New Fragments of Babylonian Astronomical Procedure Texts

Abstract

This paper presents nine previously unpublished fragments of Babylonian procedure texts from the corpus of mathematical astronomy. Texts A and B contain planetary procedures that complement our knowledge of the Babylonian methods for Mercury (systems A1, A2), in particular those concerning daily motion, and Saturn (systems B, B′′). The remaining seven fragments (Texts C–H) are concerned with the Moon. Text C contains procedures based on a previously unknown variant of system A. Texts D–G belong to lunar system A. Text H comprises two new fragments of a procedure text for lunar system K. Texts E–H are joins to previously published tablets.