Performative Aspects of Assyrian Celestial Divination and Babylonian Astronomical Diaries

Abstract

This contribution explores performative aspects of Assyrian celestial divination and Babylonian astronomical diaries and related texts during the first millennium BCE. While the sources for Assyrian celestial divination contain much evidence about observational and ritual performances, astronomical diaries and related texts are mainly concerned with observation and prediction. It is argued that the Assyrian evidence can shed light on some poorly docu-mented performative aspects of astronomical practices in Babylon.