Divination and Interpretation of Signs in the Ancient World
The concept of sign, a portent observed in the physical world, which indicates future events, is found in all ancient cultures, but was first developed in ancient Mesopotamian texts. This branch of Babylonian scientific knowledge extensively influenced other parts of the world, and similar texts written in Aramaic, Sanscrit, Sogdian, and other languages. These papers are based on talks presented at the seminar Science and Superstition: Interpretation of Signs in the Ancient World, held March 6–7, 2009, and investigate how much we know about the Babylonian theory and hermeneutics of omens and the scope of their possible influences on other cultures and regions.
