From White, to Red, to Dark: Colors and Their Interpretation in Manzāzu 2: 42-45

This showcase deals with a sequence of four omens from the Babylonian extispicy series Bārûtu, “The diviner’s craft.” The omens under examination (Manzāzu 2: 42-45) use different colors to describe a special mark on the liver known as the “Request” (erištu). This showcase examines first the horizontal connection between protasis and apodosis in each omen and shows that there is a correspondence between the ominous sign and the color observed in the omen protasis and the prediction in the omen apodosis. Additionally, the study analyzes the vertical arrangement of the omens’ sequence and demonstrates that the predictions form a short narrative that reflects the colors mentioned in the protases. This ultimately sheds light on the role of colors in the textual structure of this omen sequence.