An alternative interpretation of BM 76829: astrological schemes for length of life and parts of the body (Q2069714)

BM 76829 is a fragment of a small Late Babylonian cuneiform astronomical/astrological tablet, probably from Sippar or Babylon. It was recently published by \textit{J. C. Fincke} et al. [Arch. Hist. Exact Sci. 75, No. 3, 349--368 (2021; Zbl 1472.01008)]. In this paper, the author proposes an alternative interpretation of the contents of the tablet. As is quite often the case in Mesopotamian studies, substantial differences in interpretation hinge ultimately on the reading of a single sign. In this case, the previous authors read `a-na \(x\)' (for \(x\) a single digit number), but the current author sees the `na' sign as a combination of `lid' and `DIŠ', read as numeral `1', In translation, `a-na \(x\)' becomes `to/for \(x\)', and `a-lid \(1,x\)' is `born [in the region of] \(1,x\)'. The addition of an extra sexagesimal place to the numbers removes certain technical oddities from the previous reading, and the reading of `born' instead of `to' certainly changes the interpretation of the contents. In this new reading, the sign of the zodiac in which an individual is born is connected to predicted maximum lifespan. The author's reading of the damaged reverse of the tablet is more tentative and complex, but he suggests it connects body parts with signs of the zodiac. The arguments are careful and detailed with numerous references to parallel astronomical and astrological texts.