UC-NRLF 
 
 III II 
 
 Cuneiform Texts 
 
 i\ 1 ' 
 
 Metropolitan Museum ol Art 
 
 EDITED AND TRANSLATED 
 
 I'V 
 
 A L F R I^ r> !'. M () 1 . 1) 1% N K F. Pi !. D. 
 
 I'unr.isHFM I'M-; !"! MrsKUM 
 
 1 .-^0 ^ 
 
GIFT OF 
 HORACE W. CARPENTIER 
 
 
Cuneiform Texts 
 
 IN THE 
 
 Metropolitan Museum of Art 
 
 EDITED AND TRANSLATED 
 
 i!Y 
 
 ALFRED B. MOLDENKE, Ph. D. 
 
 Published for thk Museum 
 NEW YORK 
 
 »893 
 
• •• • • 
 • , • • • 
 ;• • • • 
 
PREFACE TO PARTS I. & II, 
 
 In undertaking the publication of the cuneiform texts in the Metropolitan 
 Museum of Art of New York City, I was prompted by the desire to render 
 this small but interesting treasure accessible to students of the Semitic 
 languages. 
 
 These two parts are the first of a series of seven parts to be published 
 as quickly as time permits. The texts referred to, are divided into two 
 collections, known as the " Egihi," and the " Ward" collections. The 
 former was purchased in 1878 from the British Museum, and the latter 
 from the Rev. Dr. W. H. Ward of the Wolfe Expedition, by Gen. C. P. di 
 Cesnola. the Director of the Museum. Part I contains 21 texts of the Egibi, 
 and Part II, 35 of the Ward collection. 
 
 Part I was published by me in June of this year under the title Babylonian 
 Contract Tablets in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The causes that led 
 me to republish it here were numerous and weighty. Chief among them I 
 may mention that the volume was published as a doctor's dissertation, and 
 in the hurry to get the book into print, many typographical errors were 
 overlooked, and mistakes that should have been corrected, were left untouched. 
 I trust that in the present voluine all such errors will have been avoided. 
 Another cause was the desire of the Museum authorities to have some publi- 
 cation of their collections to offer to inquiring strangers and to the learned 
 public. I regret that time did not permit me to have the Babylonian equivalents 
 of many of the Assyrian signs cast. With the type at my disposal, however, 
 the cuneiform text has been made to appear as similar as possible to the 
 original writing on the contract tablets. Also in the transliteration many 
 peculiarities will be found, which I have seen fit to discard in succeeding 
 parts. Part I must, in fact, be considered a book by itself, complete and 
 independent of any other part. The indices of Part I have also been incor- 
 porated in the preface instead of being placed at the end as in the first 
 edition. The correspondence of such letter as li, «, k, etc., to Hebrew letters 
 will be readily seen. 
 
 Part II will be found to be, I trust, an improvement upon Part I. Not 
 only is the type of the cuneiform text exactly similar (excepting peculiarities of 
 hand-writing of the individual scribes) to the original characters on the 
 contract tablets, but the distinction between the transliteration and the trans- 
 lation is brought out more clearly by the use of Italic type for the former 
 
 , \ 
 435804 
 
iv Preface to Parts L & 11. 
 
 instead of Antique Roman. The notes have also been made as short as 
 possible, and they confine themselves to explanations of the text and to refer- 
 ences. They have been relegated to the end. 
 
 The remaining texts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art have been divided 
 for publication as follows : 
 
 Part III will contain Nos. i-io of the Egibt, and Nos. 16-45 of the 
 Ward collection, Total : 40 Texts of the reigns of Nebuchad- 
 nezzar, Amelu-Marduk and Nergalsharusur. 
 Part IV will contain Nos. 32-36 of the Egibt and Nos. 66-77 of the 
 Ward collection. Total: 17 texts of the reigns of Cyrus and 
 Cambyses. 
 Part V will contain Nos. 37-56 of the Egibt, and Nos. 78-120 of the 
 
 Pf'ar// collection. Total: 51 texts, chiefly of Darius. 
 Part VI will contain about 50 undated contract tablets, 5 belonging to 
 
 the Egibi collection. 
 Part VII will contain all the Assyrian, Babylonian and Accadian texts of 
 the Ward collection not included in any of the other parts. 
 
 In conclusion I wish to express my most sincere thanks to the Museum 
 authorities, especially to Gen. C. P. di Cesnola and to Prof. I. H. Hall, for 
 their kind and liberal treatment and for the manifold facilities that they have 
 courteously placed at my disposal. Also to my brother, the Rev. Dr. C. E. 
 Moldenke, who is at present publishing a catalogue of the Museum's magni- 
 ficent collection of Egyptian antiquities, I wish to express my thanks for his 
 kind help, especially in the drawing and procuring of the signs that are so 
 frequently used in Part II, and will be required for the publication of the 
 remaining parts. 
 
 New York City, ) 
 
 Oct. 1st, 1893. \ A. B. MOLDENKE. 
 
PART I. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2008 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cuneiformtextsinOOmoldrich 
 
LIST OF BUUKS yUUTKD, AND ABBREVIATIONS. 
 
 AbbIi ttnd Wikckt.er, Keilschrifttexto ziim Gebraiirh hci Vorlesungen. (Sanhe- 
 ril), Asaihiiddon) Horlin 1800. 
 
 BeitrJisp ziir Assyriologic und Vcrgleichendon Scmitischeii Sprachwissonschaft. 
 
 herausgegeben von Fr. Dclitzsch iind P. Haupt. Leipzig 1889 - 1892. . . B A 
 
 BuirxNOW, R, E„ A Classified List *c. Loydcn 1889, 
 
 Delitzsch, Fr., Assyrischc Grammatik. Berlin 1889. 
 
 " Assyrische Lesestflcke. Dritte Auflage. (Sintflutbericht) LeipziK 1886. 
 
 " Assyrische Studien. Ileft I. Leipzig 1874. 
 
 Babylonian and Oriental Record. London. ..... BOIt 
 
 Hoffmann, Ausziige aus syrisohen Aeten persischer Miirtyrer. Leipzig 1880. 
 
 HoMMEii, F., Geschichte Babyloniens und Assyriens. Berlin 1885-1889. 
 
 Jensen, P., Die Kosniologie der Babylonier. Strassburg 1890. 
 
 Lagarde. p., Agathangehis. i Abhandluniren der Koniglichen Gesellschaft der 
 Wissenschaften zii Gottingen, Vol. XXXV) 1887. 
 
 LOTZ, \V., Die Prisma -In.schrift des assyr. Konigs Tiglathpileser I. Leipzig 1880. . LTP 
 
 Peiser, F. E., Babylonische Vertrttge des Berliner iluseums. Berlin 1890. . Bab. Ver, 
 
 " Keilschriftliche Actensttieke. Berlin 1889. 
 
 PoGNON, H., L'inscription de Bavian. Paris 1879. 
 
 Sayce, a. H., Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion (Hibberd Lectures). 
 London 1877. 
 
 ScHRCEDER, Phoniclschc Sprache rait Entwurf einer Grammatik. Halle 1869. 
 
 Sitzungsbericht der Koniglichen Akaderaie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. 1889. 
 
 Smith, P., Thesaiu'us Syriacus. Clarendon Press, Oxon. 1879. 
 
 Smith, .S. A., Keilschrifttexte Asurbanipals. Leipzig 1887 - 1889. 
 
 STRAS.SMAIER, J. N,, Babylonische Tcxtc, Heft I- VIT. Inschriften von Xaboni- 
 dus, Nabuchodonosor und Cyrus, von den Thontafeln des Britischcn Mu- 
 seums copiert &c. Leipzig 1887-1890. . . , Straus. Nabn., Nhk., Cyr. 
 
 Strassmaier, J. N., Inschriften im Museum zu Liverpool. Leyden 188.'>. 
 
 " Verhandlungen des 5 ten Internationalen Orientalisten Congresses 
 
 zu Berlin. 1881. 
 
 TaLiLqvist, K. L., Die Sprache der Contractc Nabft-na'ids. Helsingfors 1890. . '/.iMg. 
 
 TiELE, C. P., Babylonisch-assyrische Geschichte. Gotha 1886-1888. 
 
 Zeitschrift fur Assyriologie. Leipzig 1883 - 1892. . . . . Z A. 
 
 Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgeniandischen Gesellschaft. . . . ZJJMG 
 
INDEX OF PUOPEK NAMES. 
 
 The superior numerals r^rr to the lines of the tablets, while the other numerals refer to the tahlelt. 
 
 I. CITIES. 
 
 [dln]Babilu 11 '» '• 12^' " 13 >' ■» 14" 
 15 M 16 16 >' 17 »♦ 18 la [19 "] 20 "6 
 21 so aa 9^ >' >' 23 ''■' '* 24 '" 25 '" "" 
 26 32 3« 27 >' i« as " *' <{0 '" 30 *' " 
 81 1» 
 
 Nisannu 26" 28>»29»« 
 Aim 22' 14"' 
 Simanu 30 ' * 
 Dftzu 25 "31 •' 
 Ululu 27" 17* »♦ 
 
 Babilu 14 " 16 '» 17 » '« 20 »» 24 «♦ 29 " 
 Barsiba 18 • » 
 am Bit-Sar-i 31 » » 
 amKa8-8ur(P)13» 
 
 II. MONTHS. 
 
 TaSritu 13 '» 
 Samna 27 ♦ "^ 15 »* 
 
 Samna-am-a 21 '" 
 Sabatu 19 » 20 * •♦ 23 >' 24 »' 
 Adam 11 '" 12 ^' 16 " 18 " aa" 23' 
 
 III. GODS. 
 
 Bll 21»'25>» 
 Ou-la 24 " 
 aarri-lfu 17 " 25 »» 
 
 Na-na 17 >» .30 ' • 
 Ninip 16 * *^ 
 Sa-maS 18 ' 
 
 :V. PERSONS. 
 
 Ai 11 ♦ 22 '' 
 
 ill! t-a-na-jir 25 » 
 
 Uu A-ba-ba-ti-la 27 ' 
 
 Ab-la-a 30" 
 
 Ab-la-da 18 » 
 
 Ib-nsra 21 '" 
 
 1-gi-bi 12 M4 '« 20 ♦ " 21 ' '» 22 " 23 " 28 ' 
 
 29 » 31 ^ » 26 ' '» 
 Idanin-Nabd 18 '» 
 
 Id-dara 25 * 
 
 Iddin- 21 » 
 
 Iddiu-Bil 23 » 
 
 Iddin-Marduk 17 ' » 18 > 23 »» 24 » 25 » 
 28 »» 19 » 
 
 la-ha-ta 21 » 
 
 Iddin-Naba 20 »' 29 ■" 31 « 
 Iddin-ua-hu-nun-ti-i6-Marduk 28 " 
 Iddin-na-Naba 21 " 
 Aha-ba-ni 17 »« 25 »« 
 t^ir-Marduk 22 " 
 l^ir-fia-na-nim 12 * 
 
The Metropolitan Museu/m of Art. 
 
 U-ka-ga-tu-ra-fiad 30 * 
 
 »u lUatu-u 11 » 14 " 
 
 1-mid-Bu 19 • 
 
 Amtu 28" 
 
 t-sag-gil-ai 26 " 
 
 A-pak-kal-ia 26 " 
 
 Ipi-ifi-ilu 13 » 14 ' • 22 ' ♦ 30 • « 
 
 Ikbi-[Marduk] 20 ' 
 
 I^ifia-apla 26 '• 
 
 Hfl-Sarapla 17 =" 18 " 23 " 24 » » 26 ♦ 28 
 
 31 • 
 A-ra-bi 17 ' 
 Ir-ba-Marduk 14 »« 
 Ardi-ia 29 '■^ 
 
 Arad-Bil 13 »♦ ""22 '»29" 
 Arad-Marduk 21 •" 22 ' 25 • " 
 Arad-Nirgal 22 •■' 25 '» 
 A-6a-a-na-6ad 25 * 
 It-ik-kal-a 15 » 
 
 It-ti- 25"' 
 
 Itti- 29 "• 
 
 Itti-Marduk- -balat.u 26 ' 
 
 Itti-Marduk-balat.u 2(i « 27 ' 
 Itti-Nabft-balatu 29 " 31 '" 
 
 Ba-bu-tu 12 "" 26 « "' 
 Babu-u-tu 27 ' ' 
 Ba-la-$ull '26" 
 
 BU- 15 " 
 
 BU-uballi-if 15 '" •» 
 
 BU-ibni 31 • 
 
 Bil-iddin 13 » " ''^ " 14 ' 20 ♦ ' "• 
 
 Bil-di-hir 29" 
 
 Bil-idanin 28 '^ 
 
 Bil-zir-ibni 26 '• 
 
 Bil-afel-iddin 27 " 
 
 Bil-afeI-i]fe:i-Sa 19 * 
 
 Bil-^arran 17 " 
 
 BU-iflr 27 • 
 
 BU-Hir 31 ' • 
 Bil-Hi-ru 11 • 29 " 
 Bil-kasir 12 '» 
 BU-Marduk 27 • 
 Bll-nayir 25 •'" 
 
 Bil-apal-iddin 11 '" 19 • 24 » '» 
 Bll-pat-ta-nu 12 ' ' 
 Bll-UfMa 16 "30« » 
 Bil-ri-man-ni 12 " 24 » 
 BilH§um-i«ku-un 23 "* 
 Bll-4u-nu 12 " 19^ 30 » 
 Bani-ia 20 ' * 
 Bani-i-a 11 » 29 « » 
 Bani-um-ma-gu 27 '« 
 Ba-ni-ia 12 " 15 M6 • '• 20 '\?) 
 Bani-a-tu-i-aag-ila 16 • '• 
 Bit^ti-ia 21 ••25" 
 
 Ou-la-ri-nin-ni 11 M2 ' '• »» 
 
 Da-bi-ia 13 >• 
 Da-bi-lii 21 " 
 Du-ub-bi 20 ' ' 
 Du-um-mu^ 13 '* 
 Dan-a 11 " 
 Di-na-a .30 •» 
 >'u Dalnu-zir-ibni 30 »• 
 
 Zir-ai 21 '• 
 Zi-ri-ia 15 " 27 » 
 Zir-ukin 24 " 
 Zir-atu 22 »* 
 
 Haran-na-'-Su 16 " 
 Hu-nu-ti-ti6-Sama6-bala(u 11 * 
 Hu-pu-u 28 ♦ 
 
 Ka-di-di 14" 
 Ka-di-nu 12 '» 
 
Index of Proper Names, 
 
 XI 
 
 Kal-oc-a 21 ■' " ai [-J • " 
 Ku-up-pu-ut-tum 29 • » '" "■•' 
 Ki-rib-ti 21 " 
 
 La-a-ba-di ~7 ' 
 La-di-pi 30 '» 
 Lu-u|f-a-na-n£lri-Marduk 21 '* 
 
 Man-di-di 1.1 >♦ .'JO ♦ '« 
 Mu-sal-li-mu 25 ' 
 Mu-sal-lim-mu IT '"' 
 Mi-sir-ai 2(5 '" 
 Mi-sa-tum 22 « 
 Marduk-ban-zir .'U '" 
 Marduk-iddin 21 '' 29 " 
 Marduk-zir-ibni 14 '^'^ 
 Marduk-iti-ir 12 "• 22 ' 25 ' * 
 Marduk-musallim 17 " 24 " 
 Marduk-lpi-iS 21 »♦ 
 Marduk-iki-Sa-an-ni. 11 » 12 " '* 14 '^^ 
 Marduk-irba 14 '"^ 
 Marduk-Sum-ibni 18 '" 
 Marduk-Sum-ufur 28 " 
 Marduk-Sarra-ni 16 * ' 
 Mu-5l-zib-BU 20 ' »» 
 
 Na-ba-ai 27 * 
 Naba-balat-iddin 20 » 
 Nabft-bala^su-ikbi 29 " 
 Naba-bala^su-[ikbi] 15 ' " 
 Nabft-bani-aha 24 ' 
 Naba-ga-mil 26 " 
 Nabft-iddin 20 » 24 i" " 28 >' 
 Nabtl-zir-iddin 11 '^ '• 16 »' 22 '« 
 Nabii-zir-iki-Sa 25 " 
 Naba-zir-SutlSur 14 •' 
 NabG-afel-bul-lut 14 '" 
 
 Nabft-a^i-iddiu IJ ' " '» Li '" 14 " 17 " 
 18 » 20 ' " '" 22 ■' 23 ♦ 26 » 27 " 28 » • 
 29 ' 31 '' ' 
 
 Nabfl-ahi-iddin-na 21 ' ♦ " " 
 
 NabO-alji-irba 11 '- 
 
 Nabtt-i^lr 15 » » ' 
 
 Nabfl-ukin- 15 " 
 
 Nabd-ukin-apla 25 • 
 
 NabCl-lit-su "'* '' 
 
 Nabii-mu-u-da 11 '* 
 
 Naba-musallim 11 '" 
 
 Naba-mu-Si-ni-ud-da 12 '« 26 » " '» 
 
 Nabii-na'id 11 •"• 12 •'••' 13 '» 14 •'° 15 '» 
 16 18 17 5 15 18 i-i 19 11 20 '" 21 "•■' 
 22 " 23 '* 24 '» 25 '" 26 " 27 " 28 '• 
 29'" 30 " 31 '' 
 
 Naba-na^fir 28 '♦ 
 
 Naba-is-kip 18 » 
 
 Naba-apal-iddin 11 ' »'" 12 ♦ '• 13 «• 
 
 Naba-u?ur 26 '« 
 
 Nab-ik-bi 29" 
 
 Naba-rimu-lip-tum 23 • 
 
 Naba-ri-man-ni 25 ' • 
 
 Naba-iriS 25 " 30 " 
 
 Naba-u-Su-da-kata 22 * 
 
 Naba-Sum-iddin 14 •'' 15 » 16"' »• 
 
 Naba-Svim-uSur 16 » 27 »» 
 
 Naba-iSip-u§ur 17 ^-^ 
 
 Naba-itti-apli 28 ♦ 
 
 JSTu-ub-ta-a 26 ♦ 
 
 Na-din 23 " 26' '^^ 
 
 Na-di-nu 15 ' ^ 
 
 ITa-din-Marduk 24 ' 
 
 Na-din-Si-bar 15 " 
 
 Ni-lat-tum 29 " '■"'" 
 
 Ni-mi-ku 13 >' 
 
 Nu-u-pu 11 '* 
 
xu 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 Na^ii-^at- ai 14 ^^ 
 
 Nttr-i-a 30 « 
 
 Nlrgal-uballi-it 13 M4 » 
 
 Nirgal-iddin 14 » 
 
 Nirgal-itlr 26 ' "' 
 
 Nirgal-musallim IC '* 
 
 Nirgal-na'id 11 '* 
 
 Nirgal-ujur 29 * 
 
 Nar-Sin 11 »M7 •■' * 18 « 24 » 28 « ' 
 
 Na-fii-i-Nabft-apla 20 '• 
 
 Na-iSi-ir-na-a 20 ' 
 
 Su-ha-ai 14 "' 
 Sin-ga-ga-nim-mi 10 '* 
 Si-nu-nu 16 • 
 Sin-tab-ui 11 " 
 Su-lj;arai 27 •' 
 
 Pu-na-ni-tum 18 * 
 
 9al-a 29" 
 
 9il-la-a 15 ' 20''30* '* 
 
 9ir-diS-bit 27 " 
 
 9a-ti-lu-tum 28 » 
 Kur-bau 11 '* 
 Kur-ban-Marduk 14 >» 
 Kur-ban-ni-Marduk 13 ' 
 
 Bi-dal-Samad 22 " 
 Harmu-u-a 10 * 
 Rammanu-a^l-uballi( 11 " 
 Raraman-u-ml-i 12 '" 
 Raminanu-6um-iddin 24 '" 
 Rammanu-&uin-ufur 27 " 
 Ri-mut 13 » • 'M4 '• '• 25 » '» 
 
 Ri-mut-BU 27 • 
 Ri-6ar-tura 29 » ' '* "• 
 
 6u-Bu-ba 23* 
 
 dakan-ium 25 ' 
 
 Su-la-a 12 • 14 """ 20 * '» 21 ' 23 » • 
 
 da-am-ma-' 27 " 
 Sa^abti-Au 16 '" 
 Sa-an-na-a -J^ ''«'•'• »• 
 
 da-na-6i- 11 ' 
 
 §apik-zir 15 • • 10 '♦ 
 da-aA-Bll-fi 28 * 
 
 Tab-lu-^u 29 » •• 
 Tab-ni-i 17 " ' 
 
 Tab-ni-i-a 11 " 18 ' 25 »* •• 
 Ta-ki«-Gu-la 22* 
 
 . -ufur-bllu-u 12* 
 
 .-i^-ka 11 " 
 
 ■ -dum-ukiu-na 21 ' 
 
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES ACCORDING TO GENEALOGY. 
 
 Thtffintt column gitvs the name of the permn, the second that ofhl» father, and the third his family name. Only 
 thoaenames are catalogued here, of which the geneaUtgy is ghvn , orwhich Aeiiv «)»«c special attribute tii distinguish 
 them from other names of the same form. For all other names see preceding inilejc. 
 
 Iddin-Marduk apal su sa Iki-da-apla 
 
 apal Nftr-Sin 
 
 Iddin-Marduk " 
 
 Iddin-na-^u-nun- 
 (i-i6-Marduk " 
 
 Scribe of the \%th Tablet. 
 
 *Iddin-Naba- " 
 
 Iddin-NabQ 
 Iddin-NabQ 
 
 Iddin-na-Naba " 
 
 1-a-na-^ir " 
 
 Il^i-fia-apla " 
 
 Irba-Marduk " 
 
 .Scribe of the 14 Hi Tablet. 
 
 Ardi-ia " 
 
 Arad-Bil 
 
 Arad-Marduk " 
 
 Hcribe of the 21 s( and 
 25 th Tablets. 
 
 Arad-Marduk " 
 
 Itti-Marduk-bala^u " 
 
 Scribe of the 22nd Tablet. 
 
 Itti-Marduk-bala^u " 
 Itti-Marduk-bala{u " 
 
 BU-dum-iS-ku-un 
 Nabfl-nasir 
 
 amilu 
 
 ^ipu 
 
 [Bani-ia] 
 
 •« Du-ub-bi 
 
 I^l-Sa-apla 
 
 •• Bil-ibni 
 
 9al-a 
 
 ,, 
 
 
 Ib-na-a 
 
 «. Da-bi-bi 
 
 Mu-8al-li-mu 
 
 
 A-pak-kal-ia 
 
 .. t-gi-bi 
 
 Mar-duk-ikl-Sa-an-ni 
 
 " lllatu-u 
 
 Itti- 
 
 « aiiiliu Sakanu 
 
 Du-um-mulf 
 
 .« Arad-Bil 
 
 Bit-ti-ia 
 
 (amilu t.MASBil 
 1 amilu fiangu Bil 
 
 *' Marduk-ifi-ir 
 " Arad-Bil 
 
 " Nabft-afel-iddin 
 " Naba-abi-iddin 
 
 amilu fia- tabti -Su 
 
 A-ba-ba-ti-la 
 1-gi-bi 
 
 17 
 19 
 25 
 
 t s 
 
 »28 
 
 18 > 
 24' 
 
 lit 
 
 23 
 
 la 
 
 
 28 
 
 'U 
 
 
 20 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 31 
 
 8 
 
 
 29 
 
 ■ii 
 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 
 25 
 
 8 
 
 
 26 
 
 IK 
 
 
 14 
 
 it 
 
 
 29 
 
 ■i* 
 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 
 21 
 
 1 s 
 
 
 25 
 
 IT 
 
 
 22 
 
 s 
 
 
 •>•> 
 
 1» 
 
 
 22 " 26 « 
 
 28 ■* 29 " " 
 
 1116 1 » 31 1 
 6 8 
 
 Itti-Nabft-bala^u " 
 
 " Marduk-ban-zir 
 
 " BU-i-tlr 
 
 31 '" 
 
 Scribe of the 31 st Tablet. 
 
 
 
 
 tItti-Nabtl-bala$u *' 
 
 " Marduk-iddin 
 
 •• Bil-i-^i-ru 
 
 29 " 
 
 Scribe of the 29 th Tablet. 
 
 
 
 
 Bil-uballi-it 
 
 " Na-di-nu 
 
 
 15 " 
 
 Scribe of the 10 <A Tablet. 
 
 BU-iddin 
 
 " Ba-ni-ia 
 
 J Nirgal-uf ur 
 1^ Ri-Sar-tum 
 
 29* 
 
 29 ' '•"• 
 
 Bil-iddin 
 
 " Nirgal-uballi-i$ 
 
 " amilu ga 
 
 l;j s « 1 u 11 
 14' 
 
 BU-di-bir 
 
 ,< 
 
 " Nab-ik-bi 
 
 29 " 
 
 
 * Possibly the same as Iddln-na-NabQ. the third name from this, 
 t Evidently the same scribe as the preceding. 
 
XIV 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 Bil-afel-i^l-fia apal-BU 
 
 sa Bil-iu-nu 
 
 apal 
 
 19 
 
 1 
 
 Bil-fearran " 
 
 " Mu-sal-lim-mu 
 
 •• ainflu iangu Nana 
 
 17 
 
 
 Bil-itir 
 
 " NabCt-dum-u|^ur 
 
 " Ramman-ium-u{^ur 
 
 27 
 
 t 
 
 Bil-kafir 
 
 Scribe uf the 12th Tablet. 
 
 •• Bil-ri-man-ni 
 
 " Ba-bu-tu 
 
 li 
 
 * 
 
 Bil-apal-iddin 
 
 " l-mid-su 
 
 
 19 
 
 
 Bil-apal-iddin 
 
 Scribe of the -il tb Tablet . 
 
 " Dab-bi-Sa(?) 
 
 " Nabd-lit-su 
 
 -:i 
 
 I* 
 
 Bil-apal-iddin " 
 
 •« NabG-[iddin?J 
 
 '• Bamman-Aum-iddin 
 
 24 
 
 * 
 
 BU-apal-iddin " 
 
 " Naba-abi-irba 
 
 " Kur-ban 
 
 11 
 
 1 -i 
 
 Bil-ri-man-^ii " 
 
 " Marduk-musallim 
 
 
 24 
 
 k 
 
 Bll-fiu-nu 
 
 " Bll-i^l-fta 
 
 " *n»"" iangu Nana 
 
 .•50 
 
 » 
 
 Bil- 
 
 " Nabfi-fium-uyur 
 
 " Bani-[ia] 
 
 15 
 
 II 
 
 Ba-ni-ia " 
 
 ScrilM' of the 16 Ih TalUel. 
 
 •• NabQ-6um-iddin 
 
 " «">"" iangu Ninip 
 
 Iti 
 
 a I* 
 
 Bani-um-ma-gu " 
 
 Scrllie uf the it? Ih Tablet. 
 
 <• Bll-a^l-iddin-na 
 
 " 9ir-dii-bit 
 
 27 
 
 ii 
 
 Da!nu-zir-ibni " 
 
 " Ab-la-a 
 
 *• Ipi-li-ilu 
 
 30 
 
 * 
 
 Zir-fttu 
 
 " Nabd-zir- iddin 
 
 
 22 
 
 14 
 
 Hu-nu -ti-tiS-&amafi- 
 bala^u 
 
 •' Ai 
 
 •• Bll-l-^l-ru 
 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 Ki-di-nu 
 
 " Marduk-l^i-ir 
 
 " Ramman-u-ml-1 
 
 12 
 
 la 
 
 Kal-ba-a 
 
 fla-ba-ta 
 " |NabQ-abl-iddin 
 
 «« 1-gi-bi 
 
 21 
 31 
 
 1 « 
 > 4 « 
 
 Iia-a-ba-ft; 
 
 " Zi-ri-ia 
 
 *• Na-ba-ai 
 
 27 
 
 1 
 
 La-di-pi 
 
 " Di-na-a 
 
 
 M 
 
 t 
 
 Lu-uf-a-na-nftri- 
 
 Marduk " 
 
 " Ki-rib-ti 
 
 •• 1-gi-bi 
 
 21 
 
 1 
 
 Marduk-iddin " 
 
 " Marduk-ipl-lS 
 
 " Zi^ai 
 
 21 
 
 9 
 
 Marduk-zir-ibni " 
 
 " Su-la-a 
 
 " Nafir-feat-al 
 
 14 
 
 X 
 
 Marduk-itl-ir 
 
 " Hi-mut 
 
 " Arad-Nirgal 
 
 25 
 
 4 
 
 Marduk-musallim " 
 
 Scrilie of the l~i th Tablet 
 
 " Nabtl-&ip-ufur 
 
 ** A^a-ba-ni 
 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 Marduk-iki-Sa-an-ni" 
 
 " Bani-i-a 
 
 •• lllatu-u 
 
 11 
 
 
 *Marduk-ikI-Sa-an-ni • 
 
 " Ba-ni-ia 
 
 ♦• -ufur-bllu-u 
 
 12" 
 
 14 
 
 Marduk-iarra-ni " 
 
 •• Bll-iki-fia 
 
 " da-tabti-$u 
 
 16 
 
 1 
 
 Nabft-balaJ-iddin " 
 
 " ^il-Ia-a 
 
 •* Na-iSl-ir-na-a 
 
 20' 
 
 
 Nabfl-balat-su-ikbi *• 
 
 " Bani-ia 
 
 " Bi-&ar-tum 
 
 29 
 
 > 
 
 Nab(i-balat-su-[ikbi]" 
 
 " Zir-ia 
 
 «« ainllu band 
 
 15' 
 
 
 
 Nabd-ban-a^a " 
 
 " Iki-§a-apla 
 
 •' Na-din-Marduk 
 
 24 = 
 
 
 Nabft-ga-mil " 
 
 " Nabft-mu-6i-ni-ud-da 
 
 " l-sag-gil-ai 26 ' 
 famUyname Is broken off at tbebef 
 
 T 
 
 •Very likely identical 
 
 with tlie preceding, The 
 
 winning. 
 
 hence the latter Is uncertain. 
 
Genealogical Index of Proper Names. 
 
 XV 
 
 NabA-iddin apalsu 
 
 s'a Bil-idanin av 
 
 ,ai amlln ni-fur-gi-na 
 
 28 la 
 
 NabG-iddin 
 
 " Zir-ukin • 
 
 • arailu Sangu Quia 
 
 24 '• 
 
 Nabft-iddin " 
 
 " Mu-6i-zib-BIl 
 
 • Na-Si-i-Nabd-apla 
 
 20 • 
 
 Nabft-zir-iddin 
 amllu mar Sipri 
 daini 
 
 
 
 16 «» 
 
 Nabd-zir-iddin *' 
 
 •• Nabfl-musalliiii * 
 
 * Sin-tab-ni 
 
 11 '« 
 
 Nabft-zir-iki-Sa 
 
 " Sakan-dum 
 
 
 25" 
 
 Nabfl-zir-Sutifiur " 
 
 •' Nabd-fium-iddin * 
 
 • Ka-di-di 
 
 14 i I 
 
 Nabft-afei-bul-lut " 
 
 *' Marduk-irba ' 
 
 ' Su-^a-ai 
 
 14 "» 
 
 Nabft-afel-iddin 
 
 " Su-la-a • 
 
 ' i-gi-bi 
 
 12 T a lA 
 
 Scribe of the 20 th Tablet. 
 
 
 
 14" 20' * 
 '"21 "23* 
 
 NabCl-a^t-iddin-na " 
 
 <t Nab£l-a^i-iddin-na 
 
 
 21 » 
 
 Nab<i-i(ir 
 
 i. 9il-la-a • 
 
 ' It-ik-kal-a 
 
 15 ■' " ' 
 
 Nabft-ukin-zir " 
 
 .. Bil-uballi-i^ 
 
 • amilu parfii-ki 
 
 15 ' ' 
 
 Nabft-mu-§i-ni- 
 ud-[da] 
 
 .. Bil-zir-ibni 
 
 ' t-sag-gil-ai 
 
 2fi ' " 
 
 Nabft-mu-Si-ni-ud-da* ' 
 
 .' Bil-Su-nu 
 
 ' Bil-pat-ta-nu 
 
 12 '" 
 
 Nabfl-is-kip " 
 
 '• Marduk-Sum-ibni ' 
 
 ' Idauin-Nabd 
 
 18" 
 
 Nabii-apal-iddin 
 
 " Ba-la-Ju ' 
 
 • Sa-na-Si- 
 
 11 • 
 
 Nabft-apal-iddin 
 
 •• Da-bi-ia * 
 
 • Su-^a^ai 
 
 13'" 
 
 Scribe of the 13 th Tablet. 
 
 
 
 
 Nabft-u-fur-Su 
 
 •« Ba-la-tu 
 
 ' Mi-fir-ai 
 
 26'" 
 
 Nabd-rimu-lip-tum '• 
 
 • » Su-zu-bu »inilu rab.ka- 
 a-ri §a Sarri 
 
 
 23 > 
 
 Nabft-iriS 
 
 •• 9il-la-a ' 
 
 • Man-di-di 
 
 30 ' ' » 
 
 Scribe of them th Tablet. . 
 
 
 
 
 Nabtl-iriS 
 
 " Tab-ni-l-a ' 
 
 • A^a-ba-ni 
 
 25 '» 
 
 Na-din amilu IR. 
 
 SaL.TAB(?).SA 
 
 
 
 23 «> 
 
 Scribe of the 23 rd Tablet. 
 
 
 
 
 Na-din '* 
 
 Scribe of the 28 th Tablet. 
 
 •• Nlrgal-itir 
 
 • Ba-bu-tu 
 
 26 » ■"' 
 
 Nflr-i-a 
 
 " BU-ikl-Sa 
 
 ' a'nilu Sangu Nana 
 
 30'" 
 
 Nixgal-na'id " 
 
 •« Nabd-zir-iddin ' 
 
 • -it-ka 
 
 11 '* 
 
 8u-ka-ai " 
 
 •' Kal-ba-a ' 
 
 '•' Babu-u-tu 
 
 27" 
 
 Bi-dal-Samad " 
 
 " ttir-Marduk 
 
 • tpi-iS-ilu 
 
 22" 
 
 Bammanu-ahi-uballitS' 
 
 " Dan-a ' 
 
 • Ndr-Sin 
 
 11 " 
 
 Ki-mut " 
 
 '• Ai 
 
 " Arad-Nirgal 
 
 22 " 
 
 Bi-mut 
 
 •' NabCl-ukin-apla 
 
 
 25' 
 
 Ri-mut " 
 
 " Ni-mi-ku ' 
 
 ' Man-di-di 
 
 13" 
 
 Ri-mut " 
 
 •' Kur-ban-ni-Marduk ' 
 
 • Ipi-ifi-ilu 
 
 13 '" 14 >• 
 
 Bi-mut-Btt 
 
 " BU-Mardvik 
 
 • Sa-am-ma-' 
 
 27" 
 
XVI 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 Su-la-a apal 
 
 Ku sa Iki-ia-apla 
 
 apal Iddin-Bil 
 
 23« 
 
 Sapik-zir 
 
 ' " Nabd-ium-iddin 
 
 '• Na-din-fii-bar 
 
 16 « • 
 
 Sapik-zir ' 
 
 " " Ifirgal-musallim 
 
 •• Sin-ga-garnim-mi 
 
 16 '• 
 
 dara$-Bil-fi 
 
 • " Nabd-itti-apU 
 
 " Hu-pu-u 
 
 2g» 
 
 /-Tab-ni-l -j 
 • Tab-ni-i-a J 
 
 • '• Naba-afel-iddin 
 
 [ amilu iangu «>" Zari^^u 
 \amilu§angu>lu damai 
 
 17 11 
 
 18 » 
 
 '^Tabni-i-a 
 
 amllii dangu ilu 
 Zari^u 
 
 
 
 25" 
 
 Tab-ni-1-a ' 
 
 • " Nabd-mu-u-da 
 
 " Nu-u-pu 
 
 11'^ 
 
 Scribe of the 11 th TabU-l. 
 
 
 
 
 -dum-ukin • 
 
 • •• Iddin- 
 
 ' •• Id-da-a 
 
 
 21 ' 
 2S « 
 
 Thefollomiig Jive naiiuti are those of (lie ivomen uhone genealogy is given in ihme texts. Theij 
 are appetided here, because the persons can thus be more readily found in other texts. 
 
 Atntu marat Hu sa Marduk-&um-uf ur 28* 
 
 Bani-a-tu-i-sag-ila ** " Nabft-Sum-iddin 16 ' '• 
 
 Nabft-u-fiu-da-%:ata " ** Ta-ki6-Gu-la «p«i »ni1lii ijipu 22* 
 
 Nu-ub-ta-a ** " Nabft-mu-Sl-ni-ud-da " t-sag-gil-ai 26* 
 
 Ni-lat-tum " " Arad-Bil . I^bi-[Marduk?J 28 • 
 
A GLOSSARY 
 
 OP THE ASSYRIAN WORDS OCCURRING IN THE TEXTS. 
 
 u and. Very frctjncnt. 
 
 ainiiu iB-bani carpenter. 21 '" 
 
 abalu to biing. i(-bal 29 ■ * 
 
 adi together uith. a-di 14 ' 16 ' 18 » 2S " 
 a-di-i 29" a-di Hi Mn/«. 22' 29" 
 a-di Hi Sa untilthat. 26 »♦ 
 
 idu hand, side, i-di 26 "• 
 
 afeu j>or/ion, half, a-fei 13* 15* 
 
 a-^a-a-ta-Su-nu 25 •' it-ti a-^a-miH 
 uith one another. 28 • 
 
 Itiru to receive. iHi-ru 17 * i-ti-ni 22 '» 
 24 ' i-tir-tum 28 ' i-^i-ru pay. 28 ' 
 
 akalu to eat, c&nstime. ik-kal 13 ' 15 ' 
 
 ul not. 13»28»29«' >« 
 
 ilu god. Determinative. Fre(iuent. 
 
 alft c«7i/. 13 * 31 " ina all u siri in citif 
 and country. 15 * 
 
 ili ahont. 31 * For other instances see 
 under adi, viltu, ana, and ina. 
 
 llu to go up, make out. il-li 13 ' il-la-' 12 '* 
 i-'-i-li 12 • i-ti-li 25 ♦ ' ul-ti-la 31 » 
 
 aladu to bring foHh, tu-li-da 11 ' 
 
 alaku to go, il-lak (in the phrase nadutti 
 illak) possesses. 13 " il-la-ku ibid. 14* 
 
 alpu cattle, al-pa 20 ' 
 
 I-lat to be additional. 13 " 30 » 
 
 uitu from. 15 ' 21 ♦ ul-tu ili below. 13 ' 
 ultu ili mi-^ir-tu in behalf of. 18 • 
 
 umft dmj. 11 »» 12 "'13 '» 14 " 15 '« 16 " 
 17« 16 igu 1910 20 » >« 21^1 22 '• 23'» 
 24 >« 25 »• 26 " 27 «» 28 »» 29 " 30 »• 
 31 i» 
 
 amilu wian. Determinative. Frequent. 
 
 amiliitu slave, a-ml-lut-tum 29 " 
 
 ummu mothci-. 26 '• ummi-8u 29 "" 
 
 amilu l.HLAh priest. 21 >' 
 
 a.an Added to numerals. 
 
 &nu not to be, ia-a-nu 13 '" 
 
 ana a-na to. 11 » 12 " " 15 ' 20 ' 21 " 28 » 
 29 'SI « • for. 11' 12" « '• 16' 17^ 
 21 » 25 " 29 ' '• " wi regards. 13 * 
 to the value of 14 »•«»'«"' ^ a-na Hi 
 against. 13 • on account. 25 * ' 
 
 ina in, at, for, after. 12 ' 13 * • 14 » 15 « » • 
 17 * 18 •' 19 * 21 " 22 • 24 » 26 '^^ 27 ♦ ^ 
 30 • ina ili against, to be received of 
 13 ' 14 * ' 15 » ♦ 16 ' 17 •■• 20 » 22 » 23 ♦ 
 24 » ♦ 26 ' 27 ' " ina ili-Su ^7 " 27 ' 
 ina ili-iu-nu 26 * ina lib-bi there- 
 upon. 26 " ina kata from, from the 
 hands of 12 ♦ 18 » 19 » 28 * 29 ♦ 30 " 
 
 an-u8-ti-nu 25 • 
 
 u.an.tim receipt. 12 " >» 14 ' 28 » 31 » 
 
 aplu son. construct: apal. Very freijuent. 
 
 ipidu to receive, acquire, i-pu-fiu 29 * 31 ' 
 i-pu-Su 12 * ip-pu-uS 15 * ip-pu-ufi- 
 Su 13 * i-pu-uS-Sa 28 ' i-pi«-Sa 31 ' 
 
 i^u viood. Also determinative. Isu i^^u 14 1 » 
 
 arad iarrfttu An official. 11 "» 
 
 irsitu land. Determ. following Babilu (not 
 transliterated in this book). Also 31 ' \ 
 
 amilu IB.SAIi.TAB(?).Sa 23 " 
 
 iSu to be. i-Sa 23 »« i-Su-[u] 26 >♦ 
 
 aSabu to sit down, u-iib-u placed. 26 ' a- 
 fia-bi presetice. 26 " * 
 
 afiiatu icife. addati-Su 16 * ail$at-su 18 * 
 aSfiat-du 26 * sercant. ad-Sat-ti 16 " 
 aS-Sat-su-nu 16 » 
 
 idtin one. ifiti-in 31 ' 
 
 iar[a-tu(?)] /. 26 " 
 
 itti with, it-ti 13 • 28 » it-ti-i 15 * 
 
 itilfu to take away, i-ti-ik 13 » » 
 
 utru profit, u-tur 13 ' 15 * 
 
 balafu to live, bal-tu-u 28 ' 
 amilu band carpenter. 15 ' ' 
 ba«ii to he. ba-Si-1 18 »» 
 
XVlll 
 
 The Metropolitan Musevmi of Art. 
 
 bltu liouse. 36 'o blt-ia 26 >• blt-8u-nu26 " 
 
 gabbu all. gab-bi 26 »» gab-bu-tu 16* 
 
 gabrft rival, another, duplicate, gab-ri 12" 
 
 gallu male nUirc. gal-la 25 ' ' gal-la gal-la 
 14 «• amilu gal-la 17 ' 
 
 gallatu female slave, gal-lat-su 22 " amliu 
 gal-Iat-su 11 ' 
 
 emilu oiM is to hv road amtiii band car- 
 penter. 
 
 gamru entire, all. gam-ru-tu 12 * gam- 
 ru-tum fnUncKs. 11 ' 
 
 gimru vegetables, gim-ru 30 " 
 
 gind offering, naa'ijice. gi-nu-u 28 * amilu 
 ni-fur-gi-na 28 ''■''♦ (set* note.) 
 
 gu-ri-nu threshed (?) 14 '* 
 
 giirru A incasiirn for dry and liquid sul)- 
 stanccs. gur 25 '" 
 
 giSimmaru dalcpalni. 28 ' 
 
 DU Sec manzazu. 
 
 dibbu comj)laint, lawsuit, dib-bi 14 ' 
 
 da^-^u-tum additional, further demand. 
 
 18 '» . 
 
 ainllu dalDu judge. 23 » dalni 16 '» 
 
 dannu large, karpatu dan-nu-tu jar, ves- 
 sel. 14 ' dan-nu 14 ' 
 
 duppu contract tablet. 28 ^ 31 ' 
 
 dupsaru scribe, dupsar 12 '* dup-sar 
 23" amilu dupsar 11 " 12 '" 13 »" 
 14 "♦ 15 •* 16 '* 17 " 20 " 21 '" 22 " 
 24 •=> 25 " 26 •■" 27 "* 28 '» 29 " 30 >» 
 31 '• 
 
 zir-mu-u An iron instniracnt. 14 " 
 zittn portion, share. 15* 
 
 bubullu intirest. 19 ' 24 • ^ubulla-Su 22 ' 
 ina feubvilli at interest. 18 « 24 » 
 
 ^tldu pleasure, ^u-ud 11 '' 21 " 
 
 harranu business. 13 ♦ '" ''^ 14 » " 15 ' ' 
 
 tu shekel. 11 ' 13 ' ' 14 « « ' lo m n ig n 
 18 ' 19 ' 20 1 22 • * 24 * 25 '"»•"' 26 ' 
 ' » ■ 27 « 28 ' 30 ' » 31 ♦ » 
 
 t&bu good. 14' >» 
 
 kl if. ki-i 27 » iehen. 29" 
 
 Kl.IiU 28 ' 
 
 kalalu to be complete, i-kat-lul 29 ' * 
 
 kam Placed after numerals to form ordi- 
 nals. Very frequent. 
 
 k&mu instead of. ku-um 11 * 
 
 ka-pak-i 85 ■ 
 
 kasd cup. tf) karea-a-ta 14 " 
 
 kuBBu chair. ';" kusai 14 '• 
 
 kaspu silver, moneg. Very frequent. ka«pi- 
 ia 26 >■ kaspa-a 11 ' 13 " kaspa.a.an 
 12 • 22 * 
 
 karu A mea.sure. kartu-u 25 " ka-ri-iu-nu 
 26» 
 
 karpatu dish, vessel. Used as detcrm. 14 ■ 
 
 14 not. 18«»23'* 27* 
 
 libbu heart. lib-bi-«u 11 ' 21 ■ ina lib>bi 
 thereupon. 26 * 
 
 libittu brieA-. 28 * 
 
 lUfd to take, il-tl-^u-u 31 ' 
 
 ma^aru to receive, ma-^ir 28 * ma-^i-ir 
 30 • ma^-^ir 18 • ultu ill mi-^ir-tu in 
 behalf of 18 ♦ 
 
 mukinnu tcitncss. amilu mu-kia-nu 11 '• 
 12 »• 13 >» 14 " 15 «• 16 " 17 • 21 »« 
 22 >' 23 • 24 • (?) 25 "• 26 •» 28 '• 29 •• 
 30 «• 31 • wnllu mu-kin 27 • 
 
 mala Sec the following. 
 
 mimma tehatcver. 13 * ' mimma ma-la as 
 much as. 13 * 15 * 
 
 mana A piece of money, ma-na 11 ' 12 * • 
 14 " 15 ' 10 » 19 » 22 ' » 23 • '» 24 » 
 26 ' ' 27 ' ma-ni-i 24 • 26 • 27 • 
 
 manft to count, ma-nu-u 14 * • 
 
 mandatu hire, wages, man-da-at-tum 16 * 
 
 manzazu presence, witness. 17 ' 18 ' 19 * 
 
 maru son. mar Frequent. mar-6u Fre- 
 quent, amilu mar Sipri messenger. 16** 
 
 maru-u-tu adoption, 21 * 
 
 mar.bandtu An official. 11 '* 
 
 mami hatchet, mar-ri 14 " 
 
Glossary of Assyrian Words. 
 
 XIX 
 
 martu daughter, marat-su 16 " 22 " 2C ' 
 
 28 ' 29 • '•• 
 
 mu-fia^-bi-nu A bronze \itensil. 14 "* 
 
 madkaQU security, pledge, mad-ka-nu 11 * 
 16>«22«26'> " 
 
 ma§aru to leave behind. u-ma5-ii-ru 29 ' '^ 
 
 matu land, mat Pctorni. Fre(Hient. 
 
 nadanu to giro, id-din 11 ' 29 " id-di-in 
 21 » id-di-nu 20 « 29 » iddin-nu 17 " 
 id-i-nu 27 » i-nam-din 20 » 22 * 23 ' 
 24 « i-nam-di-nu 16 ' 29 '" na-din 24 ' 
 na-din-na-mu 12 ' ' li-nad-nu 21 ' na- 
 da-nu 18 ^ ina-ad-din 27 * u-da-nu- 
 tu 17 ' it-ta-din 29 '^o 31 ' 
 
 nam^aratu A vessel, nam-^a-ra-ta 14 " 
 
 namfatu A vessel, nam-sa-a-ta 14 '^ 
 
 ni-8i-su Indding. (?) 29 >» 
 
 nafaru to protect, amilu ni-fur-gi-na 28 '* 
 '* (see note.) 
 
 nadd to rai.te. To bring : nardi 11 ' ' na-Sa- 
 a-tum 29 '^'^ To take: i-na-Su 15 ' 16 " 
 To lend : na-Sa-a-ta 22 ' ' 
 
 na-aS-fei-ip-ti An iron utensil. 14 '* 
 
 naSilttu command, commission, bidding, na- 
 aS-ut-tum 12 ' 14 * na-[afi-ut-tuj 29''^ 
 na-afi-ut-ti 31 '" 30 ' 
 
 nifi-ru 16 ' 
 
 amilu SA 13 ♦ 
 
 Bil^a An official. 11 » 
 
 suliipu date, (ka-lum-ma) 14 ' 
 
 sipparu copper. 14 '" " 20 ' 
 
 panu face. To be received from : la-pa-ni 
 
 ■>K I ■! i lU It 
 
 To be at the 
 
 ~o ' ' ina pan z'o 
 ^, disposal of: 14 '• 
 
 pakiranu An official. 11 '-' 
 
 parzillu iron, 14 '" " 
 
 pa-ri-rl-is female sheep. (?) 20 * 
 
 pi-da-an-na equal. 29 * 
 
 ainilu pa-fii-ki 15 '" 
 
 patu certificate, pu-ut 11 » 24 » 29 '^ pu- 
 u-tu 15 * 
 
 ^abatu to take, fa-bit 25 " ^ab-ta 20 " 
 
 fibtu j>08«f««t(>H. fib-tum 15 ' 
 
 ai^ru small, fi-^i-ri 21 * 
 
 firu plain, field, coiintrji. 25'" ina all u 
 flri in city and country. 15 * 
 
 ka A measure. 14 * 
 
 kibtt to speak, say. a]b:-bi 11 ° i^-bu-fiu 21 • 
 
 iiiniiu klpu guardian, keeper. 22 '" 23 " 
 
 kakkadu head, capital. 15 " 
 
 katCl hand, in&kiktk from, from the hands of. 
 12 * 18 ■' 19 '* 28 " 2i) ♦ 30 « ta-^ata-mi6 
 See note to 14 ' * 
 
 raba /(> became great, increase, i-rab-bi 17 • 
 24 ' 26 » 27 ' u-rab-bu-Su 21 ' 
 
 amilu rab.ka-a-ri An official 23 * (see note.) 
 
 ri^tu remaindir. ri-ih-tum 31 ' ri-i^-ti 
 29" ri-hi-it 23'»" 
 
 riksu contract, ri-ik-su 12 " 
 
 riku empty, ri-ku-tu 14 ' 
 
 da of, which. "N'ery tre(iuent. 
 
 Su 16' 
 
 6a he, it. fiu-u 12 "> 21 '» 
 
 fii.bar grain. 25 "» 
 
 Sadd east. 21 '" 
 
 Sidatum present, fii-da-tum 29 " 
 
 dafaru to write, fia-ta-ru document. 31 ' fia- 
 ^a-ra in uriting. 29 • ' 
 
 Sakanu to 2)1 ace, set. fiak-na-tum 11 ^ amilu 
 Sakanu gorernor. 29 ^* 
 
 Sikaru wine. 14 ' 
 
 ialamu to be perfect, fia-ta-lam-mu 14 " 
 to be jMtid, hence, to receive: i-§al-li-mu 
 
 22 " 
 
 Sumu name, fiu-mu 15 ' §um-§u 12 ' 
 
 SImu price. 11 M2 * '" 28 « 29 " 
 
 6anii /() change. 6a-a-na-a-na neilhir. 13 " 
 §i-na doul)le. 18 ' 
 
 fiangu priest. a™'l« fiangu 16 * " 17 '" " 
 18 " 24 »■•' 25 «=" "* 30 ' « 
 
 dipru message. «uiilu mar dipri messenger'. 
 16 »« 
 
XX 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 *araku to present, i-fiar-rar-ku 29 " 
 
 Sarru king. 23*" Sar 11 »' 12 "■' 13 '» 
 14 " 16 '» IG '» 17 » »• 18 >» 19 »» 20 " 
 
 21 " 22 »' 23 '« 24 '• 25 "• 2G "♦ 27 '« 
 
 28 »' 29"' 30 " 31 " 
 
 Sattu year. 11 "" 12 "' 13 «» 14 "• 15 • '« 
 16 7 ID 17 6 i» ig n 19 10 20 '♦ 21 ■•" 
 
 22 " 23 " 24 '» 25 »» 26 " 27 '« 28 '• 
 
 29 " 30 '• 31 '-^ iatta icery year. 31 ♦ 
 ianati tivo years. 19 * 
 
 ta Placed after numerals. 14 » " ' « " 19 » 
 ta-l^ata-mii i>ee note to 14 " ta.a.aQ 
 31' 
 
 tibnu straic. 14 '* 
 
 ti-lit-tum amount. {?) 18 * 
 
 taru to turn, return, u-tlr 29 »• ti-ra 26 "' 
 ti-ra-iu 26 •» 
 
NO. 11. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 , ^ ji^l .'I ^111 ^ I t5- ^4- 1-^ -El -TM C-eT r^ 
 3^ ET- V :e!I V ^ -f I ^ ^I- I --f ^T <> 
 JUT Tini I? I "^11 ^? :^^! <!l lEUs^T 
 
 Jf -^T IL ET ^! H<^T I? !=<2!S V 21 s^^E 
 
 J? -^t T -f elll El V --f S.: lU V ^^W 
 
 .1^ y .^ ^ > (=||y|!= s!4iI4^ ^^- ^! ^T ^ Efe 
 ,„^ <IEJ E^I -^ ^! t^ ^I E^ x^ ^\ 
 
 ..^►^lETI'T^ I "^11 1? -^ If I V T "^^M .t^ El! 
 .If I £^ B< I --f 4i4f ►S^ I«< -V If I 
 „V is^f If If I'^f --f <« I--f <^I«=E 
 «If I V I ^«=M 9^^ -^ If I Hill EIAI -I 
 ,j«;=TpM^^-^ If I T I ^s=M -IIA 
 
 «If I --f <« t R^ ^ ^jn I !^ :s: M If 
 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 V ^^If <M ^^ y ^T W «^ 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 ao 
 
 21 
 
 Tablet of a light brown color, l^ix2% Inches. There are numerous breaks upon It, and many of 
 the signs of the first five lines of the reverse an> llUed with u hard Uluty uutMUmce, reuUerlug the 
 decipherment dilBcult The tour edges are not written upon. 
 
 Transliteration. 
 
 1 Nabtl-apal-iddin apal-&u ia Ba-la-(u 
 
 apal da-nardi- 
 
 2 inal bu-ud lib-bi-6u Qu-la-ri-nin-ni 
 
 3 amilu gal-lat-Bu 6a Hu-nu-ti-tid-damai- 
 
 bala(u 
 
 4 apal-£u &a Ai apal BlM-(l-ru ku-um 
 
 6 1/3 (u kaspi ma&-ka-nu &ak-na-tum 
 
 6 u mar-fiu da ak-bi tu-li-di 
 
 7 a-na 1/3 ma-na kaspoA Sim gam-ru- 
 
 tum 
 
 8 a-na [MardukJ-il^l-fia-an-ni apal-ftu &a 
 
 Bani-i-a 
 
 9 apal tllatu-u iddin pu-ut si-^i-i 
 
 10 pa-ki-ra-nu arad-6arrQ-tu mar-banA-tu 
 
 11 Nabd-apal-iddin naril. 
 
 12 amilu mu-kin-nu BU-apal-iddin apal-6u 
 
 5a Nabft-a^l-irba 
 
 13 apal Kur(P)-ban Rammanu-a^l-uballi( 
 
 apal-§u 
 
 14 da Dan-a apal Nflr-Sin Nlrgal-na'id 
 
 15 apal-du da NabO-zir-iddin apal . . . -it-ka 
 
 16 Nabtl-zir-iddin apal-du §a NabCl- 
 
 Tramlation. 
 
 1 Nubilapaliddin, the sou of Balatu, the 
 
 son uf Sbauasbe 
 
 2 in the pleasure of his heart, Oularininni 
 ;j his slave, — whom Iiiuiutiiis|ishauia.sh- 
 
 balatu, 
 
 4 the son of Ai, the sou uf Beleteru, In- 
 
 stea«l of 
 
 5 one third shekel of money hh Kccurity 
 
 had set, — 
 
 Band her child, wiiom h.- Miid •.In- will 
 give birth to, 
 
 7 for one third niana of money, the full 
 
 price, 
 
 8 to Mardukikishanni, the son of Bania, 
 
 9 the .son of Kllatu, gave. The certificate 
 
 of the .sihi, 
 
 10 the pakiranu, the arad-sharrutu (and) 
 
 the nuir-banntu officials, 
 
 11 Nabuapaliddin will bring. 
 
 12 Witnesses: Belapaliddiu, the .son of >"a- 
 
 biiahirba, 
 
 1.3 the son of Kurban; Itammaniialuuballit, 
 the son 
 
 14 of Dana, the son of Nursin; Nergalna'id, 
 
 15 the son of Nabuziriddin, the son of . . . 
 
 itka; 
 
 16 Nabuziriddin, the son of Nabumusaliim, 
 
Second Tear of Ndbonidus. 
 
 musallim 
 
 17 apal Sin-tab-ni amilu dupsar Tab-ni-i-a 
 
 18 apal-du Sa Nabft-mu-u-da apal Nu-u-pu 
 
 19 Babilu ara^ Adaru dmu 5 kam 
 
 20 dattu S. kam Nabft-na'id 
 21 6ar ' Babili 
 
 17 the son of Sintahni. Scril»»»: Tahnea, 
 
 18 the son of Na))»iniu(la, the son of Niipn. 
 
 19 Babylon, in the month Adiir, on the 
 
 5 th day, 
 ■^0 in the 2 nd year of Nabuna'id, 
 21 King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 2. ina ^u-ud lib-bi-Su. A lepra] phrase. See Peiser's explanation in Z. A. Ill, 70. 
 — 3. The space in tlie line indicates an erasure on the tablet by the scribe. He 
 probably, by mistake, also erased the perpendicular wedge that usually introduces a 
 person's name. — 5. §ak-na-tum. This form occurs also Strass. Nabn. 253, 10. — 
 6. A very condensed expression. It is peculiar to find the form ak-bi used here in- 
 stead of ik-bi. We would expect the third person; the sense evidently rccjuires it: I 
 have therefore translated it thus. The same form occurs in Strass. Nabn. 1113, 18 and 
 720, 10. I would class it as one of those mistakes so common in collo<iuial language. 
 Or else, it might be taken as an instance where the dictator of the tablet has fallen 
 out of his role, and has used the first instead of the third person. — 8. Undoubtedly 
 jVIarduk, as the first signs show. Before the name Bani-i-ia, the determinative for 
 person is again omitted. — 10. pa-ki-ra-nu is also used to denote the plaintiff, or 
 the one that objects to the business transaction. But here it refers to an official. I 
 would take arad-iarrdtu and mar-banfltu as officials in charge of the slave trade. 
 Oppert, however, strenuously objects to this rendering ( Z. A. Ill, 178 )• — 12. The 
 sign kin, as will be seen, is written in a great variety of ways. I have endeavored in 
 the texts to give them as near the actual writing as my type permits. — 13. The 
 sign for kur is strange ; the horizontal wedge ought to have been omitted. Perhaps 
 it is a mistake on the part of the scribe. Kvu-ban means "gift" and may well be com- 
 pared with the Hebrew j2l1p Neh. x:35;xiii:31. Compare also jS'^P Lev. vii:38, 
 
 the Arabic ,-.iJ-5 "sacrifice, offering", and the Greek Kopfiav Mark vii:ll. — 
 20. Therefore the tablet is dated in the year 553 B, C. 
 
 Hiinutitishshamashhalatu owed Nabuapaliddin \ shekel of money. He 
 evidently could not pay. So he gave his slave Gularininni, who was 
 pregnant, to the latter as security. Now Nabuapaliddin had no use for 
 the slave, or he saw that he could make a good bargain. Therefore, be- 
 coming tired of waiting, he resolves to sell the slave and her unborn 
 child. He sells at an immense profit, — (or he is required to return the 
 difference in the two amounts to the owner of the slave). The certificate 
 of the officials, mentioned in lines 9 and 10, was obtained in order that 
 there might be no dispute about the ownership of the slaves. 
 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. 12. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 , ^ -+ 15-^ -n -TT<T i5-fe ^ <T-m E^ I 
 ,7 T --f «^I ET V -+ s^ in V i:ETs?:tEl} 
 3^ T IIIIT t^ < tTTTTt n ^T UL ET ^T H< ^T 
 
 »rr I V T v^i;t V -^t <ti e^ \\- jt 
 
 , ^I S ^T ti^E V T ^tTtT J^ T«< "^ 
 
 JM V T JT -ET T? TJ T :?:; fl^A :rj 
 » }}< ^I T^ -+ III ET ^T -« V T ^tjtT Xt T«< "^ 
 ,„ Vi ^! t<gs^ ^- -+ t5-^ -eT -!T<T i5-^ S^ < e:^ I 
 
 BACK. 
 
 .all m «=Trrf«= 4f<T +<T^ IeIT V :^-+t5-^ -ET4f<T 
 
 iJ^^S: < E^I 
 
 „ V -R^T T -f ^^^ ET V -f s^ ^►^TT -eT A- 
 „V T ^tlcT J^ T«< >^ JT tTTTTc 
 
Second Year of Nahonldus. 
 
 } mm -^ Tf I V T -f <^T -m ss 
 
 I? T -+ ^4f '=1111'= I- ^M ^ «ail T "E=Tn ^1 iv I 
 V T ^n -TH « S: T^ T I^T Xir- m 
 
 ,v ^^^ <M Si^ ^ *T «TT s^ -^ IT ^S 
 
 . I ►MtltT 4i4f Ifc s=^ v^^:p^<IEj 
 
 18 
 
 ao 
 
 This beautiful tablet Is of a dark yellow color, with large spots of brick red upon It. Size l % 
 X SJ^ Inches. The writing on it Is very clear, though some of the signs, especially in the first, 
 second, and tenth lines, are run very closely together. The upper edge and the edges of the two 
 sides are not written upon. The corners are slightly damaged, yet the signs can be clearly distin- 
 guished. 
 
 Tranallieraiion.' 
 
 1 Gu-la-ri-nin-ni u mar-Su 
 
 2 kB, Marduk-iki-Sa-an-ni apal-§u §a Ba- 
 
 ni-ia 
 
 3 apal -U8ur-bilu-u a-na 2/3 ma-na 
 
 kaspi 
 
 4 a-na iim gam-ru-tu ina kata Nabii- 
 
 apal-iddin 
 
 5 apal-§u §a ltir-§a-na-nim i-pu-fiu 
 
 6 u u.an.tim a-ha §um-Su i-'-i-ii 
 
 7 ina na-a§-ut-tum ka, NabG-ahi-iddin 
 
 8 apal-su §a Su-la-a apal 1-gi-bi 
 
 9 kaspa.a.an 2/3 ma-na . . . SaNabCi-ahi- 
 
 iddin 
 
 10 a-na Sim Gu-la-ri-nin-ni u mar-§u 
 
 11 a-na Nabii-apal-iddin na-diii-na-mu 
 
 12 u.an.tim gab-ri u.an.tim 
 
 13 . . . -lu-u ri-ik-su sa Gu-la-ri-nin-ni u 
 
 mar-Su 
 
 14 da dupsar Marduk-iki-6a-an-ni il-la-' 
 
 15 ka NabQ-ahl-iddin §u-u 
 
 16 amilu mu-kin-nu NabCl-mu-Si-ni-ud-da 
 
 apal-Su 6a 
 
 Translation. 
 1 Giilarininni and her son, 
 ;? whom MardukikLshanni, the son of Ba- 
 nia, 
 
 3 the son of iisurbelii, for two 
 
 thirds inana of money, 
 
 4 at the full price, from the hands of Na^ 
 
 biiapaliddm, 
 
 5 the son of Eter-shananini, received ; 
 G and a receipt in his name he setup, 
 
 7 at the bidding of Nabilahiddin, 
 
 8 the son of Shula, the son of Egibi. 
 
 9 In money two thirds mana . . . , which 
 
 Nabuahiddin 
 
 10 for the price of Giilarininni and her son 
 
 11 unto Nabiuipaliddin gave. 
 
 12 The duplicate receipt, the .... receipt 
 
 13 (and) the contract tablet about Gulari- 
 
 ninni and her son, 
 
 14 which the scribe (for) Mardukikishanni 
 
 had .set up, 
 
 15 the possession of Nabilahiddin it is. 
 
 16 \\ itnesises : Ts'abumusheniudda, the son 
 
 of 
 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 17 Bil-Su-nu apal Bll-pat-ta-nu 
 
 18 Ki-di-nu apal-du da Marduk>i(l-ir 
 
 19 apal Ramm^n-u-mi-i u "milu dupsar 
 
 Bil-ka^ir apal-du 
 
 20 da BU-ri-man-ni apal Ba*bu-tu 
 
 21 Babilu ara^ Adam iimu 22 kam 
 iattu 2 kam 
 
 22 Nabfl-na'id iar BabilL 
 
 17 I^lshunu, the son of Kelpattanii; 
 
 18 Kidinu, the son of Marduket£r, 
 
 19 the 8on of Itamra&nume ; and the itcrib* 
 
 Belkasir, the Kon 
 
 20 of Belrinwnni, the son of Babutu. 
 
 21 Babylon, in the month Adar, on the 
 
 22nd day, in the 3nd year of 
 
 22 Nabiina'id, King of Btibylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 3. In the bi-eak here the last sign would indicate that either Nersral or Marduk 
 has been broken off. — 5. Literally, "he made ", then, "he received". — 6. As it 
 was no concern of lVlardtikiki-<hanni who would ultimately pomeHM biH slavex, the 
 receipt wan naturally made out in the name of the present pun*haj<er, Nabfuipaliddin. 
 
 — 7. na<a&-ut-tum, a^*TaIlqviKtreud.s the word, taking it from the root naAft. Peiser. on 
 the other hand, reads na-aS-pir-tum, taking it from the root iap&ru, "to»end". Either ii* 
 admissible. The fonner reading is chosen here because, to my judgment, it is t lie better. 
 
 — 8, If the break contains ina'lli, the following ia must be read ^i (the appearance of 
 the sign on the tablet would admit either) and the whole would \w ina mu^^i. This 
 would not materially alter the sense, we would only have to supply "it" at the end of 
 line 11. The passage would then read : "Two thirds of a mana to be recet\-ed from N. for 
 the price of G. and her son : to \. he gave it." Notice the form na-din-na-mu from na^ 
 danu. — 12. The first u.an.tim and gabri must be read together, and the second u.a]i. 
 tim. with the illegible adjective in line 13. — 13. 14. Thbi contract evidently gave age, 
 parentage and hi8t«)ry of the slaves, together with the certificate of the ofllcials appointed 
 by the government to take charge of the slave trade. This naturally went to the pur- 
 chaser, so that he could have, so to speak, a legal document showing his right to the 
 slaves. — 14. A very unusual form for Marduk, the usual form is given in lines 2 and 
 18. — 15. &U-U refers to the contract tablet described in 13. 14. — 21. Hence in the 
 year 553 B. C. 
 
 This tablet treats of a sale through commission. Nabnahidin, one of 
 the Egibi family, has instructed Mardukikishani, his agent probably, to 
 purchase for him the slave Gulariniuni and her boy from Nabuapal- 
 iddin. The last named receives the full price from Mardukikishani, who 
 in turn receives the purchase money from the original purchaser. We 
 therefore appropriately find in line 12 mention made of a duplicate re- 
 ceipt, as each of the purchasers wished to be safe from all insinuations 
 that the money had not been properly paid. Finally, Nabuahiddin, into 
 whose possession the two slaves had now passed, becomes the possessor 
 also of all the tablets bearing upon the sale. 
 
Fourth Year of Nabonidus. 
 
 NO. 1 3. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 ,IL M m ^T V T fl<! -f^A V, I V 
 J V H< Si: ^-f <::^^I T? T ^ <« -f 
 
 ,!if ^ T^ T? ^T ^TT 1^-S^ El -ET 
 .- -til <E -V U Xy R^<T J! !^ 4». 
 
 ,-H^ s^f <^^ m ^\t\ ^ I m H<^I 
 .V II -^T H -^I <t^^ ^ -I- -T<!^ 
 . V El^iT -I- Jf <!^ I? ^T <::?ItT A t<^M t^'A 
 
 BACK. 
 
 .EfeT^ n 9^ H<^I V ^TT V !'^^tM^I«<^ 
 ,,^ -^ IIEI -7^ I 4f<T -HA !U V I Sf: T- ::^:=^ 
 „ T^ T « ^Itl ^Ttl I ^I "=^I !^ I V 
 ,J wT tJ^I -^ If T ^T -f -< 
 
 ,.£s «an T ^^M Tf -^ !U V T EH t^ W 
 
 „!? T :eti ?<?^ I? i^ V \t^} <m 'm.} m 
 
The Metropolitan Mitseiim of Art. 
 
 19 
 
 
 T ►MtTtT m 
 
 Small tablet of a brown color, l^ x2 inches. The slgtis are verj- plain with two exceptions, one 
 In the 5th and the other In the 17 th line. It lit but Kllghtly daniujfed at the two lower corners of 
 the obverse. 
 
 Tramlitrration. 
 
 1 l/S (u kaapi 6a Rimut apal-4u ia 
 
 2 Kur-ban-ni-9Carduk apal tpi-l6-ilu 
 
 8 ina Hi Bil-iddin apal-6u 6a Nirgal- 
 uballi-it 
 
 4 apal uinilu sa a<ia ^arr4ni mimma ma- 
 la 
 
 6 ina aid Kas-sun ? > ip-pu-u6-fiu a-bi 
 
 6 ina u-tur Bil-iddin it-ti Bi-mut 
 
 7 ik-kal uMu Hi 1 ^u kaspi 
 
 8 fia-a-na-a-na ul i-ti-i^ 
 
 9 da i-ti-ilF a-na Ui il-Il 
 
 10 Bil-iddin na-ad^ut'ti ia barr&nl 
 
 11 il-lak mixnma i-lat ia, Bil-iddin 
 
 12 ia-a^nu kaspu ia t>arr&ni ia NabCt-abt- 
 
 iddin 
 
 13 amilu mu-kin-nu Hi-mut apal-iu Sa Ni- 
 
 mi-ku 
 
 14 apal Man-di-di Arad^Bll apal-du ia 
 
 15 Du-um-muk apal Arad-Bll 
 
 16 amilu dupaar Nabi^pal-iddin apal-du 
 
 ia Da-bi-la 
 
 17 apal Su-ba-al Babilu ara^ l^airitu 
 
 18 ftmu 22 kam iattu 4 kam Nab^na'id 
 
 19 iar 
 
 BabiU 
 
 Tranntalion. 
 
 1 X Rhfikel of money which Rimut, the 
 
 «on of 
 
 2 Kurlmnimarduk, the son of Kpe^hihi, 
 
 3 1;* to reeeire from Keliddhi, the son of 
 
 XerjralulialHt, 
 
 4 the HOH of the ... In rejjard to bu«i- 
 
 upss, a.s much an he 
 
 5 in the city Ka-^^ur ffaitis, a share 
 
 C in the profit I'eliddfn witli Uimut 
 Twill consume. B«>low 1 r<hekel of money 
 
 8 neither Mhall take away. 
 
 9 Who docM take ( anything > away, again!«t 
 
 (him) there ix a debt. 
 
 10 Beliddin the command of the huxinesx 
 
 11 pos.se»!*es. Whatever is additional, be- 
 
 longing to Beliddin 
 
 12 it IH not. The capital of the businet^H be- 
 
 longs to Nabiiahlddin. 
 
 13 Witnesses: Uimut, the son of Ximeku, 
 
 14 the son of Mandidi ,' Atadbel, the son of 
 
 15 rikmnnik, the son of Aradbel. 
 
 16 !*<Tibe : Nahtiapaliddin, the son of Da- 
 
 b!a, 
 
 17 the son of Sutaa. Babylon, in the month 
 
 Ta-shrit, 
 
 18 on the 22 nd day, In the 4 th year of TSw 
 
 biina'id, 
 
 19 King of Babylon. 
 
JPbvrth Year of Kahonfdus. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 2, Kur-ban-ni-Marduk occurs also in the Hcvt tablet (14, 19\ but tlio syllable ni is 
 tnjiittcd. l^idoubtcdly the Name iiiiin is mentioned in both eases. For Kur-ban see 11, 
 13. Ipidilu Cf.thc Hebrew SxHtTJ?- — •'»• Bejjinning of line 5 is blurred; therefore 
 the reading of the name alG Kassur can be but tentative. — 6. u-tur I would connect 
 with atru "more, excwding" ; and ataiu "to V)e above". Compare also the Hebrew 
 "iril^ "that which remains over", then, "profit". The word occurs also in 15, 5. — 7. 
 LiteniMy "will eat", the meanin'r is "will share", ultu ill, a phrase not common in the 
 vontract tablets. Cf. ifitu ill Tel. Gram. ? 81A. It has the sense here, undoubtedly, of 
 "from, below". — 8. Sa-a-na-a-na "the other", then in a wider sense, "either", i- 
 ti-ik, from itiku "to remove", but here spelled with the i and not the e vowel. — 9. 
 il-li "to be as a burden or debt", from 11(1 "to go up". 'I he word occurs in this form in 
 
 Strass. Nbk. 300, 10. After ill we must sup) ly 6u,vvhich is often omitted. 10. na-a§- 
 
 ut-ti: see note to 12, 7. — 11. il-lak froju alaku. 'I he phrase naSa*^a alaku (Tallq. p. 108) 
 mean<» "to go at the bidding of , to perform a business transaction for" ; here, I take it, 
 the sense requires another translation, i-lat i Phcrnecian XlSj? Schroder, Tha-n. Gram. 
 § 120) is an adverbial form from HT'J?- '"^^'^ 2- A. HI, 71. 175; Tallq. p. 40. ia-a-nvi, com- 
 pare the Hebrew pX . — 15. The large space in the middle of the line indicates an era- 
 sure l)y the scribe on the tablet. The traces of the word he had written would give us for 
 the first sign amilu, as in line 16. The scribe forgot, at first, to record the last witnesses 
 family name in his anxiety to have enough room for his own name. — 17. The sign for 
 ha is doubtful. — 18. Dated iu the year 551 B. C. 
 
 Beliddin and Rimut have gone into partnership with a certain sum of 
 money advanced by Nabualiiddin. Beliddin is to manage the business, 
 "while Rimut is to do the work in a certain city. Beforehand Beliddin is 
 to pay ^ shekel to Rimut, perhaps in order to induce him to enter the 
 partnership, or to pay off a debt. Both are to share in the profit eqttally, 
 otherwise there would be a statement to the contrary. This division is 
 to take place only when the profit amounts to more than one shekel. 
 If either anticipates and takes his share beforehand, he is in debt by 
 this amoimt to his partner. On account of the smallnees of the amounts 
 involved, it may be stip])Osed that the contract is one between two 
 humble mechanics, perhaps weavers or gardeners. 
 
10 The Metropolitan Mvseum of Art. 
 
 NO. 1 4. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 , <^< t^{ ^} ^ <m 4f<T tci ^^ET !^ ^t} 
 , IT Es:5T -W^ }} If s^^I <fm TT 5?JT -M^^ 
 
 ,- ^^ti < Es:f .^ V ^ A. fiP^ !J -^T 
 
 . IL m EEJ m s^- T M H< ^T ET v^ «=!!!.= 
 . <? t? I :::^TtT 5tt El V -<t:<TET T -4 <t?-T -^ 
 
 „^l:::<M-I- -^IhsT^i-T^ VS^^^^I-^ 
 
 i^ -^i n M ff< ^T 
 
 „ <I Sf <<! ^I t<ItR t%I T45. 1? SpJf I?-^I IDH ?f<^T 
 
 .. -+ -f -J^^ -^ fcIII«= -f + '^ t-^ #<T -7^ 
 
 „]} ^I II M V S^^I tl t5^^ U I«< 
 
 •) This Sign 1 would rather read u Instead ol nun or «a. The horlzootal wedge is made so deep 
 that It may accidentally have covered the second horizontal wedge o( the sign u. 
 
SixtJi Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 11 
 
 15 
 
 .,T HH Tf BT^T ^Ttt !<« H<^T ^T- -eT JT- -eT 
 
 „ TU V T £T -ET n TM :?:; 4f A :=! iVtl T 4f <T -WA 
 ..T; I V T V & -+ <::^^t T? \^ <« -f - <T- 
 T -!I<T -f<TA 
 
 „ T --f «^I ^TT in :eTT H < n T^ I ^«^M -^^ "=1 ^M 
 . lU V T -^::ItT -^ -^ IH ^]^} ^1:^1 ^M I --f I ^^ ^ 
 «IH T I ^I -El IMM *r :?= in^ 
 
 «<£<yn i-E^i2i-+<:r^''I in v i--f i:ei vil 
 
 «I? I --f ^ V < V J^t^f <IE! 2S? :^^ 
 
 » ^i « in -I 
 
 
 t:tE 
 
 I -PTtM Eli 
 
 37 
 
 ?-<> 
 
 ►f-T 
 
 MIEI 
 
 Tablet of a light brown color, 2 x S'a inches. Tlie upper and lower aides are well-curved, while 
 the ilsf ht and the left sides are perfectly Hat. The signs are very plain and clearly made. There 
 Is a small space after line 27 dividing the writing, otherwise the latter goes around tiie tablet 
 continuously. The hides contain no writing. 
 
 Tran Alteration. 
 
 1 40 karpatu dan-nu-tu ri-^u-tu a-di 
 
 2 2 ta nam-f a-arta u 2 ta nam-ha-ra-ta 
 
 3 ina, dib-bi 10 dan-nu da iikari tabi »- 
 
 na 
 413 [\j:a] 3 (u 3 ^a 1 (u kaspi ma-nu-u 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 40 empty vessels together with 
 
 2 2 vessels; 2 sacrifi<!ial vessels 
 
 3 (pending) in suit; 10 vessels of good 
 
 wine to the value of 
 
 4 3^ ka for 3 shekels, — 3 ka (equivalent 
 
 to) 1 shekel to be counted; — 
 
12 
 
 ^ The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 6 40 madihu(Pj suKipi fia ina ill Nirgal- 
 iddin 
 
 6 da a-na 1/3 tu kaspi ma-nu-u 
 
 7 18 ta kaspi u.an.tim ia ina ili Bll-iddin 
 
 8 apal-du && Nirgal-uballi-i( &a na^ai-ut- 
 
 tum 
 O &a harr&ni il-la-ku 
 
 10 sipporu mu-da^-bi-nu ia-ta-lam-ma Br 
 
 na 2 tu kaspi 
 11 11 ta 8ippa.u ka-sa-a-ta a-na 1 (u kaapi 
 
 12 -u-bar mar-ri parziU na-a&-bi- 
 
 ip-ti 
 
 13 parzili zir-mu-u parzili tibnu gu-ri-nu 
 
 14 a-na 2 tu 4 ta isu kusai 
 
 16 u 3 ta iiiu isu (abu(P) a-na 2 {u 
 
 16 1, tu 2 ta If ata-miS kaspi gal-la gal-la 
 
 17 1/2 1 ma-na 10 {u kaspi 6a ^arrani ia 
 
 Nabfi-a^l-iddin 
 
 18 apal-Su && 8u-la-a apal t-gi-bi u Bi- 
 
 mut 
 
 19 apal-6u fia Kur-ban-Marduk apal Ipl- 
 
 Ifi-ilu ina pani Hi-mut 
 
 20 amiiu mu-kin-nu Kabfi-a^l-bul-lu^ apal- 
 
 du da 
 
 21 Marduk-irba apal hlu-fea-ai Nabfl-zir- 
 
 dutidur 
 
 22 apal-fiu da Nabd-diun-iddin apal Ka-di- 
 
 di Marduk-zir-ibni 
 
 23 apal-§u da &u-la-a apal Naf ir-^at-ai 
 
 24 u amilu dupsar Irba-Marduk apal-du ka. 
 
 Marduk-ikl-da-[an-ni] 
 
 25 apal tllatu-u Babilu ara^ Aim 
 
 26 amu 23 kam Sattu 6 kain NabA-na'id 
 
 27 dar Babili 
 
 5 40 moasures of dates, which are to b«* 
 retvivcd from Xer{,'aliddiu, 
 
 G U'hicb to the value of y^ i»bekel of mon- 
 ey are to be counted ; 
 
 7 18 HhekeU of money, a receipt for which 
 
 Is to be received from Beliddin, 
 
 8 the son of Xergaluballit, who the com- 
 
 mand 
 of the buxiness possesses. 
 
 10 A pprfe<!t copper to the value of 
 
 3 xhekeU of money ; 
 
 1111 copper cup8(f ) to the value of 1 sheli- 
 el of money ; 
 
 12 an iron hatchet ; an iron ; 
 
 13 an iron ; thre8hed(?) straw 
 
 14 to the value of 2 shekels ; 4 chairs ; 
 
 15 and 3 good logs of wood(?^ to the value 
 
 of 2 shekels ; 
 
 16 1 and % shekels of money : slaves ; 
 
 17 1)4 mana, 10 shekels of money in the 
 
 business of Nabuahiddin, 
 
 18 the son of Sbulik, the son of Egibi. and 
 
 of Kimut, 
 
 19 the son of Kurbanmarduk, the son of 
 
 Epeshilu, are at the disposal of Kimut. 
 
 20 Witnesses: NabualiibuUut, the son i>f 
 
 21 .Mardukirba, the son of Siiha; Nab&zir- 
 
 shutesbur, 
 
 22 the son of Nabushumiddin, the son of 
 
 Kadidi ; >lardukziribni, 
 
 23 the son of Shu la, the son of Nasirhat- 
 
 24 and the scribe Irbamurduk, the son of 
 
 Mardukikl^lianni, 
 
 25 the son of £llutu. Babylon, in the month 
 
 Aim, 
 
 26 on the 23 rd day, in the 6 th year of Na- 
 
 buna'id, 
 
 27 King of Babylon. 
 
SlxtJi Year of Nahonidiis. 13 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. ri^utu must be connected with p"*"! "empty." — 2. namf ata is mentioned also 
 (nam-sa-tum) in Strass., Mabn. 258, 12 ; Peiser, liab. Ver. CXLIII, 11 ; Haupt, B. A. I, 
 176. nam^arata. Cf . Lotze, TP 1-5. This word occurs again in Stress., Nabn, 258, 13; 787, 
 13; Cyr. 183, 18; also in Peiser, Bab. Ver. CXLVIII, 14. — 3. dib-bi means "suit, 
 complaint before a cwirt." For other instances see Tallq. p. 63. 6ikari ^abi. Consult Pei- 
 ser, Bab. Ver. p. 249. For the different varieties of wine see Zehnpfund's excellent notes 
 in B. A. I, p. 524, note ***, and his addition to this note on pp. 634, 635. — 4. This line 
 seems to say that the wine shall be rated at a reduced price. — 5. The sign for mail^u 
 is uncertain. Cf. Peiser, K. A. p. 101; Bab. Ver. p. 243. — 9. It seems as if the sign 
 for ^u had been written on the tablet instead of ^arranu at first. — 10. mu-fia^-^i-nu. 
 Tallqvist on page 132 suggests "a utensil of bronze." 6ar-ta-lam-mu must be taken from 
 the root &al4mu "to be perfect." — 11. kaaata may be the Hebrew TQ*Q — 12. mar- 
 ri "hatchet." Tallqvist on page 97 fully explains the derivation and meaning of the 
 word. Zehnpfund, however, in B. A. 1, p. 535 and 636 objects to this translation. He 
 treats marru as a synonym of ungu "ring." nadhipti is some utensil made of iron. The 
 tvord occurs also in Strass., Nabn. 571,15; 784,2; 926,4; Peiser, Bab. Ver., p. 305. 
 13. zir-mu-u also in Strass., Nabn. 258, 36. tibnu occurs also, but spelled out, in 
 
 Strass., Nabn. 231, 3. gu-ri-nu may be connected with the Hebrew ?*^J| "threshing 
 floor." Hence tibnu gurinu may mean "threshed straw." — 16. That kata-mi& is 
 added to numerals in order to denote fractions, the denominator of which is one num- 
 ber higher than the given number, and that the latter forms the numerator, is coAclu- 
 sively shown in the "Sitzungsbericht d. Kgl. Ak. d. VVissensch. zu Berlin," 1889, p. 828, 
 Anm. 1. — 17. galla galla is the old way of writing the plural. — 19. Ku.-ban- 
 liarduk is the same person that is mentioned in 13, 2, which see. ina pan is an idiomatic 
 expression, meaning " to be received from," (cf. 25, 1.2.5.10.12.); but ina pani, 
 here, means " to be at the disposal of, to be the property of." — 20. bul-lu(. The 
 usual form is bul-li^ ; the w of bul has evidently attracted the vowel in luj. — 25. 
 JUlatu-u (also 11, 9) is also given in Strass., " Worterver. z. d. Inschrift. z. Liverpool ," 
 p. 20. — 2C. Undoubtedly na'id, as the first three wedges show. Tablet dated in the 
 year 540 B. C. 
 
 Nabuahiddin, and Rimut had formed a partnership. They deter- 
 mined to give up their joint business. Nabuahiddin, therefore, makes 
 out a list of the articles and the money that are to fall to the share of 
 Rimut. There we find copper, iron, and wooden utensils mentioned, 
 and their respective values given ; spices, wine, and money added, and 
 all handed over to Rimut. Even Beliddin, their business manager, is 
 compelled to pay back to Rimut the money he loaned from the latter. 
 
 It is to be regretted that we know so little about the various vessels 
 and implements mentioned here. The value attached to each, however, 
 tshows them to be small and common objects. 
 
14 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Arf. 
 
 NO. 15. 
 
 FSOKT. 
 
 J? y ETA! J <!} sfH? n-^T ^TT ^^T eT -eT 
 
 , >- ciTTTt e:^ - If -T<T H< -eT I MtTtT -V eT4iT -T< ee 
 J ts^I ^^ 4 <I5 Sf ; - -^ -T -^T IT IIIEI W< '7 
 
 , I ^t]t\ -V 5?:^! ^>IT Tf -^T JT -^ / t:^E EE -^T I 
 
 » 8- «=TTTT«= ^^T 5r:TtT ^A }]< ^T T "^II -ll^l Ull 
 .TH V T"=^tTtT-^ J^ IMS 
 
 „^ -v- lETI "7^ T ^^V\ ^ ^TT a 
 „T"7^<- EElUf £^ B<T T "^«=T'=T s^-^T 
 
 m 
 
 .1? I V T "Mil 4^ eTAT n ^ E^- y ^TeT 
 «^ m T --f -^ ^ ETAT TU V T -^T 5T«=T -^ 
 « V ^5:^; <IET 2s^ -^TT ^T < T «^ ►^ ;^ ^^e 
 
Sixth Year of Nabonidus. 
 
 15 
 
 Tablet of a light brown color, l?i x i% Inches. The tablet Is gradually crumbling off, and It Is 
 fortunate that this copy could be made befoi-e the signs have been effaced. The right hand lowt^r 
 comer of the obverse Is broken off. and thus the last signs of lines 8, 9. lO, and ii are destroyed. 
 The writing is plain and well defined. The left side Is without Inscription. There is also a large 
 space between lines vi and la 
 
 TramUUrHtUm. 
 
 11/3 ma-na kaspi 6a Sapik-zir apal-6u 
 6a Nabii-dum-iddin 
 
 2 apal Na-din-6i-bar ina ili NabCl-i^ir 
 
 apal-6u 6a [^il-la-a 
 
 3 apal It^ik-kal-'la a-na ^arrani mimma 
 
 ma-la 
 
 4 ina all u 91-ri ina 111 ip-pu-ud 
 
 5 ina u-tur a-hu zittu NabG-lJir it-ti-i 
 
 6 Sapik-zir Ik-kal ina 6atti 2 ^u kaspi 
 
 7 Nabft-itir ultu ^arrani a-na fiu-mu f ib- 
 
 tum i-na-6u 
 
 8 pu-u-tu kakkadi kaspi Bll- 
 
 9 apal-6u 6a Nabii-6um-UBur apal Bani- 
 
 [ia] 
 
 lOnmilu mu-kin-nu Nab<i-balat-8u-[ik-bi 
 apal-6u 6a] 
 
 11 Zir-ia apal amiln bantl NabA-ukin-[zir] 
 
 12 apal-6u 6a BU-uballi-i^ apal i^mil" par6i- 
 
 ki 
 ISamilu dupsar Bil-uballi-it apal-6u 6a 
 BTa-di-nu 
 
 14 Babilu arah Samna Qmu 11 kam 
 6attu 6 kam 
 
 15 Nabvl-na'id 6ar Babili 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 }i mana of money, which Shapikzir, Ihc 
 
 son of Xabftshumiddin, 
 
 2 the son of Nadinshebar, is to receiv<» 
 
 from NabAeter, the son of Silla, 
 
 3 the son of Itikkala, for the business, so 
 
 much 
 
 4 in city and country from (him) he will 
 
 acquire. 
 
 5 In the profit a part — the joint posses- 
 
 sion — Nabuetcr with 
 
 6 Shapikzir will consume; during tlie 
 
 year 2 shekels of money 
 
 7 Nabueter from the business upon (hisi 
 
 name, as possession, will take. 
 
 8 The receipt for the princijjal of moiu-y 
 
 Bel 
 
 9 the son of Nabushumusur, the son of 
 
 Bania, (has received). 
 
 10 Witnesses : Nabubalatsuikbi, the son of 
 
 11 Ziria, the son of the carpenter ; Nab6- 
 
 kinzir, 
 
 12 the son of Beluballit, the son of the . . . 
 
 man; 
 
 13 the scribe Beluballit, the son of Xadbi. 
 
 14 Babylon, in the month Marcheshwan, 
 
 on the 11 th day, in the 6 th year of 
 
 15 Nabfina'td, King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 3. The vertical wedge at the beginning of the sign mimma is left out. — 4. 
 ip-pu-u6, "has acquired." ipi6u has this meaning also in Deluge '1 ablets, 1.277. ina 
 all u slri. This phrase occurs also in Peiser, Bab. Ver. XXXVIII, 8, See also Tallqvist, 
 p. 120. — 5. u-tur, see note to !), 6. Also Strass., Cyr. 148, 7; Nbk. 51, 4, — 7. i-na^ 
 6u. Similar forms octur in Stntss., Xabn. 63, 12 ; 746, 14 ; Nbk. 235,9, sibtum fiom 
 
16 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 f abatu "to take. "The term is generally used to denote poHsessions of clothing and other 
 articles, but here also of money. See Tallqvist, p. 120 and 121. — 8. pu-u-tu. This 
 adds another form to Peiser's much discussed pu$ and Tallqvist's bud. Abel and U'inck- 
 ler, on p. 816 of their Keilschrifttexte, give a word pfttu "Zugang", which may be con- 
 nected with the above. — 9. Xabd-Aum-ufur. Another sign had previously l>e<'n writ- 
 ten for uffur, but was changed to its present form. — 11. amilu band iQIM). See 
 Tallqvist, p. 57 and 61. — 12. wnliu pa-Ai-ki. For other passages see 'iallqvist, p. 118 ? 
 also his note. — 14. Dated in the year 640 B. C, as the preceding tablet. 
 
 Shapikzir and Nabueter have made a business venture together. Be- 
 sides the little money they invested, they borrowed as capital to work 
 
 with a certain amount of money from Bel , the son of Nabushunir 
 
 usur. Now, there had been some disagreement, and the partners sought 
 to frame this document, as an agreement explaining their relations 
 toward one another. Nabueter is thus shown to be i of a mana in debt 
 to Nabushuraiddin, which sum he covers by real estate in the city and 
 in the country. In the profit derived from their business, both are to 
 have an equal share, excepting that Nabueter is to have an additional 
 amount of two shekels, by virtue of some ser\'ice (not explained in this 
 tablet) rendered. This sum is to be paid upon his name ; that is, he is 
 to give a receipt for this money independent of the tirm-uame, he alone 
 receiving the money. 
 
 NO. 1 «. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 . II ET ^T H< ^T V <- 1^ T? ^T SfT i^]tj :»imi 
 
 . Ejt i5- El! W T ^tTtl ►y ►¥■ 
 
 s-<s=<ItIA l:ET5^EETf TH V T^tM'^-^^ 
 
 »t-El<TI m ^! « :eT<I tE! c^ 
 
Sixtli Year of Nabonidusi. 
 
 17 
 
 .< « <n 411 ^^ ^T IT EE -^I ^T 
 
 „::t m ►+ ^1 4i- JT - V :eTT ^ 
 
 ,„ Jr trItT 9^ V 3^ :^: V, ^^I 5^1 ^ItT Sf^IIir 
 
 BACK. 
 
 „^ -^ m: "^ T --f <:=^^T :r^ 
 
 ►^f- 
 
 .J? I V T ^-^11 :£! V Tf I V -t^ I 
 .J 'M:rltT ^^ -^ ^11 TEj }ii.| -y- y«< 
 
 „n T -+ <« 5?:^ ^\ :i<T T- < ^ yn 
 
 ,J ^T s?: eeTMM V T "^ti^T ►^ ►^ 
 
 .rlJ £^ yn ->f ^ V ^M <TEJ 2<If ^ 
 
 
 TTT 
 
 ►¥■ EE tt?: T "M^M EE 
 
 10 
 
 6=^> 
 
 ►f-T 
 
 } m 
 
 Tablet Is of a dark brown color, the reverse la almt>.st black \\}ixVi Inches, and rectangular. 
 The signs are not very distinct. The left and right sides are not written upon. 
 
 Transliteratum. 
 
 1 1/3 ma-na kaspi 6a Bani-a-tu-t-sag-ila 
 
 2 marat-8u Sa Natft-Sum-iddin 
 
 3 ina Hi Ba-ni-ia apal-Su da Nabfi-Sum- 
 
 iddin 
 
 4 apal "Jnilu dangu Ninip u Ra-mu-u-a 
 
 £ aidati-iu kaspu man-da-at-tum 
 
 TVanslation. 
 
 1 X n^ana of money which Baniattiesagila, 
 
 2 duujrhter of Nabushiimiddin, 
 
 3 is to receive from IJania, the son of Xa- 
 
 bushiimiddin, 
 
 4 the son of the priest of Ninip, and of 
 
 Humiia, 
 
 5 his wife. The money is the wages 
 
18 
 
 The MetropoUtau Museum of Art. 
 
 6 6a Si-nu-nu aA-sat^ti 10 (u kaspi 
 
 7 i-nam-di-nu a-di 3 6u &atta 
 
 8 u nifi-ru gab»bu-tu 2 i-na-6u 
 
 9 Ho-an-na-'-Su a&-6at-su-au 
 
 10 mai^-karnu i^a Bani-a-tu-l-sag-ila 
 
 11 ttmilu mu-kin-nu Ma'duk-Aarra-ni 
 
 12 apal-§u 6a Bll-iki-6a apal Sa-tab i-du 
 
 13 NabQ-zir-iddin nmilu xaki ftipri dalni 
 
 14 Sapik-zir apal Nlrgal-musallim 
 
 15 apal Siu-ga-ga^nim-mi u xmilu dupsa? 
 
 16 Ba-ni-ia apal-.^u 6a Nabii-Suin-iddin 
 
 17 apal <i>nil>> 6angu Ninip Babilu 
 
 ara^ Adaru 
 
 18 (imu 6 kam iattu 6 kam Nabft-na'id 
 
 10 fiar Babili 
 
 6 of Siniinii the xervunt. 10 ttlifkelx <if 
 
 vnowy 
 
 7 they will fjivo, t«)geth«'r with 'A uhii a 
 
 year, 
 
 8 and the rutin' siiIDv?! the two will 
 
 brinjf. 
 
 9 niinuVhu fh«»lr maid-servant 
 
 10 is the seeiirity of Buniutuetiagila. 
 
 11 \\ itness: Manliiksharruni, 
 
 VZ the son of lielikisha, the son of Rlia^ 
 ikbtiKhu; 
 
 13 Nabuziriddin, the mewMin^er of the 
 
 judgits; 
 
 14 Shupikzir, the Run of Ner^linutuilliui. 
 
 15 the 8on of Siugafpinimme; and theiirrilM* 
 IG Rania, the Kon of Xahushuiniddin, 
 
 17 tile son of the priest of Ninip. rat>yliiii. 
 
 in the month Adar, 
 
 18 on the (Jth day of the 6 th yoar of > a- 
 
 bftna'id, 
 
 19 King of italtylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 1. Baniatu.' A form from tlio root band "to build." Hence, probably, "daughtAT." 
 Compare the Hebrew T\l'2 "to iM'^'et," Gen. xxx : 3. Isagila was the name of the teui- 
 pel of Mardiik at lubylon ,Z. A. H, ).. 179; Tiele, Habyloniscb-AsxyrLiche Geschiclit*-. 
 p. 541 ; Jensen. Cosmologie j). 49^: Hommcl, Babylouis«-h-A««yri«che Genehiehte p. 2;J<i : 
 .Sayee, Babylonian lielijritui, p. 64). Henee the name implies that she was born or lived in 
 its neighborhood. — 0. a^sattu here lias the meaning of "servant, hlave." It Kt'ner- 
 ally means "wife.' — 7. 'Ihesijrn Su is often taken to Iw aanitu "time." Jensen (C o>- 
 mologie p. 4'7(, liowever, doubts it ; also W inckler in A. & W. Keilschritttexte, Schrift- 
 tafel No. C47. Here it is some artiile. If 4u is to be read Aanitu, liania and his wifes«><>m 
 to agree to pay the remaining 10 shekels (1 mana - 60 shekels,)^ mana - 20 shekels; 
 10 they pay immediately, leaving 10 to be paid) in three installments during the 
 year. For the word §attu see I'ognun, L ' inscription de lUivian, p. 168. — 8. ni4-i-u 
 must have the meaning of '-sum" or "debt" in this passage; cf. Tallq. p. 108. It is 
 curious that the simple numeral, two vertical wedgeiJ, suflices to denote the "two'* 
 persons. — 14. 'Ihe serib*- wrote apal instead of apal-Su 4a; the latter usually pre- 
 cedes the father's name, while the former precedes the family name. Some other rea- 
 son, however, may have prompted this omission. — 18. I>ated in tlie year 549 II. C, 
 as the two preceding tablets*. 
 
 Bauiatues.igilii had loaned her brother, the prie.»*t of Ninip, and hi.s 
 
FJqWi Year of Nahonidus. 19 
 
 wife lur slave Sinuiui for "20 sliekels wages. Baiiia was not rich enough 
 to pay the amount iniraediately, so he j>aid 10 shekels at once and 
 promised to pay the reniiiinder during the year. Until this agreement 
 liad been complied with, the sLive of Bania and lils wife was to remain 
 as security with his sister. Even among so closely related members i)l' a 
 family legal forms had to be complied with 1 
 
 NO. 17. 
 
 FliOKT. 
 
 ,IL T IM }}< -^T T T ^ -J <ti^\ Vi I V 
 ... T :£T V !^ }} T ^1 -4- <« -<t^t? T A 
 -A V, t^ ^ ^ ^I- -ET T -^ -J <^} 
 J? I ^1 --^ <« £!lliH«^I ^ E^ V 2<i? m 
 . 7 -^ EEf tjE T ^t]ti] A^- It t^ ^} m 
 
 .m^\ 7 i^ -^i wi ^]w m ^ ^i !=innii 
 
 ,^ -^ JET ^ T --f - ^I! n I V 
 
 ,.! ►^ t- <T- '^ n ^ «CI' -J ^I ^T 
 
20 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum, of Art. 
 
 „Tf I ^^ E! 5^: V <^, m 'M-\ lEI 
 
 16 
 
 .-i^* 
 
 \ m 
 
 Tablet of a light brown color. l><^ x 2 Inches. The stgrns are plainly and neatly made. All thea- 
 vullable spaco on the tablet i.s used for writing, though the llueK and the individual algiiH lu-e 
 well divided. A large round bole In the middle of line 4. extending Into line 6. and a small brvalc 
 at the end of line 7. are the only things that mar the pc^rfectlon of tuib lltUe tablet. The word« 
 " King of Babylon" are found In the middle of the left side. 
 
 TrttHtiWtmi'wn. 
 
 1 1/3 (mana ' 4 ^u kaapi 6a Iddin-Ma duk 
 
 apal-6u Aa 
 
 2 I^l-6a-apla apal N<ir-8in ina Hi 
 
 3 A-ra-bi """u gal-la Iddin-Marduk 
 
 4 apal Ndr-Sin i^(i-ru i-na !) ara^ 
 
 Ululu 
 
 5 6a 6attu 8 kam Nab(i-aa'id ftar Babili 
 
 6 6a timu ina ili-6u i-rab-bi 
 
 7 kaspu 6a a-na manzaza u-da-nu-tu . . . 
 
 8 iddin-nu 
 
 aiiiilii mu-kin-nu Bll-^arran apal-6u 6a 
 
 10 Mu-sal-lim-mu apal amilu ftangu Na-na 
 
 11 Tab-ni-i apal-6u 6a NabQ-ahl-iddin 
 
 12 apal umiiu 6angu >>>> Za-ri-^u u ^mSlu 
 
 dupsar " 
 
 13 Marduk-musallim apal-6u 6a Nabii- 
 
 6ip-i.'8ur 
 
 14 apal Aha-ba-ni Babilu arah Ululu 
 
 15 amu 28 kam 6attu 8 kam NabCl-na'id 
 
 16 6ar Babili 
 
 TS'nnAaium. 
 
 1 X mana 4 >lii-kels of money whielj Id- 
 
 dinnuirduk, the sou of 
 
 2 Ikiximpla, the Mon of N&rsin, from 
 
 3 Arabl, the ulave of Iddlnmarduk, 
 
 4 tlu" son of Nur^ln, will re«-eive in tli«« 
 
 nionlli I'liilu, 
 
 6 of the 8 th yinir of Nabilna'id, Klujf of 
 liabylon. 
 
 6 Ever}' «lay a«ainst lilm it will increase, 
 
 7 The money, which for witueiM ^feen; 
 
 was K>ven, (Arabl) 
 6 baK ^iven. 
 9 Witnesses: ndUarran, the son of 
 
 10 Musallim, the imn of the prie«t of Nana; 
 
 11 Tabn<*, the s<in of Nab&tU|ddln, 
 
 12 the son of the priest of fZarlku^^nd the 
 
 twribe 
 
 13 Mardukniusallim, the son of Xa])ii«|ii])- 
 
 usiir, 
 
 14 the son of Ahabani. Babylon, in the 
 
 mouth Ululu, 
 
 15 on the 28 th day, in the 8 th year of Na 
 
 biinuMd, 
 
 16 King of liabylon. 
 
EUjldh Year of Nalxmldus. 21 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. 'Ihc word mona is omitted. — 2, The scribe had written the sign for i first, in 
 plaee of Nflr, and then liad changed the former to the latter sign. — 3. Arabi, T would 
 take as first having denoted the nationality of the slave, (for he is distinctly called amliu 
 gal-lu here, > then Ihe word Ix'canio a proper name, and we find one Arabi, the son of 
 Bilsunu, the son of the priest of Samafi, mentiont^d in Strass., Cambyses 257, 14. l.'i. (Se«> 
 also note to Isaggilai, 20,(5.) Between lines .3 and 4 apal-du &a I^l-da-apla, his fa- 
 ther's name, is oniitt«'d, and only the family name is given. This is the reason why we 
 tin<l simply apal beginning line 4. His father's name is given in line 2, and the scribe 
 evidently lh<)nght it unnecessary to repeat. — 4. i^-^i-ru. Half of the sign it, and also 
 half of the \i, is broken off. Xo traces are visible. The sign for da must evidently be a 
 mistake for na; and as both signs are very common, the scribe might have written tin; 
 one for the other. — 7. u-da-nu-tu. A curious form from nadanu. For forms with 
 final tu(,mi, see Strass., Nbk. 78, 4; iS'abn. 357; 525, 23; &c.; and for preformative u, see 
 Strass., (yr. 2C, {); 170, 7; Z?t~, 12. — 10. Mu-sal-iim-mu. The final syllable must be read 
 mu and not 6amu, as an examination of the same name in 25, 7 will show. Hu Ifa-na. 
 See Z. A. HI, p. 5; A'lf, p. 142; Jensen, Kosmologie p. 102; Sayce, Babylonian Re- 
 ligion pp. 260, ^82. Compare also Payne Smith, Thesaurus col. 2387; Hoffmann, Aus- 
 ziige ans syrischen Akten persischer MJlrtyrer pp.130. 151 tf; Lagarde, Agathangelus 
 1887 p. 135: on Sassanide coins, BOR I, p. 1C6; ZDMG, 44, 669. — 13. ilu Za-ri-^u. This 
 god's name is fo\md also in Strass., Cyr. 141, 14; 149, 12; see also 25, 13 of this book. 
 Strassmaier, A'erh. des 5ten Intern. Orient. Cong, zu Berlin 1881, B. 42, 32 (p. l;i4), gives 
 Za-ar-ri-]ku as the name of a man, taken undoubtedly from the name of the god. — 
 
 13. Nabft-SlF-usur for NabCl-dipa-usui-, "may Jsebo protect the feet." 15. Dated in 
 
 the year 547 B. C. 
 
 Iddinmarduk lent liis slave Arabi 24 shekels of money in the month 
 Uhilu, which the latter was to return in the same month. As a slave 
 was not held responsible for his actions, but his master, the latter, it 
 would seem, did not wish to risk his money for a longer period. Every 
 single day was to increase the amount ; at what rate of interest, we do 
 not know. This daily increase seems especially severe, for a slave 
 could not have been but a poor man. The latter was also rcq.iired, as 
 an additional curb to his business ambition, to pay the witnes^ fees. 
 With this imposition he seems to have cheerfully complied, according 
 to line 8. After all the payments to be made, and considering the short 
 time that the loan had to run, Arabi must have had to contend with 
 great financial embarrassments. Happy he, if he returned the money at 
 the proper, time ! 
 
22 
 
 The Metropolitan Maseunfi of Art. 
 
 BO. 18. 
 
 FliONT. 
 
 » -> 8- -^T s«- ::^ If ^TrT vT <: t--E <!- -^T 
 .7 <4^m C^T <::= m 'A^ 
 
 . V I tt} -tT EH -^! s?5T y- T^EM I 
 
 ,Tf ^ ^JIT -f V 4 I ^tTtT cT -i? 
 ,„ TM V T -Ht <::^^'T -^ s: TM rs:f 'McTtT 
 
 .» t^/ -N t^E -e! :eT t ^} 
 
 TaWet of a graylsb brown color, \\i x l*i Inches. The wrttlnjf is good and the slirns jJi-e plainly 
 made ; with the exception or the last U\ e slpis of line a These are written so c;o»ely togviher 
 and are so lightly imde. that it Is dllB<ult to decipher them. On the lower edge are two rows of 
 linger nail Impressions, each containing sixteen marks. The lower row, however, is mom rtoepl.\ 
 pressed In. 
 
 TramtViteTatioii. 
 1 9 (u kaapi Iddin-Marduk apal-Su 6 a 
 
 Traniilttt'uni. 
 
 1 9 shekels of money Iddinniunluk. ilip 
 son of 
 
Eighth Year of Nabo7iid/us. 
 
 2:3 
 
 2 Iki-Aa^apla apal NCk.-sin ina ^ata 
 
 3 Pu-na-ni-tum a-di tWit-tum 6i-na 
 
 4 Aa ultu Ui mi-^ir-tu 
 
 5 is. Ab-la-da na-da-nu a^iat-^u 
 
 6 ina bubulli kaspa-Au ma^-hir 
 
 7 ina manzazi 6a Tab-ni-i-a 
 
 8 apal-^u 6a Nab(i-abi-iddin 
 
 9 apal amllu gangu 8a-ma& NabQ-is-kip 
 
 10 apal-du da Marduk-fium-ibni apal 
 
 Idanin-Ifabd 
 
 11 Baiaiba ara^ Adam ftmu 12 kam 
 
 12 6attu 8 kam NabA-na'id §ar 
 
 13 da^-hu-tum la barii-1 
 
 Babili 
 
 2 IkiKhapIa, the Hon of Ntkcciiti. froM th<- 
 
 bands of 
 
 3 Piinanitum, toj^cther with dtnibli* Ww 
 
 amount(?) 
 
 4 which, in behalf 
 
 5 of Ablada, he gave to his wif«' 
 
 6 at interest : his money he has ii'feiv«!(l. 
 Tin the presence of Tabnea, 
 
 8 the son of Nabuahiddin, 
 
 9 the son of the priest of Shamatih; Nabi'i' 
 
 islvip, 
 
 10 the son of Mardukshumibni, the son of 
 
 Idauinnabu. 
 
 11 Barsiba, in the month Adar, on th«' 
 
 12 th day, 
 
 12 in the 8 th year of Nabuna'id, King of 
 
 Babylon. 
 
 13 A further demand there is not. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 3. ti-lit-tum. The meaning of this word Is doubtful. Peiser, Hab. Ver. p. 30!), trans- 
 lates "Auflage" ; and Tallqvist, p. 41, follows him. The word occurs also in the same 
 form in Strass., Nabn. 1058, 8. fii-na really means "two," but if it must be translated 
 thus, it ought to precede its substantive. — 4. mi-hii-tu is used as a preposition and 
 means "opposite." Notice the identity of the signs hir and tu. — 5. na-ta-nu must bi- 
 read na-da-Du. See Deluge 'I ablets, 1.187, tu-ud-da-a at-ta "thou shalt know." — 7. 
 manzazi. For other examples see 'iaiq. p. 103, and Peiser, Bab. Ver. LIU, 6. The word 
 in the Deluge Tablets, lines 141 and 143, means "a resting place" (Haupt, B. A. 1,173. 
 — 9. The name of the god Shamash is here spelled out, usually the ideogram tu is 
 written. — Barsiba or "Borsippa," the name of the Tabylonian city founded by Neb- 
 uchadrezar. Many tablets are dated from this city. See Straps., Cyr., Inhaltsverz. p. 14; 
 Camb., Inhaltsverz. p. 16; Ac. — 12. Hence in the year 547 B. C. — 13. The meaning 
 of dah-h«-tum is uncertain. I would connect it with dahfl "to touch," and dihu "neigh- 
 borhood." Its position at the end of the tablet, and the fact that it is used in the phras«' 
 in which ladfLta is generally used, would give it a meaning similar to "demand." 
 
 The sense I derive from the tablet is this : Iddinmarduk has lent Ab- 
 lada 9 shekels of money, together with a small araoimt that he gave to 
 the latter's wife. He now receives his money back. The interest on the 
 9 shekels and on the amount loaned besides, has now become as great 
 as the latter amount. Hence we have the expression double amount. 
 Tlie entire sense of the tablet rests upon the supposition that ^'tcliUutU" 
 means ^'■amount" 
 
24 
 
 The Metropolitan MutieUrn of Art. 
 
 NO. 19. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 ,}}<^] I V IT S:^T -^ T«< 
 
 J ^i -ET mr et A. s# 
 
 .^ s^T :eTI V 
 
 aT 'Mil ►S^ T«< ET V 
 
 ,n I T T -II I -^ 
 
 .< T "=^n T? -^ If I T 
 J :^f ^ eTT si? S 
 
 ►¥■ EEE tB. 
 
 'I < s tl 
 
 Tablet of a light brown color. l><xi»i Inches. The 8l(ms are crudelj' made and much of tho 
 space Is not used. The lower right hand c«nier ol the reverse Is effaced, destroying the word 
 BnbUi. traces of the upper part of which, however, can yet be clearly distinguished. Two rows of 
 finger nail marks are found on the upper side : the Unit with eight, and the second with thlrt«'en 
 'nrtentatlous. rndoubtedly the first row also contained thirteen marks, and Ave of these have 
 been broken off. 
 
 TrttHsUterai'ion. 
 
 1 1/3 ma-na 4 tu kaspi hubulla 
 
 2 kaspi-du da 2 ta danati 
 
 3 Iddinmarduk ina kata 
 
 4 Ba-la-(u ma-hi-ir 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 X liana 4 shekels of money, the intt-n'st 
 
 2 on his money for two years, 
 
 :5 MdinmanUik from the bands of 
 4 Bahitu lias received(7). 
 
Ninth Year of Nahonidns. 
 
 25 
 
 5 ina manzazi k&. 
 8 Bll-ahl-ikl-Sa 
 
 7 apal-6u ia Bil-du-nu 
 
 8 u Bil-apal-iddin apal-du 3a 
 
 9 t-tnid-8u arah Saba^u 
 
 10 flmu 16 kam Sattu 9 kam 
 
 11 Nabtl-na'id iar [mat Babili]. 
 
 Ti In the pr(>sonc«> of 
 
 (i Itt'liiliikisliu, 
 
 7 the son of Hclshunii ; 
 
 S and 1i4>la]mli(l(liM, th<> son of 
 
 *.) Knudsti. In tin* month Sbabat, 
 
 10 on the ICtli day, in tlie 9tli your of 
 
 11 NaWuna'id, King of l?al)ylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 4. ma-hi-ir. The sijrn for hi is bhirrod and indistinct, and I \va« led to road u in its 
 stead in the first edition of this hook. Now. indeed, the form of the word is clear and 
 t lie sense of the passaire is ol)vious. The same form occurs in ;50, 8.— 5, manzazi. 
 ( onsult note to 18, 7. — 9, As no mention of a city is made, we are led to infer that 
 Bahylou is meant. — 10. This tablet is tliorefore dated in the year 546 B, C. 
 
 Balatu has loaned a certain sum of money from Iddinmarduk and 
 now, at end of two years, he brings the interest, \ mana and 4 shekels. 
 Or, as a mana contains 60 shekels, he brings 24 shekels. We are not 
 told the rate of interest in this case; and as the latter varied greatly 
 from exorbitant to insignificant rates, we are entirely in the dark, how 
 nmch the sum of money loaned amounted to. 
 
 NO. J>0. 
 
 PltOKT. 
 
 J? ; V T £! -E! n If I ^^\ 4f^ ^ 
 .^! -!I<! -T!<! tl :r<l<j ^ ^\ ^Itj + 
 
26 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 ,_£v .^ lEI ^ T "t^Tf^T -^ n I V 
 
 nil' 
 
 „ 'm S ^T « ^T ^vr -^ EEE t0E 
 
 ►--< 
 
 TTT 
 
 T 
 
 ▼^T 
 
 Tablet of a light gray color. iJi x I5f inches. The signs ar« very indistinct, as If made liv i 
 dull stylus. The left edge Is not luHcrlbed. otherwise all the available space is used. The only se- 
 rious imperfection is a small round hole in line ii of the n; verse, breaking out the signs for Baui 
 to. A fevr other unim|)ortant lacunae occur In lines 14 and 15. 
 
 TnmxliUration. 
 
 1 4 (u kaspi 6a Nabii-balat-i^diii 
 
 2 m&r-du 6a ^il-la^s zn&r Aa 
 
 3 Na-6i-ir-na-a &a ina Ui Nabd-o^l-iddin 
 
 4 apal-Su 6a §u-lara apal t-gi-bi 
 
 5 tbnu 24 kam 6a ara^ daba^u i-nam-din 
 
 6 pa-ri-ri-is al-pa aiparra 
 
 7 §a Mu-Sl-zib-Bll a^na 
 
 8 Natft-ahl-iddin id-di-nu 
 
 9 amilu mu-kin-nu Natd-iddin apal-6u 
 
 6a 
 10 Mu-6l-zib-BU apal Na^i-i-Nabd-apla 
 
 TranHlatum. 
 
 1 4 Rbekelx of money of NabAlialatiddin. 
 
 2 the van of Sill4, the wn of 
 
 '■^ Na-shema, which he is to receive from 
 Nabuahiddin, 
 
 4 the sun of Shuli, tiie son of Eglbi. 
 
 5 On the 24 th day of the month Sh:«l>:it 
 
 he will fjfve 
 
 6 the sheep ?\ the ox, and) thecopjKT, 
 
 7 which MuHhezibbeJ to 
 
 8 Nabnuliiddin gave. 
 
 9 Witness's: Nabuitldiu, the s»m of 
 
 10 M)i.she/.ilihi-l, the son of NaKbenabdapia; 
 
 I 
 
Ninth and Vtiidh Years of Nabonidus. 
 
 27 
 
 11 Iddin-Xabd spal-du ka. [Bani-iaJ apal 
 
 Du-ub-bi 
 
 12 u Hmilii dupsar Nabft-abl-iddin apal-du 
 
 aa 
 
 13 Su-la-a apal t-gi-bi Babilu 
 
 14 ara^ §aba(u amu 23i P) kam iattu 9 
 
 kam 
 16 Naba-na'id dar BabilL 
 
 11 Iddiiinabti, t\w son of Kania, the hoii of 
 
 Dul)bl ; 
 
 12 and the 8crlb«i Nabiiahiddin, the son of 
 
 13 Shul&, the son of Egibi. Babylon, 
 
 14 in the month Shabat, on Mm 23 rd day, 
 
 in the 9 th year of 
 
 15 Nabftna'id, King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 2. maru and aplu are trsed indisiTiminately hi the Contract Tablets, — 3. The sign 
 for 6a is a little peculiar. We gem'rally And ttco small vertical wedges above one heavy 
 vertical wedge, here we have only mie. 1 have printed three in oth»T cases, because my 
 type did not contain the sign with two, and because it is more easily recognized. — 6. 
 pa-ri-ri-is I would connect with parratu "a female sheep" ('lallqvist, p. 117; Delitzsch, 
 Asjtyr. Stud. p. 166i. '1 he word, liowever, if read correctly, must be classed among the 
 unknown. — 11. Without doubt Bani-la, as the first signs show. There is room for 
 only two signs. — 13. The form of gl is curious. The other parts of the sign the scribe 
 must have forgotten, as such a sign was not in use among the Babylonians. On tablet 
 vtt), lines 2 and 3, of thisbooli, we find it written in the form of a single vertical wedge. 
 The size of the break in this line will admit of but two more vertical wedges. — 14. 
 I'ablet dated in the year 546 B. €., as the preceding. 
 
 Nabubalatiddin has lent Nabuahiddin 4 shekels o/ money. The latter 
 In-ing unable to pay, agrees to give instead of cash payment the sheep, 
 th*? «x, and the copper utensils just given to him by Mushezibbel, one of 
 his debtors. Alpu is the general name for cattle ; he therefore might 
 l»;4ve promised a calf or a cow. 
 
 NO. 21. 
 
 FHONT. 
 
28 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 :E^ I V T J! -El If !? I :^f -TT4i. :=: 
 Jf -^! E!«= "=!!!!«= ^}*- eTAT M ^^t 
 
 ,. Elt I W ! <:il scf -T- T? T ^f-f -TTA. ti 
 
 JiAVK. 
 
 .Jf T"3^^ If If n<f-^I^tM 
 „, EI«= I W I tU -^I If 
 ,jf i:Ei<i::i:=$ 
 
 «< £i yi^ I £^i-+ <:^^I If I V 
 ,j R^i -1^ ^if r, ^ 5^1 -f -+ -< 
 »v i'S^} m ssf %fll ::i^ I» 
 
 «I Mtltl 4i4 Ik t^ V ^^S:f <£! 
 
Tenth Year of Nahonidua. 
 
 29 
 
 Tablet of a dark yellow color, shading to black at the lower right hand corner of the obverse. 
 SlEe : 2 X 2% inches. At the end of the tablet there is a considerable space Q>i Inch) not used. Also 
 between lines 10 uiid li, the scrltie ha« left a large space. None of the four edges arc written upon. 
 The upper »Hlge of the obverse is broken off at the two corners, the larger break being on the 
 right side. The extreme right of the obverse is also damaged in many places. The signs are 
 large and beautifully made ; and the lines are well spaced. 
 
 TrannUtrraiion. 
 
 1 . . . .&um-ukin-na ma>&u 6a Iddin- . . . ■ 
 
 2 ina ^u-ud Ub-bi-fiu Kal-ba-a ma:-du 
 
 3 [6a] larha-ta Sa Nabft-ahl-iddin-na 
 
 [ma -Su] 
 
 4 da Na" fl-a^l-iddin-na ul-tu si-hi-ii 
 
 5 u-rab-bu-fiu u li-nad-nu 
 
 6 u fia ik-bu-Su a-na NatA-ahi-iddin-na 
 
 7 m4r-Su da Su-la-a apal t-si-bi 
 
 8 a-na maru-u-tu id-di-in 
 
 9 Kal-ba-a mar §a Nabfl-ahi-iddin-na 
 
 10 Su-u 
 
 11 amilii miu-kin-nu Lu-us-a-na-jitl-i- 
 
 Marduk 
 
 12 mar-Su sa Ki-rib-ti apal t-gi-bi 
 
 13 Marduk-iddin an»U« IB-banl 
 
 14 apal-Su Sa Marduk-ipi-iS 
 
 15 apal Zir-ai Iddin-na-Nabd 
 
 16 mar-Su Sa It-na^a 
 
 17 apal Da-bi-bi 
 
 18 u amilu dupsar Arad-Marduk apal-Su 
 
 Sa 
 
 19 Bit-ti-ia apal «milu i-maS Bil 
 
 20 Babilu arah Samna-am-a 
 
 21 ftmu 4 kam Sattu 10 kam 
 
 22 Nabtt-na'id Sar Bablli. 
 
 TransUition. 
 
 1 — . sbumukinna, the son of Iddin 
 
 2 in the pleasure of his heart, Kalba, the 
 
 son of 
 
 3 lahata, — whom Nabttahiddinna, the 
 
 son of 
 
 4 Nabuahiddinna, from smallness 
 
 5 had made him great, and had indeed 
 
 given 
 
 6 also what he had promised him, — to 
 
 Nabuahiddinna, 
 
 7 the son of Shula, the son of Egibi, 
 
 8 for adoption gave. 
 
 9 Kalba, the son of Nabfiuihiddinna, 
 
 10 is he. 
 
 11 Witnesses: Lusananurimarduk, 
 
 12 the son of Kiribti, the son of Egibi ; 
 
 13 Mardukiddin, the cai-penter, 
 
 14 the son of Mardukepesh, 
 
 1.5 the son of Zirai ; Iddinnanabd, 
 
 16 the son of Ibna, 
 
 17 the son of Dabibi ; 
 
 18 and the scribe Aradmarduk, the son of 
 
 19 Bit'ia, the son of the priest of Bel. 
 
 20 Babylon, in the month Marcheshwan, 
 
 21 on the 4 th day, in the 10 th year of 
 
 22 Nabiina'id, King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. The name does not occur again on the tablet ; we therefore cannot supply the mis- 
 sing links. — 3. That the son bears the same name as his father is very rare. The brea^ 
 at tlic end of the line will admit of only the two signs apal and Su. — 4. 5. "From 
 smallness had made him great" is an expression for which I can find no parallel in any 
 
30 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 <*ontract tablet. The sen-oe, however, is very plain. Kalba had been a slave, and Nabfui« 
 hiddin adopted him, thtix making; him a free man, and ^ivin^ him all the privile get) 
 that freedom implied. TIiIh was, indeed, a leap from Kmallnexs to greatness. — 5. U- 
 nad-nuwith thepreeative li. This ooiturs often. — G. This Xabuahiddin must be the fa- 
 ther, the one mentioned in line 4. — 8. ma litu is the t4'rm n-jfiilarly ust^d to i^ignify 
 "adoption." — 9. 10. These lines give the gist of the whole tul)let. It is a quaint sen- 
 tence and is entirely to tlie point. — 13. IB-banl "earpenter." a provisional transla- 
 tion. — 10. i-maS is an ideogram. The name of this scribe occurs also iu 25, 17. But 
 here his family name is given as apal "'nilu 6angu Bll, thus proving conclusively that 
 l-oiail is a synonym of &angu, and pomibly ought to be read iangu. Tor other paHHogcit 
 where it occurs, see Tallq. p. 4.'>. — £0. It is curious to note how the name of the month 
 Marcheshwan is spelled out. The tirst of the three signs is deemed suftlcient in nearly all 
 the other cases where the name occurs. Cf. L'>, 14; 27, 4. 5. — 21. Dated In tiie year 
 545 B. C. 
 
 Nabualii<l(lin had become possessed of Kalba, the slaw of Nabu(?)- 
 hihiimukiii. He liiinsi-If had no issue, and was tlius h>d to adopt the 
 hhive, to whom lie had iui<loubtedly taken a fancy. In onlcr to do 
 so, he Iiad to obtain the consent of Kalba's fonner master, so that uo 
 stain might remain upon his chumcter or his social standing. This course 
 woidd also effectually prevent all legal proceedings for reclaiming the 
 slave on the ground that lie belonged to the king, tliat he had never 
 been properly sold, or for any other real 6x fictitious reason. 
 
 It was a common custom amoug the ancient Babylonians, if they 
 were childless, to adopt worthy slaves. And if we remember that many 
 noble and educated men of neighboring nations were reduced to slavery 
 by the fre<juent and merciless raids of the Babylonian kings, and were 
 brought to Babylon for sale, we shall not at all be surprised to find 
 these taken into Babylonian ftimilies and there adopted. 
 
 NO. an, 
 
 FJiONT. 
 
 ,IL ET -^T W HM ??< ^! V TIm::!!]!-: :i 
 J? I T T "=^::I::T ^ !<« -^ If }^} 13ii«« 
 
Teiith Year of Nalionidus. 
 
 m 
 
 . ??< ^'I I Efc t^ ^^tT^'I -^ -^^ -.f IH <T-m I -EM ^ITT 
 ,EK: :^ :eTT V T s^^!''J^-4- iT-^ -ET 
 
 BACK. 
 
 , J? ^ R^ Sf:^5 5^- ^T ^} S-T 21 V }}< ^T 
 
 .-..I? I T TTMf i; T^I<=^ETH< 
 
 » in :p <« --I I -^^ ^] Ti I T T ^tH v^^ -^ 
 
 „ V ^^1:^? <IEI 2<i^ y ^^1 < tfe- 
 
 . -^ < «=£E T "^tlcT Et t<i< V ^^f mi 
 
 Tablet of a grajrlsh brown color, WaX -iJi Inches. The upper right hand corner of the obverse Is 
 broken off. destroying the end of the first two lines, and also the last sign of the last line of the 
 reverse. All the signs, however, can be easily suppUel The writing is cleai", and the signs dis- 
 tinct and well-made. The left side alone bears no Inscription. 
 
 TransUteration. 
 
 1 1/3 ma-na 5 tu kaspi da [Itti-Marduk- 
 
 balatu] 
 
 2 apal-du ia Nab£l-a^i-iddiu apal l-[gi- 
 
 bij 
 
 3 ina ili Arad-Marduk apal-su §a 
 
 l£arduk-iti-ir 
 
 jyansUttiott, 
 
 1 3^ mana 5 shekels of money which Itti- 
 
 mardukbalatu, 
 :i the sou of Xabftahiddin, the son of Kjrl- 
 
 bi, 
 3 is to receive from Araihuarchik, the son 
 
 of Marduketer, 
 
32 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 4 apal amilu ga |abti-ilu Ina ara^ Aim 
 
 kaspa.a.an 
 
 5 1/3 ma-na 5 (u u ^ubulla-fiu i-nam-din 
 
 6 Mi-fa-tum gal-lat-au mad-ka^nu 
 
 7 fii Itti-Ma duk-balatu a-di iU ia Itti- 
 
 Marduk-balafu 
 
 8 kaspa-Su j-dal-li-mu NabCl-u-Su-da- 
 
 kata 
 
 9 marat-8'3 ia Ta-ki§-Ou-la 
 
 10 apal a«n"" Ijlpu pu-ut i-Jl-ru ia kaspi 
 
 11 na-Sa^a-ta amilu mu-kin-nu Ri-mut 
 
 12 apal-du 6a Ai apal Arad-Nlrgal 
 
 13 Ri-dal-Samafi apal-ftu 6a 1\\ -Marduk 
 
 14 apal lpi-i6-ilu Zir-dtu apal-ilu 6a Nab&- 
 
 Bir-iddin 
 
 15 u •mliu dupsar Itti-Marduk-bala(u 
 
 apal-6u 6a Arad-Bll 
 
 16 Babilu ara^ Adam <imu 10 kam 
 
 17 isttu 10 kam Naba-na'id iar Babili 
 
 4 the son of the governor of hlj« portion. 
 
 In the month Air in cash 
 
 5 the % rauna 5 shekels and its interest he 
 
 will give. 
 
 6 Misatum, his stave, is the security 
 
 7 of Ittimardukbalatu until thut Ittimar- 
 
 dukbalatu 
 
 8 his mont-j has received. Nab&shuda- 
 
 kata, 
 
 9 the daughter of 'I akishgula, 
 
 10 the son of the guardian, has received a 
 
 receipt for the money 
 
 11 she brought. Witnesses: Kimut, 
 
 12 the son of Ai, the son of Aradnergal; 
 
 13 Ridalshamash, the son of Eterraarduk, 
 
 14 the son of Kpeshilu ; Zirfttu, the son ot 
 
 Nabiizlriddin ; 
 
 15 and the scribe Ittimardukbulatu, the 
 
 son of Arsdbel. 
 
 16 Babylon, in the month Adar, on the 
 
 10 th day, 
 
 17 in the loth year of Nabftnu'id, King of 
 
 Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 This tablet has already been published by Strassmaier In his aut'Ograpb texts of the 
 reign of Nabonidus, No. 479. Several of the signs on this tablet are blurred, which fact 
 accounts for the differing readings of the first edition of this book. — 4. *n»Un ^a (abti- 
 6u. See 'lallq. p. 76 for other instances. — 5. "its" interest, that is, the interest on the 
 )^ mana 5 shekels. — 8. Strassmaier reads Naba-6ip-tum-.n-. ., whirh, in my judg- 
 ment, is not borne out by the signs on the tablet ; the above reading seems to me to be 
 the most likely. — Id. »mllu ^^ipu. Tallqvist on p. 122 gives a number of meanings for 
 this word, and many passages where it occurs. na6ita, lit. ••brought," then, ••lent." 
 — 13. Ri-dal-dama6. Strassmaier writes mul in place of dal. But the sign dal is so 
 plainly made, that it can not possibly be mistaken for mut. — 17. Dated 545 B. C. 
 
 Ittimardukbalatu has lent Aradmarduk 25 shekels which the latter 
 promises to return with interest during the month Airn (May). Until 
 this payment is made, Ittimardukbalatu retains a female slave of Arad- 
 mardukbalatu as security. Nabushudakata is also to receive back the 
 money she loaned, evidently, to Aradmarduk. The former, because she 
 is mentioned on this tablet together with Ittimardukbalatu, and bears 
 
JPfcenth Year of Nahonidus. 33 
 
 the same irlatioii with him to Aradinarduk, she nmst in somo way bo 
 connected with the latter. Perhaps she is his wife, though no state- 
 ment on that point is made. 
 
 NO. sj;j. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 ,^ ^Y ^\:\ n 4f<T V r^ 
 
 .If I :^M :=^ - "M^ ^ 
 E£ -T<Tf ^ 
 
 .:e:?i I V I -^i V If If I >^ --f- ^ 
 „I-y-+<;:^^I If I V i-Piii -y 7 tff 
 „If ^ Sf: ^'A I ^I ^ yn fC^ 
 
 .,3lf S '='1 H e^^ ►y <I CtE 
 
 „T "Pltlcl A4I- It ::^ V t^j m 
 
34 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 15 
 
 LEFT SIDE. 
 
 16 
 
 
 •El ^} T 
 
 ox 
 
 Tatolet ot a orown color, 1^x2 Inches. The slgiuj are plalnl>- wrlUen. excepting the name In 
 the nrst line. It seems a» If something had been broken off In the beginning' of line 16. As the 
 sense Is complete, however, the part effaced may not have contained any writing. 
 
 TrannUltratiott. 
 
 1 l/2ma-naka8pi sa Naba-rimu-lip-tum 
 
 2 mar-6u 6a dj-zu-bu 
 
 3 uinllu rab.ka-a-.i da ftarri 
 
 4 ina ill Nabii-a^i-iddin 
 
 5 uiniiu dalnu mar-&u ia da-la-s 
 
 6 apal 1-gi-bi ina ara^ Adam 
 
 7 i-nam-din 
 
 8 aiiiiiu mu-kin-nu d j-la-a 
 
 B mar-ilu &a It^i-Aa-apla apal Iddin-Bll 
 
 10 Iddin-Marduk apal-6u Aa Btl-Aum- 
 
 i&ku-un 
 
 11 apal amilu ^ipu Na-din dup-«ar 
 
 12 mar '"»»" IR.SAIj.TABI P .SA 
 
 Babilu 
 
 13 arah saba^u (imu 2 kam iattu 11 kam 
 
 14 Natfi-na'ld 6ar Babili 
 
 15 ri-^i-it 2 1 2 ma-na kaspi 
 16 la l-&a &arri 
 
 TrannUition. 
 
 1 I... mana of money which Xuhurcniii- 
 
 liptiim, 
 
 2 the son of Shiizubu, 
 
 3 tin- rubkari of the kinjf, 
 
 4 is to riH-eive from Nuhiiuhiddin, 
 
 5 the indge, the aon of !<btila, 
 
 G the son of Ejribi ; in the montii Adar 
 7 he will jflve dt). 
 H WltmtxMes: Sbul&, 
 
 the mm of IkUhaplu, .the mn of Mdin- 
 l»el; 
 
 lU Iddinnuirduk, the mm of BelsihuniUh- 
 kun, 
 
 11 the >un of the (^ardian ; Na<lin the 
 
 MTib«', 
 
 12 Hon of the Hahylon, 
 
 13 in the month Sbabat. on the 2nd day, 
 
 in the 11 th year of 
 
 14 Xabiina'id, King of Pabylon. 
 
 15 The remainder 2}4 mana of money 
 1$ does not belong to the king. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 3. amilu rab.ka-a-ri. This was the official appointed by the government to see that tlie 
 weijrhts and measures of the merchants were of eoiTect legal size, karu means a dry 
 measure; it is the "13 of I Kings iv :22. In Ezek. xlv : 11 it is also used as a liquid meas- 
 ure. For other instances where this official is mentioned see Tallq. p. 79, — 4. This Xa- 
 buahiddin is mentioned also in 12, 7. 9. 15. — 11. amilu j^ ipu; cf. 15, 10 and note, dupaar. 
 
Memnth Year of JVabonidus\ 36 
 
 'lliis form is rarely found on the fontnict t^iblot ;. nniUu is omittod at tlic Ito^innin^, 
 and sar is added. Ordinarily tlie sign for dup sufHces f >r tlie w.trl dupsi* ; cf. 11,17; 
 12, 19 ; 13, 16 ; 14, 24 ; &v. — 12. The reading of the title of the father of the scribe Is 
 very uncertain, amll" IR occurs very often on the tablets (Tallq. ]). .'>0 , Jnit the remain- 
 ing signs are so indistinct, that 1 venture to give them only w ith great reserve. — 13. 
 In the year 544 B. ('. — 15. The whole debt must have consisted of 3 mana, only J^ 
 in-.Mia of which was to be paid in the month Adar ; al)out this remainder there was un- 
 doubtedly another tablet in existence. 
 
 Naburenmlipttim has loaned Nahtiahidd'm | niaiia, wliich tho latter 
 promises to pay back in the month Adar (March). Nabinemiiliptum 
 nuist have belonged to the household of the king, and the ^ mana must 
 liave been loaned from the king's funds ; for, in lines 1.') and 16, we find 
 a remainder mentioned which did not belong to the king, but was the 
 private propertv of Naburemuliptum. The fact that there is no state- 
 ment to the effect that the ^ mana belonged to the king, is no proof; for 
 Naburemuliptum had lent the money, and he alone was responsible for 
 its return. He also, undoubtedly, kept a private account of his loans 
 and disbursements for the king. The attributes in lines 3, 5, 11, and 
 j)ossibly 12, show that the contracting parties must have been of high 
 standing, and render the above explanation of the tablet very probable. 
 
 NO. 24. 
 
 FJIONT. 
 
 J El V If T? I -^f -f <« -c^Itl A 
 , T "^:rltl Ep ^ in T T ET V If I? I ^I ^^ <^\ 
 
 . V M-} -<^}t] A I :ei c?: :^f \m}}< ^1 
 . - iiiiiiiiii ^^stti r-^ii 4f <i « ^ 
 
 « If I V I -^ <^^] -f lA s- -^i 
 
 .^} t^::I <il ^I 'V :sif S^^I If -+ 
 
36 
 
 The Metropolitan M'u.se^iin of Art. 
 
 sil 
 
 ES^ EE -f <Tf *'i^ 
 
 BA VK. 
 
 T ►MtTtI Htil 
 
 I? T -f A4f ►^ -y 
 .V ;^ yn --f t-^ -I] T "^11 If -^ 
 
 »-<x 
 
 Taolet of a dark gray color. \)i x 8V Inches. On tbe left side there Is no writing. A ffew lines of 
 both obverse and reverse are prolonged over the right side. The writing Is plain throughout. 
 Some portions of the left side of the obverse are coven-d with a hard substance, which renders a 
 few of the signs dUHcult to read. In Ihies 5 and 8 in tbe lacunae, traces of tbe signs for "hubuUu' 
 can be seen. But on the left upper comer nothing can be read, as the tablet Is there covered 
 with this ninty accumulation, the removal of which would, I fear, entail the partial destruction 
 of the tablet. 
 
 TranfUUeraiion. 
 
 1 3 ma-na kaspi 6a Iddin-Marduk apal- 
 
 ilu da 
 
 2 I^l-ia-apla apal Ndr-sin ina ill 
 
 3 Nabd-ban-aha apal-§u &a I^l-Aarapla 
 
 apal Na-din-Marduk 
 
 4 b.a ar^a ina ill 1 ma-ni-i 1 (u kaspi 
 
 5 ina [^ubulli] i-rafc-bi Bil-ri-man-ni 
 
 6 apal-§u da Marduk-nusallim pv-ut 
 
 7 i-ti-ni na-din arha-ta.a.an 
 
 8 [^ubuUa] i-nam-din 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 :> in:ina nf money which Iddinmurdiik. 
 
 the son of 
 
 2 Ikisbiipla, tbe son of Ndrsin, is to re- 
 
 ceive from 
 
 3 Nalmbanalia, tlie son of Ikisbapla, tlie 
 
 son of Nadinmarduk. 
 
 4 Every month (at the rate of) upon one 
 
 munu 1 Mbekel of money 
 
 5 at interest shall increase. Belriinanni. 
 
 6 the son of Mardukmusallim, a receipt 
 
 / ha.s received (and) has given. Every 
 
 month 
 8 interest he will give. 
 
Elextenth Year of Nabonidus. 
 
 37 
 
 e [amllu mu-kin-nu] Bll-apal-iddin apal- 
 6u 6a 
 
 10 Nab<i-[iddin( P}] apal Bamman-dum- 
 
 iddin 
 
 11 NatQ-iddin apal-fiu ia Zir-ukin apal 
 
 12 6a amilu dangu Quia Bll-apal-iddin 
 
 13 amilu dupsar apal-du da Da^-^i-Sa( P) 
 
 apal Nabfl-lit-su 
 
 14 Babilu ara^ Saba(u {Imu 12 kam 
 
 15 dattu 11 kam Nabfi-na'id 
 
 16 k&v Babili 
 
 9 Witnesses: Belapaliddin, the son of 
 
 10 Nabftiddin, the son of Kammanshum- 
 
 iddin ; 
 
 11 N'lbulddin, the son of Zirukin, the son 
 
 12 of the priest of Gula ; Relapaliddin, 
 
 1 i t'le scribe, the son of Dahhisha, tlie son 
 of Xabiilitsu. 
 
 14 I dbylon, in the month Shabat, on the 
 
 i;ith day, 
 
 15 in the 11 th year of Nabuna'id, 
 
 16 King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 3. Nabft-ban-aha. Peiser in his Babyl. Ver, wrongly transcribes this name Nabft- 
 ban-zir. The last sign never has the meaning : zlru "seed." Strass. in his C'aniby. cor- 
 rectly transcribes Nabft-ban-afeu (2, 13 ; 309, 11 ; 388, 17). — 4. The rate would therefore 
 be 12 shekels a year on one mana, or 20 per cent. The form ma-ni-1 is generally used in 
 this connection. For other examples see Tallq. p. 86 and Peiser Babyl. Ver. p. 319ft, 
 — 9. amilu mu-kin-nu is evidently demanded by the sense. — 10. Wabd-iddin. Traces 
 of the iddin can be distinctly seen. — 11. The iu at the end of the line is either omit- 
 ted or written so lightly as to escape detection. — 13. Dab-hi-Sa. I doubt whether this 
 name is read correctly. 
 
 Iddinmarduk'had loaned Nabubanaha 3 mana through the agency of 
 Belrimanni. This money was to bear interest monthly, and consequently 
 monthly payments are demanded. Belrimanni seems to have been a man 
 like the modern real estate agent. He gives a receipt for the money in- 
 trusted to him to Iddinmarduk, and receives one from Nabubanaha, to 
 whom he had given the money; here his responsibility ends. He doubt- 
 less received a commission commensurate with the service he had per- 
 formed for Iddinmarduk from the latter. This we might find recorded 
 upon another tablet. 
 
 NO. 25. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 . < T nm t7< ^! V -<M 
 
38 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 , IL ET ^T H< ^I V - <!- T -m -1141 I? I W 
 
 J -^ tT- ^^tl^T -^ TJ -^T <Xlt] EE vl f<:^!^T 
 « 3:T:rI <!! «=!!!«= V :<:TtT -II e^ y Tf V I? -^T v H s^l 
 . T £^I .>-f <ti^J W Xlt] -m 1 1^ -^ 5H I vT ^ 
 
 „ < rl- -El V I ^-^tltT -1T<! « s^ 131 
 
 
 Tt^ 
 
 »*ff- ►» 
 
 f Tf 
 
 nT? ^ yn -f R -TT<T 
 
 If H< I? B*:^I I ^ 
 
 14 
 
 i^ -^ ET<I -^ I --I^ iti^l vllf Ks IM V 
 
 ■, I -III -I<I4l If I £vl -4' <«^EI W I 'M'^I'^I «^E5 
 
 ,.If I V Its^:pflf Tf ]J.^^]^ 
 „< ^ tin I -^I ^+ or^^'i i; I V I s^I -I- ^ 
 ■8 If ^ yn --f -< V t1^} <IEI 2<if El 
 „^I«7 t^ "^ <I cS "^tM Et «^^ 
 
EletentU Year of Ndbonidus. 
 
 3D 
 
 
 Tablet of a dark gray color, 2 x 2',; Inches. The left side Is smooth and flat, and contains no 
 writing. In general, the writing upon the tablet Is plain, only In some places It Is worn away to 
 such a degree that decipherment Is Impossible. The upper left hand corner of the obverse, as well 
 as of the reverse. Is entirely broken off. At the end or the tablet t';ere Is also a bad break, but this 
 probably contained only a few signs. Line il Is Just on the lower edge, which It completely Alls. 
 
 TransUUration. 
 
 1 11 tu kaspi 6a ina pan [apal- 
 
 2 §a Id-da-a 9 tu kaspi da ina pan 
 
 3 Natd-zir-iki-Sa apal-fiu §a Sakan-§am 
 
 Iddin-Marduk 
 
 4 apal-Su 6a Iki-fia-apla a-na ill i-ti-li 
 
 5 1/3 ma-na kaspi Sa ina pan Ri-mut 
 
 apal-6a Sa 
 
 6 NabCl-ukin-apla t-a-na-air apal-6u ia 
 
 7 Mu-sal-li-mu a-na i-li i-ti-li 
 
 8 ka-ru-u Sa ka-pak-i A-Sa-a-na-6ad sa- 
 
 bit 
 
 9 Arad-Marduk 6a ka-ri-6u-nu aii-us-ti- 
 
 nu 
 
 10 . . . siri 15 tu kaspi 6a ina pan Had- 
 6i- 
 
 11 u gal-la 6a Nabfi-ri-man-ni 
 
 12 5 ta !;aspi 6a ina pan Tat-ni-i- 
 
 13 apal ainiiu §angu il" 2ja-ri-ku a-ha-a- 
 
 ta-6u-nu 
 
 14 amllu mu-kin-nu Marduk-iti-ir apal-6u 
 
 ia 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 11 shekels of money which are to be re- 
 
 ceived from , the son 
 
 2 of Idda, (and) 9 shekels of money which 
 
 are to be received from 
 
 3 Nabiizirikisha, the son of Shakanshum, 
 
 — Iddinmardiik, 
 
 4 the son of Ikishapla, upon (his) account 
 
 are made out ; 
 
 5 3^ mana of money, which is to be re- 
 
 ceived from Rimut, the son of 
 
 6 Xabukiuapla, — Eanasir, the sou of 
 
 7 JNlusallim, upon (hisj account is made 
 
 out; 
 
 8 a measure of Ashanashad took ; 
 
 9 Aradmarduk according to their meas- 
 
 ures 
 
 10 of land ; 15 shekels which are to 
 
 be received from Radshi 
 
 11 and the slave of Naburlmanni 
 
 (and) 
 
 12 5 shekels of money which are to be re- 
 
 ceived from Tabnea, 
 
 13 the son of th€ priest of Zariku, are their 
 
 shares. 
 
 14 Witnesses: Marduketer, the son of 
 
40 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 15 Rimut apal Arad-Nirgal Nabtl-irii 
 
 16 apal-fiu Sa Tab-ni-i-a apal A^a-ba-ni 
 
 17 u amilu dupsar Arad-Marduk apal-du 
 
 ila Bit-tl-ia 
 
 18 apal amilu fiangu Bil Babilu arcfe 
 
 19 dmu 24 kam iattu 11 kam Nabd-na'id 
 
 fiar 
 
 20 Babili 10 gur il.bar ia 
 
 21 la-pc-ni Itrti- [apai:?,] 
 
 22 Bil-nafir a-na 
 
 15 Rimut, the son of Aradnergal ; Nabft- 
 
 eresh, 
 IG the son of Tabneu, the son of Ahabani ; 
 
 17 and the scribe Aradmarduk, the son of 
 
 Eittia, 
 
 18 the sou of the priest of Bel. Babylon, 
 
 in the month I-uzu, 
 
 19 on the 24 th day, in the 11 th year of 
 
 Nabftna'id, King 
 
 20 of Babylon. 10 measures of grain, which 
 
 21 is to receive from Itti , (the son of) 
 
 22 Celnasirfor 
 
 NOTES. 
 1. ina pan is here equivalent to ina mifefei or, as I prefer to read, ina Hi. It means 
 "in the service of," and tlion in an extended sense, "to Im? received from." .See Tallq. p. 
 116, p4nu, 3. — 8. A very difficult line, ka-ru-u I take to mean "measure," though 
 that word is generally written karu (cf. Tallq. p. 79) and not karft. Tut then the Greek 
 KOpoffhas both vowels short, showing that the pronunciation must have varied, kt- 
 pak-i can possibly be some variety of grain, the general term for which, ii.bar, the 
 scribe mentions in line 20. — 9. an-u»-ti-nu can only be a provisional reading. — 10. 
 jl-i. Aradmarduk must therefore have received his share in real estate. — 13. a-^a-i- 
 ta-Su-au. This form is found also in Strass., Nabn. 572, 10; 653, 9; and Nbk. SCO, 7. 
 — Dated in the year 544 B. C. — 20. The scribe had forgotten to Insert the three 
 lines 20-22 in their proper place in the body of the writing, therefore, in order not to 
 omit them entirely, he adds them as a postscript here at the end. — 21. la-p»-ni is the 
 exact equivalent of the Hebrew ''!3S7 . For other examples see Tallq. pp. 89, 90; Pel- 
 ser, Bab. Ver. CXXX, 19; S. A. Smith, Kellschrlfttexte Assurbanipals III, p. 69; and 
 Del., Assyr. Gram. p. 224. 
 
 The explanation of this tablet is easier than its translation. Very- 
 likely the tablet has reference to proceedings in some law court. A cer- 
 tain amount of money and grain, perhaps an inheritance, is divided 
 among Iddinmarduk, Eanasir, Ashanashad, Aradmarduk, and finally 
 two other persons, whose names are broken off. Iddinmarduk gets 20 
 shekels; Eanasir, also 20; Ashanashad, a measure of some substance, the 
 value of which probabably also amounted to 20 shekels; Aradmarduk 
 takes his share according to their measures^ that is, 20 shekels worth, 
 in real estate; then the first nameless person receives his 20 shekels, 15 
 
 from Radslii and the slave of Naburimanni, and 5 from Tabnea ; 
 
 finally, Itti pays to the last creditor the latter's 20 shekels in 
 
 grain. 
 
Thirteenth Tear of Nabonidus. 41 
 
 NO. *ZQ. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 , J- El -^T ;s nu ?f<^^i Y I <m --f i^^J nil ^ 
 
 JU V T "^tl::! J^ !<« -^ It T ^I- I :=^ 
 
 »ETt <- EII V T ^^ItT ►^ ^ 5? ^I ET<T 
 jf T S^T :^ytT ^IT4i II II ^ ^III ti 
 .V U El -^I IS im IK ^I V SSI -<:::^ItT 
 ,1 £1 :s: sil I UlEf IK ^\ -<tiltl A I -^ 
 
 ,t- j£^ :^ <i-m -V < m IK ^'i < I- !=nii- 
 
 ., V S^I A4f > El<I EE \}t\ X^\ ^11 111 
 
 „ < ^iti Etii IK ^i E^n -f t^M -iiiiiiii 
 
 AT > <T <T.-T "-"-TT T ^»-TI TSSaSSSSS^M^SMS^ 
 
 sii EH '3^ SP8 :=$ + ::^mmmmm 
 jniti <t:<M V iK^n Kiiiiiiiiiii 
 
 ,,^ -^ Ml ^ I -^^iti -^ ^ :?^ ^I nil 
 „IU V I -Mil ^?^^ S: Tl I S?=I s?=ltl ^HA II II 
 „ I «PitIt! R^^ ::^II II I V I -=:f ^M -^ ^ s^ ^I EM 
 
42 
 
 T7i€ Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 ,, < ;^ yn I -^! ^v If ; V I -+ <sM -T 
 
 ,n I SI ^^ ^^El V ^^f <TgT 2<i; EI! 
 
 ,^I < T «^EE -^ < HI "^EE I -Pl^M MMMI 
 
 f-^- 
 
 84 
 
 LEFT S/DE. 
 
 as 
 
 26 
 
 - n V :^ V ^- - <: EH 7^ 
 :fF4 V I -^l ^ 
 
 Tablet of a dar'- «mbpr color shading to black, ihx 2?i Inches. The signs are weD made, ond 
 jcver the entire sunace of the tablet. Both forners of the right side are broken ofT. renderliig 
 lines 1, 10-16. 22. and m imompieie. This tablet undonbtwily ttelougs to the n*ign of Nabuua'id. im 
 the break in line 28. though large In extent in the above text, will admit of but one sign on the 
 tablet. 
 
 Tranditeraiion. 
 
 1 1/2 ma-oa 6 (u kaspi fia Itti-Marduk- 
 
 -bala^u 
 
 2 apal-6u 6a Nab^-a^i-iddin apal 1-gi- 
 
 bi 
 
 3 ina Hi Na-din apal-iu Sa Nirgal-t^r 
 
 4 apal Ba-bu-tu u Nu-ub-ta-a afifiat-fia 
 
 5 marat-su Sa Nab(i-mu-Si-ni-ud-da 
 
 6 apal t-sag-gil-ai ina lib-bi 
 
 7 &a 1 /3 ma-na 6 tu kaspi && ar^a ina 
 
 Ui 
 
 8 1 ma-ni-i 1 {u kaspi ina Ui-Su-nu 
 
 Trantlalion. 
 
 1 3 a niana, 6 shekel.* of money, which Tt- 
 
 tiinardiik. . . .bulatu, 
 
 2 the Bon of Xab^hiddin, the son of K;ri- 
 
 bi, 
 
 3 is to recpfTP from Nadin, the son of 
 
 NtTfrah'ler, 
 
 4 the son of Babutu and NflbtA, bis wife, 
 
 5 the danghtJT of Nubitniusheniudda, 
 
 6 the son of Esaggiiai. Thereupon 
 
 7 X mana, 6 shekels of money every mouth 
 
 at the rate of 
 
 8 I upon 1 maiia 1 shekel of money, against 
 
 them 
 
Tldrteentli Year vf Naborddns. 
 
 43 
 
 9 i--at-bi u 1/4 10 ^u kaspi u-6ib-u 
 
 10 Sa blti 6adl i-di blt-ia .... 
 
 11 u ti-ra kaspi-ia niaS-ka-[ni:] 
 
 12 sat-ta ti- a-Su ia-[a-ta( P ] 
 
 13 tlt-su-nu gab-ti ma§-k[a-nv] 
 
 14 a-di ill Sa kaspi-Su i-§u-[u] .... 
 
 15 .imilu mu-kin-nu Nabfi-mu-fii-nl-ud- 
 
 [d.] 
 
 16 apal-Su da Bil-iir-itni apal 1-sag-gil-ai 
 
 17 Nabii-garmil apal-fiu fia NatA-mu-Si- 
 
 ni-ud-da 
 
 18 apal t-sag-gil-ai Nattl-u jur-§u apal-fiu 
 
 da 
 
 19 Ba-la-ta apal Mi-si^-ai Ikl-§a-apla 
 
 20 apal-Sa §a A-pak-kal-ia apal t-gi-bi 
 
 21 u amilu dupsar Wa-din apal-§u sa 
 
 Ni.'gal-iti: 
 
 22 apal Ba-bu-tu Babilu arah NIsannu 
 
 23 Gmu 14 kam Sattu 13 kam Natvi-na'id 
 
 24 kax Babili 
 
 25 ina a-sa-bi h& Bil-lit-su-nu 
 23 ununu ha. Na-din 
 
 5) are to incroasp, and )i (on every. 10 
 shekels of money they are to pluee 
 
 10 in the house to the east liand of my 
 
 hou.se, 
 
 11 and tUey are to return my money. The 
 
 security 
 13 they took, they are to return it to me(?). 
 1.1 '! heir whole house is security, 
 U until that his money is (paid). 
 1.^ \'. itnesses: Xaln'unusheniudda, 
 
 IC tlie son of J?elziril)nl, the son of Esag- 
 ffiliii ; 
 
 17 Xabujramil, the son of Nabftmtisheniud- 
 
 da, 
 
 18 the son of Esaggilai ; Xabusurshu, the 
 
 son of 
 
 19 Kalatu, the son of Misirai ; Ikishapla, 
 
 20 the son of Appakkalia, th(!.son of Egi- 
 
 bi; 
 
 21 and the scribe Nadin, the son of Nergal- 
 
 eter, 
 
 22 the son of Eabutu. Babylon, in the 
 
 month Nisan, 
 
 23 on the 14 th day, in the 13 th year of 
 
 Nabuna'id, 
 
 24 King of Habylon. 
 
 25 Fn the presence of Eellitsunu, 
 20 the mother of Xadin. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. There is a break at the end of the line. Itti-marduk-balatu, however is a complete 
 and common name. (See inde.x: to proper names.) 'I here might have been some flaw in 
 the clay of the tablet when the scribe wrote it, and this may have led him to pass 
 over the small space. If this be so, the name is complete. — 6. t-sag-gil-ai. (Cf. also 
 IG, 1. 10, and note.) It is a question whether these names ending in u\ are adjective forms 
 or have passed over and become ordinary proper names. I should be incdined to the lat- 
 ter view. We have a good parallel in the proper names of slaves among the Romans. 
 "Syrus, Medus" at first meant "the Syrian, the Mede," then the terms became used as 
 ordinary names. In line 19 we have Mi-sir-ai "the Egyptian" also used as a proper 
 Jiame. Generally, however, these forms are family names, ina libbi 6a "thereupon." See 
 Pciser's renderings, Bab, Ver. p. 318/>. — - 'Ihe real interest shall be one shekel on every 
 
44 TTie Metropolitan Mv^eum of Art. 
 
 mana, that is, \% percent. But to this amount must be added tbe interest spoken of in 
 line 9, which is 2K per cent, making tbe total interest for every month 4 1-6 percent, 
 ma-ni-i. See Tallq. p. S6. — 9. u-i b-u. Strass., Xbk, 137, 11, has the form ui-Sik-u. 
 — 11. 12. ti-ra. A peculiar form from taru. It is in tbe dual, agreeing with tbe subject: 
 Nadin and bis wife, aabta is in the dual for the same reason. — 22. Tbe first signs 
 show that "Nisau" is tbe month mentioned. — 25, 20. Women, as a rule, were not al- 
 lowed to act as witnesses. We therefore find tbe short note simply to mention tbe fart 
 that Nadin's mother, Belitsunu, was also present at tbe signing of tbe cootract, thus sig- 
 nifying her assent to her son's actions. 
 
 Ittimardukbalatu had loaned Nadin and his wife 36 shekels. These 
 were to increase at the fixed rate of 4 1-6 per cent, about the usual per- 
 centage for that time. Nadin and Nubta had evidently had some busi> 
 ness transaction before with Ittimardukbalatu, for we find a security 
 mentioned in line 11; but, on account of the break, we are debarred 
 from learning of what nature this security was. However, they gave 
 this back, and, in addition, they gave their house as security in retura 
 for the money loaned. 
 
 NO. 27. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 , - <-ttT 4i. T -ET It' -^T <T- T? I V T -TTv- -TT<T ^Vi 
 ,\} y ^1 ^i 1^ If >- 2<i? -^TT - «=ET 4^ 
 
 .m^ - Ss:^ -ifTI -El ElAT s^? -^ 
 
 BACK. 
 
Thirteenth Year of NdhonirlvJt. 
 
 4B 
 
 
 
 T-^TT^ITMf I^IV Is^^-^in n T^-f 
 
 
 
 <«1 
 
 T 
 
 ►^ <TTT tEt I-vItT^I 4iJf II 
 
 - t^ v^^^tHEJ 
 
 Tablet, on obverse, of a light brown color shading to dark brown ; on reverse, from dark brown 
 to almost black. The signs are distinct and prettily made. Size : l.'a x 2^. The sides are free from 
 writing, excepting the right side, which contains a few signs of lines prolonged from the reverse. 
 
 TransUteratum. 
 
 11/2 ma-na kaspi 6a Itti-Marduk-bala^u 
 apal-du &a. 
 
 2 Nabfl-ahl-iddin apal A-ba-ba-ti-la 
 
 3 ina ill La-a-ba-fii apal-Su && Zi-ri-ia 
 
 4 apal Na-ba-ai ina arafe Samna ina-ad- 
 
 din 
 6 ki-i ina arafe Samna la id-i-nu 
 
 6 k& a- ha ina ili 1 ma-ni-i 1 ^u kaspi 
 
 7 ina ili-Su i-rab-bi 
 
 8 amllu mu-kin Ri-mut-Bil apal-§u da 
 
 Bil-Marduk 
 
 9 apal Sa-am-ma-' Bil-i^ir apal-$u ia 
 
 10 Nab<i-Sum-u8ur apal Bammanu-8am- 
 
 usar 
 
 11 Su-ka-ai apal-du da Kal-ba^a apal Babu- 
 
 u-tu 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 yi mana of money which Ittimarduk- 
 
 balatu, the son of 
 
 2 NabuahiJdin, the son of Ababatila. 
 
 3 is to receive from Labashi, the son of 
 
 Ziria, 
 
 4 the son of Naba ; in the month 31ap- 
 
 cbesbwan, he will give (it). 
 
 5 If in the month Marcheswan he does 
 
 not give (it), 
 
 6 every month (at the rate of j upon 1 ma- 
 
 na 1 shekel of money 
 
 7 against him it shall increase. 
 
 8 Witnesses : Rimutbel, the son of Bel- 
 
 marduk, 
 
 9 the son of Shamma' ; Beleter, the son 
 
 of 
 
 10 Nabilshumusur, the son of Kammanu- 
 
 shumusiir ; 
 
 11 Siika, the son of Kalba, the son of 15u- 
 
 bMu; 
 
46 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 12 u amilu dupsar Bani-um-ma-gu mir-ftu 
 
 da Bil-a^l-iddia-na 
 
 13 apal ^ir-did-bit Babilu ara^ Ululu 
 
 tivan 6 kam 
 
 14 Sattu 13 kam Nabii-na'id Sar Babili 
 
 13 and the scribe Paniummagu, the son of 
 Belahiddinna, 
 
 13 the son of Sirdit«bbit. Babylon, in the 
 
 month Uluhi, on tlie Cth day, 
 
 14 in the 13 th year ot Nubuaa'id, King of 
 
 Habylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 4. ina-ad-din. The word spelled in this way oc<uirs also in Strass. N'abn. 282, 7. — 
 G. Kate of interest for every month \% per cent, or for the year 20 per cent. — 8. mu- 
 kin. The fin. il nu might have been omitted by the scribe by mistake. 'Ihefonn. how- 
 ever, occurs again in Strass. Nabn. IfiS, 5; Pelser, Hab. Ver. CXLN'II, 10. — iti-am- 
 ma-'. A shortened form for dama-Uu (Strass., Verzeich. zii den Liverpool luM^h. p. 00.) 
 — 14. Dated in the year 542 B. C, as the preceding tablet. 
 
 Ittimardukbalatu has loaned Labashi half of a mana, and haR made 
 an agreement with him that the money is to be returned during the 
 month Marcheshwan. Until that time the money shall bear no interest. 
 But, if payment is not made during tliat month, then interest at 20 jn-r 
 eent a year will accrue against him. Hence the money i.s really loaned 
 for an indefiuite period of years. 
 
 NO. SJ8. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 .15- ^T -A-< ^ t^E ^] -m ti^ Tt -^I -C- i5^v 
 
Fourteenth Year of Nahonldus. 
 
 47 
 
 < < 
 
 .1^ T:^?-ITA:r^ eT tDtT 
 
 BACK. 
 
 < ^ yn T -^ -^I -HIT! A t^IT -+ <^^] 
 .JU V T ^^V] At T? ^ SF -T -TTA -^T 
 ..V fef <m 2s:? :e]& ^I <T «=^ 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 
 » 
 
 t^ V '<^} <m 
 
 Tablet of a dark (/ray color, lMxl>^ Inches. The writing Is very much effaced; in fact, the 
 tablet is ^adually crumbling to pieces. The left side, as In most of these tablets, is not written 
 upon. The above reading is the best possible. 
 
 JVansliteration. 
 
 1 8 ta kaspi i-ti-ru Sa 
 
 2 Ka-ti-lu-tum i-tir-tum a-na Amtu 
 
 3 marat-su ka. Marduk-dum-u^ur Sa-a&- 
 
 Bil-ti 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 8 shekels of money, the pay which 
 
 2 Katilutum paid to Amtu, 
 
 3 the daughter of Marduksbumusur ; 
 
 Shashbelti, 
 
48 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 4 apal-&u fta Nafcfl-itti-aDli apal Hu-pu- 
 
 u illmu 
 
 5 ina ^ata Itti-Marduk-bala(u apal-du 
 
 6a Natd-a^l-iddin 
 
 6 apal t-g^i-bi ma-^ir 
 
 7 i-pu-u6-Sa duppa fia KI.LtT libittu gi- 
 
 nu-u u gi&immaru 
 
 8 a-di u.an.tim &a Nab<i-a^l-iddin 
 
 9 it-ti a-fea-mifi ul bal-tu-u 
 
 10 amilu mu-kin-nu Iddin-Marduk apal- 
 
 6u 6a 
 
 11 I-ki-6a-apla apal Ndr-Sin 
 
 12 Nabfl-iddin apal-&u &a Bil-idauin apal 
 
 amilu nl-fur-gi-na 
 
 13 u "inilii dupsar IddiD-na-^u-nun-(!-iA- 
 
 Marduk 
 
 14 apal-du &a Nabfl-najir apal nmllu ni- 
 
 fur-gi-na 
 
 15 Babilu ara^ Nisannu dmu 14 kam 
 
 16 Aattu 14 kam NabCl-na'id 
 
 17 6ar Babili 
 
 4 the m>u of Nab&ittiapli, tbeinm of Hu- 
 
 ))U, (hi«) price 
 
 5 from the hand)* of Ittimtirduklmlatii, 
 
 the Hon of Nubibihiddin, 
 
 6 the son of Egibi, received. 
 
 7 They made a tablet concerning , 
 
 bricks, offerings, and date palms, 
 
 8 together with a receipt for Nabftabtd- 
 
 din. 
 
 9 Witli one another not will they live. 
 
 10 Witne«M: Iddinnurduk, the Hon of 
 
 11 TlvNhApla, the son of XAmin; 
 
 12 Xahiiiddin, the Min of Helidanin, tlie 
 
 Kon of the man ; 
 
 1.^ and tlie M-ribe IddinnuhununtiHhmur- 
 
 diik, 
 14 the Hon of Nabiinanir, the non of the 
 
 man. 
 
 \U lUibylon, in the montli Ninan, on the 
 
 14th day, 
 in in the 14 th year of Nabiiua'id, 
 17 King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. i-$'.--u must be a substantive here, as the sense and every like construction demand. 
 — 2. i-tir-tum, from the sjime root as tlie preceding, though a change in the first vowel 
 has occurred. This form is also found in Strass. Nahn. 6 0, 17 ; 720, 15 ; Peiser, Kab. 
 Ver. XLIII, 17 ; I^XXl, 7. — Sa-aS-Bil-Ji : we would expect 8i-BA-BU-i(. 'I he last sign, 
 however, is indiHtinct on the tablet. -^ 4. Natii-itti-apli : ''May Xebo be with the 
 sons." — 7. i-pu-i:6-6a is in form the 3rd person plural feminine of the preterite. Kut 
 there is no reason why the feminine should be used. I would again, as in 11,6, regard it as 
 a mistake that has crept into this the colloquial language of Babylon. It will be seen at 
 the first glance how much the different cases are coufoimded, especially in the contract 
 tablets. The Babylonian at this stage resembles the Middle Arabic, where the pronunci- 
 ation of the final vowels w iis often kept, but where, in four cases out of five, the wrong 
 ending was used, leading, in the end, to the dropping of all final vowels. KI.LU may 
 perhaps be an ideogram for yiau "sheep.'* gi-nu-u is taken by Tallqvist (p. 62) to mean 
 "sacrifices, offerings." Peiser (Bab. Ver. pp. 258 and 289) takes it a« e<iuivalent to alpi 
 •'cattle." See also Jercmias, B. A. I. p. 279. — 9. bal-tu-u : from balatu. As the \ and 
 the t were almost identical in pronunciation, the scribe evidently did not make the dis- 
 tinction in this case. Tallqvist, on page 57 of his valuable little book, gives a word 
 
Fovrtcndh Year of Kahouldus. 49 
 
 bal&tu '*fiiln»'ss, blcssin;;,"" Imt this iu(>iinin;Lr evldt'iitly (I(M's not fit into tliis ))as!4ii;r(>. 
 
 12. "nillu ni-8ur-gi-na may incan "tlio muii whti ;;iiiirds the sjuTificial offcrinj; ;" 
 
 from na^aru "to protect" and ginft in lino 7. 1I«' vvoulil thus be an nttiu-he of tlw 
 temple. — 155. 'I he sij^ns ^u and nun are euriout'ly blended f ojfether. — 1(J. Dated 
 in the year 541 1». C. 
 
 Tlu' I'xplanation of this text is easy. Katihittim and hor hiisl»an<l Ttti- 
 iii.-inhikhalatu cletennino to j)art with their servants Anitii and Shasli- 
 l)i'lti. The latter, I wotihi eoiiclude, are a married eoii})le. Eight siiekels 
 are the wages of Amtu, and a similar amount, doubtlessly given on an- 
 other tablet, came into the hamls of Shashhelti. These four set u|) a 
 tablet, giving the amount of work performed; and they add to this the 
 reeeipt of Nabuahiddin, the father of Ittimardnkbalatn, who therefore 
 seems to have been the controlling power in the affairs of the two re- 
 spective couples. Tliis last receipt acted as a final document concerning 
 their mutual relations; that is, it signified that the work had been prop- 
 erly performed, and that Ittimardukbalatu and his wife had to be satis- 
 fied and now had no claims against the servants. Finally, in line 9, we 
 come to the quaint sentence: With one another they will 7iot live. This 
 shows that the rupture between the two couples is complete: they want 
 to have nothing more to do with each other. 
 
 NO. 29. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 .t- V --f -^T If :^ ^T t^: t- ^T t^t 
 
 . - .im I Mil -^ !U V i::ETE^E^!f If K^I^ 
 . If -^l ff< ^l E^ ly M <l-:f J ^ -ll<I t^iiil 
 
 ,it S^ V :::<£ ^:^ It. ^yy v I-vI "^11 If 
 
50 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 ,<T"^II-^ TH VT^TBf:?? !? T i5- -TT<T r^ t<E 
 .T^ -^I T ^TET -+ «^T ^ E!4iT ^t} >& <T-:f! 
 
 ,, V ET<! e:^ T T T "^Tt!::T -V :eTT S:J Tf I V 
 ,.T ^ W T? T iT- fl<T t^ c^E ETAT ^T< 
 „ I ^lEl -«f <:=;^T <^ SP :?:I :eTT e ^Ttt ^.! «= 
 ,.1^ V -4 -^T W < i:- HI t^: ^^- ^T r::^ Tf -^T 
 . <T- E!4i! t-E <M^ \M ES^T IIJ n -^T }}< ^T 
 « <E|:^ EE -I<T1^ 5ItT 9^ « V --f -^TTH t:- -^ t^E 
 ,. I ^ET --f <:=5^T -^^ <:eT ee ^}W Xt^ V -!!<T A -T- 
 
 „ -t- s^ V t^E ^^- ^T <- V -f -^T !? <^-n 
 :<- m t\-- tr ^I s=^E -^T V I? :::^E 
 
 « I? T it} -f <R :=^ I £^T V? in V I ^TET iillllBli 
 « T? ^ :??! T -^ MtW TU V T :s: n I? HlHl 
 
Fourteenth Year of Nabfmldus, 
 
 61 
 
 LEFT SIDE. 
 
 80 
 
 «^i^ V ^^] m 
 
 Tablet of a dark gray color. VA x 2'b Inches. The signs are very lightly made and closely wrlt- 
 tt-n. In fact, the whole tablet Is one conglomeration of signs, there being no space anywhere 
 left unused. The scribe evidently sought to crowd as much as possible on the small piece of clay. 
 On the right side. In some places, very little can be distinguished, as the signs are almost com- 
 pletely rubbed off. There Is, however, but one break on the tablet, and this Is In line 18. where 
 the determinative for woman Is broken out. The other lacuna are caused by the rubbing off of 
 the signs. The fact, that the scrlke .sought to crowd so long a t«xt on so little space, accounts for 
 the omission of manj- of the signs that must be supplied In order to make sense. 
 
 Tranaliteraiion. , 
 
 1 §a-au-na-a Ku-ap-pu-ut-tum 
 
 2 u Tab-lu-tu a-mi-lut-tum §a Itti- 
 
 Marduk-balatu 
 
 3 apal-6a §a Nabvi-ahl-iddin apal t-gi-bi 
 
 4 ina kata Bil-iddin apal-du da Ba-ni-ia 
 
 apal Nirgal-usur 
 
 5 a-na kaspi i-pu-§u u Ri-Sar-[tum] 
 
 3 Ni-lat-tum marat-su Sa Arad-Bil apal 
 Ikti-[Marduk( P ] 
 
 7 u BU-iddin apal-§u §a Ba-ni-ia apal Ri- 
 
 Sar-tum 
 
 8 kaspa Sima pi-§a-an-na u Ku-up-pu-ut- 
 
 tum 
 
 9 a^na Itti-Marduk-balatu id-di-nu u 
 10 Tab-lu-tu marat-su Sa-an-na-a 
 
 Translation. 
 
 1 Shanna, Kupputtum, 
 
 2 and Tablutu, the slaves which Ittimar 
 
 dukbalatii, 
 
 3 the son of Nabftahiddin, the son of Egi- 
 
 bi, 
 
 4 from the hands of Beliddin, the son of 
 
 Rania, the son of Nergalusur, 
 r> for money received. And Rishartiim 
 (and) 
 
 6 >«ilattum, the daughter of Aradbel, the 
 
 son of Ikblmarduk, 
 
 7 and Beliddui, the son of Baniu, the son 
 
 of Rishartum, 
 
 8 for money, an equal price, and KApput- 
 
 tum 
 
 9 to Ittiniardukbalatu gave ; also 
 10 Tablutu, the daughter of ShjlnnSs 
 
52 
 
 Tlte Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 11 a-di-i kaspi-du id-din Itti-Marduk- 
 
 balatu 
 
 12 u-mafi-Si-ru adi Hi nar[a4-ut-tu] 
 
 13 da-ta-ra 6a Naba-balaf-su-i^bi apal-iu 
 
 da 
 
 14 Bani-ia apal Bi-Aar-tum i(-bal 
 
 15 Itti-Marduk-bala^u ni-si-su i-kat-lul 
 
 16 &aran-nar-a u Ku-up-pu-ut-tum a-na 
 
 17 6i-dartum ul i-iar-ra^ku ama kaapi 
 
 18 ul i-nam-di-nu &a-an-na-a u [Ri]-§ar- 
 
 tum 
 
 19 Itti-marduk-bala(u ki-i u-tir i» ri-^i-ti 
 
 20 BU-iddia u Ni-lat-tum uinmi>iu it-ta- 
 
 din 
 
 21 Ni-lat-tum pu-ut daran-na-a u 
 
 23 Ku-ui)-pu-ut-tuin na-6a-a-tum 
 
 23 ainllu mu-kia-nu BU-di-^ir apal-du ia 
 
 24 apal Nab-i^-bi Ardi-ia apal-Au &a Itti- 
 
 25 apal »">'>" dakanu Iddin-NabCl apal-6u 
 
 6a 9al-a apal 
 
 26 Itti-Nab<i-bala(u »i»ilu dupaar apal-6a 
 
 6a Marduk-iddin 
 
 27 apal Bil-i-ti-ni 
 
 28 Babilu ara^ Nisannu (iinu 20 kam 
 
 29 6attu 14 kam Nabd-na'id 
 
 30 6ar Babili 
 
 11 tojrethor witli his money < tliat • h»- gav«', 
 
 Itti miirdu k balat u 
 
 12 left l»ehind, until the biddin^^ 
 
 13 in writing; of Nabubuluti<uikbi, the M>n 
 
 of 
 
 14 Bania, tlie xon of Kisliartum, Itf \\ill 
 
 bring. 
 
 15 Ittimurdukbulatii his bidding hu- fiil- 
 
 fillod. 
 IC Shanna and K&pp&ttum for 
 IT a prcitent not will he prei«ent (or) for 
 
 money 
 
 18 not will he iiell. Sb&nmi and Kixhurtun) 
 
 19 Tttimardukbalatu, when be return* 
 
 what renutinder (there in), 
 'JO (Ui) Keliddin and Nihittum, \\ii mother, 
 he will give. 
 
 21 Nilaltum the receipt (concerning > Shtiii- 
 
 nA and 
 
 22 Kupputtum will bring. 
 
 2y Witnowes: ISeldihir, the i»on of , 
 
 24 the son of Nahikbi ; Ardia, the >(>ii of 
 
 Ittl , 
 
 25 the Hon of the overseer: Iddinnabu, the 
 
 son of Sula, the Mon of ; 
 
 28 Ittinabiibulatu, the Mrribe, the M>n of 
 Mardukiddin, 
 
 27 the son of Beleteru. 
 
 28 Pabylon, in the month Nisan, on tlic 
 
 20tbday, 
 'Z^ in the 14 th year of Nabuna'id, 
 30 King of Ikibylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. a-ml-lut-tum and gallu are used interchangeably. — 4. The determinative Hu "god" 
 is omitted before Nirgal. — 5. The space in the word i-pu — 6u denote* an era-suiv by 
 the seribe on the tablet. "And" must be "supplied at the end of the line, as Hi6artum 
 and Nilattum were two different women. — 8. pi-6a-an-Da-a "equal;" compare the 
 Hebrew DDS "to divide," hence "to divide into equal ijurts," then, "equal." pi-da-an- 
 na in Strass. Xabu. 186, 5; 213, 2 ; 1029, 7 is undoubtedly the same word. — 11. Notiee 
 
Fmirteeidh Year of Nahonidus. 63 
 
 li<»\v pecuJUirly id-din is written. 'Ihe horizontal wedge lias the value of nad&nu, and 
 the three slanting wedges must here be taken as the phonetic complement din : giving 
 us iis the complete word the form iddin. — 1">. Sa-^a-ra I would take here a^ <«n ad- 
 vi'rhiiil accusative, or as an uccusitive of specification. Compare "Ittw and Ixm. — ■ 
 14. i^bal. Iftcal of abalu. — lii. ni-si-su. Perhaps this might be a secondary form of 
 nadfltu "bidding" from nadd. That the & should go over into s would not be a strange 
 thing in colloquial language. However, I ofter this only as a suggestion. — 17. &i-da- 
 tum i woidd connect with SidCl -'tribute," cf. Sanh. II, 5,'>. It fits especially well with 
 i-Sar-ra-ku, from Saraku "to give, present," though the former is spelled with k and 
 the latter with ^. — 18. Bi-6ar-tum. Ri Is omitted by the scribe by mistake : also 
 the two combined vertical wedges at the end of the sign tir in line 19. — 20. ana invsr 
 be supplied at the beginningof this line. — 24. Nab-ik-bi, a contracted form of Nal tl- 
 Hfbi. It is strange that the scribe has not recognized this and written the god's name 
 with tlie determinative. I consider this a good exjimple of how the Assyrian proper 
 names were read. I believe that Nabft In proper names was read as it is here, and not, as 
 in other cases, we are accustomed to tnmscribe it. I?ut as Assyrian is a written and not a 
 sjioken language for us, we must transcribe the signs as they stand. — 28. The vSua. 
 s'lrn din is omitted before Babilu. — 29. Dated in the year 541 B. C, as the preceding 
 tablet. 
 
 The sense of the tablet is briefly the following. Ittiraardiikbalatu has 
 been commissioned by Nabubalatsuikbi to acquire foi aim the three fe- 
 male slaves Shanna, Kupputtura, and Tablutu. Rishartum and Nilattum 
 and Beliddin, who seem to have had some interest in the slave Knpput- 
 tiim, hereby signify their assent to the sale. But Ittimardukbalatu is 
 fii-st required to show on what authority he purchases the slaves. He 
 therefore leaves Tablutu and Shanna behind him as security, and depos- 
 its the money in order to bind the bargain, and goes to obtain a tablet 
 from Nabubalatsuikbi, giving him authority to purchase the slaves. 
 Probably Ittimardukbalatu was no ruspousible person, hence this de- 
 mand was made. He is also required by the sellers neither to present the 
 slaves to anybody, nor to sell them. The latter seem to have had a 
 kind heart, for this condition was made, evidently, in order to protect 
 the slaves from ever obtaining an unkind and cruel master. Ittimarduk- 
 balatu, when he returns the "change" to his employer, will finally hand 
 over the purchase money to Beliddin and his mother, and will receive 
 from the latter a receipt for two of the slaves. About the final disposal 
 of the third slave, the want of room prevented the scribe from giving 
 us any information. We are therefore compelled to wait for another 
 tablet on this sul ject. 
 
54 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. 30. 
 
 FRONT. 
 
 ,v T"^f :f:n^ in V T 'Mil ET V 
 
 .1^ ^ ^jn --f ^T ^T T MtM t^E 
 JU V -W- -El If T? I « ^T«=T 5M 
 AVn I -III 9^ TH V I -^11 ET V 
 .n ^ ^OII -+ -^I ^I - JTtt 
 ,t5- «=III!«= ■:::^M 5^ CU es: v 
 
 sET A 5w J?:? V 
 
 .Uff CM H<^T - <-II<!! ^!1MI 
 
 ,.If I V T ttT -ET TMf T :?: <« -f 
 „+ ^ET ^M ^!- TM V T ^Ttl -^T Vi 
 
 uin V T -W- -ET If !M « ^W ^M 
 ,» V ^M <!EI Sif ^t= 
 
 .: T ►^tlt! ^ 
 
 t^ V ^^:^f <IEI 
 
Fourteenth Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 65 
 
 Tablet of a light maroon color. \u x \% Inches. The signs are blurred and difficult to decipher. 
 The left side Is not inscrllwd. In the first line or the reverse there Is a large hole, which destroys 
 the lower part (the vertical vf edge) of the sign tar. 
 
 Transliteration. 
 
 1 10 fu kaspi na-ad-ut-ti 
 
 2 §a N^r-l-a apal-Su fia Bll-ikl-Sa 
 
 3 apal "milu Sangu i'" Na-na Nabfl-iriS 
 
 4 apal-Su Sa l^il-la-a apal Man-di-di 
 6 u Bll-fiu-nu apal-Su Sa Bll-ikl-fia 
 
 6 apal aniil" Sangu ••" Na-na ina ijata 
 
 7 U-ka-ga-tu-ra-fiad 
 
 8 ma-hi-ir i-lat 
 
 9 1/3 4 \u kaspi ina gim-ru 
 
 10 amllu mu-kin-nu '1» Dainu-zir-ibni 
 
 11 apal-Su Sa Ab-la-a apal tpl-iS-ilu 
 
 12 La-di-pi apal-Su Sa Di-na-a 
 
 13 u amtlu dupsar Nabft-iriS 
 
 14 apal-Su Sa §il-la-a apal Man-di-di 
 
 15 Babilu arab Simanu 
 
 16 iimxi 18 kam Sattu 14 kam 
 
 17 NabO.-na'id Sar Babili 
 
 TVanslatuyn. 
 
 1 10 shekels of money, the ))idding 
 
 2 of Xun-a, the son of Belikisha, 
 
 3 the son of the priest of Nana ; Nabiieresh, 
 
 4 tlw son of Sillii, the son of Mandidi ; 
 
 5 and Belshumi, the son of Belikisha, 
 
 the son of the priest of Nana, from the 
 hands of 
 
 7 Ukagaturashad 
 
 8 have received ; in addition 
 
 9 i}4 shekels of money in vegetables (she 
 
 paid ? ). 
 
 10 Witnesses : Dainiiziribni, 
 
 11 the son of Abh\, the son of Epeshihi ; 
 
 12 Ladipi, the son of Dina, 
 
 13 and the scribe Nabueresh, 
 
 14 the son of Silla, the son of Mandidi. 
 
 15 Babylon, in the mouth Siraan, 
 
 IG on the 18 th day,in the 14 th year of 
 17 Xa])una'id, King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 8. ma-fei-ir is the singular; we would expect the phiral. i-lat : see note to 13, 11. — - 
 9. gim-ru : see Tallqvist p. CI. The latter takes it to be the uam(! of some produce men- 
 tioned together with grain and vegetables. — 10. Hu Dalnu-zir-ibni. The fourth sign 
 of the name is tar ; in Briinnow's Cla'ssified List (No. 9541) the reading is not given. The 
 above Is only tentative. — 12. The first sign is evidently a mistake on the part of the 
 scribe. The sense requires that only the vertical wedge should stand here. The wedge 
 crossing it is out of place. The family name of the last witness is omitted. — 16. Dated 
 in the year 541 B. C, as the two preceding tablets. 
 
 Ukagaturashad had embarked in the grocery business. She had re- 
 ceived a commission from Nurea, Nabutum, and Belshunu to furnish 10 
 shekels worth of groceries as well as 4 J shekels worth of vegetables. She 
 acquitted herself of this commission, and obtained this tablet as a re- 
 ceipt. 
 
66 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. 31. 
 
 FJtONT. 
 
 -+ <:=5^T 111 
 JU V I ^tltlJ^ !<« ►^ TH stH :=^ < T s,:? H 
 
 ,EIAT 5*:^! ^ -Til SfJT 1? -+ V :eI<I <iI 
 
 HACK. 
 
 n T? T ^11 ^\ -II: -cTT S^T «=£^ :^? <IiJ 
 
 T ^cTtT EE «=£^ > '<;^} <m 
 
 Tablet of a light fawn color, 13< x 2 Inches. The signs are very small and. In some places. Indis- 
 tinctly made. The writing Is divided Into three parts : First, the obverse, giving the subject mat- 
 
Sixteenth Year of Nabonidus. 
 
 57 
 
 ter of the tablet, with a large space below, which extends to the top of the reverse. S<'con(lly, 
 one and oue-third Hues ou the upper part of the roverse, which contain the nanie and parent^ige 
 of but one witness. Below this there Is again a large space. Finally, four lines containing the 
 name of the scrll)e and the date. This careful division of the text shows that the scribe must 
 have been a painstaking man. 
 
 None of the sides Is written upon. The right hand upper corner of the obverse Is broken off, 
 otherwise the tablet would be complete. 
 
 Transliteration. 
 
 1 u.an.tim fia i-piS-fia duppu fia Itti- 
 
 Marduk-[balaf : 1 
 
 2 apal-du ia Nabfk-e^i-iddin apal t-gi-bi 
 
 u [Kal-ba-a] 
 
 3 apal-6u fia Nabd-a^i-iddiii apal t-gi-bi 
 
 i-pu-5u 
 
 4 Kal-ba-a fiatta ill 10 (u kaspi a-na 
 
 5 Itti-Msjduk-balatu ul-ti-la u 4 1/2 fu 
 
 kaspi 
 
 6 ri-h-tum Kal-ba-a a-na Itti-Marduk- 
 
 bala^u 
 
 7 it-ta-din iSti-in ta.a.an Sa-^a-ni il-ti- 
 
 ku-u 
 
 8 amihi mu-kin-nu Iddin-Nabfl apal-du Sa 
 
 Iki-da-apla 
 O apal Bil-ibni 
 
 10 Itti-Nabii-balatu amiln dupsar apal-du 
 
 fia Marduk-ban-zir 
 
 11 apal BU-itir aid Bit^fiar-i irsitu 
 
 12 ara^ Diizu {imu 23 kam fiattu 16 kam 
 
 13 Nabfl-na'id fiar m^t Babili 
 
 Tranfilaliim. 
 
 1 The receipt which i« made out f namely) 
 
 the tablet, which Ittimardiikbalatu, 
 
 2 the son of Nabuahiddin, the son of 
 
 Egibi, and Kalba, 
 
 3 the son of NabAahiddin, the son of Kgi- 
 
 bi, made. 
 
 4 Kalba every year about 10 shekels of 
 
 money to 
 
 5 Ittimardukbalatii will pay, and 4>^ shek- 
 
 els of money, 
 
 6 the remainder, KaIV>a unto Ittimarduk- 
 
 balatu 
 
 7 will give. One document they took. 
 
 8 Witness: Iddinnubu, the son of Ikishap- 
 
 la, 
 
 9 the son of Belibnf. 
 
 10 Tttinabfibalatu, the scribe, the son of 
 
 Mardukbanzir, 
 
 11 the son of Beleter. In the city Bitshare, 
 
 12 in the month Dvizu, on the 23 rd day, in 
 
 the 16 th year of 
 
 13 Nabtlna'id, King of Babylon. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 4. Satta. Note the insertion of an a between the signs an and na. All four signs must 
 be read as au ideogram. — 5. ul-ti-la for ufitila : Ifteal of ilu, — 7. il-ti-ku-u : Ifteai 
 of liku. — 8. As a general rule two or more witnesses were required for every legal 
 action ; here only one is mentioned. The scribe, however, can be considered the second. 
 — 12. Dated in the year 539 B. C. 
 
68 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 Two brothers, Kalba and Ittiraardukbalatii, enter into an agreement 
 concerning the disposal of certain funds, perhaps left to them by their 
 deceased father. Kalba seems to possess a generous heart, for he prom- 
 ises his brother a yearly support of 10 shekels, besides giving him the 
 remainder left over from the money inherited from his father. 
 
PART II. 
 
NO. 1. 
 
 VB VKRHE. 
 
 , T ►+ «^T 4f ^' I s^^ T? ►^K -f H-V :5??^ !? 
 
 , T ^tTtT fl^' T? 4V t£ 11! I? ->T T E! -^ 
 
 ;MT ^ AT? 
 , I? ^u .^ ^1 tt ^ Sif ^ t^ -T<!i! •^ ^ "f 11 
 
 ^5^ ^I f ^^ t:? ^^ :eI cH? 
 
 ^ If 
 
 : - WT 3T! I -Mil ^ S^I £*. -^ illill IT w 
 J EE -^ «^I ^ fell! >-%\ ti IHIiilJT 
 » ! ^11 ^ ■■ f ! -^ -»7 ^ .^ J^t!^! 
 
 ,„ ! ^t^T^T J.!^ <!- !f ! .d^ <« --t 
 
 „ ! IH -f !? ! :e!- ! E! .^ i^} 
 
 REVERSK. 
 
 .... <!-£! £^ 'ifi" ! ^-v\ -} -!!v ^< -:: ^] ^V 
 
 « ^! <!!! ^ -^ EElt! -!I» t^ -W, 
 
62 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 „-+ <« -^ ^^ ^ t£v V -f hs 
 
 Tablet liglit brown, beautifully glaze-l. The obverse in very much effaced by 
 cracks and breaks, but the reverHC is perfect li{x2.l inches. The signs are beautifully 
 made. Line 4 is jtrolonged over the right edge. The king's name in the last line is 
 very plain. 
 
 1 30 bilium kaspi ia tkinuiii //«>< )li init 
 
 liun Sum-iddin 
 
 2 MarduJc-mumUlhii S'ir-<i-ni-Miir-<luk- 
 
 apal Kir-H-i-ma 
 
 3 Nabfi-iiMsalUin a-ki-i-nut a-na i uui-na 
 
 Mini 
 
 4 u-iui Satiuii i-nu arah Vlula i-iiam-di' 
 
 nu iiti-ln jni-ul iia-)d-l na-iu-u 
 
 5 ki-i imi arah Ululu 10. id-dan-nu hxhi 
 
 6 u Ui4\l4a i-nam-di-juL 
 
 7 ina i)\anzazu Bil-ipa-ui (/iwi}/m) 
 
 daiHH 
 
 8 Na*id-Mardnk {anidK) iamju la 
 
 hi 
 
 9 Jiil-iriii [ajHil-iu] «a Xa-na-a-ni-ll 
 
 10 Nabu-gal-lim apal Ipi'ii-Uu 
 
 1 1 Arad-ilu npal Bab-dii-bani-i 
 
 12 n {amilu) dupnar Xabu-itir-futpiati 
 
 Nippur a 
 
 13 fimu 13 kam mUa r'li iarrulu 
 
 14 Sin-ium^iiir iar {nuU) Aiiur{ki) 
 
 1 Thirty talent« uf money, belonging 
 
 to Shamash, to be received of 
 •Shumiddiu, 
 
 2 Mardukmusallim, Sharraiiimarduk- 
 
 apul, Kim*ma, tand) 
 
 3 Nabiimusallim. Accordingly, for 
 
 one mans sheep 
 ■1 to Shamash in the month Ululu they 
 will give. One for the other is 
 security. 
 
 5 If in the month Ululu they will not 
 
 give (them I, the sheep 
 
 6 and the young (i) they will give. 
 
 7 In the presence of Belepiish, the 
 
 jndge ; 
 
 8* NaMdmarduk, the priest ; 
 
 9 Deleri'sh, the sou of Nanuonili; 
 
 10 Nabiigallim, the son of Epi'shilu; 
 
 11 Aradilu, the son of Babdishbano; 
 
 12 and the scribe Nabueti-mapshati. 
 
 Nippur, 
 
 13 on the 13th day, in the accession 
 
 year of 
 
 14 Sinshumlishir, King of Assyria. 
 
 Thirty talents of money are due the god Shamash, or rather his temple at Nippur 
 (Niffer). On the strength of this the six persons mentioned in lines 1, 2, and 3, are 
 to pay tithes. They are to present the god in the month Ululu (September) with sheep, 
 to the value of one mana. If they fail to bring the tithe in the stipulated time, they are 
 to give the sheep and their increase, probably at a time when the priests become tired 
 of waiting. 
 
 This is the only tablet of the collection dated in the reign of a king of Assyria. As a 
 king of this name is as yet unknown to me, I should prefer to call him one of Asurbani- 
 pal's successors, about whom there is still much to be learned. 
 
Twelfth Year of ShamhshshumuJcin. 63 
 
 NO. «. 
 
 OB VEni<K. 
 
 , ^_ -y ^11 -/- I Kiel t^iT ill :e^ £* rf.^ 
 
 JtEVJiRSE. 
 
 .<T-^ I ^11 sitT }^«f< ^!I A ?^ 4<T 
 
 Tablet yellow, 1|X2| inches. lu perfect state of preservation, The signs are 
 large and well made. The upper edge and also the left edge are without writing; the 
 right edge contains a few signs of prolonged lines. Below line 3 there is a line 
 separating the first three lines, as indicated above, from the rest of the tablet. 
 
 1 1 ma-na h iiklu 6 iUdu kaspi ia Su-la-a 1 One maua, one-third shekel and six 
 
 shekels of money, which Shula 
 
 2 ina Hi li'd-ahl-ir-ba 2 is to receive from Belahirba 
 
 3 hu-bu-tu-ut-tum 3 as advance. 
 
64 
 
 The Metropolitnn Museum of Art. 
 
 4 {(im'iln) iiiu-kin-nnlxu-iti-ru iiiur (amihn 
 
 i) Xnbii-aM-fiul-t'uii mar Jin-bu-m-ia 
 
 (> Hil'iddin mf.7- Ir-a-na 
 
 7 Bil-ki-'tiir mar I-gi-bi 
 
 5 u liil-ka-HV alii Hi-ini-ri 
 
 (j amh Sabafu [iiinu] 25 hum iulhi \'l 
 
 kum 
 
 10 haUu 12 kain S<iinnk-kuin-Hkin-wi 
 
 \ 1 iiir Jiitb'iU(ki) 
 
 .[ WitucHses: Kasirti, iLc hou of the 
 
 shepherd; 
 .*» NabuuhishuUiiu, the sun of Iiubuahia; 
 G Ueliddiii, the son of Irauu; 
 7 Uelkishir, (he son of Egibi; 
 .S uud Uclkasir. At the city Hiuieri, 
 it in the mouth Shabalu, on the 25th 
 
 day, in the 12th year, 
 In in the 12th year of Shuuiashshum- 
 
 nkiu, 
 1 1 King of Babylon. 
 
 Shula has adviiuccd Belnhirbn 1 ninnn and Gi shekels, and this tablet merely records 
 that fact without statinf^ when the money is to be returned, or what interest, if any, is 
 to bo jtaid. 
 
 NO. ;i. 
 
 , III El ^tJ W^I f I 'T A-- T ^! "ET Vr 
 
 .i^ .4^ tt ^ ^T 4#? T 4^4 sLi^ iU 
 
 £^ ^ £t^ -j^ I t!I ^T 
 
 eT: I f I .5=^ ^ W< ET T »T t5:T 
 
Skdeenth Year of Shamashshumvkin. 
 
 on 
 
 llKVKIiSK. 
 
 ,J ^! t! It tC i^ ^^^ W< T H ^! -y 
 
 ,.s -^ \t^} -iV 2a? SI ^I ?5i ^<^ 
 
 ,.-y <S; ^^ -f t^I -4i.- ►^ +1^^ v^ 
 
 Tablet brown, mottled vvi.h black spots; ljx2J inches. The obverse is flat, while 
 the reverse curves outward, so that the tablet is one inch thick at the middle. Perfectly 
 preserved. The signs are large and well made There is a large space nt the end not 
 used, and the left edge is also without writing. 
 
 1 3 ma-na hasp! ,va 7 «-' Su-la-a 
 
 2 tt Nahu-ga-m'd Ina ill Astiur-ditn-mt 
 
 3 .<4t-6M-u Ba-iu-ul 
 
 4 I-gi-gi Nirgal-ai u Si-i-[gu-a] 
 
 5 uitu itmu 1 kam m arah Duzn in. 
 
 arha.a.an 1 liiklu 
 G Ina 'iU-m-7iu l-rah-bi iHti-in pn-vt 
 
 7 Ha-nl-i na-Hu-n m hn-war-ra 
 
 S kaspu i-mah-har 
 
 9 (arnilv) mu-kin-vn Ir-dn 
 
 10 mdr-^iii ia Tik-ra-ha-ma Du-um-kn 
 
 11 mur-m m KaHli-nu Sn-mi-i apal-.iit .v.t 
 
 Ad-ri-nu 
 
 12 Sit-Ia-a m8r (amlbn h.'i'irit. Sani'ti- 
 
 uidin 
 V-i mar (amihc) mngu Babili(ki i Dumki-ia 
 apal Ga-hal 
 
 1 Three maim of money Avhich Tn*, 
 
 Shula, 
 
 2 and Nabuganiil are to receive from 
 
 Ashshurdannu, 
 :', .\ibii, Batiil, 
 
 4 Igigi, Nergalai, and Shogua. 
 
 5 From the first day of the month 
 
 Duzu on, every mouth one shekel 
 tl against them shall increase. One is 
 security for 
 
 7 the other. "Whom they will find, 
 
 8 he shall receive the money. 
 
 9 Witnesses : Irba, 
 
 10 the son of Tikrahama; Dumkn, 
 
 11 the son of Kadinu; Sliami. the son 
 
 of Adrinn; 
 
 12 Simla, the son of the iishorman; 
 
 Hhamashiddin, 
 
 13 the son of the i>riest of liabylon; 
 
 Dumkia, the son of Gahal; 
 
m 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 14 M {nmilu) dupsar Mu-ra^nu mUr I-t/lJji 
 
 15 Bafnlu(ld) arah Duzn ftrnw 9 A»m 
 10 ifUta 16 ham Aimni-ium'ttkln-iut 
 17 iar JiabUiihu) 
 
 14 and the scribe, Muranu, the sou of 
 
 Egibi. 
 \i} Babylon, iu the uiouth Duzu, on the 
 
 9th diiy, 
 
 16 in the IGth yenr of Shaniashshum- 
 
 nkiii, 
 
 17 King of Itubylou. 
 
 The three personn named in lines 1 and 2, have loaned three maim to the tax 
 mentioned in lineK 3 and I. They ure to pay nu interest till the month DAzu 
 (July) arrives. Thereafter they mnst pay the very moderate interest of one shekel per 
 month, that is, 65 per cent per year. If, however, the debtors wish to return the 
 money, they inny pay it to any one of the throe eretlitors, whom they t-an most cou- 
 Teuieutly reach. 
 
 NO. 4. 
 
 OB VJiJiSK. 
 
 ,f <sytT 4i T "cTtTtT -II "^ J«< 
 
 A^\ ^}S^I ''T « "'^^ T Sill ^f 
 
 .11 JiCJ T ^tltT -y f t}} ^<h Tl &^I If 
 
 ,£^ -^ Ifi: -^ T -m 'IeT If 
 .leC i I "=^-l!^T K^ If If 
 
 liKVEHSK. 
 
 .1 := -^ :hIAI If I --f. <« V em -^ 
 .1 «T ^1 V yn -^tltl ^ fl Tf 
 
Sixteenth Year of Shamashshunmlim. 
 
 67 
 
 u *v w^-} ^ 2<i^ ^} -^ « ^ 
 
 „►%^ <^ ^ -Ar tzf -4l- ►^ C^T 
 
 Tablet yellow; lix2 inches. The signs are very indistinct, as if the stylus used 
 was dull or had been pressed into the clay lightly. The two names at the beginning 
 of lines 8 and 9 are but tentative readings, as they are partially covered with a hard flinty 
 substauce. The edges are not written upon. A large space is lel't between lines 9 
 and 10. 
 
 1 i hiklu. kaspi vi-l.t-l)H 
 
 2 kt ill Nabu-hil'iiSni 
 
 ?» itl-tu umu 20 kam ia arah Duzu 
 
 4 a-mr Nabu-mm-i»ku-un ina pPm n- 
 
 mur-a 
 
 5 v4ir lirit-tir 
 
 G (amilu) mu-km-nu Sll-la-n 
 
 7 mur ha Nabu-na-ai 
 
 8 Tab-bi-U apal Sin-kHr-u-nu 
 
 9 Lu-ba-lat apal Nahu-na-al 
 
 10 u {amilu) clupsar ^maH-u-si-zib 
 
 1 1 Babibi(ki) arah Duzu. wnu. 20 katn 
 
 12 mttu 16 kam Samai-ium-uki7i 
 
 13 mr BabUHki) 
 
 1 One-third shekel of money, the re- 
 
 vocalion, 
 
 2 which (took place) against Nabubel- 
 
 ilani, 
 
 3 from the 20th day of the month Duzu, 
 t wherever Nabi'ishumishkun will be 
 
 found, 
 
 5 the remainder he will verily return. 
 
 6 Witnesses: Silla, 
 
 7 the son of Nabunaai; 
 
 8 Tab("'t, the son of Sinkurnnn; 
 
 9 Lubalat, the son of Nabunaai; 
 
 10 and the scribe Shamaslmshezib. 
 
 11 Babylon, in the month Duzu, on 
 
 the 20th day, 
 
 12 in the 16th year of Shamashshum- 
 
 ukiu, 
 l?t King of Babylon. 
 
 Nabiibelilani had been excluded by Nubushumishkun from a certain portion of his 
 inheritance. Now this action is revoked and Nabubelilani can hope to inherit all he 
 had expected. 
 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. 5. 
 
 on YBRSE. 
 
 J v^ ^ e?^» E^ cK T BrT%n' 
 
 
 
 JiUVKRSK. 
 
 . I -4 ^T ^ Tl ^ ^jn i^ c-v ^iv sr<<^ T? 
 .. y ::^ ::i fciM? y? A :^ 
 
Thirteenth Year of Kinelddanos. 
 
 (50 
 
 kSs^ ^! ^'I<¥ ^ ►^<ITT^Ii 
 
 T 
 
 ;t<t -^t ^- 
 
 Tablet browu slmdinf,' to black; \\Xi\ inches. The upper n>^lit haiul corner of 
 the obvorso is destroyed, au.l the obverse is badly daiims^d throughout by the crumbling 
 off of the clay. The reverse is almost perfect, a few easdy supplied signs at Ihe end of 
 lines 17 and 18 being broken off. 'J'lie signs are very plain. 'J'lioro is no writing on 
 the left edge. 
 
 1 yomtln) iiui-klii-n!-i so ina jm-iii-kn- 
 
 L""] 
 
 2 Xivfjal-n-tirit-li! H-li. 
 
 ;', hiii hit (iiii) S(i-h;i-ii:t iii-i>oi-\i<(-ii/\ 
 
 4 Stir-lii->i- i-pi-sd [. D CP 
 
 5 r)<nr-rn-/<i uiuulu) TC [h~ifi\ {ihi) Sii- 
 
 hH-bit 
 ti Bil-mi(->ial-)ii {ii))iilii) IT hit! (Ihi) S<i- 
 Ut-bit ,- , 
 
 7 I-fi-rn (inn'tht) TC h'lt'i {iln) Sn-hU-hit 
 
 8 }iil-'i/ir^{<imilii) TChV! (llii) S<i-hH-h!l 
 
 Zir-ia Oniiiiit) rjinvnarit 
 
 10 A-ki-rl-ili( itp(d S<t-n<t-ki-sn 
 
 11 Samii-nbaUi-it (nmihi) riJILMIS 
 
 12 ^nnm-vmr {nmihi) mohjh hi Ainnt-nl- 
 
 g<tb-n[(kj)\ 
 
 13 Mard>ik-zir-ibiii apul Ir-it-hi 
 
 14 Nabu-imir apal Asxxr-Umi 
 
 IT) Saniai-mu(lamnii-'d' apal (nmibt) 
 
 JJI.BI 
 If. Bi-bi-i-a apal (am'ihi) HI. HI 
 
 17 arah Tairiln inmt 17 kmn xalln Dl 
 
 k[ain] 
 
 18 Kan-ta-Ui-nii xar Ba[bi]i(ki)] 
 
 1 These are the witnesses according to 
 
 whose testimony 
 
 2 Nergalushathi with 
 
 ;' in the temple of the god Sabitbit 
 
 lived. 
 
 •1 Hharbi 
 
 5 Usurrushi, the of the temple 
 
 of the god Sabitbit; 
 G IJelmushalui, the of the 
 
 temple of the god Sabitbit; 
 
 7 Eteru, the of the temple of 
 
 the god Sabitbit; 
 
 8 r.eletcr, the of the temple of 
 
 the god Sabitbit; 
 Ziria, the singer; 
 
 10 Asharidn, the son of Shanashishu; 
 
 1 1 Shamashuballit, the ; 
 
 12 Shamaslmsur, the priest of the city (?) 
 
 Amatnigaba; 
 1.1 Mardukziribni, the son of Irani; 
 
 14 Nabusur, the son of Ashsluiritmi; 
 
 15 Shamashmudammilc, the sou of 
 
 the ; 
 
 1(5 Bibea, the son of the 
 
 17 In the month Tashritn, on the 17th 
 
 day, in the 1.1th year of 
 
 18 Kineladanos, King of ]>abvlon. 
 
 This tablet is evidently a document prepared for use in some suit. It gives the 
 names of the witnesses who could testify that Nergalusliathi and another person, 
 whose name is contained in the break at the end of line 2, bad lived together in the 
 temple of the god Sabitbit for a certain time. What the two words at the end of line 
 4 mean, I am at loss to say, as the meaning of /. DLT is not known. 
 
70 
 
 The Metropolitan MtjUieum of Art. 
 
 The name of the king, Kineladanos, has been frequently identified with AsKur- 
 banipul, and many Assyriologists argue that the latter, after the overthrew of his 
 brother Shamashshumukin, ruled over Babylon in person, assnming this obRcnre 
 name Kineladanos. But this seems impossible. We cannot understand how an 
 illustrious Acsyrian king should lay aside that illustrious name and assume an 
 insigniticant and unknown one. Kineladanos is most likely the predecessor of Nabo- 
 polassar on the throne of Babylon. 
 
 NO. «. 
 
 on VKIiSK 
 
 
 5 lite <r I "^..l "^FI 
 oiiii \r 1 ^-T ^] 
 
 41 
 I? 
 
 . ■■■■■I - <!- ! '"tTi: -'^- BIA] iSiJ Ta^I 
 
 Jbuut tiro Hhik (HI Ihr uhnmc, iind tiro on thr renr»r art broken off. 
 
 nFA'RRSK. 
 
 » III! <!- T -f <:=!5T t: ^T T? .^ 
 
 i ]} ^ 
 
 i« m T IT >-^ « n^ 
 
 Tt! \- ^1 <<<f ^ 
 
Fourteenth Year of Kiiieladanos. 
 
 71 
 
 .III ^T -^ ^ .1^^ T!I -^ JKT fKI 
 
 19 
 
 i» 
 
 .^ \V 
 
 :!<! -^I "7^ 
 
 Tablet light brown; lix2i inches. A fragment. The lower and left portions are 
 completely destroyed, as well as line 1. The signs have also suffered considerably. Line 
 4 seems to have been erased. 
 
 2 inn pun Xa-fti-rl 
 
 3 ina pun liU-aM-ir-ha 
 
 4 inn pan lli-mr-in 
 
 5 [«■»«] pan Su-la-n 
 
 fi [mo] pan Knl-ha-n 
 
 7 [Inn p]iin Bil-iifinlll-if »t THr- 
 
 vn-n 
 S ina pan Jii'l-uhalli-i/ nrnh 
 
 rial a 
 
 2 from Nasiri; 
 
 ?, from KclnhirVm; 
 
 4 from Kishartu; 
 
 5 from Shnl.a; 
 
 G from Kalba; 
 
 7 from Beluballit and Dinn&; 
 
 H from Beliiballit ; in the month 
 
 TTluln (they will pay). 
 
 lo ....... {inn pan] Marduk-zir-ihnl 
 
 14 [ina'] pun Marduk-tnh-hn-n-nl 
 
 li) m n-nn snliipu id(Un-nu 
 
 16 m a-na JSI.BAB na-m-a 
 
 17 ma-na 50 UMit "h Mklu kaspl 
 
 18 [«] 16 «irt-M« 14 '*»/•■/»( /«.[a.an]. 
 
 in m haspi 
 
 19 [nrn/j Air]H mna lo Kam Snlln 
 
 14 hnni 
 
 20 Knn-tn-ln-nii, 
 
 Lines 0—12 are destroj'ed. 
 
 13 from Mardnk-nribni ; 
 
 14 from Marduktabbani. 
 
 15 which for dates were given ; 
 
 1 G which for grain were brought; 
 
 17 mana 53i shekels of money; 
 
 18 and IG mana 14 shekels each of 
 money. 
 
 10 In the month Airu, on the 15th day, 
 
 in the 14th year of 
 20 Kineladanos. 
 
 The clew to this tablet, the first line, is unfortunately broken off. But it is plain 
 that it contains a list of some objects, which the jiersons mentioned in lines 2—14 are 
 to pay either as tithes or as taxes. The parts broken off at the beginning of lines 2 — 17 
 evidently contained numerals. Line 17 seems to imply that the dates mentioned in 
 line 15 were valued at . . mana 53i shekels; and the grain, in line 10, according to line 
 18, at 16 mana, 14 shekels. 
 
72 The Metropolitan Mimeuvi of Art. 
 
 NO. 7. 
 
 OB VKHKK. 
 
 , S yi^ * I "^tltT S<T <*- --f ^- - 5?:T 
 
 <« ^ I f ^ rTT c; 5:? ty 
 
 ,T < cc :?:I T -"f <=!! -i^^ eee &:T f ^^ tTT 
 
 10 
 
 dH ^.tfc^ <5:eI « t^ try ^ Et tyi 
 
 11 ^^^^ 
 
 tiT I ^11 ^U .^is^ < Et ^TT ¥ E 
 
 ►n :^? &:? 
 
Eighth Tear of Nabojyolasmr. 
 
 73 
 
 nllllllBlltil < I -f <s^! ^ R-T ^ ? 
 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 < tTT f t &:T ? S 
 
 ife:T T T 1r "!4^TtI :eT ffi EEt= 
 
 
 t|T ir != til 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19 P^^^^^^^l^i? 1 \ *^ 
 
 M?S 
 
 \ c 
 
 t!T? 
 
 s- 
 
 
 .. «« 
 
 tl! ?&!?!? 
 
 4f<| 1^ 
 
 
 .ET/ 
 
 1 
 
 ►tV 
 
 
 Tablet brown; 23X Vj inches. The lower loft hand corner of the obverse is totally 
 broken off, also the ujiper left hand corner of the reverse is destroyetl thus. The tablet is 
 in bad condition, cracks, crumbling off of the clay, and breaks occur throughout. The 
 upper and the left edges are not written upon. Erasures ara frequent. A few wedges, 
 numerals, are scatterel in the empty si^ace above and below the date on the reverse, 
 not bearing ttpon the text of the tablet. Line 8 is written small and very closely to 
 .ine 7, as if explanatory of line 7 . 
 
74 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 1 svJiupv. i-mit-tii ia (anitlu) NL'.SAR. 
 
 J//<§ m alu Bilrik-bi 
 
 2 iallu 8 kuin Ndbu-ujMtl-timr iur Buh'di 
 
 (fci) 
 
 3 46 'jur 4 pi snltipa ijuni-rn Sai/ik-zir 
 
 4 [£].DUI-' ia Xabu-bul Ut-uit-iii mt 
 
 blti iburi i-nam-din 
 6 15 fjur 'S pi Ai-ri h Ahu-lu'inur Hf ijnr 
 ili-iiti-uu m ia 'J ijur i-fir (/) 
 
 6 71 >jnr 2 pi Snbu-ba-nl o ijnr iUfiiti' 
 
 na-in in 1 ijur i-tlr-ma 
 
 7 74 Ijur yinjal'iHusaWim \i ijar ia 'J ijnr 
 
 8 IDUPia M'U-ir.hi 
 
 9 31 ijttr }yiinai-aiHil-ufnr 5 ['jur] wi 1 
 
 ffiir 
 
 10 + -1 ifur yinjal-nnisaUiin I.lJi'l' ia 
 Bii'ii-li'la 25 gur ia 5 ;/«»• 
 
 11 .... fjur BU-ifik-ir 15 gur ia S gnr i- 
 
 tir 
 
 12 Marduk-ium-ibni Samaimp'ir 
 
 16 gur 2 |>i wt 3 gur 2 pi 
 
 13 u Mrgid-ibni I. DIP ia 
 
 Nab&'na^id 
 
 14 -ukiu i.Dl'P 1* ijnr ki 3 ;/»«• 
 
 15 yabu-zir-ibni 
 
 16 -5« Z.Z)t*P m yabtt-ibni- 
 
 [zir] 
 
 17 -t(*Mr 10 gur ia 2 «7«r 2 j>i 
 
 1 Dates still on the tree, belouging to 
 
 the officers of the city 
 
 uf Belikbi. 
 
 2 In the 8th year uf Nabopolassar, 
 
 Kiug of Babylou. 
 
 3 46 gur 4 pi perfect dales Hhapikzir, 
 
 4 as the of Nabubullitauui 
 
 into the store-houses will give, 
 .j lo gur 3 pi (dates) Airi aud Ahulu- 
 uiur, 10 gur of their palm brauches 
 equivaleut to 2 gur (dates) they 
 will give. 
 
 6 71 gur 2 pi (dates) Nabubani, 5 gur 
 
 of his palm branches equivalent 
 to 1 gur (dates) he will give. 
 
 7 74 gur (dates) Nergalmusallim, 9 gur 
 
 (palm brauches) equivalent to 2 
 
 gur (dates), 
 N tlio of Beluirtu, (ho will 
 
 give). 
 9 31 gur (dates) Shamashapalusur, G 
 
 gur (iNilm branches) equivalent to 
 
 1 gur (dates, he will give). 
 
 10 -|' 21 gur (dates) Nergalmusallim, the 
 
 of Beluirtu, 25 gur (|)alm 
 
 branches) equivalent to 5 gur 
 (dateH, he will give). 
 
 11 gur (dutesj Belbhakir, 15 gur 
 
 ((>alm branches) equivalent to 3 
 gur (dates), he will give. 
 
 12 Mardukshumibiii (and) Shamaiihsap* 
 
 ir, 16 gur 2 pi (palui branches) 
 eiiuivaleiit to 3 gur 2 pi (dates, 
 they will give). 
 
 13 aud Nergalibni, the 
 
 of Nabiina*id. 
 
 14 ukin. the 2 gur 
 
 (palm branches) equivalent to 3 
 
 gnr (dates). 
 
 ].^ Nabiiziribui. 
 
 10 bel, the of Nabik. 
 
 ibnizir. 
 
 17 nsur, 10 gur (palm branches) 
 
 equivalent to 2 gur 2 pi (dates). 
 
Eighth Year of Nabopolassar . 
 
 75 
 
 18 [LD]UP m Sft-Nttbtt-ki-u 
 
 a (jur m 2 <j>ir 
 
 10 12 !/'</• 2 jd Mt 2 i/"c 2 }n 
 
 20 40 ;/'<»• 2 pi Ai-ri Nahd-in-zib-itn-ni 
 
 21 f(m/' I'lida unm. 21 k'dit tidMnH han 
 
 Xahu-apal- mur mr liabiti{ki) 
 
 18 the of Sbanabushii, 
 
 8 gur (palm branches) eciuivalent 
 to 2 gur (dates). 
 
 1!) 12 gur 2 pi (palm branches) 
 
 C(|uivalent lo 2 gur 2 pi (dates). 
 
 20 40 gur 2 pi Airi (nud) Nabushuzib- 
 
 auni (will give). 
 
 21 lu the mouth Ululu, on the 21st day, 
 
 iu the 8th year of Nabopolassar, 
 King of Babvlon. 
 
 This tablet treats of the tuxes that the farmers had to pay to the granary of the 
 city Belikbi. The otKcials mentioned iu line 1, were probably the tax-gatherers. The 
 tablet seems to say that i)alm branches could be used instead of the fruit in payment 
 of the taxes, and the ratio between the value of the branches and of the fruit is given 
 in several instances. The bad state of preservation in which the tablet now is, and 
 the terse expressions, render the tablet difficiilt to translate. 
 
 NO. H. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 m $t: '^ <^ ^} >^ 
 
 V .<<1t 
 
 ] J>- T T The nmuimUr of (he line i» ituoicd, thv traces cotrespond to line 11. 
 
76 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 ,„< T <- ^TI If ^ <sTtI ! V t-<I 
 
 uT I- T <« ^ T ^tltT "s^-^ JJ^ <T- 
 
 .^KW ^ t!-s^s| :^TtT J I! < - 55:^ 5T & f 'JUI 
 
 HKVEllSK. 
 
 ,„ SSL? y ^i < m ^ -^ '^ ^ 
 
 ■JIT rflT'S' ©II V ^ « ^ '^ 
 ■»- ^E ^ t! ^ kliir ^ 3<<j :&& 
 
 Tablet gray; l'^X2i iuches. The clny m soft ftud brittle. The HigUH are very Hiuall 
 nml crude. A straight liue separuten liuctt 2 aud 4. Line 13 just occupies the luwer 
 nlgo. There is nmch space wasted. 
 
 1 sttlupu tin ii-Hit tiniti'iiir-in | 1 (This is the unuiber of measures of) 
 
 dates, which at the end 
 
 2 ki anth yimmiu mtln 9 hiin ynbu- 2 »if the mouth Nisanuu of the I'th 
 
 apoZ-tw»ur year of Nabopolnssar, 
 
 3 u-na amilu MIS u {uniilx} ;{ to the priests and the (temple) 
 
 3[U. MU nadin servants was given. 
 
 4 28i \j>i] 4J Avt Marduk-zir-ib-ni 4 28* pi 4A ka Mnrdukziribni, 
 
Ninth Year of Nabopolassar . 
 
 11 
 
 5 hui nti-iil (iinu 15 hiia (trka ftiini in 
 
 iinih Shiutmi i-tir 
 
 6 75 \pi\ Summ-Ui-ir inn. Inl-Uik unvi 
 
 15 kam arkn limit 
 
 7 htitnth Nisannu (itiuilii) nia-iu i-tir 
 
 8 1(50 f- (This Hue is erased, the 
 
 traces correspond to line 1 1, beuco 
 probably misplaced.) 
 15 |/>i] BU-uhntli-it apal (ttmiln) pa- 
 ii-ki 
 
 10 II Bdlai-sa una ill Kiulnrra 
 
 11 196 [jn] JUiihurzir-gdl-lim 
 
 12 fljuit 15 him md-ak-kasn u sil-li 
 
 i-tir 
 
 13 ndpfiara 75^ [jn] Hi Simni-iti-ir 
 
 14 5 Igiir] S£. HAH m S^imni-iti-ir 
 
 15 «« (nmUii) mnu-'li di inn hit Hi 
 
 16 iirah Aihini umn \'.j htm, idlln 8 kam 
 
 17 3 har{?)-ra-m m (ftmilu) 
 
 imiii-di-di 
 
 18 1 :/[«>•] ki-is-ki-[rii] in uruh Niaunnu, 
 
 I'J 10 [pi] Balut-sii (aniUii) ri'a Masallim- 
 
 apla 
 'b > ; »■> [ />'] i.-tir 
 
 5 in the middle (of the mouth) on the 
 
 15th day after the first day of the 
 
 mouth Siuiunu, paid. 
 G 75 pi Shamasheter, at the end of the 
 
 15th day after the first day 
 7 of the mouth Nisannu (to) the 
 
 mau, paid. 
 
 y 15 pi Beluballit, the son of the. 
 
 10 and Balatsu for Kudurru (paid). 
 
 1 1 196 pi Nabuzirgallim 
 
 12 on the 15th day as taxes and rent(?) 
 
 paid. 
 
 13 Altogether 75J pi were received 
 
 from Shamasheter. 
 
 14 5 gur of grain, which Shamasheter 
 
 15 for the measurer in the temple of 
 
 the god (gave\ 
 
 16 in the month Adaru, on the 13th 
 
 day, in the 8th year. 
 
 17 3 is the (wages) of the meas- 
 
 urer. 
 
 18 1 gur is sustenance for the month 
 
 Nisannu. 
 
 19 19 pi Balatsu, the shepherd, (and) 
 
 Musnllimapla (paid). 
 
 20 35 pi paid. 
 
 fhe purport of this tablet is given in the first three lines. It is a list of the debts 
 or tithes that were 2>n'id to the x^nests and temple servants. All these amounts were 
 jjaid at various dates, but before the end of the month JTisannii of the 9th year. There 
 Mardukziribui pays in the middle of Simanu of the previous year; Shamasheter has 
 just 15 days to spare for his 75 pi, and 47 days for his 5 gur. Line 13 seems to be a 
 repetition of line 6, and in the 13tb line half of a pi has even been added to Shamash- 
 eti'r's (piota. Lines 17 and 18 give the amounts of grain paid to the measurers for their 
 work and their keep. 
 
78 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. ». 
 
 OB VERfiE. 
 
 .* - <T- T -4- ^51 t^^ --f ►i^ 
 ,^ -II l^f< * T gl " T "=T:I ^^ 
 
 .m V 1^ »? + < IT TJ sitT ^ IST <T- JI 
 . - I -^T -JUI * £:-. -II JJ^J f <V t^l 
 ,0^-IT -^ -1^ t£ t<H ■ tt c;<| <rf< ^ 4i- 
 ., f 1 1- <« 7/ :e1 <I- -II ^ ty ^.mi f y i; t:|^y yj 
 .. f I V <« ^ - ti -^j * y -^tyty -f 
 .„fi V <« w - ^ -^i f y ^11 -^ yjy -^ M 
 M <?I V « ^ - ty %LTT f y -^^yii -y y? y ^^ }h^< 
 .. f 1 1- «< i« - ti -^ f I -;i I v^ 
 ,. f T V <« w - ty .^ V y <^^; ^ ,^ V- 
 
 ,r III V ^I HI - :=I -ilir 7 I -^ <« ^ 
 
NintJi Year of I$aboj)olassar. 
 
 79 
 
 „ ITT T- T « R? &< T -f TTIIlftllll i^\, "^ 
 
 ME VERSE. 
 
 . ^ »T <I- IT I- <« i^ -f- TIT ■■■■ 
 
 ..- fn. t:k TKT- V lETKT-'fl T^ ^ :?:! HT-? 
 
 ..IT-T«<i^< ^ «=spT i::.:! 
 
 « m^^< ^ « ^ -^ 
 
 ..TTTI ^ H<T I^ S^^I 
 
 ,,Y e^T ST-T ^ ^! f M 
 
 .^^ -f f I "s^tT^T ►¥ T tH£^ -tlT f -f ^T 
 ,T wT T siT %^ K5l SIT ^T -^ 
 .TIT T- H <V +1 - tT -iUI f -f ^T 
 »t£ »T <:^5 ^ ^ - ^tr, :=! f T EI <T- -U 
 «T? ►^ e^lET t^ItT ;M S^I << ^^ '^ 
 
 »TTT T- H <I- -fl '. I "=^-1-I ■v^^ ^ 
 .t^V. * TJ - itr. c^ «< H <i- -i; 
 »T tU -4 I? « W £^ «=ss »5^T 
 „«5 St « ki ^ TIT ^ ^T<T Tl Si^^T 
 «2<l^ t;^T ^T ^ •^ •¥ ^ $«> 
 
 ,T ^tltl T? ^ «=£i 
 
 ^ '>;^} 
 
 ^ 
 
80 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 Tablet gray, very hard, surface glazed; ljx3 inches. The signs are plainly made. 
 Nuinerons dividing Hues separate the various sentences. The upper, lower, and left 
 edges are not written upon. The right edge contains a few signs of prolonged lines. 
 
 1 sLliAHia (ninUn) irriki w< SttiiKiii 
 
 2 Hit inn iiliil Murdiik-mr-an-iti 
 
 ',] {(iiiiua) hit inhuti ha lld-tar llil-ilml 
 
 5 582 pi vKi-m-h n 
 
 6 iii'i 2 ta ilipjn kti (aniUii) bit ]d/juli 
 
 7 IjaiTuiin inii/i-ri-i-lKiu i-du ul im-din 
 
 8 347i |/'»1 12 [n'l] fi-kii-lii inn-ii-hu 
 
 9 inn I iUinti kn (ntnUn) hit pilj'iii kii 
 
 jiuiii-lnin 
 
 10 IjarrCtiin (tr-ki-i-lmn i-du ul im-ilin 
 
 11 435 ma-ii-lja inn Uipin iui A-id->i 
 
 12 439 tun ilippi m Xuhii-itir 
 
 13 439 iiKi ilippi in BU-iddin ni»il 
 
 Mu-mi-in 
 
 14 429 ina ilippi in liU-vddin niud Na-nir 
 
 15 439 inn ilippi in liiliit-mt 
 
 \6 439 inn ilippi in, Iddin-na-HU-nn 
 
 17 363 inn ilippi in Sin-iuntr 
 
 18 38t) mniihii (ilu) . . .* ..si-sa 
 
 19 uuphnra 4239A \pi] 3 [ku] 
 
 20 inn lib-bi 2004 mn-ii-hu n-nn si-knb 
 
 21 199 muiifiH {uniUu) duit-sar 
 
 22 66 maiiliu (amUu) vutttrdi-di 
 
 23 43 i<lu-<i-ta 
 
 24 ia nbu kn-lu-ui-[H]i-i 
 
 25 St.BAR ia Nabii-iuin-iikaun (amilu) 
 
 irriiti in Samui 
 
 26 Ukin Du-midc-ukin ii-iii-na 
 
 27 300 ma-ii-hu ina ilippi ia Sattuli 
 
 28 i-du nl nn-din ina lib-bi in 1 ma-ii-fiti 
 
 1 Grain belonging to the gardeners of 
 
 Sbaniash, 
 'J which is at the disposal of Marduk- 
 
 sharanni, 
 :> the prefect, which Ratar, lielibni, 
 1 (and) Shaiuashzirikisbo, brought. 
 .*> .'f82 lueasiires, the size of :i pi, 
 ti in two ships, belonging to the pre- 
 fect, (they brought). 
 7 In the first business transaction he 
 
 did not pay freight uionoy. 
 }<> 347 ^.j pi 12 ka, measures of food, 
 '.) in one ship belonging to the prefect, 
 (they brought); this isathisdis- 
 ])OBaL 
 
 10 In the second business transact iou 
 
 he did not pay freight money. 
 
 11 4:15 measures in the ship of Alda 
 
 (they brought); 
 
 12 4.'m in the ship of Nabiiet<'r; 
 
 l:> is.} in the ship of Beliddin, the sou 
 of Mumeshu; 
 
 14 429 in the 8hip of Beliddin, the son 
 
 of Nasir; 
 
 15 439 in the ship of Belshuuu; 
 
 16 i^fJ in the ship of Iddinnanunu; 
 
 17 363 in tJie ship of Siuusur; 
 
 18 386 measures sisu (brought). 
 
 19 Total 4239i pi 3 ka 
 
 20 Thereof 2004 measures are for ; 
 
 21 199 measures (for) the scribe; 
 
 22 66 measures (for) the measurer; 
 
 23 43 (measures) are the freight moneys 
 
 24 of the chief 
 
 25 The grain belonging to Nabushnm- 
 
 ishkun, the gardener of Shamash, 
 
 26 Ukin (and) Dumukukin brought. 
 
 27 300 measures in the ship of Shamash 
 
 (he brought). 
 
 28 Freight money he did not pay. 
 
 Thereof (however) 1 measure 
 
Ninth Year of Nabopolassar 
 
 81 
 
 20 rt Hrt nhtt kd-hi-xii-Ki-i' UUlhi 
 
 VtO 'M) i)Hi->ti-lin ga N(thfi--h'-lh»! 
 
 JU iii-sn-a Ina lib-ln i\0 mn->t'i-hu 
 
 32 Jb-nn-n 25 (am flu) dup-ftnr 
 
 33 9 {((miht) nuin-tll-iU 3 i-thi-<i-tii 
 
 34 <ti'<th Ahfi fiiiiit 9 hint tcnltii Av/wi 
 
 35 Ndhii-iipiil'iisKf Niir Unh]ii[ki) 
 
 20 to the chief he gave. 
 
 30 300 ineftsures belonging to Nabrtzir- 
 
 il>ni 
 
 31 were brought. Thereof 30 measures 
 
 32 Ibna, (received); 25. the scribe; 
 32 tlie measurer; 3 for freightage. 
 
 34 In the month Abu, on the 0th day, 
 
 in the 9th j'ear of 
 
 35 Nabopolassar, King of Babylon, 
 
 Marduksharrani, the prefect of the province, has piarcha.sed a large quantity of grain 
 from the gardeners of the temple of Shamash. This grain is to be freighted to him by 
 water. Katar, Bolibni, and Shamashzirikisha are selected to transport the grain. They 
 make use of 10 ships. Three of these belong to the prefect, consequently he has to 
 pay no freightage for these, but for the remaining 7 ships his freightage amounts to 43 
 measures. It is interesting to note that the total given in line 10, is 50 pi ka below the 
 actual amount: evidently the scribe was no expert matiiematician. From line 20 — 24 
 the disbursements of the jirefect are recorded. It is interesting also to note what wages 
 or commission were given to the sciibo and to him that measured the grain. The 
 scribe performs intellectual labor, ho therefore receives three times as much as the mere 
 measurer. After all deductions the prefect has remaining 2186^ pi 12 ka. 
 
 Lines 25 — 29 contain the account of Nabushumishkun; and lines 30 — 33 that of 
 Nabuziribni. The former spends only one measure for freightage; while the latter 
 spends the dispi-oportionate sum of 67 measures, though each receives 300 measures. 
 Money seems to have been banished entirely from all these transactions, each man is 
 paid in grain, and \villingly accepts it. 
 
 As there are three accounts made out on this one tablet, I think it the most likely 
 supposition to assume that it was made out for the gardeners of the temple, and was 
 kept in the temple archives at Sippara. 
 
 NO. 10. 
 
 OBVERSE. 
 
 .<!! :eI <T- -f-I ^ ^ITT T M-T-I ^-\ ^} II 
 .- <tt ^ -T^ f t:<ItT Jtt H 
 
 1 ^<^ 
 
82 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 W&M 
 
 T ^i\t\ ^^ Jil <:^^ :r? ^11 
 
 REVKRSE. 
 
 :« '^\ <y 'M ¥ ^T ^::! c-M IrTT 
 .T « ^ lfe?TT -fl IB T "^-T-T :^ ►^- ►A. 
 
 „ T «< TI! tfefn !!! -*t - <y T -II T^ -^ 
 
 wV II I- T IHT <V -II I ^^. ^ If 
 
 I« :^? -^ 
 
 ►-<!►-< 
 
 Tablet brown; 1x24 iucbes. Tbe obverso is well preserve*!, with the exception of 
 the right hand lower corner, which is blnrred: the traces of the king's name arc, how- 
 ever, certain. Line 10 of the reverse is badly eflfaced. 
 
 1 12 ma-ii-hn inn l.'it/i X<ihu-ijtul-i-/i 
 
 2 itm mlHli-liMa sulfipn 
 
 3 Ina llb-bi i-viit-in in iatln !• kom 
 
 4 tktinnp'iti Nabd'ium-Uldin iijHil-int («<»! 
 
 5 Nabu-na^id ul i-t[ir] 
 
 G (irah KlsUhmi fnnn 16 him tiattii 9 
 kam Nabii-njHil-tiMKf 
 
 7 20 mn-Hi-lni ia uta-nk-ka-su 
 
 8 85 mamhu 3 [kn] Nahu-tab-ni-vi 
 
 9 i) maiihu 3 ka Iti-ir-BU 
 
 10 (amlln) iikaru 
 
 11 93 maiUju 3 ka ina pun BU-apal-iddin 
 
 1 12 measures from the Imiuls of Na- 
 
 bi'igudea, 
 
 2 in the measuring of the dates, 
 
 3 in addition to the dates still on the 
 
 tree, of the 9lh year, 
 •1 which he was to receive of Nabu- 
 
 shnmiddin, the son of 
 5 Nabuna'id, he did not receive. 
 In the month Risilimn, on the lOth 
 
 day, in the 9th year of Nabo- 
 
 polassar. 
 7 20 measures for taxes; 
 S 85 measures 3 ka Nabntabniri, 
 9 5 measures 3 ka Eterbel, 
 
 10 the wine , (paid); 
 
 11 93 measures 3 ka were received of 
 
 Belapaliddin. 
 
TwdJ'Ui Year of Nahopolassar. 83 
 
 VI uniifiiifii ;{)[ md-si-fin D'ui-nuft 
 13 i-it>H-ti i-tir 
 
 12 Total: 204 niensnros, Dinna, 
 
 13 of dates Ktill on tlio tree, received. 
 
 This tablet seems to be a momorandnm kept in the business house of Dianfi. Nabrt- 
 pudea owed Dinna twelve nioasnros of dates, which ho ought to h ive paid in the harvest; 
 and Nabfishuniiddin oweil him the crop of dates that were unripe at tlie first picking. 
 Neither of these debts was honored. lint Diiinfi did receive the 204 measures that 
 were due him from other creditors. According to Peiser a Hia«i/*»( is equal to 9 itfr; 
 hence the fifth sign in line 8 must be taken as 3 instead of \, in order to make the total 
 204 measures. 
 
 NO. II. 
 
 OB VEHSK 
 
 .- ^} ^ .11 I T^ ^ ►+ ^T 
 
 RMVERSK 
 
 : - Wl ^TI ¥ I ^"^TII \ S^- ^m "^ tX\] 
 
 J <tt ^ ^ II v^ ^11 ^IIIIHIIi 
 
84 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 „T- ^I ^ 2<l? ^,© ^T <TT ^ 
 u -^ < TI . ^^ T ^tycT T? ^ 
 
 Tablet brown; ljx2 iiichcR, reotnngnlar. The throe loMrest lines of the obverse 
 are bndly damaged. The two right corners of the reverse are destroyed. TIjo clay hM 
 crnnibled off in some places, rendering decipherment difHcnlt. A strait;ht line on the 
 lower edge divides obverse and reverse. 
 
 1 2 iiin-iiit |[ m<t-mi 5 iiklu hixinmi-lul-lii 
 
 2 Mt iiUn ,SaiTUii Him *i7ii 
 
 3 ilia Hi Nab(t-mui1ammi-ik 
 
 4 <i)Hil-itu i<t Sa-Xiihfi-JiH-u miir (nwilin 
 
 ri'ii 
 
 5 nut arufi Ai^nrn [iimn] \ n-nn StimaJi 
 
 G i-nam-din 
 
 7 hin infitizazn ia Jlil-nsnr {tnnilxt miiiujh 
 
 Miirditk 
 
 8 Mi'nu-it-a-mi-BU iiiiir 
 
 9 apal Nftr-Mnnhtk^ liU.ih-ni 
 
 10 ap<d (nmlln) miiiju Sii)-itfir{ki) Sanuii- 
 
 nitr-ibui 
 
 11 (iimI Dan-niHian-n Kudurru fijxd ?•*'« 
 
 sisi 
 
 12 n (nmihi) dnpsar liil-idi-in apai {finiPn) 
 
 kik'ni in-bu-iu 
 
 13 S'ip-pnr{ki) arnh Nisanmt ftinn 12 kntii 
 
 14 iidiu 12 kain Xidn'i-apal-uxar 
 
 15 iar Babili^ki) 
 
 1 2| muna 5 shekolK of money, tlie 
 
 third (loan?) 
 
 2 which (he received) from Shamash, 
 
 namely, the price of the sheep, 
 'A to be received from Nabrimndammik, 
 '1 the sou of Shauabi'iKbri, the sou of 
 
 the shephenL 
 .*i In the month Adnrii, on tlie first day, 
 
 to Shamash 
 G he will give (the money). 
 
 7 In the presence of Kelnsiir, the priest 
 
 of Marduk ; 
 
 8 Minuanabel, the son of , 
 
 9 the son of Nurmardnk; Belibni, 
 
 10 the sou of the priest of Sippara; 
 
 Shamo-shnuribni, 
 
 11 the son of Dunuidaiia; Kndtimi, the 
 
 horse herdsman; 
 
 12 and the scribe Belnkin, the sou of 
 
 the overseer of his fruit (Vj. 
 
 13 Sippara, in the mouth Nisannn, ou 
 
 the 12th day, 
 
 14 in the 12th year of Nabopolassar, 
 
 15 King of Babylon. 
 
Thirteenth Year of Nahopolassar. 
 
 85 
 
 The temple of the sun-god at Sippara had sold Nabunmdiiuimik 25 mana 5 shekels' 
 -worth of sheep. But the latter had not paid. He therefore makes out this promissory 
 note, stating that he will pay the money on the first day of Adam (March). As the 
 tablet mentions no interest, Nabftnmdammik seems to have hud the use of the money 
 up to that date free. 
 
 NO. ^^. 
 
 OH VERSE. 
 
 ■ ef^^ ^ ^*I <K <^< 4i« T- 
 , M.} ^\ ^] < TIT ^ -^ < TTT ^ 
 , -v^tTtT T^ ^ t^ 
 
 'T ta 
 
 .^\ 
 
 T 
 T 
 TT 
 
 '^T 3ET 
 
 T T 
 T T 
 
 <T- --^^T 
 <T- --f T^ Tf 
 <I- t:<3<i ►-f T- 
 <T^KrTH <::^^T 
 < --T- ® ^- >^ ^^ 
 
 <y -+ \y Cr^tT iz^] 
 
 <V --^ X< V- ^T -fy 
 
 <T--4-'A4f 
 
 <T- -+ :et<t -et 
 
 <T- ^-T Tf <::^T 
 <T^ «pTII s^T 
 <T-4-:ET:=^S?T^Tgl 
 
86 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 
 Liiit'H \H and 19 are fffaeah iH-ifoud thin thirr hitih la /<«• no imnw Uiu-h. 
 
 Tablet of r mnnve color; l|X''t| inches. The bottom Ib totally effaced, the left 
 
 corrur pirticnlarly. Tho iovo)>cc so nis to Imvo cantainptl no writin^^, but iik the upper 
 part iR gone there may have been a few lineK there. The Kigns are rou(i;hly made. 
 
 1 nl/m LV.NITA mhl Sip-jutrikx) 
 
 2 <(rah Aim fnnn I',) Lain miUit lit k-inn 
 
 3 Kahu-apal-uHur iarru 
 
 4 «//»u Sl'.r nlpii 'IT. h'Afj jiln {ilii) 
 
 Saiiiai 
 
 5 1 I'tlpuSl'.ri 1 \,i]i>ii rr.h'AL\i. n 
 
 (ilii) Ai 
 
 6 1 I'M 1 I'M ji'ii 'xnhti (y) (.•/.() MK 
 
 7 1 l"l 2 I" I ;».'u urn lilu) MarihiU 
 
 8 H {llii) Xtir-pa-ni-him 
 
 9 1 ["I 1 ["!/'•"» ('^"» r,i^,iU,il 
 
 10 ["I 1 ['1 ;'""('■/") liiui S}j>.}^ir(kD 
 
 11 1 [ttlpn 'iV.KAL\p^.ii [ilii) HoiiDiuiuit 
 
 12 1 1"]p<:m(i7.0'"^-/o 
 
 13 II"] P'<» (t/w) A-uuiii 
 
 14 1 1'\ p:n {Un) na 
 
 lo 1 ["] p'n (Uh) In SAL. t. PA li. IIA 
 
 IG pC.n OTS.DA 
 
 19 jifin {Uii) [A-tiii-ui\-{nm 
 
 18 and 19 destroyed. 
 
 1 (battle (and) sheep; the sacrifices at 
 
 Sippura. 
 
 2 In the month Aim, on the 13th lay, 
 
 in the l.'Uh year of 
 
 3 Naboi>nlaSKar, the King. 
 
 I A cattle, and a cattle 
 
 for Shamash ; 
 5 one one forthegodAi; 
 
 C one . . , one for tlie de- 
 welling of the g04l Me; 
 
 7 one two for the temple 
 
 of Mardnk 
 
 S ami Zarpanituni ; 
 
 9 one one for the go«l 
 
 Pnbelbel; 
 
 10 one one for Belit of 
 
 Sippara; 
 
 11 one for the go«l Ramniftn; 
 
 12 one for the god Shaln; 
 
 13 one for the j;od Ann; 
 
 14 one for tlie goil Bel ; 
 
 lo one for the god Ea ; 
 
 IG for ; 
 
 17 for the goddess (Aiinnitnm. 
 
 This interesting tablet gives ns the list of offerings presented to each of the gods in 
 the great temple of the sun-go<l at Sippara on the i:jth day of the month Airn ( .May), in 
 the 13th year of Nabopolassar. The headings of two columns are given in line 4, and lines 
 are drawn, just as we do to-day in onr ledgers. The priest evidently kept a careful 
 account for each day. Other li.sts of the same character are Nos. 17, 2G, etc., to be 
 published in Part III. 
 
FourUentlt Year of Nahopnlasxar 
 
 87 
 
 NO. 13. 
 
 OH VKRSK 
 
 , try f £^ 5^5! 4- .^T ^ ^^fyy ^. ^ t| «fe:| I«< 
 
 , IT <i- :eTtt ^ 1 1 ^ I ^Ar ^y^ 4i.4y ji - <y- 
 y -J- ^y j.^ "^ 
 
 ,^ -m. :=; w I- y- IT <y- y? -^ < jMi w^y 
 
 . w y- y^l -^ t tyy cr^y^y ^tt ^y s^y ^y em a 
 i^ - <y- 1 ^ ^ ^y -ill 
 
 : y "ti^ '^ jtii w^y ^^y. < jtii w^y f ^ii 
 y >^ ^y- A>yy J^ :EyAy :^^y -^ 
 
 7ir<r~yyrr~iyTrV^rTT^irTii 
 s^y t<r em H ^-- < y s?=y ^yii« 
 y < v/ y- 1 y <y- yy l- « w iiiii 
 -^:y ^ y -n 1 .7^ y^ ^ <yy jml nil 
 
 lililifei IT ►^ '"*T 1 '^1^1 ►^<1 ^ 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 I iiii *^<l i *r~ 
 
88 
 
 The Mttropolitan Museum of Art^ 
 
 . in ^T .4 V JMI W^T ner <!I JMI W ii ^ 
 
 16 
 
 Tftblet brown; 1§X24 inches. Both lower cornera of the obverse are broken off. 
 Tho upper riRht portion of the reverse is ghied on. Above lino 18 the nnmernl for 14 
 iK written, nnd above lino 17, that for 27. These figureK, however, fAii have no moaning 
 here. Two straight lines divide the text, as indicated. 
 
 1 kUi'i Ha (aiiilhi) iik-jxir kltii inn kuiu 
 
 (itiiiilu ) iiu-<iis-iinr{iii iM) 
 
 2 Ml alu Jiil-lk-lji ii-im-u ihnntn 
 
 8 2000 hnt in kitii tut 1iil-nn*'nl inn ;>/<n 
 SdiiHiH-nh'i-idiUn 
 
 4 im ilb-l>! 500 »!»-*'< 1000 [inl] u-x/i 10 
 
 mUIii hdSf/t 
 
 5 '»00 [m/-ii(] A'/->/ti< n ijiir siiliijiu i-mu- 
 
 n-ma 
 
 6 liti- hill ;«iHi-xi(-)i« l-li-lir 
 
 7 1 vin-na H itkln n-ili \0 Miilii kaitpi m 
 
 k![tfi] 
 
 8 liil-m'ol U-Ut-ilin 
 
 9 2300 knt ka kitik mi 7;f/-;r)(-[nul 
 
 10 hil-haii ii-fxt-' n /-/«- 
 
 11 [mt Uh-hl 10]75 VU.HH 1225 [hil] 
 
 12 -In Jin Bil-iii-nu a-va 12 Hihi 
 
 [ka.tpi] 
 
 13 a-na Mjh/i* il4a-din 
 
 14 500 [rn/-*H] pu-iit zitli ia Su-ln-a o-nn 
 
 hi 7?(/-»((-jii( 
 
 15 i mn-»(i 4 «*/■/»( kaspi a di 12 «///" 
 
 Av».s[/</ «]-»>» 
 
 IG ««»« A(/» Jiil-.\ii-)iii [H-iii-dinl 
 
 15 
 
 IG 
 
 Liimon of the weaver. Linnen into 
 
 tlie linnds of the Stewarts 
 <if the city Belikbi, he bronght for a 
 
 receipt (?). 
 2<KX) kat of linnen, which I^elna'id is 
 
 to receive from Shamashahiddiu; 
 thereof 500 meshn, lUOO kat for 10 
 
 shekels of money, 
 500 meshn for 3 gur <>f dates was 
 
 the Bam(?) 
 that he paid to them. 
 One mana H shekels, in addition to 
 
 the 10 shekels of money (paid) for 
 
 the linnen, 
 lielna'id gave. 
 2300 kat of linnen, which Belshnnn 
 
 demanded, and Etn ; 
 
 thereof 1075 meshn, 1225 kat, 
 which Belshnim for 12 
 
 shekels of money 
 (bought), to Shamash he gave. 
 500 meshn for the joint possession of 
 
 Shulii, for , Belshunn 
 
 (acquired); 
 ^ mana 4 shekels of money, in addi- 
 tion to the 12 shekels of money, 
 
 for 
 the price of the linnen Belshnnn 
 
 (paid). 
 
SeventeenfJi Year of Nabopolcissar. 89 
 
 17 arah Aim uinii2G kdin Mta \A kam I 17 In the month Aim, nn the 26th day 
 
 j iu the 14th year of 
 
 18 Xahu-apdl-umr IS Nahopolassar. 
 
 A weaver brought a certain amount of woven liuueu to the Stewarts or governors 
 of the city Belikbi. This the latter were to dispose of according to contract. Therefore 
 ISelna'id gets 2000 kat. It seems that Shamashahiddin must have been the weaver 
 mentioned in line 1. Of these 2000, 1500 (if we make a mi-iia equal to a /'/< in vahie) 
 cost 10 shekels, and the remaining 500, 3 gur of dates. But to this amount must be 
 added the 8 shekels that Belna'id had already paid, perhaps as earnest money. 
 
 Then there were 2800 kat, which fell to the share of Belshunu. The text of lines 
 10, 1 1, and 12 is so fragmentary that we can only guess how this liunen was paid for. 
 These 21)00 kat were divided into 1075 meshn and 1225 kat, for which Belshunu paid 12 
 shekels into the treasury of the temple of Shamash. Now 500 of these meslni Belshunu 
 seems to have acquired together with Shutla. The above mentioned 12 shekels were 
 probably the commission of the temple. The actual price Belshunu paid for the linncn 
 was J mana 4 shekels, in addition to the 12 shekels commission. Hence Belshunu paid 
 altogether 36 shekels for 2300 kat of linuen, while Belna'id paid for 2000 kat 18 shekels 
 and 3 gur of dates, or about half as much. The latter must therefore have known how 
 to drive a bargain, or must have bought much inferior linncn. 
 
 This tablet is probably dated at the city of Belikbi, some rich man, who called the 
 city he founded by this name. See No. 7 of this part. 
 
 NO. 14. 
 
 O/i VERSE. 
 
 ,<!- ^ ,j4*^ i^^t.} iM tT D -7^ 
 
 A} ^ ^ -+ Vi -^ >^ -% 
 A f J -+ I ^ ^ <|^ y ^] .^ ^y 
 
 .1111 f T ^I- S3 - <!- ! 1^ -+ ^I 
 
00 
 
 The. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 HE V ESSE. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Tablet shading' fruni li^bt to ditrk ({my; 1^ | 2 iucbes. A Htraigbt Hue is drawn 
 below the 'MA lint;. TUu nbveno is lindly dniiiaged, the lower left corner is completely 
 destroyed. A break i>ccur8 iu the middle of the npixir edge. The right side shows the 
 marks of the thumb as the scribe held the tablet while writing upon it. The upi>er aud 
 left edges tire free of writing. A large space at the end is unused. 
 
 1 idpa Hin-maHH(inii) ia In 
 
 2 p&n {amilu) ir-rii (mii) (wru) gi-nu 
 
 8 a-na (nmilu) [mnfju] (llu) A-nn ua-<Vn 
 
 4 litiu m Marduk-Uhliu inn jh'.n AV/r- 
 
 Snimii 
 
 5 «» Satwia-ttki)i-a/i J inn /$ '.n 
 
 6 m Mar-dnk inn p'n [A'm]»- 
 
 Sumui 
 
 7 Man-nu-di-i-Xabfi 
 
 8 [fra/tj Abu uihh 22 htm 
 
 9 kittu 17 kani 
 
 10 yabuHtpal-umr intr liabUi{ki) 
 
 1 Cattle, ill great numbers, which 
 
 2 by tlie gardeners of the , 
 
 :; were given to the (priests ufi (he 
 
 god Anu. 
 4 ( >ue (liead of cattle), which Mardiik- 
 
 iddiu has received from Nur- 
 
 shamush; 
 't which Shamashukiuabi ba^ 
 
 received from Niirsbamasb; 
 (i , which Marduk h:»s received 
 
 from Kiirshamash (and) 
 
 7 Mannudinabi'i, 
 
 8 In (he month Abu, on the 22nd thiy, 
 ;t in the 17lh year of 
 
 Ul Nabopolassar, King of Babylon. 
 
 This tablet is a receipt for cattle, ))robably tithes, rcceivc«l by the priests of the 
 temple of the gotl Anu. Mardukiddin, Shamasbukinabi, and Marduk are the priests, 
 Ni'irshamash and Manuudinabii are the li(he-paycn>. 
 
Kini'lerntlt, Vmr of Niiliopohmsnr. 
 
 (11 
 
 NO. li). 
 
 OB VKUfiE. 
 
 .f - -< lU Saf frIT ^T <« ^ 
 , ^ < w ^ I «pf tit! I? *^ t£< ^v <^S:? ^ 
 
 J V - 
 
 J I- - 
 
 .^ IT V i 
 
 TI T 42^ 4^ ^^ JT 
 
 IT !r+^'^^T 
 
 I'l^*-''"' 
 
 ^ 
 
 TT <« 
 
 Tablet browii aud black ; 1x2^ inches. The four edges coutaiu no writiug. 'J'he 
 reverse is erased by the scribe, as lou^; crossing lines show. Lines 6 and 7 are very 
 lightly nride, and it sconis that they just escaped the destructive stylus of the scribe. 
 
 1 sidiqiu i-inil-la i<n ('.y?) kiru Ha Suiii<(i< 
 
 2 i«i DU-b(it{ki) urah i'iulu iiina 30 ktiin 
 
 3 kitta 19 kaiiL Xahii-aijul-ufiur mi' 
 
 BabUi{k.i) 
 
 4 101 <jur Uh-hi-i-(i 
 
 5 101 gur^Sn»Mii-iri-u 
 
 6 napharh 202 (/in' sulupu 
 
 7 In ijai:t-ru-(n 
 
 1 D.ites, still hanging on the tree, of 
 
 the garden of Shamash, 
 
 2 at Dilbat. In the month Ululu, on 
 
 the 30th day, 
 
 3 in the 19th year of Nabopolassar, 
 
 King of Babylon. 
 •1 101 gur Uhhea (received); 
 
 5 101 gur Shawasheresh (received); 
 
 6 Total 202 gur of dates 
 
 7 altogether (were sold). 
 
 The tablet explains itself. The temple of Shamaah at Dilbat sold 202 measures of 
 dates to two persons; and this is a memorandnm of that fact. Dilbat is a place occur- 
 ring in almost every tablet of Peiser's "Keilschriftliche Acten-Stiicke aus Babyloniscben 
 Stadten. " 
 
92 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. 4«. 
 
 <JB VERSE. 
 
 ,<<< « CrTI <^ 4- iii:^ iJI IIIIBIII 
 
 ,<6?-^ T^\ ::::-? T! :H -f ^T TJ ^ ^ TT & 
 
 T tl <!► A 
 
 ,1? ^ - rf-T ^-Tli! 4v 
 
 ,- r--! £TT f ! -» <sJ! t^ SIT <:^ 
 
 
 rt'i jC^V ix-. fes^ JSN, j^X^' 
 
 RE VERSE. 
 
 „ ^ -^ T^I -^ T «tTtTtT ^^ ^il ^ in II 
 „T H --^MMl V^S^^'A^} IHIIiili 
 
Third Year of Nabonidtis. 
 
 \)\\ 
 
 
 ,.►¥ in ^i^ I -^titi 
 
 <x 
 
 -^ ll3 
 
 Tablet diirk gray; lJX'2i iucbes. The upper edge of the obverse is destroyed, and 
 the surface is niiirred iu various places as is indicated above. The reverse is tolerably 
 well preserved. Edges free of writing, except that the name or the river in line 3, is 
 upou the right edge. The Kigns arc large and plain. 
 
 1 44 U'lr Sl.BAJi ra 
 
 2 I.DUP m Arad-yabii itiKil-in iac 
 
 Xabu- 
 
 3 id-tii hubuni .uni SiiiiMti <i-ili-i ijiCira) 
 
 Xi'ku-di 
 
 4 ina Hi Ariid-X(.ibu aixd-m m Xabu- 
 
 zir-ibid 
 
 5 ina ki-it ki arah [Abu] inabUl (anUlH) 
 
 rub (viii) 
 
 6 ina ina-si-hi ki lli-[nud\ ((pnl Mi-pi-i 
 
 4 iiM-ii-hi 
 
 7 a-na 1 tjur i-nam-din. 
 
 8 ina manzazit hi Nir'ial-.vtr-inil-lit 
 
 9 (amUu) /ci-t-/*t «a BIT. TU my 
 
 10 Ma-si-ub-Mardnk (aniilu) mnijn 
 
 Sip-par(ki) 
 
 11 {amilu) mu-kin-na Xabu-zir-lliir ap<d- 
 
 hu \sa\ 
 
 12 Bakitu (am'du) pa-ii-ki 
 
 13 apal-ha ha Sa-la-a apal IddiH-Miiv[duk] 
 
 14 Ma-ra-nu apal-m m La-utt-aiui-nurC 
 
 15 apoi Sa-)ia-si-«>t a (amdu) dupsur 
 
 Arad-BU 
 
 1 6 apul-m ki Nabu-ahi-iddin apal (amUit) 
 
 pa-U-ki 
 
 17 Sip-pQr{ki) arah Nisannu iimu 25 kam 
 
 1 44 gur of grain, 
 
 2 Ihe amount (?), which Aradnabn, the 
 
 son of Nabii , (in the space) 
 
 3 from the two sheep-gates of Shanmsb 
 
 to the i-iver Nikudi, 
 
 4 from Aradnubtt, the son of Nabil- 
 
 ziribni, is to receive. 
 
 5 At the end of the month Abu, iu the 
 
 honse of the chiefs, 
 (j according to the measure of Kimut, 
 the son of Mipi, (that is,) 4 meas- 
 ures 
 
 7 as one gur, he will give 
 
 8 in the presence of Nergalsbarmillit, 
 the guardian of the , the son 
 
 of (and) 
 
 10 Mushezibmarduk, the priest of Sip- 
 
 para. 
 
 11 Witnesses: Nabuzirlishir, the son of 
 
 12 Balatu, the ; , 
 
 13 the son ofShula, the son of Iddin- 
 
 marduk ; 
 
 14 Muranu, the son of Liisu nan lire, 
 
 15 the son of iShanashishu ; and the 
 
 scribe Aradbel, 
 IG the son of Nabuahiddin, the son of 
 
 the 
 
 17 Sippara, in the month Nisannu, on 
 
 the 25th day, 
 
94 Tlie Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 18 mUa 3 kam Xabfi-)iu*id »nr JiuhiU(ki) 18 in the 3rd year of Nubonidus, King 
 
 I of Babylon. 
 
 Aradnabii is to receive 41 gur of grain from his namesake in the month Abu 
 (August), and at a place soniewlierc between the two gates of the Sliamash temple, 
 called the sheep-gates, and the river Nikudi. Here in one of the government agencies, 
 the second Aradnabii (the two are distinguished by the names of their fathers) will 
 measure out the 44 gur, using the measure of a person named Rimut as a standard. 
 Four of these standard measures shall be considered the eiiuivalent of one gur. At the 
 measuring of the grain Nerg:ilsharuiillit and Mushezibmurduk will be present to see 
 that the measuring is done honestly. The contract Wiiu made in the month Nisannn 
 (.\pril), and hence had four months to run. 
 
 NO. 47. 
 
 on VRRSR. 
 
 .^ 5^- iU H If -^ T ^11 -y 
 
 ,- tv<T lETT T -mi: ti y 
 »I? I Y 
 
 ]{EVEJ{SF!. 
 
 .<% \'^} tm "M.} itii 
 
 t^} --f gl ^ 
 
Fourth Year of Nabiynidns. 
 
 95 
 
 Tablet gray with uumerous black spots; IjXl^ inches. The lower right corner 
 of the obverse is tlattened down, thus destroying part of two witnesses' names. The 
 reverse is perlect. 
 
 1 mn-kur-ra na Xabii-iitiiu-uklin 
 
 2 i-bn-ra-ina a-iia liil-Uliliu 
 
 3 n-na 1 tiiklu kaspi id-dhi-nn 
 
 4 ina manzazn Btl-iki-m 
 
 5 ajHil-su m Nir<jnl 
 
 6 I-lu-i-pu-[uJ«] 
 
 7 Ri-mut 
 
 8 BabUu(ki) artih Ululn 
 
 9 umu 15 kam mltii 3 kum 
 
 10 yabii-nd'id kir 
 
 1 1 BabiU{ki) 
 
 1 The nicrchandise, which Nabi'ishum- 
 
 iddiu, 
 
 2 namely the harvest, to Deliddin 
 
 3 for one shekel of money gave, 
 
 4 In the presence of Belikisha, 
 
 5 the son of Nergal 
 
 Iluipush, (and) 
 
 7 Rimut. 
 
 8 Babylon, in the month UIulu, 
 
 9 on the 15th day, in the 3rd year of 
 
 10 Nabonidus, King of 
 
 1 1 Babylon. 
 
 This tablet is a receipt pure and simple. Nabiishumiddiu sold one shekel's worth of 
 produce to Beliddin, and gave him this receipt for his money. 
 
 NO. 48. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 TTT 
 
 1 n 
 
 Y ,<<< 
 
 ;i <v ^i; w '^ ^ ^»J -f lili 
 
 II! ^i <i- -II f ;;? :ei t^'^ ^t f 
 
 
 . f < EE :eiai -ii<i f s^i --I- 1? -r .,!k ^% 
 
 .< -+ <-t -^I I? ^ I -+ <:^^I -^ -^ 
 
 .II EI <^ -II ^ ^ + i!D ^% f m} iiiti 
 
 ,1?^ <:::<ItI I^-+«JI I^^I«II^?S:? 
 ,1? I ^^tlrrl ^^ i^\ <I- - tn ^5 -f 
 
96 
 
 Tlie Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 10 
 
 ^ £^T ^ I- f f n-} :eT I 4f^ t<TT < 
 
 .Ji? s ^^ + Tf -^ t^t^ ]^ m w- 
 
 ^y <y^ .y: tt ^ + ij:py -;£ 
 
 ■C.T -y gl v^ T? T :5j ^T r-^T T ^^ ^? 
 ,.3<i? :e& ^T tit ^^ "^ V '^<^ 
 
 Tablet light brown; ljx2i inches. The clay has cnuiibled off in hiiumtouk places. 
 The right upper corner of the obverse is destroyetl, tiiul a large crack divides the upper 
 portion of the reverse, on the right side, from the rest of the tablet. The writing is 
 tolerably distinct The left and the upper edges are free of writing. 
 
 1« 
 
 TTT 
 
 15 
 
 1 5 ma-ii-h u St. li A li i'na vuii-ki | r-/« mi ] 
 
 2 id aruh Aha .sultu 4 kitiu La-a-lni- 
 
 [5.J 
 
 3 3 ma-isi-hii 'sa 6 Im-U-lmn in 
 
 4 ha 16 i{{l)-ri sa biti {ilu) A-nu-ni-tuiu 
 
 5 It {ilu) Gu-la n-na Manhik-ium-iddin 
 
 6 2 ma-fii-h n i-na vias-iar-tatn ia aruh 
 
 [A]bu 
 
 1 5 measures of grain nt the end 
 
 2 of the month Abu, of the 4th year, 
 
 Labashi (will givei: 
 
 :i li measures with 6 talents of 
 
 .... (and) 
 
 4 with 16 for the temple of the 
 
 goddess Anunitum 
 
 5 and the goddess Gula, to Mardnk- 
 
 shumiddin (he will give). 
 
 6 2 measures, at the end of the month 
 
 Abu, 
 
FourtJi Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 97 
 
 7 u-wi Hi \(i*id-Mardiilc Ln-n^-ano- 
 
 nih'-i 
 
 8 <tpal \(ihi%zlr-(i(tl-fim 1 rjnr st. HA li 
 
 9 L U.N IT A ki-iiil. .id fi(i-fam-ni<t di- 
 
 inil-u % 
 
 10 ma klita Ba-ln-tn-ina l-nam-iVm 
 
 11 Ba-la-tn ^£.BAR-.m i-flr 
 
 12 + 2 pi St.BAR n-na ht-nr-rn-hn 
 lii m n-su-hu 
 
 14 5 mn-si-hu i-na nuiH-mr-htm 
 
 15 ia nrah Aim mltu 4 knm n-na 
 
 16 Mtt-ra-nn afxil Lh-iim nnn-nftr-i 
 
 17 Si.BAR biti /iiit.l J^inntiN-irha kahlt 
 
 aipi. 
 
 18 (ii'tih Xls(()i)iit frniH P. l:am mitu 4 k(nn 
 
 VJ Xahii-vn^iil wr Bahiti{k-'i) 
 
 7 on tho nccouut of N'a'idiimnlnk, Liis- 
 
 onaniire, 
 
 8 the son of Nabuzirgnllini, (will give), 
 
 1 gtir of grain, 
 
 9 sheep, wholesonio flour (?) Gimilln 
 
 10 into the Imuds of Rnlatn will give: 
 
 11 Halfttn has roceived Lis grain. 
 
 12 f- 2 pi of grain for the offering 
 
 13 of 
 
 14 5 measures at the end 
 
 15 of the month Abu, of the 4th year, to 
 1(5 Miiranu, tho son of Lusunannre, (lie 
 
 will give): 
 17 the grain isto ho received of Shaniash- 
 
 iiba at the house of the cattle. 
 IS In tho month Nisamiu, on the 3rd 
 
 day, in the 4th year of 
 It) Nahonidns, King of Bal)yU)n. 
 
 This tablet is evidently a .statement containing the debts of Labfishi, Lusananure 
 and Gimilln. Very likely this statement was issued by seme agent, through whose 
 hands the merchandise and the money had to pass. 
 
 NO. 49. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 f ;h ^. ^ ^l ^I- 
 
 .11 
 
 <T- -+ T? Ill 
 
 6 ^^^^^^^^ p1*t\ 1 ^^^^^^ 
 
 <T- H- s: 
 
98 
 
 The MetTopolltan Museum of Art. 
 
 
 tiiiifc J4i J&L. 1 
 
 mil -+ <^^ 
 
 <T- -f 111 * >iK ^^ 
 <T- --f ^< I- ^T ^ 
 
 ,.:si ^T :^v }tt: 
 
 < ►►^ IS 
 
 <« 
 
 RKVKHSR. 
 
 
 10 
 
 ^gy ^f :ev ^tt 
 
 ...,^ ^I ^T- ^CrC: 
 
 ., ? ^! i^? -flff ^ -f TT 
 
Fourth Year of JVab<midtis. 
 
 96 
 
 .] ^i < f mm 
 
 „ SS? -^IT ^I « TT ^\ 
 
 
 88ii< T iii I ^i-I«-i iii 
 
 29 
 
 i^ ^ ^j^{ hs 
 
 Tablet light brown; l8X2i' inches. The surface has crumbletl away in ninny 
 ))laces, and thus the tablet is in a very bad condition. The best rendering possible is 
 given below. 
 
 1 [€tlp]u in »ini LI'. TV. KA L 
 
 2 pun (ilu) i^mm 
 
 3 alpu m .nnl LV. TV. KAL 
 
 4 pan {ilu) A-[num] 
 
 5 [alpu kt Sim] L C. TV [ KA L\ 
 
 6 j>an (ilu) Mar[(luk] 
 
 7 \alpu sa .H] nl L U. TV. KA [ /, | 
 
 8 [p^ri] {ilu) Marduk 
 
 9 pun (Ilu) [Zar]-pa-ni-lum 
 
 10 alpu hi [L]U. TV. KA L 
 
 11 p!in (ilu) Bilii-mi-tu-ka 
 
 12 LU.TU.KAL.LUM 
 
 13 p.wi (ilu) Rammanu 
 
 14 LU.TU.KAL.lv 
 
 15 pun (ilu) A-[7ni]in 
 
 16 u (ilu) Bd 
 
 17 LU.TU.KAL.LUyr 
 
 18 pun (ilu) mariiti hit TU KA L 
 
 19 LU.TU.KAL.LUM 
 
 20 [pun] (ilu) OAR 
 
 21 LU.TU.KAL.LUM 
 
 22 p!jn (iiu) A-nu 7}.i-hnn 
 2] tin S}ppnri(ki) iUjni kirut 
 
 24 1 LU.NITA Nir<jal(?)-ukin-vn-hnhthi 
 
 25 1 nlpu u 3 sini 
 
 26 Nabit-u-U-zih it-ta-din 
 
 1 Cattle, namely sluep, 
 
 2 for the god Shamash. 
 
 3 Cattle, namely sheep, 
 
 4 for the god Ann. 
 
 ") Cattle, namely sheep, 
 
 G for the god Marduk. 
 
 7 Cattle, namely sheep, 
 
 8 for the god Marduk (and) 
 
 9 for the goddess Zarpanitiim. 
 
 10 Cattle, namely , 
 
 1 1 for the goddess Belitmetuka. 
 
 12 
 
 13 for the god Ramman. 
 
 14 
 
 15 for the god Ann. 
 IG and the god Bel. 
 
 17 
 
 ly for the gods, the daughters of the 
 house of 
 
 19 
 
 20 for the god Gar. 
 
 21 
 
 22 for the goddess Anunitum 
 
 23 of Sippnra: two goddesses. 
 
 24 One sheep Nergalukinnabalatu (gave). 
 
 25 One head of cattle and 3 sheep 
 2G Nabi'ishezib gave. 
 
100 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 2^ arah Saiitnia tnna 22 k[ujn] 
 
 28 [mltu] 4 [kam] Xahft-[na*id] 
 
 29 [«]«»• BtMUikl) 
 
 27 lu the luontb Samna, ou the 23rd 
 
 28 in the 4tb year of Naboaidus, 
 
 29 King of Babylon. 
 
 'Ibis <ablut gives us a list of tbe offeriugs made to tbe ^ods at Sippara in tbe great 
 temple of tbe san-god on tbe 22ud day of the month Sammi (November), in tbe 4tb 
 year of Nabonidus. Besides tbe regular offerings, Nergnlukiunubnlatu and Nabi'isbezib 
 seem to have made sacrifices. 
 
 Tbe break on tbe tablet at Ibe end of line 27 shows indistinct traces of the sign i, 
 and hence I have placed this tablet among those of Nabonidus, rather than among 
 those of Nabopolussar, to whose reign most o( the tablets of this class must be referred. 
 
 A 
 
 J 
 
 NO. 50. 
 
 OB VBH8E. 
 
 ^ <:?-! ^? m 
 
 HH VKRSK. 
 
 I 9^ T --f <tTT ►¥- ^ 
 
Serienth Year of Kabonidvs. 
 
 101 
 
 
 Tablet light gmy; 11x1 J inches. The first line of the oliverse is totallj' eHnce()^ 
 likewise the upper left comer of the reverse. The tablet, ou the whole, is very much 
 damaged. 
 
 2 \ln,nl-u-kin 
 
 3 apal (/■//') IlUtt-u \(i-nd\ 
 
 4 BU-iddin apal 
 
 5 Sfig-gil-ni 
 
 G ina ttrnh Takrllu %-nam-dm 
 
 7 [{amiln) mu-ki]n-nu KirgaUmm-ihui 
 
 8 [<ip<d-m-m'\ Nnhu-sum-iddin xpol 
 
 Arad-BH 
 
 9 Nabii-halaf-sti ik-h! apal-iu m 
 
 10 Marduk-irha apal Iddin-Marduk 
 
 11 II {(tniUu) dapsai' BU-idd'm (tpid-ku m 
 
 Ki-fiir-Mtdm 
 
 12 B(thibi{ki) urnh Aim mnu 22 kam 
 
 13 mtiii 5 Ayhh NahH'na*ld 
 
 14 ^rt»' Bnhili(ki) 
 
 2 Nergnlnlcin, 
 
 3 the son of Eliatn, (to) 
 
 4 Beliddin, the son of 
 r» Saggilai, 
 
 fi in the month Tashritn, will give. 
 
 7 Witnesses: Nergalshumibni, 
 
 8 the son of NabOshnmiddin, the son 
 
 of Aradbel; 
 
 9 Nabubalntsnikbi, the son of 
 
 10 Mardiikirba, the son of Iddinmarduk : 
 
 11 and the scribe Beliddin, the hod of 
 
 Kisirnabu. 
 
 12 Babylon, in the month Aim, on the 
 
 22nd day, 
 
 13 in the 5th year of Nabonidus, 
 
 14 King of Babylon. 
 
 This tablet is a regular promissory note. Nergaliddin promises to give to Beliddin 
 either money or some commodity in the month Tashritu (October). 
 
 NO. 51. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 .■■■I ^ -^ M? ►+ I ^ -^-^-^ 11 
 
 ^! I ^ ^^ + fl<i A -^! T :ew< * yn 
 
102 
 
 The Mttropolitan MtLseum of Art. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 5 77ii« /t/w ix rniHi-d /»(/ </(»■ strilif. 
 
 
 8 ^ Wl^ 
 
 18 $ 
 
 About tiro liiUH on Iht- olfterBr, and tiiu oh thr rerrrae are broken off 
 
 RKVKRSK. 
 
 15 jjj$s$ss$ji§5s§j5 1 It IT IT ►^ \»- i^l -o^ "-I ^^ J \ *iti *n^m 
 
 16 s^5$sss5$5^ << *T A 1 ► I ■t 1 1 IT ►^ \»- |.-| 
 
 5S!!Sm?i!!§^m 
 
 18$ 
 
 19 
 
 
 »-^?= 
 
 Tablet light brown; 13x2} inohea. A fmgiuent. All fonr edges are broken ofiF. 
 The sigus nre plain and well-made. 
 
 1 (7i-<?i ml.a.an Ittl-yahu- 
 
 \balatu\ 
 
 1 (gur of measured grain ?) 100 
 
 each Ittiuabubalatu 
 
Seventlt Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 loa 
 
 '^ f/'" 1 i"" >^t BAli ri-hUf,i | 2 giir, 1 pi of ^»rmn, llierdmain- 
 Pii-wi-Jd/) [ iier, risbsliadup, 
 
 8 (t-t?/ nrah Tibiln hhUh Q kam Auhi'i- :', until tho month Tehilu of the 6tb 
 
 "« '« ""»■'■'< year of Nahonidus the King, (will 
 
 4 30 ;/«>• hWh hit buMu arnh Tihilu knttn 
 
 give). 
 
 d 28 rpir 3 /)(' »»*rt /(j/ limn ariifi 
 
 7 (pir iua kfitii Sohii-hnm-UUli 
 
 8 ...... kfispv in ka 
 
 13 Nahii-fjtib-zu ii-iU iiinn 
 
 14 hi-tnl-'inl hid S<tptk-zlr 
 
 15 At ana Hi pi-i m IUi-y(i\hu- 
 
 hnlntu] 
 
 1(1 -fni SI BA li-m Arad- Oula a-na 
 
 ilipLi m Jtt'f\ Nahii-hnlatn] 
 
 17 [arafi] Xlsaymii umn 7 kam xattu 7 
 
 k[am'\ 
 
 18 [ Nah]fi-na''ul kir Babill [(kl)] 
 
 ■f TO gur Iroui the storehouse in the 
 month Tebitu of the (ith year, (he 
 will give). 
 
 Line 5 is erased. 
 
 G 28 pur 3 pi into the storehouse, in 
 the month (he will deliver). 
 
 7 gar from the hands of Nab ft- 
 
 shnmiddin (he will receive). 
 I 8 money of 
 
 Four or more lines are broken off. 
 
 13 Nabiigabzu until the day 
 
 19 imn 
 
 14 sustenance of the house of 
 
 Hhapikzir 
 
 15 Ai, according to the word of 
 
 Ittinabiibalatu, (took), 
 
 16 his of his grain Arad 
 
 gula according to the word of 
 Ittinabiibalatu (took). 
 
 \7 In the month Nisannu, on the 7th 
 
 day, in the 7th year of 
 18 Nabu-na'id, King of Babylon. 
 
 19 
 
 The defective condition of this fragment will allow me only to make a suppo.siticn 
 in regard to the subject matter of the text. Ittinabiibalatu seems to have been the 
 overseer of some public gran;u'y. He is, in the first place, to receive 100 gur each from 
 certain persons, and then he is to mete these out again in the month Tebitu, but in 
 smaller amounts each. Whether the same persons that gave the grain are to receive 
 part of it back, paying the ivmaiuder for the use of the storehouse or whether the givers 
 and the receivers are different persons, our fragmentary text does not state. At least, 
 it is certain, according to lines 15 and IG, that Ittinabi'ibalatu was an authoritative 
 person, and that his word had some weight in the management of the granary. 
 
104 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 NO. 5«. 
 
 on VERSK. 
 
 ,^ :f^ .4. ^ ^ ^ 5^^ 
 
 .^ ^<xT::T T-lElIf ^T<y- TM ¥ T ^, 
 J? T 5=TtI ATT^ TM? < I ^T 4i-- 
 .in v T ^•=^tTcT -? If T i^\ -iiiiili 
 
 J60Mt oiu! /tNf OH thf ubvfm; and our on Ihe ret'eme art bruktn off. 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 .„! \n\\ <T- ill Ti ^ yn ^+ ^< 
 
 Tublet light giuy, a fnigiuent; 1x1} inches. The bottom is broken off, destroying 
 two, possibly more, lines. The signs are plain, thongh well-worn away. 
 
 1 hin n-(tn-tim (mjw) 5a M.BAR I 1 Upon the certificates for grain, 
 
 2 m Jiilnhtilli-it ajxil-xit iai l)hi-nn-n \ 2 belonging to Belaballit, the son of 
 
 <»/)/</ I-ti-rn Dinuu, the son of Et4>ru. 
 
 3 m hia Hi lAt-a-liu->n ufxil-tiii id liahitu 3 which is to be received of Labashi, 
 
 1 the son of Balatu, 
 
Ninth Year of Nabonldus. 106 
 
 •1 npnl Snij-tjil-id n Tn-' 4 tbo hou i)f Sn^^illai, uuil of Tu', 
 
 5 ai>nl-iii m Xahu-ifi'r updl I /r-h[i]- .... 5 thosouof NubiioU'r, tbusuu cif Ikbi . ., 
 
 Two or iin)re Hues aro clcstrojo»l. 
 
 8 Zu-kir iipul ! ^ Ziikir, the son of 
 
 9 (aiiiilu) dnpsar Ni-ki(-tiu ttiial-Hn lilt ' 9 Scribe: Nikudu, the sou of 
 
 10 TA-Ht-rn ai>al {ainUn) kiDuiii Bit 
 
 11 Bnbilu(ki) arah Ahii 
 
 12 umn 11 knm tmllii 9 kuin 
 
 13 Ndhu-na'id sar BabUi{ki.) 
 
 10 Lishirii, the son of the priest of Kol. 
 
 1 1 Babylou iu the month Abu, 
 
 12 on the 11th day, in the Dth year of 
 
 13 Naboiiidus, King of Babylon. 
 
 Beluballit has in his po.ssession certificates entillitig him to a certain (piantity of 
 grain from Labashi and Tu*. He now proceeds, on the strength of these, to take part 
 of his possessions, and this tablet, duly inscribed with the fuct, is then given to the 
 two latter persons. 
 
 NO. 53. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 , i^ ^ I ►¥ ^-f <:r:^! in y I EI ? inn -^f --f <« 
 .H4ii ^ V- "EI Vi :eii -^' ^ i^ ^ ^ 
 
 .r "^ EEE ^^ V,^ <:EltI4i rilllEi^^T 
 ,I^^I<I-fI t^-I-JJ^IEl W^lT^^-iU 
 
1"" The Metropolitan Museum uf Art. 
 
 . JJ^ 1=5 tD ^I w ^T I^ ^ :e| ^ -TI<I sTtT 
 
 „illT CR^T t<gW^T V iU '^I 1^ <^^ <%^^ 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 ,.Tf.ar T>¥>«f <C3n!?I < T:ET?TMn::f-^«< 
 
 ..^;iatt *^ ^^ ^T -u -t: -t: tf?? t?- ^ 7^ 
 
 ^I c^ c??? ^I 
 
 .T V -^ in * T -^ J-^ I? T <I- 1:-^ rf-T? T? • 
 .... T ^11 -I!^ T? I f T 7^^ ^ I? T ^ S:! If n 
 « <Vm £^ yn. I "pytTtT ts?:! v^^ If I i^ T :eT v f IT 
 
Ninth Year of Nabouidus. 
 
 107 
 
 24 
 
 LEFT ^IDE. 
 
 It T ::5 T 1^ Sr-t ^1 t=<E tT-^.!; Tllili«i 
 
 :!: t- ET! V ! ->f <:=!^T -^ ^\ TM :e 
 
 Trtblet dark browu; l|x28 inches. The tablet is in jiorfect condition, with (he 
 exception of the lower part of the left edge, where the signs are very blurred. The 
 right edge is covered by the signs of lines prolonged from obverse and reverae, with the 
 exception of the upper part which is free of wedges, and which contains the number of 
 the tablet. 
 
 1 Xii-ur-S(iiii(iJ< n Mu-si-zib-Xabu {(imilu) 
 
 la-mu-ia-na 
 '2 m yi-din-ttint apal-mL m yabii-kn" 
 
 ««!(?• a-Hd 2 ma-mi 10 siklu kaspi 
 
 3 rt-na Iddin- Marduk (tpal-hx ia Iki-hi- 
 
 apla apal Nur-Hin 
 
 4 nl-tn arah Tah'ihi m iidin 8 kaiii 
 
 Nnlm-na'id mr liabiU{ki) 
 
 5 id-di-nu-nux a-da-an-nu u-di ki-il ka 
 
 arah Ulida 
 
 6 »(t satlu kam a-na Hi ik-ku-nH-ma 
 
 7 a-da-an-ha i-U-ik-»m knapu m i-li-nx 
 
 8 i.? i-hi Xi-dbi-tiini a-na Iddin-Marduk 
 
 9 ik-hi ani'inn kaspn a-na i-tiri-ka 
 
 10 III i-hi Xur-Sniuak h Mn-ki-zih- Snhu 
 
 11 |«-J>]ft duppi kind fjam-ru-ta a-bu-uk 
 
 12 yi-din-tum apal-m ha Nabu-g^r-mnr 
 
 13 ina huicd lib-bi iu Xu-ur-§amai 
 
 \i u Mu-ii-zih-Nabu a-na 2 nui-iM 10 
 iUdu, kaspi 
 
 1 Niir^humash and ^lushcioibnabu, the 
 
 servants, 
 
 2 whom Nidiutum, the sou of Nabii- 
 
 sharusnr, for 2 mana 10 shekels of 
 money 
 o to Iddinmarduk, the son of Ikishapla, 
 the sou of Nurain, 
 
 4 from the month Tashritu of the 8th 
 
 year of Nabonidiis, King of Baby- 
 lon, on, 
 
 5 gave; and the term (of payment) till 
 
 the end of the month Uluhl 
 
 6 of the 9th year on his account be set. 
 
 7 His term (of payment) had passed 
 
 away, and the money which ho 
 should pay 
 
 8 there was not. (Then) Nidintum to 
 
 Iddinmarduk 
 i) said "(Since) money for thy payment 
 (to me) 
 
 10 there is not, Nurshamash and Mushe- 
 
 zibnabu 
 
 11 fur a tablet of the ftill price, I will 
 
 bring; (which tablet shall say) 
 
 12 'Nidintum, the son of Nabiishai-usur, 
 
 13 of his own free will, Nurshamash 
 
 14 and Mushezibnabu for 2 mana 10 
 
 shekels of money. 
 
108 
 
 The^ MetropoliUui Museum of Art. 
 
 15 a-iui Iddin-Marduk uihU-ku ia Jkl-iti- 1 5 
 
 nplit ajtal NuT'Siu 
 
 16 id-ilbi pa-ul si-hu-hn-ii iHt-ki-na nrxd- Hi 
 
 har-H-tii 
 
 17 '( mlr-liauu-lu i<a Hi yur-S>iiwti n 17 
 
 Mu-iC-zih-Nnhii 
 
 18 «'t ti-U yi-din-tam tui-ii {unutu) mii- 18 
 
 kin-na 
 
 19 lj<i-<l-ha'ii iipiU'iii itt Du-inuk (/y»<i/ 19 
 
 20 Sukin-intn ainU-iin tin .S"/(t-'<*«/- nintl 2U 
 
 21 JiU'inujitiUim itind-im kn Xiri-ia iifxit "Jl 
 
 22 H (itinUu) dupaar yahb-mpik-zir mutl- 22 
 
 «« »a Bti-Utt-sH 
 
 23 «t7»<ti Tnk-pi-i Hnh'dH(ki) unifj. Tnknln 23 
 
 f'/t/ta 10 A'fxt 
 
 24 «!«« y Aram AViW-r't'U iar JinhUi(ki) 24 
 
 2."i iwt a-i<i-bl in t-lm4um >(«Mt/t-«ft 20 
 
 20 nuinU-mi kn Mniilnk-kain-ibni mud 
 
 20 
 
 to Iddiuiuardnk, the sou uf Iki- 
 
 sbapla, the bou of NtirsiD, 
 gave. Againht flight, reclaiuiiug b,v 
 
 the seller, rticlaiiuiug by the kiug'n 
 
 officer, 
 aud previous adoptiou, which about 
 
 Nurshaiuiihh aud Mushe2ibiiabii 
 uiight arise, Nidiutum will be re- 
 
 Kpousiblu.' " Witnesses: 
 Lnbashi, the sou uf Duuiuk, the kou 
 
 of Saggillai ; 
 Shakinshuni, the sou of Bhumiisur, 
 
 the hou of Shigiia; 
 liulmusalliui, the sou uf Ziria, the 
 
 SOD of Nashuai; 
 aud the scribe Nabushnpikzir, the 
 
 sou of Balat«u, 
 the sou of TukiM'. Babylon, in the 
 
 mouth Tashritu, uu the 10th day, 
 in the Dth year of Nabouidus, King uf 
 
 Babylou. 
 lu the presence of Ebatuui, (he wife 
 
 of 
 
 the daughter of Murdukshuuiibui, the 
 
 son of Shulu. 
 
 This tablet treats of the sale of two slaves by Nidintuui to Iddinniarduk. A con 
 tract tablet was at first made, acconliiig to which the 2 uiaiia 10 shekels were to be paid 
 at the end of the month UIulu in the V>th year of the reign of Xabonidus. But Iddin- 
 niarduk found himself unable to jMiy at the appointed time. So Nidiutum, immediately 
 iu the begiuuing of the succee<.liiig month, has a tablet made, recording the absttlute 
 sale of the slaves, and allowing (he money to remain as a debt over Iddinmarduk. 
 Wlmt interest, if any, the latter is to pay, is not stated here. 
 
 NO. 54. 
 
 on VERSE. 
 
 ,T '^i: 3:1-1 \'>^< TM f ]^ ^^ }} 
 
 tK 
 
Niii th Year of Nabon idus. 
 
 1, 
 
 109 
 
 ,^ * -H Tf -TI ^M<T ^I £:^ < :B^i'- -^T 
 <eT t^T I -Mil 4?? V 
 
 ,m i^\j =*! If -^ ^it >w^- ^^^T ^ 
 
 ,^ tf^ ^i: ;PHL yf :eI cSff: - A4f tBsI 
 
 ^I iU -I- I 
 . ►<I^ f ^^I H tl ill ^I ■!<« Mi^ <I-m ^ ►^ -^ 
 
 ,„ ^T -SI ^i SI *w ^T 7^ -^^ :bi :?: ►i^ 
 
 I SI ^I -11^ ^T 
 „||y dEffi- Elc= ?f s^l STtt ^ -^ SI 4m 
 I ^^ ^ >/- I? V 
 
110 
 
 The Metropolitan Museivm of Art. 
 
 I j4^ \\- \ --m 4i4f sn 
 
 ^ 
 
 T ^ *fe? ^ 
 
 III « ^I f -IIJl H I? ^ 
 
 Jccordtn</ (o my judgment about fifteen linvH are brokeu off here. 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 3, T -lEiT !? H <T- in ^ T siT -* TH £^TtT 
 
 „^ ejn I .^ <::^<y .yj ^^ yn v T leT -:eT T? 
 ^]} y sfw- <::^ yj v ►+ ^< .^ ^^:^t ^ ^^-r 
 
 Tablet brown, with a decided pink tinge; 2\ inches wide at the broadest, and 2§ 
 inches long at the longest part. The three remaining edges are perfectly flat and smooth. 
 Acconliug to my judgment more than half of the tablet below line 14 is broken off. In 
 the middle of line 14 the tablet is 1} inches thick. This tablet has been published in 
 autograph by Strassmaier in his texts No. 380, as well as by Pinches in Ifebraica III, 
 13 ff. Peiser gives a transliteration and translation in Z. A. Ill, pp. 365— 371. I 
 would not have republished the tablet here, if it were not my intention to publish every 
 cuniform text in the possession of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This text contains 
 13 lines less than the one published by Piuches and Peiser, from whom the missing 
 parts are supplied. 
 
Ninth Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 Ill 
 
 1 BU-ka-sir apcU-iu ia Na-di-nu apal 
 
 Sag-gil-la-ai 
 
 2 a-na Na-di-nu abi-m apcd-hi ia Ziri-ia 
 
 apcU Sag-gil-la-ai 
 
 3 ik-bi um-ma a-na bit mar-bMii^i tas- 
 
 pur-an-ni-ma Zu-un-)ia-a 
 
 4 aJi-m-ti a-hu-ttz-ma niSru u inurlu la 
 
 iul-du BU-u-sat 
 
 5 mtir-m sa Zu-un-na-a vur aiiali-ia ia 
 
 la-pa-ni 
 
 6 Ni-ku-du apal Nitr-Sin mu-ti-iu 
 
 mah-ru-u 
 
 7 tu-li-du a-)ia muru-u-tu lu-ul-ki-i-iiia 
 
 8 lu-u maru-u-a iu-u ina duppi inn- u- 
 
 ti-iu 
 
 9 ti-5a-ab-ma iikHtini u mim-mu-ni 
 
 10 ma-la ba-hi-u ku-nu-uk-ma pa-ni-iu 
 
 iu-ud-gil-ma 
 
 11 [i]w-u mdru sa-hit kCdi-i-ni iu-u 
 
 Na-di-nu a-mat 
 
 12 \BU-ka-8]ir mar-su ik-bu-5u lu im-gur 
 
 Na-di-nu 
 
 13 [ana u-rnu ru-ku-f^u inan-ma sa- 
 
 nam-ina a-na 11 la-ki-i 
 
 14 \iiklti u nikasu-iu-nu\4u dap-pi is- 
 
 tur-ma 
 
 1 Belkasir, the son of Nadiaa, the son 
 
 of Saggillai, 
 
 2 to Nadiuu, hia father, the bod o( 
 
 Ziria, the Bon of Soggillai, 
 
 3 spoke: "To the house of the adopted 
 
 sons thou didst send me, and 
 Zunna 
 
 4 I took to wife; but a son or a dnugh< 
 
 ter she bore (me) not: Belusat, 
 
 5 the son of Zunna, the son of my 
 
 wife, whom unto 
 
 6 Kikudu, the son of N(irsin, her formei 
 
 husband, 
 
 7 she bore, as my adopted sou I will 
 
 take: 
 
 8 verily he shall be my son. At (the 
 
 writing of) the tablet conoemiug 
 his adoption, 
 
 9 thou shalt be present. Our rights of 
 
 income and our possessions, 
 
 10 as many as they may be, with seal 
 
 write over to him. 
 
 1 1 Verily our adopted son shall he be. 
 
 Nadinu, to the word (which) 
 
 12 Belkasir, his son had spoken, did 
 
 not give bis assent. (Then) Na- 
 dinu, 
 
 13 that for eternal days no one else 
 
 should seize 
 
 14 (his) rights of income and his ser- 
 
 vices, wrote out a tablet. 
 
 (About 15 lines are missing. For the continuation of the text see Zeitschrift fiir Assy- 
 riologie III, pp. 366-368.) 
 
 30 Nirgal [apal Sag-g\U-Ui-ai 
 
 ?,\ La-a-ba-H apal-iu »aDu-m[wA;j apal 
 Sag-gil-la-ai 
 
 32 (annlu) dupsar MardukArU-zir apal-iu 
 
 ia Su-la-a 
 
 33 apal XJ-mr-a-mat-Bil Bahilu{kr) arafj- 
 
 l^abatu umu 15 kani 
 
 84 sattu 9 kam Nabu-tiaHd iar BabUi{ki) 
 
 30 Nergal , the son of Saggillai; 
 
 31 L^bashi, the son of Dumuk, the son 
 
 of Saggillai; 
 
 32 the scribe Mardukbelzir, the son of 
 
 Shula, 
 
 33 the son of Usuramntbel. Babylon, 
 
 in the month Shabatu, on the 15th 
 day, 
 
 34 iu the 9th year of Nabonidus, King 
 
 of Babylon. 
 
112 
 
 The Mdropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 lidknsir h:ul married Znnna according to the wish of his father Nadimi. But 
 ZuDua proved to he barren. Belkasir, however, did not wish to depart this life with- 
 out an heir, ho therefore proposed the adoption of his step-son. To this Nadinu, for 
 some reason, wouhl not give his assent. Now Belkasir hml every legal right t ) adopt 
 Bolusat, and ho would undonb'.edly have done so, had not his father made a will declar- 
 ing thiit if Bolkasir^should have :i natural and legal koii, the latter bhonid bo the heir of his 
 grandfather's fortune. If , however, (his heir should not conic to this world, then Belkasir 
 should adopt liis brother, and the latter would then become the heir of Nadinu's wealth. 
 If Belkiisir should bo unwilling to adopt his brother (?), then he should adopt bis sister. 
 — The end of the tiblct i-t unfortunately broken off, hence we can not learn the final 
 result of all these hypotheses. 
 
 For a fuller explanation of this tablet see Z. K. Ill, :t65— 371. 
 
 NO. .'».'>. 
 
 HE VERSE. 
 
 „2<iJ $T ^T «TT ^ 
 
 11 
 
 IS 
 
 
 This very fragmentary tablet, of which only part of the reverse is preserved, is of 
 a light gray color, 1 X U inches. The signs are very lightly, bnt finely, made. At least 
 ten lines must be missing. 
 
 11 -id ajtal-hi [xa] 
 
 12 [<tpnl] /ulr-lM^n-ni-^fardHk■ 
 
 13 apal Ir1)a-Nir<jal BabUuiki) 
 
 14 arah Tairitu itmu 22 kam 
 
 11 shi, the eon of 
 
 . ; Kurbannimar- 
 
 12 the son of . . 
 
 duk 
 
 13 the son of Irbanergal. Babylon, 
 
 14 in the month Toshritu, on the 22nd 
 
 day. 
 
Twelfth Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 iia 
 
 15 >m[hiYlkam'Sa!bu-na*\il\mr\ linhUi{h-i) 
 
 15 in tbo rilb year of NabonuluH, Kiuy 
 of Bnbylou. 
 
 What this tablet purports to say, I nin at ii loss to tell. The only fact iiieulioued, 
 besides tbe dii'c, is t'lat Kurbauniiuanluk is u wituess. 
 
 NO. Mi. 
 
 on VMJiSK 
 
 ma ^ w ^T If ^ I --f ^T -11 1? I f 
 
 1 ^^fe' 
 
 3 ^1 
 
 II I V T k4 ^^+< If I M -4 -< S^^I ill! <^El 
 efm -4 -0 ^ * ^M < 5I-I ^t 3?T 
 f y ^ f^l * -Kslt] I V X^ »^ -+ <:=!^T 
 
 -f <cf I W< 
 
 !^^^^ 
 
 in ^ I -f <:=!^I -^ -^*~- hii 
 
 '^::^^ i t--^ ^ SP^I If ^f III -El 4i.- 
 
 ^ ^ s cm a II ^ ^- -j^ -^^ 5^51 If 
 
 em ^ 5^1 H < V yiT ;r<r ffll 
 
114 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 „cfiH HP -^ 4^ If ^ <- '^ ti ^i] If 
 
 u^ -liji 4^ ;^^ ►¥- S<I I -m} ►+ I IM 
 
 »* I -^ wl If I -f ^f ^ I-^IIf;EI<T- 
 
 >. If I ? I ^tltl Kff If I -^ S^f <I- I e=SsT -T^A 
 
 „ ^ ^JU If I VI -S^IIf ^11 If I S^] -Jh -< 
 .aSIT f I -V wl Sif -^H ^I W ^ 
 < II ^ T -Mtltl ^ t^ ^f ^ 
 
 Tablet brown, IfxU inches. The right upper comer of the obverse is broken off. 
 And tbo surface of tho obverse is as if pressed down with tbe finger before the tablet 
 was baked. There are numerous cuts and strokes ou the tablet, which were undoubtedly 
 made by the careless scribe. Otherwise the signs are well made. 
 
 1 [i-n]a ki-it ia anih iSamna Nu-vb-la-a 
 
 2 \mnrnt ] apal-hi ki Mu-i-Uib- 
 
 liU ajml Arml-fiamai 
 
 3 ma-na kasiti a-na Atmai-iddln 
 
 apal-hi 6a Afanbik-zir-ibni 
 
 4 npal Atr-a-rtp-zu-u {amilu) tnUr xip-rt 
 
 ia t^um-xtkin 
 
 5 [apaiyhi m Aa-«tr apal Arad-BU 
 
 ta-7iam-din-ina 
 
 6 u-aji4im {mti) in ^I. BA R u sulupu 
 
 7 ia i§um-ukin ia ina Ui Kur-ian-ni- 
 
 Marduk 
 
 8 apcd-m ia Marduk-ium-ilmi lapal] 
 
 Anul-Nirgal 
 
 9 inu4um Ha Nu-itb4a-a i-U-la-* 
 
 10 i-na-<tii-\i-ma [a]-na Nu-itb4a-a 
 
 1 1 u-bul4am-ma u 4 rit-tum /cos [pi] 
 
 12 a-na Samaa-iddin ta-nam-din-ma 
 
 1 At the end of the month Samna, 
 
 Nubt&, 
 
 2 the daughter of ; the son of 
 
 Mushczibbel, tbe son of Aradsha- 
 mash, 
 
 3 mana of money to Shamash- 
 
 iddin, tbe son of Marduziribni, 
 
 4 the son of Shararazb, the messenger, 
 
 for Shumukin, 
 
 5 the son of Nosir, the son of Aradbel, 
 
 will give. 
 G The receipts for the grain and the 
 dates 
 
 7 of Shuninkiu, which against Kurban> 
 
 nimarduk, 
 
 8 the son of Mardiikshumibui, the son 
 
 of Aradnergal, 
 
 9 the husband of Nubtil, are made out, 
 
 10 (the laltjr) will take, and to Nubta 
 
 11 he vtill bring (them). And 4 certifi- 
 
 cates (?) for the money 
 
 12 to Shtimashiddin she will give. 
 
T hlrteentli Year of Nabonidns. 
 
 115 
 
 13 M-an4im (niJ«) *a-na Nu-vh-ia-a 
 
 14 i-nam-din (amilu) mu-Artn Itir-Marduk 
 
 apcU-m 
 
 15 m i§um-ukm apul {ilu) Kib^na'id 
 
 La-a-ba-H 
 IG apal-iiu m Nahu-idanin a pal Mti-kal- 
 hm ^pik-zir 
 
 17 {amUit) dupsar ap<il-fin sa Itir-JiU 
 
 apal Arad-Bil 
 
 18 [a]lu fta Sum-vJcin arah Samna umu 5 
 
 kam 
 
 19 [Sattu 1 1 2 kam Nabu-na*id 8arBabili{ki) 
 
 13 Tho receipts to NAbta 
 
 14 lio will return. Witnesses: Et<iminr- 
 
 duk, tbo son 
 
 15 of Shumukiii, thu son ofKibua'id; 
 
 L^basbi, 
 
 16 the son of NabAidanin, the son of 
 
 Mnkallim; Shnpikzir, 
 
 17 tbe scribe, the son of Eterbel, Iho 
 
 son of Aradbel. 
 
 18 In the city of Shumukin, in iho 
 
 month Samtm, on the 5th day, 
 
 19 in the 12th year of Nabonidus, Kinp 
 
 of Babylon. 
 
 Nubta promised to pay n certain sum of money at the end of the month Mar- 
 cheshwan (November) to Shamashiddiu. The latter was in turn to pay it over to his 
 master ShamHshukin. This sum of mouey wa<? due for grain and dates bought of 
 Shamashukin. Now the bills had been made out in the name of Kurbannimarduk, the 
 husband of Nubta. He naturally turned them over to his wife, wlio had contracted the 
 debt. Nubta then issued four bonds which she gave to Shamashiddin, in order to 
 insure her payment of the money. As soon as she had paid the proper amount, these 
 certificates or bonds would naturally be returned to her, as lines 13 and 14 state. The 
 debt had about 25 days to run, and therefore, probably, no interest was to be paid. 
 
 NO. 57. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 .V ill ^T - W< Vi -IT<T HIIIIIIII 
 
116 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 m^^mt 
 
 W'i^^^^^^^mMt 
 
 m^m 
 
 «^ -T<T)1 4^ ' ^ -Til 
 .H ^ I < :^? V SI 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 w IT 1 1 H- »-f-T I «T >-*H IT §SM«J-m^^^5SSS5S5$JSSJJSSv<5!MS« 
 13 T I ► r •t \»--«I it 1 ►T^I »^t JSiSS^58S«SS««8^S 
 
 „■£!! ^T S!T ^ I SSJ sg 
 
 Tablet light gmy; at the longest Hide Ij*. nud nt the broodiest 1] iuches. The right 
 edge, with part of the tablet, is totally deatroj'ed. The signs are very blurred and 
 diflii'nlt to decipher. There are no wedgeH on the left and the upper edges. 
 
 1 06 (pir ardftpu zeik-pi m .... 
 
 2 apal-iu m lialatu niml I-sui^- p'.-nl 
 
 [ina Ul\ 
 
 3 BU-ttir-napiati Marduk- [u\ 
 
 4 N(tbii-zir^-aMir ina artih Titiritu S[hit\ 
 
 5 ij(nn-ru-ta ina ha'sa-ri i[t-ti] 
 
 6 tii-hal-iu lib-bi kas-pa (.») 
 
 7 htl4um ki hu-m-hi 
 
 8 i-nam-din-nu iSti-in p[u-ut] 
 
 1 (>(> gur dates, the planting, which 
 
 2 the sou of Balatu, the son of Esag- 
 
 gillai, (is to receive of) 
 
 3 Beletc-rnapshati, Murduk , and 
 
 4 Nabuzirkasir. In the month Tashritu, 
 
 at the 
 
 5 full price, during the harvesting, 
 
 together with gur of 
 
 6 unripe dates, for money ^V) 
 
 7 talents of date 
 
 8 they will give. One receipt 
 
Thirteenth Year of Nahonidus. 
 
 117 
 
 9 \i\-HH-m i( i-l(it rii-[>i)t-ti(] 
 
 10 m Hi ^fllrl^uk•^k'(^!^il• {jimilH) 
 
 11 Sum-imtr aplu-su m Xttbu-wi-l-yir] 
 
 12 (ipol Mi-pi- 1- lildln-iDittpld [ap<ti-)i>i\ 
 
 l;l tui Iris-liil (tpid lill-i- 
 
 14 {amilii) diipsar llti-Xuiifi-htilntii up<tl- 
 
 ,su m 
 
 15 (ilii Mn-inil-kl-iiii ((r((/t I'htlu 
 
 16 nmu 1 kdin idttu 13 kaui Xabu-\na*id] 
 
 17 *'<>• Bdhili 
 
 9 lie will briug. AutliunkMiliuu ^lero 
 is the balance 
 
 10 ill favor of Manlukkasir, the 
 
 (which) 
 
 11 Shuiuusur, the sonof NabiiUHsir, 
 
 I'i the son Mepe, (uud) Itldiuuaplu, t!ic 
 sou 
 
 13 of Ereshbel, the sou of Bite 
 
 (will give). 
 
 14 Scribe: Ittiuabtlbalatu, the sou 
 
 of 
 
 15 In the city Mamilkishu, iu the month 
 
 Ulnlu, 
 IG on the 1st duy, iu the I3th year of 
 
 Nabonidus, 
 17 King of Babylo" 
 
 Beleteruapshfiti, Mardiik , and Nabuzirknsir, who were farmers or gardeuers, 
 
 promise to sell 66 gur of dates to the son of Balatu. They will also sell him unripe 
 dates, and something else connected with the dnte-palm (line 7), at a specified price. 
 Now this son of Balatu seems to have purchased the account of Mardukkasir, to whom 
 some dates were due from Shnmusur and Iddiimapla. The last named two men must 
 have stood in some intimate relation with the three mentioned in lines 3 and 4, other- 
 vlse they would not have beeu mentioned on this tablet and in this conueclion. 
 
 NO. 58. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 
 
 .<T-© ^ vi^ A- 
 
 ;i4iT 
 
 About two lines on the obverse, and two on the reverse are broken off. 
 
118 
 
 The Metropolitan Museiiw, of Art. 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 11 1 w ^ -^ \ 111 <s I H^sMSJsim^s\^s^<sMs 
 
 Tablet gmy; IJxll iucbea. A fragment The Bigns are crude. The right side 
 and about 4 lines upon the lower edge, are broken off. Tlio loft and upper edges are 
 not written upon. 
 
 1 5 Hkhi bii-ka kajipi in 
 
 2 maral-au ia AipUc-zir itia ili 
 
 3 apal-hi kt Bala-tu apal Mat' 
 
 \auk\ 
 
 4 w Aa-*-U-/um \martU-fm in] 
 
 1 5 coined shekels of money, which 
 
 2 the daughter of Shapikzir is to receive 
 
 from , 
 
 3 the son of Balatn, tlie son of Mar- 
 
 duk 
 
 4 and Na'ittum, (the daughter of) 
 
 9 Bul-lu-tu (amllu) dupsar apal-iu 
 in 
 
 10 aiHil \fu4ul4itn Babilu{ki) [arah] 
 
 1 1 ftmu 8 kam mttu 13 kam Na[bii-na*id] 
 
 12 kir Babai{ki) 
 
 About four lines are broken off. 
 
 9 Ballutu, the scribe, the son of 
 
 10 Ibe son of Mulullim. Babylon, in 
 
 the month , 
 
 11 on the 8th day, in the 13th year of 
 
 Nabonidus, 
 
 12 King of Babylon. 
 
 This tablet merely records the small debt of five shekels, which the son of Balatu 
 and Na'ittiim were to pay to the daughter of Shapikzir. Whether iuterest was to be 
 paid or not, we can not tell, as that interesting fact may have been contained in the 
 four lost lines. 
 
Fifteenth Year of Ndbonidus. 
 
 119 
 
 11 
 1 ^^ 
 
 NO. 5». 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 JH * T n -!I v^ SI? :gT ^T Til ^ 
 
 IT m ^T III ^ m ^i 
 
 eT I? - ^Ttt ^%V^m ililll 
 
 SM VERSE. 
 
 ^T -T^A JJ^ <T- 
 
 
 10 ^ 
 
 E! ^T < ^ 
 
 „T «^tTtT 
 
 ■^ 
 
 Tablet Ux2 J inches. In very bad condition. The corners, excepting the upper 
 right hand one of the obverse, are broken off. There is a large hole in line 5. The last 
 two lines are badly marred. The space seems to indicate the 15th year. 
 
 1+6 LU.NITA ina kUta lii-mut 
 
 2 [apal]-m m A-Jm-nn nrah Diizu dmu 
 Z kam 
 
 1 -f- 6 sheep are to be received from 
 
 Bimut, 
 
 2 the son of Ahnnn, in the moDib 
 
 Ouzu, on the 3rd day; 
 
1-20 
 
 The MttropoUtan Museum of Art. 
 
 3 3u Li'. NIT A vui kltu Savuti- 
 iimiUnniiii-lk {amClit) ri*u 
 
 4+7 LU.NfTA inn klld Musallim- 
 Mardnk npul p<t-ki-r[n-Hn\ 
 
 5 f 22 Ll'.XITA i-,ui Lr.XITA 
 
 6 -ht-tt inti k'lu {(imilu) rah in 
 
 Jumiji 
 
 7 /./ n-nn ktid-ik: 
 
 8 ((«»u7«) dupaur] fktmai-zir-tjal-lUn 
 [ap«/-*»< ini] StiinitH-iliir-ii 
 
 10 (araj/t Ituzn tiiini 10 htm HiiHu li(.*) 
 
 ktim 
 
 11 X(ihfi-uti*iil ktr liiihllHk!) 
 
 3 36 sbeep from Sbaniasbmudamniik, 
 
 the shepherd ; 
 
 4 -{-7 sheep from MoHalliuimarduk, 
 
 the son of the overseer; 
 
 r> -f 22 hheep, as sheep, 
 
 G from the chief of the priests, 
 
 7 not for slaughter 
 
 8 Scribe: Shaniashzirgalliiii, 
 the son of Shainashdiira. 
 
 10 III the mouth Diizu, on the 10th day, 
 
 in the 1 r>th year of 
 
 11 NaboiiidiiK, King of Babylon. 
 
 This tablet gives a list of the sheep and of those that offered them, probably iu the 
 temple at Sippara. 
 
 NO. «0. 
 
 OB VERSK. 
 
 .in f I ^11 ^ -^ I? ^ yn -f -< 
 
 . f -^ ^+ ^ -<aTt! T :eT ^ < IT Jtll 
 ,iv ^ iti\] ^I -El +1 ^ If 
 
 A "^ i^ I s^ t^}} i^ s^I : 
 
Sixteenth Year of Nalmnidus. 
 
 121 
 
 REVERSE. 
 
 .J? ^>? ! "^tltT 4^1 « 2: w ^T I 
 
 . T --f 4ifl ^^ ^^ !U * T --f - ^4f -E! -II 
 ,.£^ m T -^tM ^ f M^ If I i 
 .J -^ I * -^ Tf ^ yn -f- -< 
 „M ^ 2iif -ai ^T «T ^ 
 
 Tablet dark browu sliadiiig to black; lIXls inches. The tablet has beeu very 
 roughly used, judging by the blurre 1 appjar.vnce of the signs. The left edge contains 
 no writing, the right edge but a few signs of prolonged lines. The edges and comers 
 are perfect; the whole tablrt is preserved. 
 
 1 J ma-na 5J iik'ui knspl m 
 
 2 Ina 1 siklu, b'U-ka sa Xabii-ri-)nan-ni 
 
 3 apdl-hi »<t Ba-iii-'ui ind Hi Mtirdnk- 
 
 mkin-sum 
 
 4 apal-m m IlLl-<mir-mm apnl {nmilu) 
 
 iaiifju liil 
 
 5 »a kdli ina Hi 1 ma-na 12 iiikln 
 
 6 kaspi iiui ili-m i-rah-hi 
 
 7 Marduk-su-la-hu-u-a 
 
 8 u mlirl-m (amilu) nisi biti-m 
 
 9 mm-ka-nn 
 
 10 ia Nabu-ri-man-ni u (amilu) rasu-u 
 
 1 fi mnna 5i shekels of money, which 
 
 2 is divided into single shekels, which 
 
 Naburimanni. 
 
 3 the sou of Hania, is to receive from 
 
 Mardukshakinslinm, 
 
 4 the son of Belnsurshum, the son of 
 
 the priest of Bel ; 
 
 5 every year, upon one niana, twelve 
 
 shekels of 
 () money shall increase against him. 
 
 7 Mardukshulahiia 
 
 8 and her sons, the slaves of his house, 
 I) are the security 
 
 10 of Nabilrimanni. And a creditor, 
 
122 
 
 Tlie MetropoUlan Museum, of Art. 
 
 1 1 iornam-ma ina Ui %d i-ial-lut 
 
 12 a-di Nabu-ri-man-tii kasp<i-iu 
 
 13 i-i(d-lim-inu [amilu) mu-kin-nu BU- 
 
 iu-nu 
 
 14 apal-iu ia Ri-mui apal Mtd-tM-si-bii 
 
 1 5 Ratnm unu-zir-ibni ap(tl-iu ia liamm^mir 
 
 la-bak 
 
 16 (amilu) dupsar Xabti-kumiikvrvn 
 
 apal-iu ia 
 
 17 Manluk-iakin-ium apal (amilu) iatuju 
 
 lid 
 
 18 BabU,u{ki) arah Samna ttmu 21 kam 
 
 19 kMu 16 kam Nabet-na'id iar BabU^ki) 
 
 j 1 1 whoever he be, over (the slaves) shall 
 
 have no say 
 j 12 until Niibiirimanui bis money 
 
 13 shall have received. Witnesses: Bel- 
 shunu, 
 
 14 the son of Rimut, the son of Mut- 
 nasibil; 
 
 15 Bammauziribni, the son of Ram- 
 manlabak. 
 
 16 Scribe: Nabushumishkun, thesonof 
 
 17 Mardukshakinshon, the sou of the 
 priest of Bel. 
 
 18 Babylon, in the mouth Samnn, on 
 the 21 St day, 
 
 19 in the 16th year of Nabonidus, King 
 of Babylon. 
 
 Mardnkshakiuthuiu loaned J mana 5) shekels of money from Naburiraanui. This 
 money had been paid out in single shekels, therefore Mardukshakinshum received 25 1 
 pieces of coin. Now this money is to bear interest, the rate of interest to be 12 shekels 
 on 60 for every year, hence 20 per cent. Until the loan is repaid, tho female slave of 
 Mardukshnkinshum, together with her sons, are to bo security. These slaves, it is 
 especially stipulated, can not be given as security to another creditor of their master, 
 nor can they be disposed of by the latter, until NabQrimanni's claim has been settled. 
 
 NO. 61. 
 
 OBVERSE. 
 
 1 $ 
 
 ^sMSJ^MssmJi^SS^SM^.^^?^?^^^^ 
 
 <A'^ f T '^ K<I 
 
 T U< T? T ;^T -f -< 
 
 
Reign of Nabonid'u.s. 
 
 123 
 
 
 
 18 $ 
 
 18 ^il«$li^iiiiii^i^^^M$^^:^^^ 
 
 14 s 
 
 15 $$M^$ 
 
 16 
 
 Tablet brown, with numerous black spots; IJx If inches. The left upper comor 
 of the obverse is destroyed, thus breaking off the beginning of the last few lines of the 
 reverse. The left edge is not written upon. 
 
 1 [g^r] -§/. BAR sa Sum-ukin 
 
 2 [apaUsu sa] nordr apal Arad- 
 
 Bii 
 
 3 ina Ui Mardiik-mm-iddin apal-m sa 
 
 4 Arad-Bil apal Arad-Bil 
 
 5 ina arah Aim ina kakkadi-m 14 gur 
 
 6 id-dup-tum ina babu Ka-lak-ku 
 
 7 inam-din i-lat u-an-tim 
 
 8 u aib ti tu [i-pi]-i-sa 
 
 9 (isu) kiru ip-pu-us 
 
 10 (amUu) mu-kin-nu Ukin-zir apal-iu m 
 Ai 
 
 1 gur of grain which Shumukin, 
 
 2 the son of nasir, the son of 
 
 Aradbel, 
 
 3 is to receive of Mardukshumiddin, 
 
 the son of 
 
 4 Aradbel, the son of Aradbel. 
 
 5 In the month Airu, in his sum total, 
 
 14 gur (of grain) 
 
 6 as , in the gate Rnlnkku, 
 
 7 he will give. In addition a receipt 
 
 8 and a bond (?) were given (that) 
 
 9 he will make a park. 
 
 10 Witnesses: Ukinzir, the son of Ai, 
 
124 
 
 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 man; Naba- 
 
 1 1 apaX (amdu) tublu na-bU4i Nabu-ik-bi- i 1 1 the son of the . . 
 
 iu I ikbisba, 
 
 12 [apal-8u ii] N'lrgnl-ihni npnl {amilu) 12 the son of Nergalibni, the son of the 
 
 rob hUni 
 
 13 tuk-Marduk apal-m 
 
 14 [ki] ["P^l^] •^um-idan-nu 
 
 15 ia si dan H ta 
 
 16 [h(Mu] -f 4 kam Xrihu-na*id 
 
 17 [iar] BabUi{ki) 
 
 chief carpenter; 
 
 13 tukmarduk, the son 
 
 14 of , the son of Sbnmidannn; 
 
 15 
 
 16 In the month , on the 
 
 day, in the -f4tb year of Nabonidns, 
 
 17 King of Babylon. 
 
 Sbnraakin is to receive from Mardukshumiddin a certain quantity of grain. In 
 the month Aim (May) the latter promisoH to give 14 measures in the gate Kalakku (see 
 Peiser, B. V. VI 5). In addition to this, liues 7- 9 seem to say, he is to make a park 
 for Khumakin. The labor connected with this is probably to coaut the same as the 
 delivery of several measures of grain. Lines 8 and 15 are too blurred to be proj^erly 
 deciphered. 
 
 NO. 62. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 . llinBMMiii t=TT«-f m T^^T4i^<T-«:-^ 
 . illllll 5?T \'^\\^} * « 11^ ^ T? V, ^T T- T- 
 • illlA "77! ^! < EP? V T -ET ^T ■■I*- 
 Jlllilllll Jfcn If T &:TtT ^TT^ -ET TT T? 
 
 Ah<MiSoKr tmtt ON tkr ohffTtf. end/our on Ihe rermt are brokew of. 
 
 SE VERSE. 
 
 ^ T 
 
 f^ 
 
 ^ ^^? 
 
lielgn of NcthoiUcbis. 
 
 198 
 
 Tablet a fragmeut of dirk gray color with dark olive spots; |Xli inches. The 
 right upper side is perfect; the left side is effaced, and the lower portion is totally' 
 destroyed. The upper and right edges contained no writing. About 8 lines are missing. 
 
 1 gur Si. BAM 2 pi a-ha-alj. ki- 
 
 in-nu 
 
 2 bU4i-i-iJia 20 ka-ai tu- 
 
 mi-mi , 
 
 3 ba-n-^i ia La-ba-[a-g\i 
 
 4 [apcU-m ha BoAa-tu apal SaggU-la-ai 
 
 1 gur of grain, 2 pi of 
 
 2 vessels of spices, 20 
 
 3 of Labdshi, 
 
 4 the son of Balatu, the son of Saggillai. 
 
 About 8 lines are missing. 
 
 13 -im arah Aim, iimti 1 kam 
 
 14 [mttu] kam [yabu]-tia*id iar 
 
 15 BabUi{ki) 
 
 13 , in the month Aim, on the 
 
 first day, 
 
 14 in the . . th year of Nabonidus, King 
 
 15 of Babylon. 
 
 This exceedingly fragmentary tablet gives a list of goods belonging to LabHshi. 
 Whether he is to receive them from spmebody else, or to give them, or whether this is 
 merely a list or inventory, the fragmentary state of the tablet will not allow us to 
 determine. 
 
 NO. 63. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 . « TT til R ^y W'^ \ 
 ,f I ►^ s<T in f T ^ 
 ,T? I ^I --f -< - 
 
 4! "tfl 'tX^ It I, t I — llill 
 
 =!A.T 
 
 ->-ff- 
 
 I 
 
 5| B 
 
 itsM 
 
 itr. 
 
 ] ^ w '^ 
 
126 
 
 The Metropolitan Musevm of A rt. 
 
 :&•£< i 
 
 REVKHSE. 
 
 .air - £Itt I V S ^4^ -+ I H'[a 
 ■Jn ^ ! "^tM jj} ::^ T? ^ frill 
 
 .2<It -£!I ^I « W I 
 
 »->. 
 
 <X 
 
 Tablet dork gray; Ijxli inches. A fraguieut. The tablet is much damaged. Tb; 
 right side is completely effaced. 
 
 1 22 (jnr 4 ]>» st.BAR m-[uUu{?)\ 
 
 2 M Siim-ukin npal-kn m Nu- 
 
 3 apal Arnd-Bil hui i[li] 
 ^4 lii-mut aptU-iia «« 
 
 .*> ajw/i I-rji-hi inn nnth Air a \in if til n 
 ...... kaiit^ 
 
 1 22 gur 4 pi of gmia, over and abo%'o 
 
 2 which Slmiimkin, tlie on of Na...., 
 o the sou of Aradbel, is to receive from 
 
 4 llimut, the son uf , 
 
 5 the sou of Egibi. In the month 
 
 Airu, of the . . th year, 
 
Reign of N(il>oniduj}. 
 
 127 
 
 6 hui bubi I\a-lalc-k:u k<i[kk(uU-'iii\ 
 
 7 id-dup-tuvi i-[)Mm-dm\ 
 
 8 irn libbi 1 pi St. BAH 
 
 9 Sl.ZIR-mzak-[pi] 
 
 10 ik-ka-bu nvts-ka-tm 
 
 11 apal-m 5a Na-din-hi ai^il. Arad- 
 
 {ilu) 
 
 12 ia SI. BAR i-pii-ii 
 
 13 Sa ina kStd Kur-ban-ni-Marduk 
 
 [mar] 
 
 14 (amilu) mu-kin-nu [AVfl6ft-«Hm-i(- 
 
 ^\xi,r apal-m kt] 
 
 15 i-n-m apal (amilu) rah bCinl 
 
 16 apai-hi sa Nnbu-ik-bi apai {amilH) 
 
 17 Mardiik-hak'm-him apal-m m &l 
 
 18 {amilu) dupsar BU-tiballi-i[t] 
 
 19 apcU Arad-BU alii 
 
 20 arah Samna iimu 28 [kam fiathi] 
 
 [kam] 
 
 21 Nabu-na*id har [ BahU\{ki)'] 
 
 G in the gate Kaliikkii, his huiu tnttil, 
 
 7 uaiuely the , ho will give 
 
 K Thereof 1 pi grain, and .... (meaanres 
 
 of) 
 9 his seed fieW, planted with 
 
 10 are called the security 
 
 1 1 the son of Nadishn, the sou of Arad 
 
 (is witness that the tnouej) 
 
 12 for the grain 5f was paid 
 
 i:} which was received from Kuibanni'. 
 
 marduk, (the son of) 
 
 14 Witnesses: NabushnninKur, the son of 
 
 15 Erishu, the son of the chief car])oiiter; 
 
 16 the son of Nabuikbi, the son of the 
 
 17 Mardukshakinshnm, the son of 
 
 Shi 
 
 18 Scribe, Beluballit, 
 
 19 the son of Aradbel. In the city .... 
 
 20 in the mouth Snmna, on the 28th day, 
 
 in the . .th year of 
 
 21 Nabonidns, King of Bwbylon, 
 
 Shumukin is to receive 22 gur 4 pi of grain from Rimut. The hitter promises to 
 deliver it in the month Airu of the . . th year, in the gate Kalakku (seo Peiser, B. V. 
 VI 5). But Rimut has evidently already received his pay. He is therefore required to 
 offer some security. This he offers in the shape of grain and cultivated land. The son 
 of Nadinshu had seen Rimut receive his pay from the hands of Kurbannimarduk, 
 hence Rimut can not retreat from his agreement. 
 
 NO. 64. 
 
 OB VERSE. 
 
 ^■^ ^c=t= }e=e= <I-^ *¥■ 5^ / J^IIIIHI 
 
128 
 
 The Metropolitan Muse^im of Art. 
 
 . f I -Mil :eT * IH *> T-Mtlt! ^-^^ Ti 
 
 ilftoMt one lint on the obttne, and Itro <m ikt tmotne an broken of, 
 
 REVKHSK. 
 
 ,Jf T ITTT W< Tf Tf i 
 ,jf T -+ tS? <::^ I I 
 
 S^^^^5S:!jS!S!ti^5Si!iS«s:^^ 
 
 Tablet dark gray shading to black; ljx2i iucbes at the broadest and longest parts. 
 The right aud lower edges are destroyed. The right side of the reverse is totally effaced. 
 The signs are very plainly made. 
 
 1 u-an4im ia u-nu4u {amilu) 
 
 2 fntbaiu uihtbu u mu-Sti-zib , 
 
 1 The receipt for the nteusils of the 
 
 man, 
 
 2 (for) garments and loans (?) 
 
Reign of Nabmiidus. 
 
 139 
 
 3 hi Sdbii-itir apid-HU ia .\abu-ibni-zir 
 
 >i[l*<il\ («] 
 
 4 m BU-ikl-ka apal-iu ia NahMlml-zir 
 
 a[pal\ 
 
 5 «-?irt Hi La-n-bn-ii np(U-[!in m] 
 
 6 apal Sa-gil-ai i«-m-* 
 
 7 ina lUt-bi a-mt La-a-ba-ii 
 
 S u-nn-tim ia Nahu-itir apnl-Mu kn 
 
 [ Nahu-ibnUzir'\ 
 9 BUik\-ia i-[nam-din] 
 
 3 tlmt belonged to Niibiiett';r, (he bod of 
 
 Nabuibnizir, the hou oC , 
 
 (and) 
 
 4 that belonged to Belikisho, the hod 
 
 of Nabilibuizir, the son of , 
 
 5 to the account of LfibaHhi, the son 
 
 of , 
 
 G the son of Saggillai, is made out. 
 
 7 Thereafter to Lab:ishi, 
 
 8 the receipt of Nabueter, the son of 
 
 Nabuibnizir, 
 
 9 Belikisha will give. 
 
 Lines 10, 11 and 12 are eifaced. 
 
 13 apal Su-ha-ai 
 
 H apal amilu (tin) tsa-[na-a\ 
 
 15 apal llu-u-mr-m 
 
 16 {amilu) dupsar Ni-din-tu[m apai-hi 
 
 «a] 
 
 17 BabiluQci) arah KisUimu [umu] 
 
 I kam satiu] .... [fcam] 
 
 18 Nabu-na^id iar Ba[bili{ki)] 
 
 13 the son of Suhai; 
 
 14 the son of the priest of Nana; 
 
 15 the son of Ilusurshu; 
 
 16 Scribe: Nidintum, the son of 
 
 17 Babylon, in the month Kisilimu, on 
 
 tke . .th day, in the . .th year of 
 
 18 Nabonidus, King of Babylon. 
 
 Nabuet^r and Belikisha, two brothers, sold a certain amouut of implements, clothes, 
 and other things. The bill was to be paid by Labashi. Nabuetur had evidently com- 
 missioned his brother Belikisha to look after his iaterests. Therefore Labashi was to 
 pay the sum of money due the two brothers of Belikisha, and the latter was to give the 
 former his receipt together with that of his brother. The remainder of the tablet, from 
 line 10 on coutained ouly the names of the witnesses and the date. 
 
 NO. 65. 
 
 OBVERSE. 
 
 I ►vftTtT T? ^ !U f T -f <:=i^T ^TT T^ TI—« 
 
 r^^$^^>$i^^ 
 
 2S? ^] t:^TtT s^T I ^ -TUi ^ < Bi 
 
130 The Metropolitan Mu^eiim of Art. 
 
 ? ^u EI t^i f :m.} %} <v --f i<}}:^\ ^m 
 
 n&U 
 
 
 . i^ I -+ ^ T% ►^^ ►^ <T- ^ I fli ^ w ;cyti -^I I 
 ,^T- -:£l I -f- 5!ti ^ f T -f '^ " -y ►¥- 
 .^ J^ cm f -Till ^T ^^TtT <^\ B t- V 
 
 .^ ^ ^!T Tannin c^^ i S<if t^y 
 
 .. T ^titT T? >^Hm T -4- ^ T% -^ ►^ if:} -^ 
 
 11 Hi l l '^•T SSSSSSSSiSSi*'«iiSS!it^<i».iSS•iSSSS^•.H H- »+-l •-<i'-< 
 
 „;^>^TSI'7^TJT:-T<T^TnYT3StT^-7^^ 
 uTf T « -s^ 4!-^ 4TI T ^11 -^ 
 
 « T? I f T ^^*1T <T- iU in s:? 5iTtT ^TT^ sa 
 
 ..< ^ yn T -+ <:=J5T ^a^^ami 
 
 Tablet light gmy; 1^X2 inches. The signs are blurred, and a considerable portion 
 of the surface of the tablet has crumbled oflf. The rig'at upper corner, extendiug half 
 the length and breadth of the tiblet, is broken off. A bad break is also found on the 
 lower edge. The tablet is very difficult to decipher. 
 
Reign of Nabo nidus. 
 
 131 
 
 1 \8gur ^i.BAR [»a (««) DainuSum- 
 
 iddin] 
 
 2 apal-m aa JSU-lu-a | '//>«/] [inn 
 
 iU] 
 
 3 Nabu-apal-iddin apal-m Ha Manluk-irba 
 
 apal 
 
 4 ina arah Duzu kakka<lu-sn i-nam-din 
 
 26gur 
 
 5 ia pir'u ma-tum m arah Duzu pin 
 
 BUit-ahrutu nik\u\ 
 
 6 ia (ilu) Dainu-ium-iddin *t / Ri-kii- 
 
 hak-lcC- 
 
 7 rjal-ia-m mai-ka-nu m (ilu) Duinu- 
 
 sum-iddin 
 
 8 (amilu) rasu-u m-nam-ina (ina) Hi ul 
 
 i-ml-lat 
 
 9 pap-pa-su n\-Ha mn]ii-sar-tum in nrah 
 
 Tibitu 
 
 10 Xabu-apal-iddiu [a-ua] (ilu) Dainu- 
 
 hum-iddin i-tir 
 
 11 n-an-t[im (mi«)] fx^Ci) ^ ti 
 
 12 gah-bi »«-u6-[/a-a]-' 
 
 13 (amUu) mu-kin-nu lii-mut apal-m tsa 
 
 Nabu-ibni-zir 
 
 14 apal Man-nu-iji-ri Bil iddin 
 
 15 apal-m m Li-ii-ru apal I-sag-gil- [la-ai\ 
 
 16 u (amilu) dupsar Marduk-mm . 
 
 [apal-m kt] 
 
 17 apal Arad-Nirgal [Babilu(ki)] 
 
 18 araJi iSabatu umu 25 kam [satlu] 
 
 [kam] 
 I'J ^'abu-na'id .s[ar Babiii(ki)] 
 
 1 18 gtir of graiu, which Daiuushum- 
 
 iddin, 
 
 2 the son of Sillu, the sou of ., 
 
 is to receive from 
 ;) Nabunpaliildin, the son of Manluk- 
 irba, the sou of 
 
 4 In the month Duzu he will give his 
 
 amount. 18 gur 
 
 5 of seed-land, during the month Duzu, 
 
 are for the goddess Belit-ahr&tu, 
 the sacrifice 
 C of Daiuushum iddin is it. Bikish- 
 shakla , 
 
 7 his slave, U the security of Daina- 
 
 shnmiddin. 
 
 8 Another creditor shall h:ive no say 
 
 over him. 
 
 9 (His) sustenance till the end of the 
 
 month Tebitu 
 
 10 Nabuapaliddin will pay to Dafnu- 
 
 shumiddin. 
 
 1 1 The receipts for 
 
 12 all (of them) he will cause to 
 
 be brought. 
 
 13 Witnesses: Bimut, the son of Nabti- 
 
 ibnizir, 
 
 14 the sou of Maunugiri ; Beliddin, 
 
 15 the son of Lishiru, the son of Esag- 
 
 gillai; 
 
 16 and the scribe Mardukshum ; 
 
 the son of , 
 
 17 the son of Aradnei-gal. Babylon (?) 
 
 18 iu the month Shabalu, on the 26th 
 
 day, in the . . th year of 
 
 19 Niibonidus, King of Babylon. 
 
 Dainushumiddiu is to receive from Nabiiapaliddin 18 gur of graiu. The latter 
 promiles to deliver them in the month Duzu (July). These 18 gur have already been 
 Towed to the goddess Belit-ahratu by Dainushumiddiu, and the latter has also promised 
 to have them deliver .d in the s.'\me month. Consequently he must be severe in de- 
 manding the grain at the proper time. He, therefore, takes Bikishshakla , the 
 
132 Tlie Mttropolitan Museum of Art. 
 
 slave of Nabuapoliddin as security, and by means of line 8, denies the right of any other 
 creditor o£ Nabilapaliddin to luive any say over the slave. He even demands sustenance 
 for the Litter, for five months beyond the time, when the payment of the grain has 
 become due. Lines 11 aud 12 seem to imply that after all requirements have been 
 sastisfied, Daiuushiimiddin will cause all the necewary receipts to be hauded over to 
 his debtor Nabuapalidditi. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 No, 1, Line 1. jjia Hi itia pSn is a double expression of one and the same idea, as 
 
 ina ili and ina pUn nre used interchangeably in the contract tablets. 
 Lines 3, 5. »int Briinuow C. L. 10253. . 
 Line 6. to- Ji<-<u is propably a t formation of the stem alSdu, Heb. *7*?^ meaO' 
 
 ing "to beget" ; hence, tentatively, "the young." 
 Line 10. The sign ni is written on the tablet by mistake for kak. 
 Line 12. Nippurii. See Briinnow C. L. 3S77. 
 Ifo, *,i. Line 1. ^ iiklu 6 UMu written instead of 6i siklu. 
 
 Line 7. According to Strassmaier, Cambyses Nos. 195, 226, 286, BU-ki-iir is 
 
 the son of Su-la-a, of the family of Egibi. In this tablet, however, 
 
 only the family names are given. 
 Line 9. umu is omitted by the scribe, and saltu 12 kam is repeated by mistake 
 
 in the next line. 
 Line 10. In tablets Nos. 2 and 3 of this part a final phonetic syllable na is 
 
 added to Shamasbshumukin's (Saosduchinos) name. In No. 4, 
 
 however, it is omitted. 
 No, 3. Lines 1, 12. Su-la-a. To be read thus though iSu-ba-a is written. 
 Line 8. Notice the curious form of mafi. 
 Line 14. *-< for ^ 
 
 No, 4, Line 1. ni-is-hu. See Tallqvist p. 105, and Peiser, K. A. II^ 
 
 Line 5. u4ir. From viru. See Stiass. Neb. 261 «; also Part I of this book, 
 where it occurs in the form u-iur 13* 15 *. 
 No, S, Lines 3, 5, 6. (U«) Sa-bU-bit. Strassmaier reads (fiw) Zamame. 
 
 Lines 7, 8. The last sign is the sign of repetition, and means that TU.BIT 
 
 (Mu) iSa-bil-bU is to be repeated. 
 Line 11. {amUu) PI.IR.MlS, if read syllabically (ajni7i<> pi'ir (mtX), may mean 
 "seedsmen," though there is no reason why the plural should have 
 been used. 
 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 134 
 
 No, S. Line 12. I would take Amai-ni-gab-a with the {ki) broken off as the name of 
 a city, OS every parallel constmction with (amUu) kingu demands. 
 Line 14. Aimr-ihbi. See Briinnow, C. L. 5124. 
 
 Lines 15, 16. (amiht) HI. HI might be a mistake ou the part of the scribe for 
 {mniiu) III. GA, as only two small perpendicular weiiges are lacking 
 in order to make of At a ijn. Then we mnst read, according to 
 BrUnnow, C. L 8239 {mnilu) tSbi. In line IG amilu is omitted. 
 No, 6, Line 17. The same construction as in 2 ' of this part. 
 
 No. 7, Lines 5, 6. mi-iin-ua. This word I take with Tallqvist (p. 112) to mean 
 "palm-branches," according to the Heb. D'3ppP Cant. 7:0. But 
 it must be read with the i and not the « sound. I'eiser, (B. V. 
 p. 2t0; K. A. p. 102) believes it to signifiy the portion th;it the 
 Stewart or tenant receives. 
 Lines 8, 10. JiU-u-ir4u "Bel has sent," from *irfi. 
 No, 8, Line 3. The pronanciation of the 4th sign is not known as yet. (anitiu^ 
 Mi'iMiS). See Talhivist, p. 90. 
 Line 5. This is a round-aboutj way of saying "on the 15th day of the month 
 
 Simanu." 
 Line 6. itU-lak. A t formation from aljku. 
 Line 12. fU-U Heb. SjJ "shade, roof," then perhaps "rent." 
 No, 9, Lino 2. ina puni "to be at the disposal of," and not to be read inn ;>."« "to 
 be received from," as the context shows. Compare line 9. 
 Lines 18, 21, 22. maiihu as I conjecture. Mr. Pinches (Inscribed Babylonian 
 Tablets iu the Posession of Sir Henry Peek, Bart., Port L p. 10) 
 shows that this sign stands for 24 ka. As maiihu was only a general 
 term, the nutii/ni mentioned in this tablet must consequently have 
 contained 24 ka. 
 Lines 23, 33. i-da-a-ta must be the plural of idu. 
 No, 10, Line 2. mi-di-il "measuring," Heb. TIQ "to stretch, to measure." 
 No, 11, Line 5. Aram seems to have been omitted. 
 No, 13, Line 3. kat or kuta hands is taken by Mr. Pinches (Insc. Bab. Tab. Part. 
 
 I, p. 4) to mean "skeins." 
 No, 14, Line 1. alpu xm-mn-mi (mJ«). "Cattle in great numbers." nmuuinu means 
 "troops, people, army;" but it contains the idea of number, I have 
 therefore rendered it thus here. {See Tallq., p. 43 for examples.) 
 la p.4H ''iSh Compare No 25, line 21 of Part I. 
 
Notes to the Second Part. 136 
 
 No. 14, Line 5. Th& sign for Nabfi is erased at the end of the line. 
 
 iVo. IS, Line 7. /<( gam-ru-tu. The la here has the same ideomatic furce as the 
 
 Hebrew preposition. 
 iVb. 4€, Line 3. bubuni /tint Sauiai. These were evidently the two gates of the 
 
 temple of the sun-god at Sippara, through which the sacrificial sheep 
 
 were brought iu. 
 ]jine 16. The perpendicular wedge before amllu is a mistake by the scribe. 
 3'o, 47. Line 1. ma-kur-ra from the same root as theHebrew ^3)2 "to sell." 
 
 - T 
 
 Line 2. i-fm-ru-nui for iJ)u-ru-m(i. 
 
 Line G. The names compounded with Ilu are not common. A few aro 
 IpiiUu, AnulUu, etc. 
 yo, 48. Line 2. The name LaitH^i is spelled either La-a-ba-ii or iM-ba-a-ii. 
 Line 3. bu-li-ium must be considered a variant for bilium. 
 Line 9. ki-ml "sustenance, support." (Peiser, B. V. XXIlI,j) ,ya-ia»i-m« 
 
 DT'tr "good, wholesome." 
 Line 13. ku-xir-fu-bu comes from the same root as j^'^i^ (Lev. 7 '.38), and is 
 a by-form of the latter. 
 No, 40. Line 1. LU.TU.KAL is probably to be read phonetically as the phonetic 
 endings ium iu lines 12, 17, 19 and 21, and lu in line 14, show. The 
 L U is probably the prefixed determinant. Compare L U. NIT A . 
 No. 51, Line 14. ki-mi-mi is a lengthened form of ki-mi. Cf. No. 48 ». 
 No. 53. Line 1. (amUu) la-mu-ta-nu. See Tallq. p. 89. 
 
 Line IG. The scribe by mistake wrote si-hu-hu-a for sirhu-u. and pa-ki-nu for 
 
 pa-ki-ra-nu. 
 Line 18. «a is evidently a needles repetition. 
 No, 54, Line 9. iikutini seems to be a double plural formation. 
 No, 56, Line 11. rit-tuin must mean something like "certificate." Consult also 
 Peiser B. V. p. 324a. 
 Line 15. {ilu) Kib-tia'id. A. tentative reading. 
 No, 57, Line 6. tu-hal-la lib-bi. Compare iuhal-lum lib-lib-bi, VeiBer, B. V. CXLVII,; 
 
 also m-bi lih-bi, Strassmaier, Nabn. 271 '« " 385 ' «. 
 No. 59, Line 4. pa-ki-ra-nu. The determinative (amilu) is omitted. 
 No, 60. Liue 7. Marduk-hu-Ut-hu-u-a means "Marduk is my forgiveness." Hebrew 
 root H/D- 
 Line 8. (aiailu) nisi is used here as {amilu) ijalli. 
 No, 61, Line 4. Arad-Bil apal Arad-BU. The two names are distinguished here in 
 writing, though they are pronounced alike. 
 
136 
 
 The Metropolitan Museuvi of Art. 
 
 No, Sl» Line 5. Usually the tens precede the units, but the reverse is the case here. 
 No, 62, Line 1. n-tn-nu occurs also in Strass. Nabn. 558, 10. 
 No, &4, Line 1. u-nu4u "utensils." Consult A. & W. Sanh. I, 28. 
 Line 2. iiiiubu, according to Br&nnow C. L. 11188. 
 Line 14. {amilu) {ilu) Na-[na-a]. iangu is omitted. This a frequent omission 
 
 on the contract tablets. 
 No, 65, Line 5. pir'u ina-tum is evidently another phrase for &t.ZlR translated by 
 
 Peiser "seed (field)." Here pir*n is equivalent to M. B All otWiw 1, 
 
 and inu-lum is added to complete the phrase. 
 
 BUU-ahruiu (Brilnnow C. L. 11523) "Belit of the Future," "Belit, 
 
 Goddess of Futurity." 
 
 Line 14. -in ia seems to be erased in thid line on the tablet, as is indicated 
 by the space. 
 
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