Bibliography of Mesopotamian Astral Science

[First posted in AWOL 16 December 2014, updated 10 November 2015]

Bibliography of Mesopotamian Astral Science

The BibMAS database aims to realize an expanded and updated version of the Bibliography of Babylonian and Assyrian astronomy produced by Christopher B.F. Walker which was circulated privately in 2013 (and of which an earlier version was published in Graz 1993); joined together with the 2004 website Bibliography of Mesopotamian Astronomy and Astrology by Robert van Gent.

Basic usage instructions and notes on key features..

1. The database is itemised in form of table columns, e.g. author, title, year etc. Each column may be sorted or searched.

   • For sorting the table by certain column contents:

     click on its header [the very first row of each column].

   • To search for relevant expressions in certain columns:

     Use the acccording “search ...” fields [in the lower part the table header section of each column].

   • Some columns also have an associated dropdown proposal menu, allowing you to select from a list of possible search expressions.

     This list is accessible via a small button [right to the according column's search field in the lower part of the table header ].

   • A note on the “keywords” column: Designated for filtering by relevant content elements, you may currently use it for searching articles after 1945 dealing with certain museum numbers of tablets (e.g. “BM 37151” etc). It also contains a dropdown proposal list.
     This feature is not yet fully implemented, though: In addition you might want to use the separate “Search (complete dataset)” function (as explained below).
2. There is more data than just what is visible in the table columns:

   • For each single entry row, you may display its full data set.

     Click the “Title set” or “BibLaTex” links of your relevant entry row [located in its "title" column]; “Title set” will create an ordinary table, “BibLaTex” will generate an output suitable for export into BibLaTex-compatible programs.

   • To perform an over-all search for relevant expressions in the full data set (all columns plus 'invisible' information):

     Use the “Search (complete data set)” field [in the upper right corner of the whole table]

   • To display concatenated output for more than one entry:

     1. Select your relevant entries by using their according checkboxes [by default in the far left table column] – alternatively, click some free (non-functional) area in the entry row while holding Ctrl pressed.
     2. Then use the selection-specific “Title sets” or “BibLaTex codes” buttons [in the upper middle area of the whole table (right next to the counter of selected entries)].

You are invited to watch out for further releases. Please send your suggestions and problem reports.