Sumerian Ziqpu [correct is Uzkāpu] Stars - LexiLine Journal 490

Sumerian Ziqpu [correct is Uzkāpu] Stars

The Ziqpu "Uzkāpu" Stars
Culminating at Meridian for Heliacal Risings and Settings
(Tablet Nr. 86378 British Museum, Column IV, Lines 1 through 30)

Note that the system used here is that these are all constellations WITHIN the Ellipse of the Milky Way, En.Lil.

AK: These are the MUL.APIN "ziqpu" stars used for culmination at the meridian (zenith).
The transcription of Sumerian ziqpu is incorrect and should be uzqpu.
UZQPU is identical to Latvian UZ-KĀPU meaning "ascent, throne, mount, that climbed up to".
The Babylonian term for "culmination", as Papke writes, is INAQABAL SHAME which he transliterates
as "in the middle of heaven" so that Papke sees QABAL SHAME as "meridian".
But actually QAB- = Latvian KĀP- "ascended, mount" and GABAL- in Latvian means "section, line".
The uzkapu system uses the principle of a sextant.

1./2./3. The Ziqpu-Stars - which on the Path of Enlil culminate opposite the breast of the observer and with the help of which the rising and setting of stars can be determined - are:

4. SHU.PA, BAL.TESH.A, the standing gods DINGIR.GUB.BA.MESH, the sitting dog UR.KU

5. the Goat UZ, the Leopard UD.KA.DUCH.A, the Stag LU.LIM, the Old One SHU.GI, the Crooked Staff GAM

6. the Great Twins MASH.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL, the Crayfish AL.LUL, the Lion UR.GU.LA, Erua and Chegalaju.

7./8./9. Those are all the Ziqpu-Stars on the Path of Enlil, which culminate opposite your breast, and with whose help you can determine the rising and setting of stars.

10./11. If you are observing the Ziqpu...

12. and on the morning of the 20th of Nisannu prior to sunrise, you stand so that West is to your right and East is to your left and your Eye is toward the South...

13/14. then the KUMARU [jaw, at Vega, Lyra] of the Leopard UD.KA.DUCH.A [Cygnus] culminates opposite your breast and the Crooked Staff GAM [Camelopardalis] rises.
AK: Since this is 20th of Nissanu and not the first of Nisannu, it means that the 1st of Nisannu is at the Winter Solstice point of 2340 BC. It places the copying (but not the origin) of these cuneiform tablets at ca. 720 BC in the reign of Sargon II = Ashurbanipal.

15./16. On the 1st of Ajjaru the breast of the Leopard UD.KA.DUCH.A culminates opposite your breast and the Star Cluster MUL.MUL rises.

17./18. On the 20th of Ajjaru the side/flank of the Leopard UD.KA.DUCH.A [Deneb] culminates opposite your breast and the (wooden-) Tablet GISH.Le [Taurus] rises.

19./20. On the 10th of Simanu the end / hind of the Leopard UD.KA.DUCH.A [Cepheus] culminates opposite your breast and the Loyal Shepherd of Heaven SIPA.ZI.AN.NA [Orion] rises.

21. On the 15th of Du'uzu the brightly-shining star of the Old One SHU.GI [Shu.gi is in error, this is Perseus, Algol] culminates opposite your breast and the Lance KAK.SI.SA [Alphard] rises.

22./23. On the 15th of Abu the dimly-shining stars of the Old One SHU.GI [Auriga] culminate opposite your breast and the Bow BAN [nu-Hydra] rises.

24. On the 15th of Ululu the Great Twins MASH.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL [Gemini] culminate opposite your breast and SHU.PA [Arcturus] and the Star of Eridu NUN.KI [False Cross] rise.

25. On the 15th of Tashritu the Lion UR.GU.LA [Leo] culminates opposite your breast and the Scales (zibanitum) [Libra] rise.

26. On the 15th of Arachsamna Erua [Ursa Major, Mizar] culminates opposite your breast and the He-Goat UZ [Hercules] rises.

27. On the 15th of Kislimu SHU.PA [Arcturus] culminates opposite your breast and the Leopard (UD.KA.DUCH.A) [Cygnus] rises.

28. On the 15h of Tebetu the standing gods DINGIR.GUB.BA.MESH [Dschubba] culminate opposite your breast and the swallow SIM.MACH [Delphinus] rises.

29. On the 15th of Shabatu the sitting dog UR.KU [Ophiuchus, Serpens Caput] culminates opposite your breast and the Great Square ASH.IKU [Pegasus] rises.

30. On the 15th of Addaru the He-Goat UZ [Hercules] culminates opposite your breast and the Fish KU6 [Pisces] rises.