Reading the coils of the colon (Šumma tīrānu)

machine draft machine English only

Hellenistic extispicy text from Uruk: omens from the shape of a sacrificed sheep's intestines.

View at electronic Babylonian Library (eBL), LMU Munich · CDLI P296524 · Try the in-browser translator

Designation	MLC.1874
Museum no.	MLC.1874
Language	Akkadian
Period	Hellenistic
Genre	CANONICAL > Divination > Extispicy > Bārûtu > 2. Tirānu
Provenience	Uruk
Findspot	31.3234, 45.6395
CDLI no.	P296524
Source	electronic Babylonian Library (eBL), LMU Munich — MIT (eBL Zenodo dataset); platform terms unverified
Lines	83 (83 with machine English)

Machine draft. English generated by model atf-en-best-v2 (montycrypto/atf-to-english) (version d871547f92875415dbbc7f4a37fd65e35f8ac97d) on 2026-10-05, line by line from the ATF. Not a scholarly translation.

The transliteration is not reproduced here because the source (electronic Babylonian Library (eBL), LMU Munich) is not marked as republishable; read it at the source link above.

Line	English (machine draft)
edge
0	By the command of Anu and Antu may it be well.
obverse
1	The coils of the colon are like the'strength' of the end of the reign.
2	or the king comes out from the troops and goes down with his troops.
3	The coils of the colon are as thick as the 'finger.'
4	The coils of the colon are like a tilpnu-vessel.
5	The coils of the colon are like a 'well-being'.
6	The coils of the colon are like a bow to the right of the prince.
7	The coils of the colon are like a bow to the left of the gall bladder.
8	The coils of the colon are like the breasts of a snake.
9	If the coils of the colon are like the 'well-being' of the prince.
10	The coils of the colon are like a pig.
11	The coils of the colon are like a 'well-being'.
12	The coils of the colon are like a 'well-being'.
13	If the coils of the colon are like Elam: the prince's reign will change.
14	The coils of the colon are like Elam.
15	The coils of the colon are like the set of the brothers of the prince.
16	In the land of the king, it is favourable.
17	The coils of the colon are like the heart of a fish. The king is strong and has no opponent.
18	If the coils of the colon are like a raging erru: Naram-Sin of Apial will die.
19	If the coils of the colon are like a... and are curved over its thighs: he will die.
20	There will be famine and famine in the land.
21	The coils of the colon are like necks.
22	The coils of the colon are like the quay of the Quru.
23	The coils of the colon are like a thorn. The bed of Enlil brings to the land for evil.
24	If the coils of the colon are like a snare: the throne will rise and the throne will be split.
25	The coils of the colon are like the black-headed ones of the diviner.
26	The coils of the colon are like a 'finger.'
27	The coils of the colon are like a snake.
28	The coils of the colon are like the totality of your dwelling.
29	If the coils of the colon are like Mars: the prince will not acquire a rival.
30	The coils of the colon are like a lion.
31	The coils of the colon are like the'strength' of a god and a goddess.
32	The coils of the colon are like a date palm.
33	The coils of the colon are like a pigeon.
34	The coils of the colon are like a 'finger'.
35	The coils of the colon are like a stele. Narm-Sîn
36	The coils of the colon are as thick as the bed of the king.
37	The coils of the colon are like the 'finger.'
38	If the coils of the colon are like a 'foot'-mark: the enemy will enter the prince's land.
39	If the coils of the colon are like the nest of the prince's city.
40	If the coils of the colon are like a stone: the prince will enter the wall.
41	The coils of the colon are like a stone. The enemy enters the wall.
42	The coils of the colon are like stones. The 'weapon'-mark of the king's weapon is stable.
43	If the coils of the colon are like a censer: the prince will have no rival.
reverse
44	If the coils of the colon are like a cypress and are swollen: the lord of the land will not prosper.
45	The coils of the colon are like a 'weapon'-mark of kingship.
46	The coils of the colon are like flour.
47	The coils of the colon are like the base of the 'finger' of the 'finger.'
48	The coils of the colon are like the head of the 'weapon'-mark of the army.
49	The coils of the colon are like a squabble.
50	The coils of the colon are like a harharru-vessel.
51	The coils of the colon are like a halhalitu.
52	If the coils of the colon are like a knot: my Itar-iddin will die.
53	The coils of the colon are like a liu-drum.
54	The coils of the colon are like the itu-disease of the land.
55	The coils of the colon are like the feet of the 'finger.'
56	The coils of the colon are like the shekel.
57	The coils of the colon are like the sheaves.
58	If the coils of the colon are like a tavern, they will go straight to their fronts.
59	If the coils of the colon are like a tavern and go behind them, they will devastate the property of the land.
60	The coils of the colon are as secure as the 'weapon'-mark of the king.
61	If the coils of the colon are like the crown of Enlil: to the land for evil will make the sea subdue.
62	Adad will devastate the rains (and) the floods will dwell in the cities.
63	The coils of the colon are like the head of an ox.
64	The coils of the colon are as thick as the base of the army.
65	If the coils of the colon are like the front of Humhum: the king will rule the lands.
66	The coils of the colon are like a 'foot'-mark of the palace.
67	If the coils of the colon are like a lamassu-tree: there will be a king of the world in the land.
68	The coils of the colon are like a bull.
69	The coils of the colon are like a 'foot'-mark.
70	The king should go wherever he goes.
71	The coils of the colon are like a 'foot'-mark.
72	If he goes, he will not acquire an opponent.
73	If the coils of the colon are like a ukallu-plant: his army will be either of the administrator or of the soldiers who are in his army.
74	will fall into the bank of the river.
75	The coils of the colon are like the'strength' of the royal throne.
76	The coils of the colon are like the ribs of the south wind. There will be hunger in the land.
77	The coils of the colon are like the feet of a man.
78	(If) it is surrounded by a lunar halo.
79	The palace's 'well-being' is not present. The reign of the king, the end of the throne, will change; the enemy will die.
80	Tablet of Nidintu-Anu, son of Anu-belunu, descendant of Ekur-zakir, exorcist of Anu and Antu.
81	son of Ina-qibit-Anu descendant of Ekur-zakir, exorcist of Anu and Antu. Uruk and Uruk. Ayyaru (II)4.7
82	Year 99, king Antiochus.