If, therefore, one can read the liver of the sacrificial animal, one
enters, as it were, into the workshop of the divine will."(15)
(15) Morris Jastrow: loc. cit., p. 122.
Hepatoscopy thus became, among the Babylonians, of extraordinary
complexity, and the organ of the sheep was studied and figured as early
as 3000 B.C. In the divination rites, the lobes, the gall-bladder, the
appendages of the upper lobe and the markings were all inspected with
unusual care. The earliest known anatomical model, which is here shown,
is the clay model of a sheep's liver with the divination text dating
from about 2000 B.C., from which Jastrow has worked out the modern
anatomical equivalents of the Babylonian terms. To reach a decision on
any point, the phenomena of the inspection of the liver were carefully
recorded, and the interpretations rested on a more or less natural and
original association of ideas. Thus, if the gall-bladder were swollen on
the right side, it pointed to an increase in the strength of the King's
army, and was favorable; if on the left side, it indicated rather
success of the enemy, and was unfavorable. If the bile duct was long, it
pointed to a long life. Gallstones are not infrequently mentioned in
the divination texts and might be favorable, or unfavorable.
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