umāmu

The astral animal maybe represents the conceptual forerunner of the term zodiac sign (ζῴδιον, zōidion). It is so far only attested in one text (BM 35402 = LBAT 1593, see quotation below).

u2-ma-mu ša2 13 ana IGI-ka 1 1 1 13 u2-ma-mu ša2 NE ša2 BAR DAB-bat 1 2 1 26 u2-ma-mu ša2 ZIZ2 ša2 BAR DAB-bat | u2-ma-mu ša2 iṣ-ṣi ša2 giš.GIŠIMMAR KUR.GI.mušen giš.GIŠIMMAR ana u2-ma-mu ša2 13 DU3-uš giš.ZU ša2 DU6 ša2 BAR ša2 AB | ana u2-ma-mu ša2 4.37 giš.GIŠIMMAR KUR.GI.mušen giš.GIŠIMMAR TA UGU mul2.ŠU.GI TA x ŠE SAR NA4 U2 u GIŠ | u2-ma-mu ša2 13 u3 4.37 KI a-ha-meš DAB-bat NA4 U2 u GIŠ ana LU2.GIG ŠEŠ2 GU7-šu2 u tu-qat-tar-šu2 | bi-ib-lu ša2 BAR TA 1 EN 30 (...)

‘The animal of 13 is in front of you. (Month) 1, (day) 1, (zodiac sign) 1, 13°. The animal of month-5-of-month-1 you take. (Month) 1, (day) 2, (zodiac sign) 1, 26°. The animal of month-11-of-month-1 you take. | The animal of the wood of the date palm, the goose (of) date palm for the animal of 13 you make. The writing board of month-7-of-month-1 of month 10, | for the animal of 277, date palm, the goose (of) date palm, from the top of the Old-Man-star ..., stone, plant, and wood | The animal of 13 and 277 together you take. Stone, plant, and wood for the sick person. You anoint, feed, and fumigate him. | Almanac for month 1, from (day) 1 to (day) 30 (...)’