Explanations of the phenomena of eclipses and solar eclipses in Mesopotamia
The inhabitants of Mesopotamia saw in the phenomena of the eclipse and the eclipse an evil affliction and evil intent harbored by seven demons with a cosmic nature, attacking with their ferocity the seven gods - the higher planets (personified by five planets, the sun and the moon). The ziggurat (stepped temple) or something similar to a high tower is considered an astronomical observatory. The city is monitored daily (day and night) to determine the path of the sun during the day, and determine the positions and shapes of the stars at night. The ziggurat consists of three to seven floors sometimes, and is built in the form of terraces one above the other, and each of these floors represents a roaming celestial planet ( As they called her because of her daily movement) It is based on the number of planets they gave names: Mercury (GU4 UD), Venus (dele-bat), Saturn (GENNA), Mars (AN), Jupiter (múl-babbar), the sun (šamaš), the moon (Sin), and it was The astronomer performs his daily observations from the top of the ziggurat (he is usually a priest). The night observations are specific to the stars, the moon, and the planets, and the daytime observations are specific to the sun and its daily path from sunrise to sunset. Thus, we can consider these astronomical priests as timekeepers (chronographers, or time recorders) for their society because they are the ones responsible. To maintain the course of the annual cycle on which the well-being of their agricultural and commercial community depends.
It is possible to perceive the movement of the moon in the sky through the recurring phenomenon of eclipses every (18) years, which was observed by the ancient Iraqi astronomer for the period between the years (703) and (378) BC, or when it is in its zenith, perfectly rotated (that is, it becomes a full moon). Where the bright face of the god Sin (the moon) attacks (a reddish blur) like a shadow, as if it were death, and in the same situation the god Shamash is chased, as a black disk creeps over his face in broad daylight, and then a hole opens in the sky in the blackness of its darkness (what is meant is the shadow of the moon, which with its disk obscures the face of the sun, which is A total solar eclipse, where darkness covers the universe and birds and animals go to their nests. In general, the phenomenon of solar and lunar eclipses is a harbinger of the occurrence of floods and the spread of epidemics, plague, diseases, and death that turns people into ashes, and not even the king himself is spared from the disease. Sometimes the danger lasted for a period of time. one hundred days, So the king moves to his rural residence, where they deceive the evil goblins by calling him a peasant and he must obey the great gods.
Meanwhile, an alternative king sits on the throne (in Akkadian, char-bukhi ar pūḫiš) and is married to a virgin girl (Betullu, Ardātu) (in Arabic, Bettul means virgin). He is chosen to perform this ritual event for a period of one hundred days, and his mission is to bear all the evil results and consequences. Which threatens the real king, as the replacement of the king lives in the palace while the king continues to rule from behind the curtain, and they used to say (the god (Bel) took sovereignty over the country) and (Bel means master in the sense of the god Marduk) and this is not real sovereignty over the country, and when the stage ends Danger: This person pays his life as a price for fulfilling the sky’s prophecy about the king’s death due to the blackout phenomenon. They say (He must go to his destiny), and this phrase means in the Akkadian language (He died a natural death), After the gods settled accounts with the evil goblins and light returned to the stars, the true king would return to his palace in a lavish celebration. A special case occurred that was mentioned in a historical text dating back to the early ancient Babylonian era, and its summary is:
That King Enlil-bāni (1860-1837) BC, who ruled for 24 years, and whose name means (God Enlil the Creator), assumed power after the death of King Erra-imitti (or Irra). -imitti) (1868-1861) BC. As for the way in which the rule of King Ira-imitti ended, historical sources mention the story of the early death of this king, as he died in his palace as a result of scalding and burning that he suffered due to the spilling of hot, scorching porridge on him at a feast. (The banquet in Akkadian is Qāritāiu) (mQāritāiu) After the coronation ceremonies of the substitute king (Enlil-Bani), and the substitute king is an ancient Iraqi tradition. Its ceremonies take place following a solar eclipse. The priests predicted that the king and his kingdom were in danger. Therefore, he must choose a replacement for him. The choice fell on a gardener who works in the king’s palace. Tradition stipulates that the replacement king should rule for a hundred days before he is killed, and the real king returns to ruling his kingdom. The replacement king is treated after his killing as the kings of his family. Where the burial ceremonies receive great attention, and the preparations of the kings are prepared, a historical document describes to us what happened in the city of Isin, and it is possible that the death of King Ira-Emiti was plotted to get rid of him, perhaps by agreement between the priests and (Enlil-Bani). One of the cuneiform texts stated:
(In order to continue the dynasty, King Erra-Emiti had the gardener Enlil-Bani replace him and sit on his throne and put the royal crown on his head. Erra-Emiti died in his palace because he ate spicy soup. Enlil-Bani, who was on the throne, did not abdicate and appointed king), As stated in a hymn dedicated to this king: (You are the one who loves to give life), and as a result of the incident of the killing of the legitimate king and the assumption of power by the substitute king, the kings of Mesopotamia began to choose (a mad man) to be the substitute for the legitimate king when a solar eclipse occurred.
The priests studied the phases of the moon, eclipses, and eclipses, and made predictions on their basis that were one of the scenes of the new celebration and destiny ceremonies during a whole year. For example: (The eclipse or eclipse occurs in the month of Nisan (March-April), the time of the first night guard patrol: Devastation will come and brother will kill brother. And (The eclipse occurs in the month of Ayaro (April - May) when the king dies and his sons do not ascend to their father’s throne), and (The eclipse occurs in the month of Apo (July - August) and the god Adad causes floods in the country), and (If the moon eclipses in... The fourteenth day of the month of Dumuzi.. It is a harbinger for the Koti king: The Koti will fall in battle and the country will be liberated.)
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