The "ideal" diagonal star table is a conceptual schema used for discussing the surviving star tables, all of which contain some elements of the ideal, and none of which conform to the ideal exactly.
Identification
Label | Ideal |
Group/Type | Diagonal star tables of types T, K, and X conform to this framework |
Major Publications |
Neugebauer and Parker (1960), Figure 1 on Page 1 shows a similar schematic. Our version differs by labelling list columns C1-C4 (rather than 37-40) and denoting date row, horizontal strip, and vertical strip by DR, HS, and VS (rather than T, R, and V). |
Characteristics
Rows | 12, labelled 1 (top) to 12 (bottom) |
Date Row | Labelled DR, showing the twelve months of the Egyptian civil year I Akhet to IIII Shemu |
Columns | 36, labelled 1 (rightmost) to 36 (leftmost), each representing a ten-day period (decade) of the Egyptian civil year (three columns per month) + 4 list columns labelled C1-C4 |
Pattern | The diagonal pattern is well-ordered and the decan list is complete: 36 ordinary decans (labelled 1-36) and 12 triangle decans (labelled A-L) |
Vertical Strip |
Indicated by a blank column labelled VS |
Horizontal Strip | Indicated by a blank row labelled HS |
Schematic