Computable Babylonian Diaries Project

The Astronomical Diaries are the product of the longest running data collection effort in history. Over an approximately 800 year period, a group in Babylon recorded regular data on astronomy (such as the positions of planets, the Moon, eclipses, etc.), economics, meteorology, and more.

The goal of the Computable Babylonian Diaries Project is to create computable editions of the Astronomical Diaries, making their systematic information content accessible modern computational methods.

These computable editions are useful not only for understanding Babylonian science, but also for providing valuable data in areas like economics and paleoclimatology.

The pages linked below contain more information and some early examples:

• Example Analysis
• Format Specification
• Format Discussion and Draft Paper
• Source Code