Archaeologists working at the site of Eridu, often considered one of the world's oldest cities, have unearthed a dedicated administrative wing that appears to have functioned as a school for astronomers. The excavation yielded over 300 cuneiform tablets containing mathematical calculations for lunar eclipses and planetary transits dating back to approximately 2000 BCE.
The archive also contains commercial ledgers that document the exchange of grain and textiles for precious metals, offering a window into the economic life of the Neo-Sumerian period. This find suggests that celestial observation in Mesopotamia was not only a religious duty but a highly standardized academic pursuit integrated into the state's administrative heart.