Omen 32.N.3
Nicole Lundeen, 2021, "Šumma ālu, Omen 32.N.3", Nicla De Zorzi et al., Bestiarium Mesopotamicum, 2018-2021; accessed 10/08/2026 12:08 a.m. at tieromina.acdh-dev.oeaw.ac.at/omens/Omen-32-N-3/tei
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PHILOLOGICAL COMMENTARY
- Note the syllabic spelling of šum-ma instead of the usual DIŠ. In Šumma ālu, syllabic spellings of šumma often occur when an omen’s protasis directly relates to the preceding omen’s protasis. It is as if the ancient scribe saw the omens as a group. The above omen has the same subject (a two-tailed lizard) as 32.N.2, but gives an alternative in which tail is longer. When such groupings occur, the omens written with the syllabic šum-ma are often indented but K 06912+ is too damaged to be certain. See also 32.N.4 and 32.S.65 for other lizard omens with the syllabic šum-ma or šum4-ma.
- The CAD K, 570 s.v. kurû 1b mistakenly lists line K 03730+ 5 (CT 38 39: 3; 32.N.7) as a duplicate to the above K 06912+ 7 (CT 38 40: 3). While K 03730+ 5 begins very similarly to the above omen, its apodosis aligns with K 06912+ 15 (32.N.7). We therefore follow If a City 2 (p. 190, *32.6’) and place K 3730+ 5 there (32.N.7).
- The end of K 06912+ 7 lies upon a join between the fragments K 06912 and K 09723. Collation reveals remnants of šá and ina along the join, despite a mention in the CAD Ṣ, 256 s.v. ṣurīrītu that neither -šú nor -šá are to be found after KUN.MEŠ in this line or in line K 06912+ 9 (32.N.4). A broken É (two horizontals and one vertical wedge) is also visible after the gap where the two fragments of K 06912+ meet.
If a City 2 (p. 190, *32.3’, Ex(3)7) does not read the signs after the second šá.
[šu]m-ma ṣu-ri-ri-it-tu4 ša2 2 KUN.MEŠ-š[a2 …]
The omission carries over to If a City 2’s (p. 166, *32.3’) reconstructed transliteration and translation (p. 167, *32.3’):
[šu]m-ma ṣu-ri-ri-it-tu4 ša2 2 KUN.MEŠ-š[a2 u] ša2 ZAG LUGUD2.DA-ma ša2 GUB3 GID2.DA NA BI ina x ti […]
If a lizard has two tails [and] its right one is short and its left one is long, that man […]
- In line K 06912+ 8, there is vitrification on the signs GÍD.DA. Further the remains of a single wedge’s head are visible immediately before the gap where the manuscript’s two fragments were joined together. The broken sign has been reconstructed above as SIG5 because of the phonetic complement -ti. The reading is tentative. The sign was read as x in If a City 2 (190, *32.3’).
- See also 32.S.65, which transposes the order of the left and right tails. The apodosis differs however.
