The Akkadian Calendar at Sippar

Old Babylonian documents from Sippar regularly used Sumerian month names of the BARAG.ZAG.GAR series, derived from the UR III calendar of Nippur. They also used a number of "variant" Akkadian month names which are not the same as those of the "standard" Nisannu series. Many of these "variant" month names are identical with Akkadian month names appearing in the regional calendars of the period. These regional calendar traditions impacted upon one another, with the result that overlapping sets of month names came to be used simultaneously. Surprisingly, when one takes a fresh look at the total data, one is hard-pressed to find real evidence for the existence and use of the Nisannu series at Sippar during the Old Babylonian period. The "variant" month names appear to be the norm.