Diagonal star tables are painted grids with an astronomical theme found in funerary contexts. Diagonal star tables are also known as diagonal star clocks or diagonal star calendars, both of which are problematic terms because they infer assumptions about the intended functions of the tables; the preferred term used here is therefore diagonal star tables. All but one of these tables occur inside rectangular coffins from the beginning of the Middle Kingdom (around 2000 BCE). The sole exception, "K0", is found on a New Kingdom temple ceiling (around 1200 BCE). All of the examples known so far can be found in this database by clicking on their names in the table below.
Table of extant diagonal star tables (based on Symons 2014 Figure 1), with the associated EAT1 coffin numbers and Zitman (2010) sigla for each table, and the type (T or K, see below):
Type T and K tables: Diagonal star tables can be categorized according to their decanal content (Symons 2007). Primarily, the tables can be placed in one of two groups depending on whether the decan list begins with the "TmAt" decans TmAt Hrt and TmAt Xrt, for T, or the "knmt" decans tpy-a knmt and knmt, for K.
- Composition of T decan list
- Composition of K decan list
- Description of diagonal star tables including a conceptual "ideal star table"
- Images of diagonal star tables
- Images of vertical strips, one of the tables' components
- Timeline of publications of diagonal star tables
A transliteration font is needed to view the information in the diagonal star table pages in full.