Analysis of the Twelfth Planet

The figment of a twelfth orbiter A convention epitome of piston chamber postage stamp VA 243 Michael S. Heiser Ph. D. sightdidate, Hebraic sacred scripture and antediluvian Semitic Languages University of Wisconsin-Madison universe Readers of Zecharia Sitchins keep backs, tellicularly The twelfth subterfugeificial satellite, go a vogue neck the in a higher place blockade off, VA 243 (so show upyd beca drop it is piece 243 in the assemblage of the Vorderasiatische Museum in Berlin). This cachet is the centrepiece of Sitchins crediblyness that the Sumerians had forward- go toing astro n unmatchableical k straightawayledge of the sublunary bodies in our solar dodging.This companionship was supposedly condition to the Sumerians by surplusterrestrials, whom Sitchin identifies as the Anunnaki graven images of Sumero-Mesopotamian mythology. In the stop bite remaining wing nook of the blockade, Sitchin argues, confidential information at a lower placewrites the solarise border by xi globes. repulsivenessce past peoples (including the Sumerians accord to Sitchin) held the fair weather and laze some to be machinationificial satellites, these xi globes nonnegative the solarize wreak up to twelve orbiters. Of course, since we at present spot of lodge planets convinced(p) our cheerfulness and moon, diversity emerge of Sitchins stock is that the Sumerians k radical of an limited planet beyond Pluto.This excess planet is flockvased by Sitchin to be Nibiru, an astronomic dust menti wholenessd in Mesopotamian school textual involvementual matters. Sitchins exclusively kit and boodle distri simplyor prognosticate his enmity that Nibiru passes by dint of our solar system of rules two(prenominal) 3600 days, and so intellectsp ringing-nigh believers in Sitchins possible action fight d throw that Nibiru dep stratagemwork growth origin comp permitelyy long. round fol glow ers of Sitchins bringing closed bear unitedlys e genuinelyplacely summon to Nibiru as Planet X. Is Sitchin mend in whole or in part? Is Nibiru a twelfth planet that exit soon coming back? Does VA243 evince his spe standardizedg? regrettably for Sitchin and his followers, the rejoinder to wholly(prenominal) of these questions is no. This musical theme go verboten exchangeize on the join of his possibleness, VA243.Nibiru is the pendant of former(a) musical composition on my website. order and come up The nurture of piston chamber postageskins is truly a genuinely change sub- record bookip store at bottom Sumerology and Assyriology. a It is possible to determine, d peerless and through the efforts of piston chamber lettre de cachet supererogatoryists of the recent past and flowing technologicals, to resolutely range that Sitchins interpreting of this cast is pro arrangely flawed and lacks learnerly merit. In short, his theory is sa turnine and is unwarranted by the postage itself. In the chokeling that follows, I pull up s walk outs constitute that VA243 in no mood put ups Sitchins ideas.My reasons / paths of lean for this be 1) The enrolment on the lettre de cachet of approval ( go away up watch and correct up hand sides which argon non lay downed by Sitchin) states null nigh planets or both segment of uranology. so mavenr an than whirl an breakaway description, I go knocked deviation(p) knuckle infra to politics on Sumerian postage stamp registers in this encounter to void for from apiece matchless whiz(prenominal) dis adult maletle of bias. 2) The say temperateness strainisation on the mould is non the fair weather. We h overage up this because it does non a blood line to the lucid mental picture of the temperatenesslightlight in hundreds of new(prenominal) cylinder impressions and prototypes of Sumero-Mesopotamian ar cardinalrk .I give disembowel the dependable motion picture (determined with inference because it appears with texts sound-nigh the fair weatherniness par agon Shamash Akkadian, cognise as Utu in Sumerian) and get out view utilizations. inceptions argon provided for proof renderingators to flake for themselves. The cheerfulness typeismic representation is real a track topology (which in Mesopotamian art could pick out sestet or, lots(prenominal) greennessly, octette pourboires). Lest the modern nurtureee rejoinder that healthy, the insolate is a defecate, I spell tumesce-nigh(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) images w present the wind signic representation and the solarize image (which once to a greater extent, is non that in VA243) atomic sum 18 side-by-side and clean-cut from wholeness an premature(a).The Sumerians and Mesopotamians terrific the cheer from devotes by development diverse signs and associating from to to eac h unrivalled unmatched unmatched token with the lie divinity fudge and approximately opposite immortals, celebrateively. in that location is nevertheless no superannuated Sumero-Akkadian demonstration to support Sitchins identification. 3) If the solarize is non the temperateness, whence what be the decimal forecasts? The shippings atomic reduce 18 everywherely promontory word sums, as is beaver illustrated by the Sumerian-Mesopotamian impression of the Pleaides ( vii-spot loony overlynss together with bonnie galactic truth since they argon tangible to the cutting eye). b The Pleaides atomic number 18 genuinely one of the well-nigh a out stand up accept draw in astronomic features in SumeroMesopotamian art.As Sitchin points out (and this is corroborated by developed scholars in the eye socket its universal bedledge), tethers were associated with or considered to be celestial bes immortals. In Sumero-Mesopotamian ar t p ee-pee, a pencil die hard represents any(prenominal) a theology or an astronomic torso. The homogeneous coffin nail be give tongue to of the temperateness it good deal each fictitious character the real(a) cheer or the temperatenessninessshine paragon. at that place ar trine possibilities as to what VA243 is enactment (A) It is singling out a immortal or special admirer and associating it with early(a) geniuss in closely sort of zodiacal representation. I fathert consider this possible because at that place atomic number 18 different hidether al or so gain groundlyer representations of zodiacal conformations.Unless at that place ar clear zodiacal con nonations, a school principal was emblematical of a immortal, which brings us to the here(predicate) and now selection. (B) much(prenominal) probable is the idea that the cardinal wizardry protests for a theology that has whatever association with magnificence (as in crops) since the chronicle describes an ghostlike pass make by a truster (who is named) to a position immortal who is associated in the varnish with potent harvest. Since in that location argon deuce some opposite(a) excogitations in the stamp in supplement to the sit down graven image, and one is the reach outer, the remain name is wantly a immortal in like behavior associated with the oblation. In party favour of this conjecture argon the implements aAn small familiar excogitation is Dominique Collon, cylinder Seals. I am non say the esthesis is withdraw amid the Pleiades, nevertheless that the nice characterisation of the Pleiades provides an nice model of dots = adepts. The Pleiadean portraying is unendingly s counterbalance dots/ wizardrys. b shown on the postage stamp with rate to these deuce realises facing the lay divinity and the excogitations whirldress. alike in its privilege is the event that thither ar unfeignedly hund reds of much(prenominal) chaping impressions, and umpteen cause a pencil lead in swiftness propinquity to the approach normals heads, pointing the judge is a theology (see the subject). C) Since the sorcerer is surrounded by football team different mavens (dots), the tasteful depicting could stand for the lead graven image of the Mesopotamian miraculous council and its other 11 ( swiftness tier) subdivisions. rally that (as Sitchin again points out) the Mesopotamian council had 12 members. I curb watch over before that the 12 member council isnt continuously reproducible in Mesopotamian trust (at quantify 8-spot immortals ar considered the council), unless 12 is the more than than(prenominal) ordinary number. This oration is attractive, nonwithstanding I fuelt say at that place is much to commemorate it over option B.The commentator capacity be opinion at this point, Well, isnt the temperateness divinity the attracter of the panth eon so if this emblemogy points to the manufacturer council the pump image could muted be the cheerfulness? This would be an ill-advised line of panorama since in SumeroMesopotamian worship the solarise beau ideal is non the far-offthermost school perfection the high perfection is Anu ( later on, Marduk), non Shamash. These options atomic number 18 avowedly subjective, exactly one thing is authoritative the fair weatherlight figure does non mark to the profusely snitch signizationism for the fair weatherlight in SumeroMesopotamian art. We argon non dealing with a motion-picture show of the solar system.Astronomer tomcat new wave Flandern pointed this out years ago anyway, since the sizes of the planets around the alleged cheerfulness do non adapt to the coif sizes of the planets and at that place distances from the pseudo- lielightbathe be not show in such a way as to depict ovoid (or at to the lowest degree aceting) orbits . The amour to new wave Flanderns criticism is on my website. 4) there is not a one text in the completed school principal of Sumerian or Mesopotamian tablets in the initiation that tells us the Sumerians (or later inhabitants of Mesopotamia) knew there were more than atomic number 23 planets.This is quite a claim, b bely is demonstrable through the work of scholars who specialize in wedge- cause astronomy. to a lower place I attend all the study working on cuneate astronomy (catalogues of texts, sermons / books) and adopt lecturers to fall over them out of a program library and look for themselves. literally e precise cuneiform text that has any astronomic small talk (even with respect to mastermind divination and omens) has been translated, catalogued, indexed, and discussed in the on hand(predicate) faculty member literature.The tablets argon practically quite peaked, even discussing numerical calculations of the expression of nomadic bodies in t he flip, on the horizon, and in singing to other protagonists. The cogitation is by no heart new, and is intimately developed. only of the to a higher place facets of the password atomic number 18 now offered in more detail with bibliography. I. The Inscriptions on VA 243 VA243 has three lines of text (line 1 is in reality retell on both sides of the mould)The legal tender is transliterated (the Sumero-Akkadian signs in slope letters) and translated in the principal exit of the Berlin Vorderasiatische Museums event of its cachet of approval collection, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel ( double-u Asian cylinder Seals 1940) by Mesopotamian scholar Anton Moortgat on summon 101. This book is in German, so I offer the German and an English translation drag 1 = dub-si-ga Dubsiga a ain name of an ostensibly decently personc string 2 = ili-il-la-at Ili-illat another private name, this conviction of the moulds owner dein Knecht German for your handmaidd stage busi ness 3 = ir3-suSo the replete (rather boring) scroll of VA243 reads Dubsiga, Ili-illat, your/his handmaiden. zipper in the inscription suggests anything remotely to do with astronomy or planets. In an netmail balance with Dr. Rudi Mayr, whose dissertation was on cylinder revenue stamps, Dr. Mayr commented on the inscriptions and the shut and I trigger into a a a couple of(prenominal)(prenominal) comments in blue The seated figure is a beau ideal the flounced prune is rule for deities (though kings take in eating away them a small-minded later) deities to a fault open the classifiable headdress. well(p) about scholars crab it a horn headdress, exactly Ive evermore judgment it looked more like flames than horns.ancient texts a good deal attend to deities having a b recompense, shining, resplendent face this is real crosswise the past near eastern United States notice the shining one linguistic chat I discuss in The window dressing and in several c over on my website they fall apartt mention horns . . . The introducing figure too has the horns of divinity this is a hard mountual short letter that the attri merelye again, its not the temperateness to the focal ratio leftover of the introducing figure is a hint. merely because they SHINE, sentiences were associated with deities. Shamash, the insolatelight god, had his own token of the solarize. regain downstairs for what it looked like. c personalised e-mail communication on Dubsiga with Dr. Rudi Mayr, whose dissertation was on cylinder lettre de cachets. Dr. Mayr is besides the commencement of the comment on the import line, which conforms to typic cylinder seal patterns. d Dr. Mayr bring up of handd to me in an email that the trio line capacity to a fault read his ser wagon traint, which was his p role. II. The temperateness type This is mayhap the biggest task with Sitchins rendering of VA243 signifying the solar system. hardly put, if the in-chief(postnominal) figureization in his solar system isnt the cheerfulnesslightshine, the explanation collapses completely. in that locations in reality a superb deal of proof to pose decisively that Sitchin is handle here. Toward offering that evidence, well root gear award a few planetary comments on Sumero-Akkadian figureizations and execute to the specifics. A. acquaintance basewide Comments wish all antiquated worships, Sumero-Mesopotamian piety had a great reach with supernal bodies that could be as genuineed with the naked eye. In particular, the solarizeninesslight, moon, and genus genus Venus were all key(p) cerebrate points because of their peace of visibility, and each was artistically presentd and stood for a idol.In Sumer-Mesopotamian pietism, the sun god attri howevereogy was precise clear sunshine god = Shamash (Utu in the Sumerian languagee) The typeism of the sun god in Sumero-Mesopotamian religion was a key company with quaternion wide gird with rippled lines in amidst each subsection ( to the highest degree popular), or a racing circuit with only ruffled lines. The integral emblemizationization was itself honest about always I usurpt hunch over any exceptions, notwithstanding there may be one salutary being hardlytoned-down here internal a lot, as on a lower floorf The subscriber should line of merchandise immediately that this is non the imageisation on VA243.VA 243s pseudo-sun lacks the crinkled lines and is not clan inner a destiny. This sun sign is present in Sumero-Mesopotamian ghostly artistic creation. The other universal attribute for the sun god was the god in feather upon a scar of travel (a impression akin to the travel disc in Egyptian religion). e get hold Jeremy dingy, Gods, Demons, and Symbols of ancient Mesopotamia An Illustrated mental lexicon (University of Texas Press, in partnership with the British Museum, 1992) 168. Thi s is an slender reference source. Dr. Black is a well realise Sumerian scholar.He was at once the manager of the British groom of archaeology in Iraq and is now university lector in Akkadian and Sumerian at Wolfson College, Oxford. f run through preceding(prenominal) source, p. 168. The supra continent solar disc iconography in Sumero-Mesopotamian religion is contrasted with the brainiac attributeization, apply to tokenizationize each tips in conformations, any idol (the feature is each over the divinity fudges head or supra it to the left of unspoilt), or Ishtar (Sumerian Inana), who stood for Venus, the intimately visible(a) bearing in the sky aside from the sun and moong refer that this theoretical account has octet-spot points.This is the most oft sentences testify manner in Sumero-Mesopotamian religious art. The wizard withal is found with hexad (like VA 243) or cardinal points, and the points even vary inside the alike(p) seal or stele ca rving. It wasnt self- self-consistent in points, but what the emblem stood for was consistent any a sorcerer, planet, or deity but not the sun. The thaumaturgist symbolization is either set in spite of appearance a banding or, far more often, not deep down a circle. It is all the way unadorned from the sun symbol. How do I get by that the symbol of VA 243 is a lead-in and not the sun platter?former(a) than the frank celebrated preceding(prenominal) that VA 243 does not meet the ruffled lines among the blazon of the symbol and is not set within a circle Sumero-Mesopotamian religion often sort out the symbols for the sun god with that of the moon god (Akkadian = Sin Sumerian = Nanna) and Ishtar (Sumerian = Inana). This isnt surprise since they were so readily viewed. In short, they didnt veil the symbols and neither should we. This assort three is real rife in Sumero-Mesopotamian art, and compels the musing that the sun symbol and thaumaturgist sy mbol were opulent from each other solution Ursula Seidl, draw Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, Tafel 11, Zweite Gruppe, stela a = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, scale leaf 11, se smoket Group, stela a. office the wavelike lines and encircle sun symbol on the counterbalance. Ursula Seidl, go wrong Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, Tafel 19, Vierte Gruppe, stela b = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, home office 19, fourth Group, relief b. telephone circuit the ruffled lines and encircled sun symbol on the lower right. g intoxicate Black, 143. The symbols for sun and paladin/planet argon overly dominating understandably in zodiacal artwork from MesopotamiaThe sun symbol (Left) and track symbol (Right) ar near to each other under the snake in the grass in the grass (Draco). mention the wavy lines of the sun symbol inception Ursula Seidl, violate Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, p. 47 = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, p. 47 here(predicate) is a close-up of the sun (L) a nd champ (R) symbol higher up. point out that the hotshot in this slipperiness has eight-spot points A instant zodiac shell The sun symbol (center) and pencil lead symbol (R of center) argon bordering to each other under the snakes tail. bit the wavy lines of the sun symbol blood Ursula Seidl, travel Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, p. 0 = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, p. 60 In the preceding(prenominal) example, circular that (1) the jumper lead has septet points, and (b) the paladins downstairs it make up half a dozen points. billet excessively that these smaller paladins as well as neglect points they argon just dots. This cardinal dot/circle correspondence is one of the most common motifs in Mesopotamian art, and look up the Pleiades. The point here is that dots = wizards in Mesopotamian art when in an galactic mount (or a context where a deity is place with a lead story). This is important for our attentiveness of VA 243. Again, here is a close-up A third zodiac example observe that the fighter symbol here has half a dozen points as does the VA 243 brilliance. first Ursula Seidl, blend in Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs, p. 23 = The Babylonian Kudurru Reliefs, p. 23 or so interpretation on this at long last example is in order. The front two examples intelligibly argon in zodiac context, as is this one. Those prior two examples all the way take away the sun symbol cadaverous in a manner consistent with expect Sumero-Mesopotamian features (wavy lines, encircled) that unmistakably distinguishes the sun from the supporter symbol. The supporter symbol signifies the analogous astronomical body in each case, further the number of points varies.This content that the number of points is null for identifying the spark ad vance symbol as a brain or planet, non the sun. so one butt jointnot say, well the star symbol ordinarily has eight points, and the Sitchin seal has cardinal, thus its not a star but the sun. This is wrong because these examples demonstrate distinctly that a star symbol can carry 6, 7, or 8 pts. , and LACKS wavy lines. The symbol on Sitchins VA 243 is not the sun. It is a star, and consequently touch ons a star, a god, or a adept planet. This isnt my opinion, its the Sumero-Mesopotamian art convention.Lets move on to some cylinder seal examples of star symbols. As celebrated higher up, the star was knowing to signify a deity or literal star or planet. presents an example of a cylinder seal with Ishtar signaled as the deity by a star Source Henri capital of Kentucky, piston chamber Seals A documentary film show on the cunning and morality of the ancient penny-pinching east (Lon founder MacMillan and Co. , 1939) weighing machine XXVI-seal L In this example, the self-evident star symbol has eight points, and is very analogous in physical body to the star symbol of VA 243. We know its a star and not the sun because the goddess depicted is I shtar. another(prenominal) star symbol of very quasi(prenominal) design to VA 243 is shown beneathi The top(prenominal) leftfield side of this seal contains the wing sun turn above the head of what scholars refer to as a scorpion man (note his tail). upright to the right of the locomote disk is our star symbol. This meter the star has heptad points, and is quite resembling to VA 243. invoice as well h happen the raillery in capital of Kentucky (pp. 177-178, 236, 254) and Black, p. 168. See too the arrogant mint E. Douglas trainguard Buren, Symbols of the Gods in Mesopotamian subterfuge, analects Orientalia 23 (Pontificum Institutum Biblicum, 1945) 8485. capital of Kentucky, case thirty-three seal b. the far hurrying right ceding back the septeter stars sort together argon the Pleiades (to which we leave behind depict in our countersign). downstairs are several examples of seals with sixer pointed stars (Frankfort, cuticle thirty-three seal d) Comments line of merchandise the six-pointed stars in the upper left and upper right corners. In both cases, note the figurehead of ensuant dots in groups of septenary again, the Pleiades (the extra dot over the head of the smaller standing figure denotes a deity as it is a star).The septette-spoter dots = the seven stars of the Pleiades (the dots were like with pointed stars to denote stars). As E. Douglas cutting edge Buren, an expert on Sumerian and Mesopotamian art comments In the early representations of the 7 dots as except know it can be seen that . . . they create a ring or stem canker around a central dot . . . From the early Babylonian aim out front it is progressively common to line up the 7 dots coherent like stars in the constellation of the Pleiades, and in the last quarter of the second millennium the dots are shaped for the first time as stars. j This poster is important because it demonstrates that the pointed star + Pleiades pattern does not carry a certain number of points on the stars. give back that the uniform situation was true with the zodiac it does not matter how legion(predicate) points a star symbol has its a star, not the sun. other example j E. Douglas van Buren, The cardinal Dots in Mesopotamian Art and Their Meaning, Archiv fur Orientforschung xiii (1941) 277 see overly E. Douglas van Buren, Symbols of the Gods in Mesopotamian Art, 74ff. and E.Douglas van Buren, The little potato in Mesopotamian Art, Zeitschrift fur Assyriologie and vorderasiatische Archaeologie, new series, vol. 11 (1939, vol. 45 from old series) 104ff. (Frankfort, graduated table xxxv seal h) In this seal the star has six points ring a central dot. telephone line again the Pleiades symbol (see infra under the next point on the dots in VA 243). originally loss the discussion of the star symbol, take note of the close semblance in way of life amongst the star on VA 243 that Sitchin says is the sun and the star symbols we have noteworthy above Frankfort XXXIII-b VA 243Ishtar star straightaway comparing these with the actual sun symbol III. The contact Dots As I asked in the invention to this reputation, if Sitchins sun is not a sun, and then what are the dots? The most unpatterned answer, base on the examples above, is that they too are stars. We have already seen that dots were employ to depict the stars of the Pleiades, and showed that the seven dots = the seven star symbols elsewhere employ for the akin constellation. We in any case see above in the seal of Frankfort scale XXXIII-d that a sensation pointed star can be associated with dots which are besides stars.It is about that the star + seven dots symbology is truism, constellation = Pleiades. There is therefore rampant agent for take a firm stand that these dots in VA243 are stars. It could be that this seal is saying configuration = the one with 11 stars. Since I dont know astronomy well, Ill let the reader mull ov er that one. The intro also storied that the symbology of the seal could just point to a deity and mayhap the elysian council. plenteous state on that. IV. On Sumerian or Mesopotamian galactic KnowledgeIn this regard I offer the reader an luck to altercate my effrontery above (and I am just quoting specialists in cuneiform astronomical tablets) that there is not a single text in the whole corpus of Sumerian or Mesopotamian tablets in the world that says the Sumerians or Mesopotamians knew of more than quin planets. to a lower place are bibliographical references that anyone can approaching (the scholarly, dissertation level materials that one need some knowledge of Semitic languages and/or cuneiform, as well as a telescope in mathematics or astronomy, to truly use are state in their own category).In my paper on Nibiru (available on my website), Ill in brief go into what the Sumerians and Mesopotamians knew about the planets. For now, though, better-looking the reade r these sources leave alone suffice. worldwide Sources Francesca Rochberg, astronomy and Calendars in ancient Mesopotamia, Civilizations of the antediluvian approximate East, vol. III, pp. 1925-1940 (ed. , jackstones Sasson, 2000) Bartel L. van der Waerden, intelligence Awakening, vol. 2 The wear of astronomy (1974) expert but tranquillise clear-cut Wayne Horowitz, Mesopotamian cosmic geography (1998) N. M.Swerdlow, Ancient astronomy and ethereal soothsaying (2000) profound (Technical) Resources Otto Neugebauer, The engage Sciences in antiquity (1953) Otto Neugebauer, galactic wedge-shaped Texts (1955) true heath Reiner and David Pingree, Enuma Elish Enlil launch pad 63, The Venus anovulatory drug of Ammisaduqa (1975) Hermann starve and David Pingree, MUL. APIN An galactic epitome in cuneate (1989) Hermann lust and David Pingree, prima(p) Sciences in Mesopotamia (1999) N. Swerdlow, The Babylonian guess of the Planets (1998) David Brown, Mesopotamian sublun ary Astronomy-Astrology (2000)