Article ID: CBB243097548

Lunar alignments at Ur: Entanglements with the Moon God Nanna (2019)

unapi

In ancient Sumer the Moon god, Nanna, was the patron deity for the city of Ur. In this article data are presented showing how the city of Ur was astronomically aligned to the Moon. Assessments are made using satellite imagery in combination with early maps and aerial photographs. Also shown is how the geographic location of Ur relative to Nippur may be related to the Moon’s 18.6-year nodal cycle. It is also shown how lunar calendric data are likely embedded in an ancient legend that tells of the Moon god’s journey from Ur to Nippur. Together these and other lines of evidence demonstrate how one of the world’s oldest cities was shaped through its entanglement with the gods – and in particular, the Moon god Nanna.

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Authors & Contributors
González-García, A. César
García Quintela, Marco V.
David Espinosa Espinosa
Steele, John M.
Premchand Dommaraju
Pradhan, Rajesh
Concepts
Urban planning
Archaeoastronomy
Cities and towns
Moon
Astronomy
Celestial maps; star catalogs
Time Periods
Ancient
21st century
Prehistory
Modern
20th century
Places
Mesopotamia
Middle and Near East
Sumer
Greece
Germany
Rome (Italy)
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