How Can We Incorporate Visual Evidence into the History of the Astral Sciences in Mesopotamia?

Abstract

Significant progress has been made in understanding Mesopotamian astronomy and astrology since the decipherment of cuneiform tablets containing astronomical and astrological texts in the late nineteenth century. However, until now few attempts have been made to write adetailed history of the Mesopotamian astral sciences as opposed to detailed studies of particular texts and types of astronomy or astrology. My aim in this paper is to present some ideas of how such ahistory should be written and in particular to consider if and how visual evidence can be brought alongside textual evidence in the writing of this history.