Sacred Numbers¶
Sumerian name: EΕ (π) β "60 / divine number" (sexagesimal system)
Zecharia Sitchin argued that the numbers that appear repeatedly in ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, and biblical texts are not arbitrary but encode precise astronomical and mathematical knowledge transmitted by the Anunnaki.
The Base-60 (Sexagesimal) System¶
The Sumerians used a base-60 numerical system that is still reflected in our modern measurement of time and angles:
- 60 seconds in a minute
- 360 degrees in a circle
- 60 and 12 in timekeeping
- The division of the day into 12 double-hours
Sitchin argued that the base-60 system was chosen because 60 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30, making it ideal for astronomical calculations.
Key Numbers and Their Meanings¶
| Number | Significance |
|---|---|
| 60 | Highest sacred number of Anu |
| 50 | Sacred number of Enlil |
| 40 | Sacred number of Enki |
| 30 | Sacred number of Nannar |
| 20 | Sacred number of Utu |
| 15 | Sacred number of Inanna |
| 12 | Anunnaki council, zodiac signs, months |
| 7 | Visible celestial bodies, days of the week |
| 3,600 | NΓRU β one Nibiru orbit |
| 2,160 | 1/12 of precessional cycle (one zodiac age) |
| 25,920 | Full precessional cycle |
| 432,000 | Number in Sumerian King List (12 Γ 36,000) |
The Sacred Numbers in Architecture¶
Sitchin noted that these numbers appear in the dimensions of sacred structures:
- The Great Pyramid's dimensions encode the Earth's circumference (scaled by 43,200)
- The base of the pyramid is 440 cubits (11 Γ 40)
- The sumerian ziqqurat (ziggurat) was typically 7 tiers
The Number 12¶
The number 12 appears throughout the Anunnaki narrative:
- 12 major Anunnaki gods
- 12 months in the year
- 12 zodiac signs
- 12 hours in the day (and night division)
- 12 tribes of Israel
- 12 disciples of Jesus
Sitchin argued that 12 was derived from the 12 celestial bodies in the Sumerian solar system (Sun, Moon, and 10 planets including Nibiru).
The Number 7¶
The number 7 is equally pervasive:
- 7 days of the week
- 7 visible planets
- 7 gates of the underworld (in Inanna's descent)
- 7 tiers of the ziggurat
- 7 branches on the Menorah
See Also¶
- Calendar β The calendar system
- Precession β The precessional cycle
- NΓRU β The 3,600-year unit
- Ε ar β The 36,000-year cycle
- DUR.AN.KI β The Bond Heaven-Earth
- ME β The divine decrees
- Enuma Elish Creation Epic β The sacred numbers in the creation epic
Sources¶
- Sitchin, Z. (1993). When Time Began. Chapters 5-7.
- Sitchin, Z. (1998). The Cosmic Code. Chapters 6-8.
- Sitchin, Z. (1976). The 12th Planet.
- Neugebauer, O. (1969). The Exact Sciences in Antiquity.