day 7, [last appearance.]
6' [Year 3], month 5, day 16, in the Lion behind the King (= α Leonis), [first appearance]; ⌜high⌝.
7' [Year] ⌜4⌝, at the end of month 4, last appearance; (because of) cloud not observed.
8' [Year 4, month 6?], day [x], in the middle of the Lion, first appearance; high.
9' [Year 5], month 5, day 23, last appearance.
10' [Year 5], at the end of month 6, first appearance; intercalary Ululu.
11' Year 6, month 5, day 20, last appearance.
12' [Year 6], month 6, day 22, behind ⌜the rear foot of⌝ the Lion (= β Virginis), behind AN.GÚ.ME.MAR, first appearance.
13' Year 7, month 6, day 10+[x], last appearance.
14' [Year 7], month 7, day 15, ⌜in front of⌝ the Furrow (α+ Virginis), first appearance.
15' Year 8, month 6, day 5, behind the Furrow (α+ Virginis), last appearance.
16' [Year 8], month 7, day 5, ⌜between⌝ the Furrow (α+ Virginis) and the Balance (Libra), first appearance.
17' [Year] ⌜9, month 6⌝, [day] ⌜27/28?⌝, last appearance.
Reverse
18' [Year 9, month 8, day x]+1, ⌜within?⌝ the Balance,... [..., first appearance].
19' Year 10, month] ⌜7⌝, day 20, behind the Balance, [last appearance].
20' [Year 10, month 8, day] 23, in front of the Forehead of the Scorpion, on the north side, first appearance; it was bright; intercalary Addaru.
21' [Year 11, month] 7, day 13, last appearance.
22' [Year 11, month 8, day] ⌜15⌝, above Lisi (= α Scorpii) ⌜6½ degrees⌝, first appearance; with reference to Lisi a little in front(?).
23' [Year 12, month] 8, day 5, last appearance; ⌜because of⌝ cloud computed.
24' [Year 12, month] 9, day 5, at the beginning of Pabilsag (= Sagittarius + part of Ophiuchus), [first appearance?];... 1 degree?...
25' [Year] 13, month 8, day 26, last appearance; [cloud?], not [observed?].
26' [Year 13, month] 10, day 1, in the middle of Pabilsag, [first appearance;...]
27' [Year] ⌜14⌝, month ⌜8⌝, ⌜day 20⌝, [last appearance;...]
28' [Year 14, month 9, day] ⌜20⌝[+?,...] ... [..., first appearance;...]
[2, p. 64]
The text lists the dates of successive first and last visibilities of Saturn in terms of the regnal year, month and day in the lunar calendar.
The planet is nowhere named on the tablet, but the intervals between the various observations (both chronologically and in terms of ecliptic longitude) fit the movements of Saturn and of no other planet.
Obv. Line 1
?/I-IV/1
[Year 1 of Kand]alanu, ⌜month⌝ [..., day ..., last appearance.] (LA)
Obv. Line 2
24/IV/1
[Year 1, mont]h 4, day 24, in fr[ont of ... the Crab, first appearance.]
(FA)
Obv. Line 3
10+/IV/2
[Ye]ar 2, month 4, day 10+[x, ..., last appearance.] (LA)
Obv. Line 4
?/V/2
[Year 2, mon]th 5, broken, in the head of the Lion, first appearance; not [observed?.]
(FA, ε Leonis)
Obv. Line 5
7/IV/3
[Ye]ar 3, month 4, day 7, [last appearance.] (LA)
Obv. Line 6
16/V/3
[Year 3], month 5, day 16, in the Lion behind the King (= α Leonis)
(FA, α Leonis)
Obv. Line 7
end/IV/4
[Year] ⌜4⌝, at the end of month 4, last appearance (LA)
Obv. Line 8
?/V+/4
[Year 4, month 6?], day [x], in the middle of the Lion, first appearance
(FA, Leo)
Obv. Line 9
23/V/5
[Year 5], month 5, day 23, last appearance. (LA)
Obv. Line 10
end/VI/5
[Year 5], at the end of month 6, first appearance; (FA)
Obv. Line 11
20/V/6
Year 6, month 5, day 20, last appearance. (LA)
Obv. Line 12
22/VI/6
[Year 6], month 6, day 22, behind ⌜the rear foot of⌝ the Lion (= β Virginis), behind AN.GÚ.ME.MAR, first appearance.
(FA, β Virginis)
Obv. Line 13
10+/VI/7
Year 7, month 6, day 10+[x], last appearance. (LA)
Obv. Line 14
15/VII/7
[Year 7], month 7, day 15, ⌜in front of⌝ the Furrow (α+ Virginis), first appearance.
(FA, Virgo)
Obv. Line 15
5/VI₂/8
Year 8, month 6, day 5, behind the Furrow (α+ Virginis), last appearance.
(LA, Virgo)
Note ITU-KIN 2-KAM = Ululu II [2, p. 69]
Obv. Line 16
5/VII/8
[Year 8], month 7, day 5, ⌜between⌝ the Furrow (α+ Virginis) and the Balance (Libra), first appearance.
(FA, Virgo)
Rev. Line 17
?/?/9
[Year] ⌜9, month 6⌝, [day] ⌜27/28?⌝, last appearance. (LA)
Rev. Line 18
?/?/9
[Year 9, month 8, day x]+1, ⌜within?⌝ the Balance,... [..., first appearance]
(FA, Libra)
Rev. Line 19
20/?/10
Year 10, month] ⌜7⌝, day 20, behind the Balance, [last appearance].
(LA, Libra)
Rev. Line 20
23/?/10
[Year 10, month 8, day] 23, in front of the Forehead of the Scorpion, on the north side, first appearance;
(FA, Antares)
Rev. Line 21
13/VII/11
[Year 11, month] 7, day 13, last appearance. (LA)
Rev. Line 22
?/VII+/11
[Year 11, month 8, day] ⌜15⌝, above Lisi (= α Scorpii) ⌜6½ degrees⌝, first appearance;
(FA, Antares)
Rev. Line 23
5/VIII/12
[Year 12, month] 8, day 5, last appearance; ⌜because of⌝ cloud computed.
(LA)
Rev. Line 24
5/IX/12
[Year 12, month] 9, day 5, at the beginning of Pabilsag (= Sagittarius + part of Ophiuchus), [first appearance?];
(FA, Sagittarius)
Rev. Line 25
26/VIII/13
[Year] 13, month 8, day 26, last appearance; (LA)
Rev. Line 26
1/X/13
[Year 13, month] 10, day 1, in the middle of Pabilsag, [first appearance;...]
(FA, Sagittarius)
Rev. Line 27
?/?/14
[Year] ⌜14⌝, month ⌜8⌝, ⌜day 20⌝, [last appearance;...] (LA)
Rev. Line 28
?/?/14
[Year 14, month 9, day] ⌜20⌝[+?,...] ... [..., first appearance;...]
(FA)
When testing years in the range -697 to -596 the best match for Kandalanu’s 1st year is -646, it is obviously very close at the top, but in the context of the other texts in this project the -646 date matches up.
Year Score
-646 40.50485338949278
-676 37.46298971368921
-615 37.24607930051277
-645 37.08184273740389
-618 35.90554682715638
...
-667 8.336244120916842
-666 7.5959304253710895
-665 7.590394338409686
| Calendar Date | Event | Matched UT | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/I/1 | Calendar: First day of year | -646 March 28 | Equinox on March 28 |
| ?/I-III/1 | Last appearance | -646 June | LA June 14 |
| 24/IV/1 | First appearance | -646 July 17 | FA July 18 |
| 1/I/2 | Calendar: First day of year | -645 March 17 | Equinox on March 28 |
| 10+/IV/2 | Last appearance | -645 June 23+ | LA June 28 |
| ?/V/2 | First appearance | -645 July 13+ | FA July 31, in Leo |
| 1/I/3 | Calendar: First day of year | -644 April 04 | Equinox on March 27 |
| 7/IV/3 | Last appearance | -644 July 08 | LA July 10 |
| 16/V/3 | First appearance | -644 Aug 15 | FA August 12, 5° behind Regulus |
| 1/I/4 | Calendar: First day of year | -643 March 24 | Equinox on March 28 |
| end/IV/4 | Last appearance | -643 July 20 | LA July 24 |
| ?/V+/4 | First appearance | -643 Aug | FA August 25, in Leo |
| 1/I/5 | Calendar: First day of year | -642 March 13 | Equinox on March 28 |
| 23/V/5 | Last appearance | -642 Aug 02 | LA August 06 |
| end/VI/5 | First appearance | -642 Sept 05 | FA September 06 |
| 1/I/6 | Calendar: First day of year | -641 April 01 | Equinox on March 28 |
| 20/V/6 | Last appearance | -641 Aug 17 | LA August 18 |
| 22/VI/6 | First appearance | -641 Sept 18 | FA September 19, 15° behind β Virginis |
| 1/I/7 | Calendar: First day of year | -640 March 20 | Equinox on March 27 |
| 10+/VI/7 | Last appearance | -640 August 25+ | LA August 30 |
| 15/VII/7 | First appearance | -640 Sept 29 | FA September 30, in Virgo |
| 1/I/8 | Calendar: First day of year | -639 March 10 | Equinox on March 27 |
| 5/VI₂/8 | Last appearance | -639 Sept 08 | LA September 11, in Virgo |
| 5/VII/8 | First appearance | -639 Oct 08 | FA October 11, in Virgo near Libra |
| 1/I/9 | Calendar: First day of year | -638 March 29 | Equinox on March 28 |
| ?/?/9 | Last appearance | -638 Sept | LA September 22 |
| ?/?/9 | First appearance | -638 Oct | FA October 23, in Libra |
| 1/I/10 | Calendar: First day of year | -637 March 19 | Equinox on March 28 |
| 20/?/10 | Last appearance | -637 Oct 01 | LA October 04, in Libra |
| 23/?/10 | First appearance | -637 Nov 03 | FA November 03, 13° ahead of Antares |
| 1/I/11 | Calendar: First day of year | -636 April 05 | Equinox on March 27 |
| 13/VII/11 | Last appearance | -636 Oct 13 | LA October 15 |
| ?/VII+/11 | First appearance | -636 Nov | FA November 14, 6° above Antares |
| 1/I/12 | Calendar: First day of year | -635 March 26 | Equinox on March 27 |
| 5/VIII/12 | Last appearance | -635 Oct 24 | LA October 26 |
| 5/IX/12 | First appearance | -635 Nov 22 | FA November 25, in Sagittarius |
| 1/I/13 | Calendar: First day of year | -634 March 15 | Equinox on March 28 |
| 26/VIII/13 | Last appearance | -634 Nov 03 | LA November 07 |
| 1/X/13 | First appearance | -634 Dec 06 | FA December 06, in Sagittarius |
| 1/I/14 | Calendar: First day of year | -633 March-April | Equinox on March 28 |
| ?/?/14 | Last appearance | -633 Nov | LA November 18 |
| ?/?/14 | First appearance | -633 Dec | FA December 18 |
Years 5, 8, and 10 are known to be intercalary, the observations show that year 2 must be intercalary, it is possible that either one of year 13 or 14 were intercalary.
[1] “Joined Tablet Group: G14711,” The British Museum. [Online]. Available: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/group/G14711.
[2] C. B. Walker, “Babylonian Observations of Saturn during the reign of Kandalanu,” Ancient Astronomy and Celestial Divination, pp. 61–76, 1999.