BAD MOON RISING.

The article discusses the discovery of four newly deciphered tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, containing the earliest known mention of omens related to lunar eclipses. These tablets, written in Old Babylonian, date back to between 1900 and 1600 B.C. and were found in the British Museum. Babylonian kings employed astronomers to watch the skies for celestial events, as eclipses were considered ominous warnings of impending punishment. The tablets contain 61 dire forecasts based on different types of lunar eclipses, signaling doom such as famine, disease, and natural disasters. Scholars are uncertain how Babylonian astronomers arrived at these conclusions, but rituals were performed to ward off perceived threats, including placing a temporary substitute on the throne if necessary. [Extracted from the article]