Eski̇ Mezopotamyadan Kehanet Örnekleri̇

Omens were the most important and mystic way which had communication between gods who showed their will, intentions or fateful decisions to human being. According to the Mesopotamian thought, when the gods want to sent to messages to people, they gave to them signals from sky and earth. That signals could be sent to people via illness, dream, earthquake or astral signs (lunar/moon, sun, planet and star movements). We have records about the oracle was called as Ašipu who could understand and comment that signals from sky or earth. Ašipu was an omen interpreter and administered the special rituals. When we look at the methods of omen interpreter, the oracle used to the “liver read” as a common method in Ancient Babylonia. It also used in Ancient Anatolia and Mediterranean. We have clay liver models from Babylonian and Hittite periods. It shows that there was an effective communication system between different cultures and regions at that time. Apart from, there was a special and apotropaic ritual which was called as “Namburbi” for bad omens. The purpose of a Namburbi was to dissipate or avert the evil which had been protended by an omen. Namburbi ritual could be exercised differently by the oracles.