File:Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (14782123435).jpg

Identifier: mythslegendsofba00spenuoft (find matches)
Title: Myths and legends of Babylonia & Assyria
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Spence, Lewis, 1874-1955
Subjects: Assyro-Babylonian religion Mythology, Assyro-Babylonian Legends Cults
Publisher: London : Harrap
Contributing Library: Kelly - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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various circumstances from the several ducts and theshapes and sizes of the lobes and their appendices.Diseases of the liver, too, particularly common amongsheep in all countries, were even more frequentamong these animals in the marshy portions of theEuphrates Valley. The literature connected with this species ofaugury is very extensive, and Assur-bani-pals librarycontained thousands of fragments describing theomens deduced from the practice. These enumeratethe chief appearances of the liver, as the shade ofthe colour of the gall, the length of the ducts, andso forth. The lobes were divided into sections,lower, medial, and higher, and the interpretationvaried from the phenomena therein observed. Themarkings on the liver possessed various names, suchas palaces, * weapons, paths, and feet, whichterms remind us somewhat of the bizarre nomen-clature of astrology. Later in the progress of theart the various combinations of signs came to beknown so well, and there were so many cuneiform282
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Clay Object resembling a Sheeps Liver This is inscribed with magical formula; ; it was probaljly used for purposes of divination, and was employed by the priests of Babylon in their ceremonies Photo W. A. Mansell and Co. 282 THE RITUAL OF HEPATOSCOPY texts in existence which afforded instruction inthem, that a liver could be quickly * read by theharu or reader, a name which was afterward appliedto the astrologists as well and to those who divinedthrough various other natural phenomena. One of the earliest instances on record of hepato-scopy is that regarding Naram-Sin, who consulteda sheeps liver before declaring war. The greatSargon did likewise, and we find Gudea applying tohis liver inspectors when attempting to discovera favourable time for laying the foundations of thetemple of Nin-girsu. Throughout the whole historyof the Babylonian monarchy in fact, from its earlybeginnings to its end, we find this system in vogue.Whether it was in force in Sumerian times we haveno means of kno

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