To the ancient magnet-compass-less
world, east, where the sun rose, was not a fixed direction, but actually
encompassed 46 degrees of arc because of the earth's axis being tilted at 23
degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. With another 46 degrees for west, this
leaves 146 degrees of arc each for north and south. In the modern scientific
mind, a "quarter" has to be a precise measurement, but until Euclid,
a quarter would be one of four pieces, not a precise measurement of .25 or 1/4.
This, BTW, probably explains the supposed "directional problems" in
the Book of Mormon when compared to Mesoamerica. (John Tvedtnes, as quoted in Debating
the Book of Abraham with a Professional Egyptologist)
The following comes from:
Wayne Horowitz, Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography (Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns, 1998)
p. 199:
The first of Iyar occurs just after the Spring equinox on the 15th of Nisan in Mul-Apin (see Mul-Apin II I 19-21), so sunrise and sunset on this day would be very close to due east and west. Neverthelss, west in Mul-Apin II I 69 seems to be southwest rather than due west, because Scorpio is an Ea-star (southern star) in Mul-Apin I ii 29, rather than an equatorial Anu-star, as is the Pleiades in Mul-Apin I I 44. This demonstrates that “west” as well as “south” (as in Adapa), includes southwest. Thus, as E. Weidner recognized in AfO 7 271, each compass-point direction in Mesopotamia included a range of 90°, with “north” including areas from northwest to northwest, “south” areas from southeast to southwest, “east” areas from northeast to southeast, and “west2 areas from northwest to southwest (see diagram, p. 200).
image from p. 200:
pp.
200-1:
Examination
of BagM Beih. 2 no 98
The
Square
When
complete, the square almost certainly contained four triangles labeled north, south,
east, and west winds with two of the spaces between the triangles labeled
sunrise and sunset:
This
restoration is problematic because it results in the sun rising in the west and
setting in the east! It is suggested in the catalogue of BagM Beih. 2 (pp.
20-21) that the labels attached to the triangles reflect the ultimate
destinations of the winds rather than their points of origin. If so, the south
and west winds would originate in the north and east. Yet, as noted earlier,
there is no evidence that winds were named for the direction they are blowing
toward Mesopotamian texts, while Adapa clearly identifies a wind blowing
from the southwest as šūtu ‘southwind’. Two possible explanations for
the impossible placement of ‘sunrise’ remain. First, it is possible that ‘sunrise’
and ‘sunset’ have been switched on BagM Beih. 2 no. 98 as the result of a scribal
error. Switching ‘sunrise’ and ‘sunset’ yields the same result as placing the south
and west winds in the north and east:
p.
259:
The
Four Quadrants of Heaven. The
tradition of the four quadrants of heaven parallels the tradition of the four
quadrants of the earth’s surface. This tradition in heaven is illustrated by
Mul-Apin II I 68-71 (see pp. 172-73), where the constellations of Ursa major,
Piscis Austrinus, Scorpio, and the Pleiades are said to lie across the north,
south, east, and west winds. Other examples of this tradition include šurpu II 165-67 and prayers to the Gods
of the Nihht, which refer to stars of the four winds (A. Oppenheim, AnBi 12
283:40; OECT 6 75:16). A diagram of the four quadrants of heaven may be found
on BagM Beih. 2 no 98 where triangles labelled “Southwind” and “Westwind” are
placed in the corners of a square above and below the label “sunrise.” The placement
of these triangles suggests that the four quadrants of the heavens were equal
triangles rather than four equal squares (see p. 194).
pp. 324-25:
The
Four Regions of the Earth’s Surface
Various
Sumerian and Akkadian terms for ‘the Four Quarters’ or ‘Four Regions’ refer to
the division of the earth’s surface into equal northern, southern, eastern, and
western quadrants. These quadrants correspond to the four compass point
directions. As demonstrated by the diagram on BagM Beih. 2 98 (see p. 194),
these quadrants are arranged to as to form four equal regions when transposed
on a modern map with north at the top.
The
diagram may also provide a pictorial representation of the geographic terms ‘The
Circle of the Four Winds’, ‘The Circle of the Four Corners’, ‘The Circle of the
Four Regions’, and ‘The Circle of the Winds’ (see p. 205).
On
BagM Beih. 2 98, the area outside the circle may be labeled marratu ‘ocean’
(see p. 195). If so, the area inside the circle may be equivalent to the
continent on World Map that is encircled by a cosmic ocean marratu. In
this case, the contingent alone, rather than the entire level of the earth’s
surface, may be divided into four quadrants. Elsewhere, however, ‘The Four
World Regions’ seem to stretch to the very ends of the earth. In World map rev.
26’, the phrase kibrāti erbetti ša kal . . . ‘The Four Quadrants of the
entire . . . ‘ occurs after the descriptions of nagû across the marratu
from the contingent. Likewise, Shamash Hymn 11-12 appears to identify kibrāt
erbetti as the entire level of the erath’s surface beneath the Sun:
mi-lam-mu-ka iš-te-ni-‘-u1
kib-rat er-bet-tik ki-ma dgir[ra . . . . . . . .]
BWL 126 11-12 (cf. W. Horowitz, NABU 193 54-55, no. 69)
Your shine ever seeks out [ . . . . .
. . . ]
The Four Regions, like the fir[e-god, . . . . . . . . ]