Astronomy and Dating the Fall of Babylon

From Mica

Astronomy and Dating the Fall of Babylon

A talk by V.G. Gurzadyan (Yerevan Physics Institute)

Ancient astronomical records offer a tantalizing but powerful possibility of determining precise dates in antiquity. A popular account will be given of a study of the Babylonian astronomical records of Enuma Anu Enlil tablet series, i.e., of the Venus Tablet of Ammisaduqa and of two lunar eclipses linked with the IIIrd dynasty of Ur, having resulted in the proposal of the chronology in the Near East in II millennium B.C.

Media

Presentation Slides

Audio Recording:

• part 1 (21 minutes)
• part 2 was recorded but technical problems with the Internet connection made it impossible to understand
• part 3 (17 minutes), "As a result of this work..."

The technical details are in the book:

H.Gasche, J.A. Armstrong (Harvard, archaeology), S.W.Cole (Chicago, textology) and V.G.Gurzadyan (astronomy), "Dating the Fall of Babylon" Mesopotamian History and Environment, Series II, University of Ghent and Chicago Press, 1998.

Technical details were also covered in subsequent articles:

• V.G. Gurzadyan, Sky & Telescope, 100, (July) 40, 2000
• Akkadica, 119 (2000), 175
• Akkadica, 124 (2003), 13
• Akkadica, 126 (2005), 195
• Article on the chronology of the ancient Near East in Encyclopedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition