Esagil-kīn-apli’s Catalogue of Sakikkû and Alamdimmû

Abstract

Without doubt, Esagil-kīn-apli’s text catalogue of the prognostic-diagnostic omen series Sakikkû and the physiognomic-morphoscopic omen series Alamdimmû, known from two 1st millennium manuscripts, is of considerable importance and merits to be treated here together with the catalogues KAR 44 (Exorcist’s Manual) and AMC. (a) It serves as an important point of comparison for the terminology and structure of the other catalogues. Since a number of otherwise unattested expressions in the Sakikkû catalogue pose some difficulties, a discussion of the major terms will be provided later on in this article. (b) Combining both witnesses the catalogue is, with the exception of some line beginnings and a few lines at the end of the tablet, nearly completely preserved and offers crucial information for the reconstruction of both series. (c) Another remarkable feature is the insertion of an editorial note or, as John Wee called it, a manifesto,1 between the catalogues of Sakikkû (SA.GIG) and Alamdimmû, in the middle of the text. This editorial note is not only noteworthy because it mentions the series’ compiler – which is unusual in itself – but also by stating the reasons and justification for the edition, which has led to a discussion about canonisation within Mesopotamian technical texts pertaining to different scholarly disciplines.