Alfred Moldenke (1893) - Cuneiform Texts in The Metropolitan Museum of Arts

CUNEIFORM TEXTS
IN THE
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
EDITED AND TRANSLATED

I
ALFRED B. MOLDENKE,
. I
PH. D.
PUBLISHED
FOR
THE
MUSEUM
NEW YORK 1893
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 "Egibi," 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 2I 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 tn the Metrop5olitan iMuseum 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 volume all such errors will have been avoided. Another cause was the desire of the Museum authorities to have some publication 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 incorporated in the preface instead of being placed at the end as in the first edition. The correspondence of such letter as I, a, 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 translation is brought out more clearly by the use of Italic type for the former
IV
Preface to Parts I. & II.
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 references. 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 Egibi, and Nos. I6-45 of the Ward collection, Total: 40 Texts of the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Amelu-Marduk and Nergalsharusur. Part IV will contain Nos. 32-36 of the Egibi 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 Egibi, and Nos. 78-120 of the Ward 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 magnificent 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, I Oct. Ist, 1893. A. B. MOLDENKE.
PART I.
LIST OF BOOKS QUOTED, AND ABBREVIATIONS.
ABEL UND WINCKLER, Keilschrifttexte zum Gebrauch bei Vorlesungen. (Sanherib, Asarhaddon) Berlin 1890. Beitrage zur Assyriologie und Vergleichenden Semitischen Sprachwissenschaft, herausgegeben von Fr. Delitzsch und P. Haupt. Leipzig 1889 -1892. .. B. BRtNNOW, R. E., A Classified List &c. Leyden 1889. DELITZSCH, FR., Assyrische Grammatik. Berlin 1889. " " Assyrische Lesestiicke. Dritte Auflage. (Sintflutbericht) Leipzig 1885. Assyrische Studien. Heft I. Leipzig 1874. .
. . . .
Babylonian and Oriental Record. London.
BOB
HOFFMANN, Ausziige aus syrischen Acten persischer Martyrer. Leipzig 1880. HOMMEL, F., Geschichte Babyloniens und Assyriens. Berlin 1885-1889. JENSEN, P., Die Kosmologie der Babylonier. Strassburg 1890. LAGARDE, P., Agathangelus. (Abhandlungen der Koniglichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Gottingen, Vol. XXXV) 1887. LOTZ, W., Die Prisma-Inschrift des assyr. KInigs Tiglathpileser I. Leipzig 1880. . LTP PEISER, F. E., Babylonische Vertriige des Berliner Museums. Berlin 1890. . Bab. Ver. ,, Keilschriftliche Actenstiicke. 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. SCHR(EDER, Phonicische Sprache mit Entwurf einer Grammatik. Halle 1869. Sitzungsbericht der Koniglichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. 1889. SMITH, P., Thesaurus Syriacus. Clarendon Press, Oxon. 1879. SMITH, S. A., Keilschrifttexte Asurbanipals. Leipzig 1887 - 1889. STRASSMAIER, J. N., Babylonische Texte, Heft I- VII. lnschriften von Nabonidus, Nabuchodonosor und Cyrus, von den Thontaftln des Britischen Museums copiert &c. Leipzig 1887-1890. . . . Strass. Nabn., Nbk., Cyr. STRASSMAIER, J. N., Inschriften im Museum zu Liverpool. Leyden 1885. Verhandlungen des 5 ten lnternationalen Orientalisten Congresses zu Berlin. 1881. TALLQVIST, K. L., Die Sprache der Contracte Nabfi-na'ids. Helsingfors 1890. TIELE, C. P., Babylonisch-assyrische Geschichte. Gotha 1886-1888. Zeitschrift fiir Assyriologie. Leipzig 1883 -1892. . . . . . . A. ZDM Zeitschrift der Deutschen MorgenlAndischen Gesellschaft. . illq.
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

The superiornumerals refer to the lines of the tablets, while the other numerals referto the tablets.
I. CITIES.
[din]Babilu 11 1 21 12 2 22 13 i 10 14 26 15 1 21
20
Babilu 14 Barsiba 18
16
17
1 20 9 4 1 29 23
16 16 7 17 1 182 [1911] 2016

22
34
22 16
17 14
23 12
14
24 16 25 18 20
5 1
26 22
27
13
28 15 17 29 30 30
alf Bit-gar-i 31 al&Kas-sur (P) 13 s
31 1
II. MONTHS.
Nisannu 26
22
28
15
29 "
Tatritu 13 1i
Samna 27 4 5 15 1i Samna-am-a 21 Sabatu 19
9
Airu 22 4 14 2 Simanu 30 1 Dftzu 25 1 31 12 Ululu 27

13
20
20
14 23 13 24 1
1
17 4 14
Adaru 11 9 12 21 16
18 11 2216 23
III. GODS.
Bil 21 19 25 1' Gu-la 24
12
Na-na 17 10 30
Ninip 16 4
Za-ri-lu 17 12 25 13
Sa-mai 18 ' :-. PERSONS.
Ai 11 4 22
12
Iddin-. .....
f
21
9 1
ilu I-a-na-ir 25
Iddin-Bil 23 28
1
ilu A-ba-ba-ti-la 27 2 Ab-la-a 30 1 Ab-la-da 18

8
5
Iddin-Marduk 17 1 3 18 1 23 10 24
25 s
19
8
Ia-ha-ta 21'
Iddin-NabOt
7
Ib-na-a 21 16 t-gi-bi 12 1418 20 4 13 21

9
20 11 29 21 31
12
22
23
28
Iddin-na-hu-nun-ti-ii-Marduk 28 Iddin-na-Nabft 21
10
29 8 31 2
26 2
10
Idanin-Nabf 18 6 Id-da-a 25
Aha-ba-ni 17 14 25 16 ttir-Marduk'22
13
ttir-a-na-nim 12
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

U-ka-ga-tu-ra-iad 30' ilu tllatu-u 11 I-mid-su 19 Amtu 28
' 9
9
Bil-i-tir 31 1
14 25
4 Bil-i-_i-ru 11 29
2t
Bil-kasir 12 19
Bil-Marduk 27
Bil-naiir 25 22
I-sag-gil-ai 26 6
2 A-pak-kal-ia 26 O
Bil-apal-iddin 11 12 19 Bil-pat-ta-nu 12
1'
5
24 9
12
Ipi-ii-ilu 13 2 14 '9 22 14 30 l1
Itbi-[Marduk] 29 6 Ilifia-apla 26 31 s A-ra-bi 17 3
Ir-ba-Marduk 14
24
Bil-iki-Sa 16 13 30 2
3 4
19 2
Bil-ri-man-ni 12 20 24 5
Iki-a-apla 17 2 18
23
24 2
25
28
Bil-Aum-iSku-un 23 10
Bil-iu-nu 12 17 19 Bani-ia 29 14 Bani-i-a 11 s 29 4
T T 7
30
Ardi-ia 29 24 Arad-Bil 13 14 1" 22 1 29 6 Arad-Marduk 21 Arad-Nirgal 22 A-Sa-a-na-Sad 25 It-ik-kal-a 15 3

It-ti-.......... Itti-.......... 25 1 29
24 18
Bani-um-ma-gu 27 1
5
Ba-ni-ia 12 2 15
17
16 9 10 20 1(?)
1
22 3 2
1
Bani-a-tu-i-sag-ila Bit-ti-ia 21
19
16
12 8
25
25 11
Gu-la-ri-nin-ni 11 2 121 10 13
Da-bi-ia 13 1 Da-bi-bi 21 17 Du-ub-bi 20 11 Du-um-muk 13 1 Dan-a 11 14

5
Itti-Marduk-......
-balatu 26
1
Itti-Marduk-balatu 26 1 27 Itti-Nabaf-balatu 29 6 31 1 Ba-bu-tu 1220 26 4 21

1 Babu-u-tu 27 1 9 Ba-la-tu 11 26 1
Di-na-a 30 12 ilu Dainu-zir-ibni 30 10
Bil-.......... 15 Bil-uballi-it 15 12 Bil-ibni 31

9 S
6
Zir-ai 21 "
Zi-ri-ia 15 11 27
3
13
Zir-ukin 24
ll
Bil-iddin 13
14
29 4 T 20
Zir-itu 22 14
Bil-di-Ltir 29 23 Bil-idanin 28
12
Ha-an-na-'-Au 16 Hu-pu-u 28
Ka-di-di 14
4
Bil-zir-ibni 26 16 Bil-aSLI-iddin 27 12 Bil-a]i-iljf-Fa 19 Bil-barran 17 Bil-itir 27

9
6
Hu-nu-ti-ti-Samab-balavu 11
Ka-di-nu 12 '
Index of Proper Names.

Kal-;ra21 2 31
xi
1
[-J
1 8
Nabft-ali-iddin 1 7'
1 22
6
5
4
13 12 14 1
17 11
5
Ku-up-pu-ut-tum 29
18 29
20
8 1
22 2 23
3
26 2 27 2 28
Ki-rib-ti 21
12
31 2 3
Nabft-ahi-iddin-na 21 La-a-ba-gi 27 La-di-pi 30 12 Lu-us-a-na-nfri-Marduk 21

Man-di-di 13 30
7
4 "
Nabf-ahi-irba 11 1:
Nabft-itir 15
2 6 7
NabA-ukin-...... .15 Nabif-ukin-apla 25
'
14
14
Nabat-lit-su 24 13
Mu-sal-li-mu 25
Mi-pir-ai 26
8
Nabft-mu-u-da 11
10
18
Mu-sal-lim-mu 17
1
Nabat-musallim 11 16
Nabt-mu-Ai-ni-ud-da 12 Nabt-na'id 11
'
2
16
26 5
1'
15
16
1! 2''
Mi-ga-tum 22 ' Marduk-ban-zir 31 Marduk-iddin 21

Marduk-iti-ir 12
13
12
13
14 26 15
5 1
10
16
18
17 5
1 424
15
1
18 12 19 11 20 1 21 5'
327 25 6 23
1929
22
2217 23
4 28
Marduk-zir-ibni 14
18
29 29 30 17 31 13
3
13
22
25 14 24
6
Nabat-nadir 28 Nabt-is-kip 18
14
Marduk-musallim 17
Marduk-ipi-i
21
14
8
L Nabf-apal-iddin 11 11 12 4 11 13
16
Marduk-iki-sa-an-ni 11 Marduk-irba 14
21
T
12
'
14 44
Nabt-uvur 26 1
Nab-ik-bi 29
Marduk-Aum-ibni 18 " Marduk-gum-usur 28 s Marduk-iarra-ni 16 Mu-gi-zib-Bil 20 Na-ba-ai 27

4
NabA-rimu-lip-tum 23 Nabft-ri-man-ni 25
11
Nabt-irig 25 16 30 13
7 10
Nabif-u-Au-da-kata 22 8
Nabft-fum-iddin 14
22
15 1 16 2 3 16
Nabft-um-ugur 16 NabtA-Aip-uour 17
13
27 '1
Nabf-balat-iddin 20 1 Nabf-balat-su-ikbi 29 Nabf-bani-aha 24 Nabt-ga-mil 26 Nabf-iddin 20

9
17
13
Naba-itti-apli 28 ' Nu-ub-ta-a 26

Na-di-nu 15 13
4
Nabfi-balat-su-[ikbi] 15 1
3
Na-din 23 11 26
3 21
24 10
15
11
28 12
l
Na-din-Marduk 24
14
Naba-zir-iddin 11
16 16
3 22
Na-din-gi-bar 15 Ni-mi-ku 13
Nu-u-pu 11
13
18
'
Nabft-zir-ik4-a 25
6 Ni-lat-tum 29 o 21
Nabt-zir-iutibur 14 ' Nabt1-a]l-bul-lut 14 T
xii
_

23
Natii-bat- ai 14 Nftr-i-a 30
s
Ri-dal-Aamai 22 13 13 s 14
5 21 14
8
Nirgal-uballi-it Nirgal-iddin 14 Nirgal-itir 26

3
Ra-mu-u-a 16 4 Rammanu-atl-uballit 11 Ramman-u-mi-i 12 18 Rammanu-ium-iddin 24 10 Rammanu-ium-usur 27 10

Ri-mut 13 1
6 3
ls
Nirgal-musallim 16 Nirgal-na'id 11 14 Nirgal-upur 29 Ntr-Sin 11

14
S 14 18 19
0
25 6 1
17
4 18 2 24 2 28
Ri-mut-Bil 27
Na-Fi-i-Naba-apla 20 10 Na-bi-ir-na-a 20 Bu-La-ai 14 21 Sin-ga-ga-nim-mi 16 Si-nu-nu 16 6 Sin-tab-ni 11 Su-ka-ai

1 '
15
3
Ri-ar-tum 29 5 7'
10
Su-zu-bu 23 Sakan-6um 25
Su-la-a 12 14 18
3
s20
4 l
1 21
23
Sa-am-ma-' 27 Sa-tabti-6u 16
8
27
1'
8 Sa-an-na-a 29 1 10o1 1 2
Pu-na-ni-tum 18 aal-a 29
Sa-na-Ai-...... Sa-as-Bll-ti 28
4 14 3
11
Sapik-zir 15 1 616 14
26
:il-la-a 15 1 20 2 30 *ir-di-bit 27
13
Tab-lu-tu 29 Tab-ni-i 17
l
'
10
Ka-ti-lu-tum 28 Kur-ban 11 13
Tab-ni-i-a 11 1 18 Ta-k i -Gu-la 22

'
9
25 1'21
Kur-ban-Marduk 14 1 Kur-ban-ni-Marduk 13 ......- uvur-bilu-u 12

...... -it-ka 11
1
...... -um-ukin-na
21
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES ACCORDING TO GENEALOGY.

The first column gives the name of the person, the second that of his father, and the thirdhisfamily name. Only those names are cataloguedhere, of which the genealogy is given, or which have some special attributeto distinguish them from other names of the sameform. For allother names see precedingindex.
s
Iddin-Karduk
apa1-ou
va
Ij-la-apla,
apal Nftr-Sin
171 18 l 19 3(?) 24 l 25 3 28 10 23 10
28-13
Iddin-Marduk Iddin-na-1u-nunti-ia-Marduk
Scribeof the 18th Tablet.
" Bil-um-ii-ku-un " Nabft-nasir " [Bani-ia] " Itf-ta-apla

6"
ct amilu kipu
cc
*Iddin-Nabt- .... Iddin-Nabt Iddin-Nabft Iddin-na-Nabt t-a-na-sir I4l-ga-apla Irba-Marduk

Scribe of the 14 th Tablet.
cc Du-ub-bi
6c
20 l" 31 29
21
8
BilAbni ........ , Da-bi-bi
al-a ,
2&
1
" Ib-na-a "Y Mu-sal-li-mu

6"
25
"
A-pak-kal-ia,
t-gi-bi
26 1
" Mar-duk-ikit-a-an-ni " Illatu-u

6
6
14 4 29 2a 13 14
2r'
18
Ardi-ia Arad-Bil Arad-Marduk

Scribe of the 21 st and 25th Tablets.
" Itti-.....
C6 amlfu /akanu
6, Arad-Bil
"Du-um-mul s
" Bit-ti-ia
amilu I.MAS Bil [amilu Aangu Bil amilu Aa- tabti -Au
25 1i
Arad-Marduk
Scribeof the 22nd Tablet.
"
" Marduk-ltl-ir "Arad-Bil " Nabft-all-iddin " Nabta-a4l-iddin
66
Itti-Marduk-balatu " Itti-Marduk-balatu " Itti-Marduk-balatu
22
16
"; A-ba-ba-ti-la " t-gi-bi
27 1 22 51
28
7
26'
299
Itti-Nabft-balatu
Scribeof the 31 st Tablet.
"6" "
6
Marduk-ban-zir "6Marduk-iddin " Na-di-nu

4
" Bil-i-ti r " Bil-i-$i-ru
31 lo 29
12
tItti-Nabft-balatu
Bil-uballi-it
Scribe of the 15 th Tablet. Bil-iddin
15 13 f Nirgal-ufur
"6
6
29
29 7 20 13 36 1 11
Ba-ni-ia
[Ri-Aar-tum "6 amilu Sa " Nab-ik-bi
Bil-iddin Bil-di-bir
"6Nirgal-uballi-it
C IC
14 '
C
29 2
*Possibly the same as Iddln-na-Nabf, the third name from this. t -Itdenty theSe me scribe as the preceding.
xiv
__

__ _
Bi1-abl-i~1Fl-a
apal-so saaBil-u-nu
apal
,' amilu tiangu Nana " Rammafn-um-u uur "I Ba-bu-tu
19 6
Bil-tarran Bil-itir Bil-kaBir

" Mu-sal-lim-mu " Nabft-Sum-ufur Bil-ri-man-ni "I-mid-su

( " " Dah-hi-a(?)
17 9 27
12
8
18
Bil-apal-iddin Bil-apal-iddin
" Nabti-lit-su
24
Bil-apal-iddin Bil-apal-iddin Bil-ri-man-ni Bil-Fu-nu Bil-.......... Ba-ni-ia

Scribe of the 16th Tablet.
" "
" Nabft-[iddin?] " Nabi-ahi-irba Marduk-musallim Bil-iki-a ,, Nabtt-gum-upur " NabA-Sum-iddin

t
cG .. cG
Ramman-Bum-iddin " Kur-ban amllu Bangu Nana Bani-[ia] amilu gangu Ninip Iir-dig-bit [pi-iA-ilu
44
11 12
24 5 30 5 15
8
16 3 16
Bani-um-ma-gu
Bil-a]i-iddin-na
66
27 12
Dainu-zir-ibni Zir-ttu
"Ab-la-a "Nabft-zir- iddin
30 1
22 14
Hu-nu -ti-tiS-Samaa" "Ai balatu Ki-di-nu Kal-ba-a La-a-ba-Si La-di-pi Lu-us-a-na-nntriMarduk Marduk-iddin Marduk-zir-ibni
Marduk-iti-ir Marduk-musallim
Scribeof the 17th Tablet.
Bil-i-ti-ru
66
11
II
" Marduk-iti-ir Ia-ta-ta Nabft-abi-iddin ". Zi-ri-ia " " Di-na-a I Ki-rib-ti . "
'
46
Ramman-u-ml-i t-gi-bi Na-ba-ai
12 18
212 9
31
2 4
27
30
3
12
t-gi-bi " Zir-ai " 1Naiir-bat-ai Arad-Nirgal

" Aha-ba-ni
21 11
21
l3
" Marduk-ipi-iS "Su-la-a

" Ri-mut " Nabt-Sip-usur
14 '2
25 14
"
17 14 11 12
2
Marduk-ikl-ia-an-ni" Marduk-/arra-ni Naba-balat-iddin " Nabt-balat-su-ikbi " Nabft-balat-su-[ikbi] Nabt-ban-aia. Nabft-ga-mil "
" Bani-i-a " " Bil-ikli-a " il-la-a "Bani-ia "Zir-ia " Il-fia-apla
Illatu-u ....- uuur-bilu-u Sa-tabti-iu Na-fi-ir-na-a Ri-iar-tum amilu bant " Na-din-Marduk
*Marduk-ili-Aa-an-ni.'B" Ba-ni-ia
14
1611
20 1
29 13
15 1o
24
" " Nabfi-mu-Si-ni-ud-da " t-sag-gil-ai
2617
*Very likely identical with the preceding. The family name is broken off at the beginning, hence the latter is uncertain.
Genealogical Index of Proper Names.

Nabft-iddin Nabft-iddin Nabft-iddin Nabaf-zir-iddin amilu mar sipri daini Nabft-zir-iddin 1Nabit-zir-iki-Sa Nabit-zir-SutiFur Nabia-ahi-bul-lut Nabt-ahl-iddin
Scribeof the 20 th Tablet.
xv
28 12
24 l
apal-su sa Bil-idanin " " " Zir-ukin " Mu-Si-zib-Bil
apal I
amilu ni-gur-gi-na
" amilu iangu Gula " Na--i--Nabft-apla
20
16 1
.cNabit-muallim ,
t
" Sin-tab-ni
cc GS5
11 16
C Sakan-6um
(
25 Ka-di-di Su-ba-ai t-gi-bi 14 12 14

12
3
a
". Nabfl-6um-iddin
6
14 O
MLarduk-irba
20 3
T 9 21 1 23
"S Su-la-a
207 38 6
Nabit-atl-iddin-na NabA--itir Nabfi-ukin-zir NabfA-mu-i-niud-[da] . .
... Nabit-ahi-iddin-na il-la-a . Bil-uballi-it . Bil-zir-ibni "It-ik-kal-a "amilu pa-gi-ki
21 3
15
2 5
15 1 26 6 12
16 1
" I-sag-gil-ai " Bil-pat-ta-nu "Idariin-NabfA "*a-na-gi-.... " Su-ha-ai "Mi-ir-ai
Nabit-mu-Ai-ni-ud-: La ." Bil-Au-nu .... Marduk-gum-ibni Nabt-is-kip NabiA-apal-iddin Nabit-apal-iddin

Scribe of the 13 th Tablet,
18
" Ba-la-tu .". Da-bi-ia Ba-la-tu "L c Su-zu-bu amilu rab.ka a-ri /a /arri ", , il-la-a
IiTab-ni-i-a
11 1 13 16
Nabit-u-sur-gu Nablf-rimu-lip-tun Nabft-iri

26 18
"Man-di-di " Ata-ba-ni
23 1 3 13 30
25
1 '
Nabft-irig Na-din amilu IR.

, AL.TAB(?)..
Scribe of the 23 rd Tablet.
"
23 1 l " .c. *. Nirgal-itir i Bil-iki-6a Nabfl-zir-iddin "sKal-ba-a .c ttir-Marduk "Ai '

"6
Na-din
Ba-bu-tu amilu Aangu Nana a ....... it-ka " Babu-u-tu "$pi-ig-ilu " Nir-Sin "Arad-Nirgal " Man-di-di "tpi-lA-ilu " Aa-am-ma-'
26 3 21 30 2 11 14
Nir-i-a Nirgal-na'id Su-la-ai Ri-dal-Samag Ri-mut Ri-mut Ri-mut Ri-mut Ri-mut-Bl
27 11
22 13 11 13
Dan-a Rammanu-ahi-uballit" GC "4Nabf-ukin-apla " Ni-mi-ku "* lFur-ban-ni-Marduk
22 11 25
13
6
13
"
13 l
19
14 *
"' " Bil-Marduk
27 s
xvi

apal su sa IJVA-ia-spla
apal Iddin-Bi Na-din-it-bar

.6
23 ' 151 6 16 14 28
Sapik-zir Sapik-zir Sa-aA-Bil-ti Tab-ni-i Tab-ni-i-a Tabni-i-a amllu iangu ilu Zariku Tab-ni-i-a
." "Nabtt-lum-iddin " "Nirgal-musallim "" Nabft-itti-apli

"Nabft-ati-iddin
Sin-ga-ga-nim-mi Hu-pu-u
..
}
6
amilu Iangu ilu Zariku 17 11 amilu a.ngu ilu SamaS 18 '
25 12 .. .Nabft-mu-u-da
f
NU-U-pU
11 17
. ...... - um -u k in
" Iddin-......
21 25 1
6" 6 Id-da-a
Thefollowitng five names are those of the women whose genealogy is given in these texts. T7ey are appended here, because the persons can thus be more readilyfound in other texts. Amtu marat-su sa Marduk-Aum-ufur ' Nabft-um-iddin " Ta-k i '-Gu-la
" Arad-Bil
28 2 16 1 10 apal amtlu kipu -sag-gil-ai

Ilbi-[Marduk?]
Bani-a-tu-i-sag-ila ":' Nabi-u-Au-da-kata " Nu-ub-ta-a

Ni-lat-tum .
22 26
29
"
"g Nabt-mu-ti-ni-ud-da" *I
A GLOSSARY
OF THE ASSYRIAN WORDS OCCURRING IN THE TEXTS.
u and. Very frequent. amilu IB-bani carpenter. 21 13 abalu to bring. it-bal 29 14 adi together with. a-di 14 1 16 7 18 3 28 a-di-i 29 l1 a-di ili until. 22 ' 29 12 a-di ili Aa until that. 26 14 idu hand, side. i-di 26 10 abu portion, half. a-hi 13 b 15 5 a-ba-a-ta-Au-nu 25 13 it-ti a-ba-mii with one another. 28 ' itiru to receive. it-ti-ru 17 4 i-ti-ru 22 10 24 ' i-tir-tum 28 2 i-ti-ru pay. 28 1 akalu to eat, consunme. ik-kal 13 ' 15 6
ul not. 13
8
ana a-na to. 11 8126 11 157 20 21 628 9 4 6 3 4 0 3 29 31 for. 11 12 1 15 17 7

21 8 25 22 29 b 16 17 s as regards. 13
4
0 to the value of. 14 O 1 4 16 a-na iii against. 13 o on account. 25 4 T
ina in, at, for, after. 12 7 13 6 14 3 15 4 6 17 4 18 6 ' 19 5 21 22 4 24 26 25 27 4 5 30 9 ina ii against, to be received of. 13 3 14 6 ' 15 2I 16 3 172 20 9 22 3 23 4 24 2 4 26 3 27 3 6i ina li-u 17' 27' ina ili-/u-nu 26 8 ina lib-bi thereupon. 26 6 ina kata from, from the hands of. 12 4 18 2 19 3 28 5 29 4 30 6 an-us-ti-nu 25 ' u.an.tim receipt. 12
6
28
29 17
18
1 14
28
31 1
3
ilu god. Determinative. Frequent. alu city. 13 6 31 1 ina al u siri in city and country. 15 * ili about. 31 For other instances see under adi, ultu, ana, and ina. ilu to go up, make out. il-li 13 9 il-la-' 12 14 i-'-i-li 12 6 i-ti-li 25 * 7 ul-ti-la 31 5 aladu to bringforth. tu-li-da 11
6
4
aplu son. construct: apal. Very frequent. ipiiu to receive, acquire. i-pu-Au 29 ' 31 i-pu-Au 12 5 ip-pu-uA 15 4 ip-pu-uAu 13 6 i-pu-uA-Aa 28 7 i-pifi-a 31 arad Aarrttu An official. 11 10 irsitu land. Determ. following Babilu (not transliterated in this book). Also 31 1 amilu IR.iAL.TAB(?).. A 23 '1 iAu to be. i-ia 23
16
iqu wood. Also determinative. Isu itu 14 1
alaku to go. il-lak (in the phrase natutti illak) possesses. 13 11 il-la-ku ibid. 149 alpu cattle. al-pa 20
4
i-Au-[u] 26 14
i-lat to be additional. 13 1130
ultu from. 15 21 ul-tu ili below. 13 ultu ili mi-hir-tu in behalf of. 18 4 umf day. 11 19 12 " 13 18 14' 215 14 16 18 17 615 1811 1910 20 14 2121 22 16 2313 2414 25 19 26 23 27 1 28 1 2928 30 1 31 12 amilu man. Determinative. Frequent. amilftu slave. a-mi-lut-tum 29 2 ummu mother. 2626 ummi-iu 29 2o amilu I.MAb priest. 21 19 a.an Added to numerals. anu not to be. ia-a-nu 13 1
aalbu to sit down. u-Aib-u placed. 26 9 aAa-bi presence. 26 "5 a//atu wife. aisati-Au 16 ' aiiat-su 18 a/iat-fu 26 4 servant. aAi-iat-ti 16 aA-Aat-su-nu 16 9 ititn one. itti-in 31' ia-[a-tu(?)] 1. 26 itti with. it-ti 13
12
28
it-ti-i 15
8
9
itilu to take away. i-ti-i] 13 utru profit. u-tur 13 6 15

5 9
bal&tu to live. bal-tu-u 28 amilu banf carpenter. 15 6 baift to be. ba-4l-i 18

13
xviii
_ _

1
bltu house. 26 1Obit-ia 26 1 bit-su-nu 26 ' gabbu all gab-bi 26 1 gab-bu-tu 16

3
8
ki if. ki-i 27 KI.LU 28

7
when. 29
19
gabrft rival, another, duplicate. gab-ri 12 1 gallu male slave. gal-la 25 11 gal-la gal-la
14 16 amilu galla 17 3
kalalu to be complete. i-kat-lul 29 '1 kama Placed after numerals to form ordinals. Very frequent. kfimu instead of. ku-um 11 ka-pak-i 25
8
gallatu female slave. gal-lat-su 22 6 amilu gal-lat-su 11 3 amilu GIM is to be read amtlu bani penter. car-
kasA cup. (?) ka-sa-a-ta 14 1 kussu chair. isu kussi 14 14 kaspu silver, mnoney. Very frequent. kaspil ia 26 11 kaspa.a 11 ' 13 ' kaspa.a.an 4 12 9 22 karu A measure. ka-ru-u 25 25 9
8
gamru entire, all. gam-ru-tu 12 4 gamru-tum fullness. 11 7 gimru vegetables. gim-ru 30

ni-qur-gi-na 28 12
L4 9
ginfi offering, sacrifice. gi-nu-u 28'

(see note.)
amilu
ka-ri-Au-nu
gu-ri-nu threshed (?) 14
13
karpatu dish, vessel. Used as determ. 14 '

la not. 18 13 2316 27
5
2
gurru A measure for dry and liquid sub20 stances. gur 25 giAimmaru datepalm. 28 DU See manzazu. dibbu complaint, lawsuit. dib-bi 14 dal-h-u-tum
18 13
3
libbu heart. lib-bi-bu 11 thereupon. 26 6 libittu brick. 28 ' likf to take. il-ti-.u-u 31
21
ina lib-bi
additional, further demand.

13
amilu dainu judge. 23 5 daini 16
dannu large. karpatu dan-nu-tu jar, vessel. 14 1 dan-nu 14 3 duppu contract tablet. 28
1
maharu to receive. ma-hiir 28 6 ma-Li-ir 30 8 mah-bir 18 6 ultu ili mi-Lir-tu in 4 behalf of. 18 mukinnu witness. amilu mu-kin-nu 11
12
1
31
l 14
613 13 14
8
20
1510 16
ll
12
1 1
17
8
21
dupsaru scribe. dupsar 12
dup-sar
22 11 23
24 9 (?) 25 14 26 15 28 10 29 23
amilu dupsar 11 17 12 19 13 16 23 1 1 18 4 13 22 16 ' 17 12 20 1221 14 15 27 12 28 13 2926 30 1 24 13 2517 26 31 1O
30 O1 31 8 amilu mu-kin 27
mala See the following.

1 mimma whatever. 13 ' mimma ma-la as 4 much as. 13 15 3 39 mana A piece of money. ma-na 11' 12 1 1 l 24 ' 22 23 l 19 14 17 15116
zir-mu-u An iron instrument. 14 zittu portion, share. 15 5
13
26 1 7
b
12ma-ni-i 24
26
4
24 76
bubullu interest. 19 24 8 bubulla-bu 22 ina Lubulli at interest. 18 6 24 6 ftdu pleasure. Lu-ud 11 harranu business. 13
6
manf to count. ma-nu-u 14
6
6 7
mandatu hire, wages. man-da-at-tum 16 manzazu presence, witness. 17 18

7
21
1214
2
9
19 '
lU
15
'
maru son. mar Frequent. mar-Au Frequent. amilu mar tipri messenger. 1613
14 4 6 ' 10 14 10 16 17 tu shekel. 11 13 l 4 ' 18 1 19 1 20 22 ' 0 24 25 1 2 10 12 261 6 27 6 28 1 30 1 31 4
maru-u-tu adoption. 21
1 mar.banftu An official. 11 "
t&bu good. 14
3 1
marru hatchet. mar-ri 14 12
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
.. -
Glossary of Assyrian Words.

_
xix
8
'. . I daughter. martu marat-su 16"
22
. -1. . r .
26
sabatu to take. sa-bit 25 sihru small. si-]i-ri 21

4
$ab-ta 26 12
28
29 6 1l
10
sibtu possession. Vib-tum 15 siru plain,field, country. 25 10 ina all u siri in city and country. 15 4 ka A measure. 14
4
mu-Aah-hi-nu A bronze utensil. 14

16 10 22
6
maAkanu security, pledge. maa-ka-nu 11 5

26
1
1 13
12
maauru to leave behind. u-ma-Ai-ru 29 matu land. mat Determ. Frequent. nadanu to give. id-din 11
21 24
8
kibaf to speak, say. ak-bi 11 6 i4-bu-Au 21

amilu kipu guardian, keeper. 22
lu
23
9
9
29 11 id-di-in
iddin-nu 17
8
kakkadu head, capital. 15
id-di-nu 20
6
29
id-l-nu 27
8
i-nam-din 20 6 22 6 23 7
7
i-nam-di-nu 16 ' 29 18 na-din 24
katf hand. ina katafrom, from the hands of: 4 3 6 4 6 12 18 ' 19 28 29 30 ta-kata-miA
See note to 14
16
na-din-na-mu 12 11 li-nad-nu 215 nada-nu 18 5 ina-ad-din 27 ' u-da-nutu 17 7 it-ta-din 29

20
31
rabfi to beceme great, increase. i-rab-bi 17 6 7 24 6 26 9 27 u-rab-bu-Au 21 5
namharatu A vessel. nam-ha-ra-ta 14 ' namgatu A vessel. nam-sa-a-ta 14 ni-si-su bidding. (?) 29 15
nasaru to protect. 14 (see note.) amilu ni-qur-gi-na 28
'
amilu rab.ka-a-ri An official 23
(see note.)
6
ri]tu remainder. ri-ih-tum 31 9 5 29 1 ri-ii-it 23 1

2
ri-it-ti
riksu contract, ri-ik-su 12 1
riku empty. ri-ku-tu 14 1

a of, which. Very frequent. Au 16
7
l
naAft to raise. To bring: na-Ai 11 1 na-aa-tum 29 2 To take: i-na-Au 15 7 16 8 To lend: na-Aa-a-ta 2211 na-ai-hi-ip-ti An iron utensil. 14 12 nagfttu command, commission, bidding. naag-ut-tum 12 7 14 8 na-[a-ut-tu] 29 12 na-a-ut-ti 31 10 30 1 ni-ru 16
8
Aft he, it. Bu-u 12 16 21 O Ai.bar grain. 25

2U
Aaddf east. 21 10 Aidatum present. si-da-tum 29 17
amilu SA 13 4 siefi An official. 11

9
attaru to write. Aa-ta-ru doclonent. 31

ta-ra in vriting. 29
13
Aa-
sulflpu date. (ka-lum-ma) 14 6 sipparu copper. 14 10 11 20 6 panu face. To be received from: la-pa-ni
25
21
Aakanu to place, set. iak-na-tum 11 6 amilu Aakanu governor. 29 25 Sikaru wine. 14

3
ina pan 25 1
19
2 1 10 12
To be at the
.,
disposal of: 14
falamu to be perfect. Aa-ta-lam-mu 14 10 to be paid, hence, to receive: i-Aal-li-mu 22 8 Aumu name. Bu-mu 15
Simu price. 11
7
pakiranu An official. 11
parzillu iron. 14
12
'
um-u 12 A'
28
4
12
1o
13
29
8
8
pa-ri-ri-is female sheep. (?) 20 O pi-Aa-an-na equal. 29

amilu pa-Ai-ki 15
12
Aanf to change. Aa-a-na-a-na neither. 13 Ai-na double. 18 8 Aangu priest. amllu Aangu 16
18 " 24
12
17
10
12
25 1 18 30
pfttu certificate. pu-ut 11 9 24 u-tu 15 8
29
21
pu-
Aipru message. amilu mar Aipri messenger. 16 13
xx

1
T laraku topresent. i-4ar-ra-ku 29 1
Tarru Icing. 23 9 16 far 11 21 12 22 13
14 27 15 16 16 19 17 6 16 18 12 19 1l 20 16 1 23 14 24 16 25 1 26 24 27 14 21 22 22 30 30 l7 31 13 28 17 29
1 Fattu year. 11 2 12 13 181426 15 6 1 21 16 7 18 17 16 18 12 1910 20
ta Placed after numerals. 14 2 11 14 15 19 l ta-kata-miA See note to 14 6 ta.a.an 31 ' tibnu straw. 14 1 ti-lit-tum amount. (?) 18 taru to turn, return. u-tir 29 l' ti-ra-iu 26
16
'
14
21
ti-ra 26
22 17 23 13 24 16 25 19 26 2S 27 14 28 6 29 20 30 16 31 12 /atta every year. 31 4
ianati two years. 19
NO. 11.
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Tablet of a light brown color, 1 x 2% inches. There are numerous breaks upon it, and many of the signs of the first five lines of the reverse are filled with a hard flinty substance, rendering the decipherment difficult. The four edges are not written upon. Translation. a. Ba-la-tu 1 Nabfiapaliddin, the son of Balatu, the son of Shanashe...... 2 in the pleasure of his heart, Gularininni 3 his slave, - whom Hunutitishshamashbalatu, 4 the son of Ai, the son of Beleteru, instead of 5 one third shekel of money as security had set, 6 and her child, whom he said she will give birth to, 7 for one third mana of money, the full price, 8 to Mardukikishanni, the son of Bania, 9 the son of Ellatiu, gave. The certificate of the sihi, 10 the pakiranu, the arad-sharruftu (and) the mar-banutu officials, 11 Nabufapaliddin will bring. 12 Witnesses: Belapaliddin, the son of Nabuahirba, 13 the son of Kurban; Rammanuahiuballit, the son 14 of Dana, the son of Nuirsin; Nergalna'id, 15 the son of Nabfiziriddin, the son of .. ..... itka; 16 Nabilziriddin, the son of Nabimusallim,
Transliteration. 1 Nabt-apal-iddin apal-uu apal ia-nai--......
2 ina Bu-ud lib-bi-Au Gu-la-ri-nin-ni S amilu gal-lat-su Aa Hu-nu-ti-tii-Samabalatu 4 apal-tu Aa Ai apal Bil-i-ti-ru ku-um 51/3 tu kaspi ma-ka-nu Fak-na-tum 6 u mar-Au ~a ar.-bi tu-li-di 7 a-na 1/3 ma-na kaspa.a Alm gam-rutum 8 a-na pMarduk]-ikl-a-an-ni apal-/u 6a Bani-i-a 9 apal tllatu-u iddin pu-ut si-hi-i 10 pa-ki-ra-nu arad-Aarrfl-tu mar-band-tu 11 Nabfi-apal-iddin na-Si. 12 amilu mu-kin-nu Bil-apal-iddin apal-u ia Nabfi-ai-irba 13 apal Kur(P)-ban Ramminu-a!l-uballit apal-Fu 14 6a Dan-a apal Ntir-Sin Ntrgal-na'id 15 apal-Au sa NabQ-zir-iddin apal .. .-it-ka 16 Nabft-zir-iddin apal-uu 5a Nabt-
Second Year of Nabonidus.

___ __
musallim 17 apal Sin-tab-ni amilu dupsar Tab-ni-i-a 18 apal-Au ga Nabf-mu-u-da apal Nu-u-pu 19 Babilu ara]i Adaru fmu 5 kam 17 the son of Sintabni.
Scribe: Tabnea,
18 the son of Nabumuda, the son of Nupu. 19 Babylon, in the month Adar, on the 5 th day, 20 in the 2 nd year of Nabuna'id, 21 King of Babylon.
20 fattu 2 kam Nabat-na'id 21 Aar 'Babili
NOTES. 2. ina hu-ud lib-bi-u. A legal phrase. See Peiser's explanation in Z. A. III, 70. -- 3. The space in the 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. gak-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 instead of ik-bi. We would expect the third person; the sense evidently requires 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 colloquial 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 MIard u k, 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-Aarrftu and mar-banitu as officials in charge of the slave trade. 12. The Oppert, however, strenuously objects to this rendering (Z. A. III, 178). 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. Kurban means "gift" and may well be comLev. vii:38, NN Neh. e x :35; xiii:31. Compare also |l~ pared with the Hebrew l the Arabic ,LJ.j "sacrifice, offering", and the Greek HOOpPav Mark vii: 11. 20. Therefore the tablet is dated in the year 553 B. C. -
Hunutitishshamashbalatu owed Nabuapaliddin A shekel of money. He evidently could not pay. So he gave Lis 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, becoming 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 Mletropolitan iMuseum of Art.

_ _;~__:
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Second Year of Nabonidus.

17
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This beautiful tablet is of a dark yellow color, with large spots of brick red upon it. Size 1% x 21 4 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 distinguished.
Transliteration. 1 Gu-la-ri-nin-ni u mar-u 2 ga Marduk-ikif-a-an-ni apal-u a Bani-ia 3 apal ...... -usur-bilu-u a-na 2/3 ma-na kaspi 4 a-na Aim gam-ru-tu ina kata Nabiapal-iddin 5 apal-u aa ltir-sa-na-nim i-pu-u 6 u u.an.tim a-na ium--u i-'-i-li 7 ina na-aS-ut-tum Oa Nabl-ahi-iddin 8 apal-gu ga Su-la-a apal 1-gi-bi 9 kaspa.a.an 2/3 ma-na ... Aa Nabf-ahiiddin 10 a-na Aim Gu-la-ri-nin-ni u mar-Au 11 a-na Nabf-apal-iddin na-din-na-mu 12 u.an.tim gab-ri u.an.tim 13 ... -lu-u ri-ik-su Aa Gu-la-ri-nin-ni u mar-lu 14 Ia dupsar Marduk-ili-la-an-ni il-la-' 156a Nabfl-ahl-iddin lu-u 16 amilu mu-kin-nu Naba-mu-gi-ni-ud-da apal-u ba
Translation. 1 Gularininni and her son, 2 whom MardukikishAinni, the son of BaIlia, 3 the son of ..... usurbelfi, thirds mana of money, for two
4 at the full price, from the hands of Nabuapaliddin, 5 the son of Etershananin, received; 6 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 . Nabuahiddin 11 unto Nabuapaliddin gave. 12 The duplicate receipt, the .... receipt 13 (and) the contract tablet about Gularininni and her son, 14 which the scribe (for) Mardukikishanni had set up, 15 the possession of Nabfahiddin it is. 16 Witnesses: Nabumusheniudda, the son of , which
10 for the price of Gularininni and her son

II_ _____ __ _ I
17 Bil-gu-nu apal Bil-pat-ta-nu 18 Ki-di-nu apal-ilu Aa Marduk-iti-ir 19 apal Ramman-u-mi-t Bil-kaqir apal-iu 21 u amilu dupsar
17 Belshunu, the son of Belpattanu; 18 Kidinu, the son of Marduketer, 19 the son of RamniAnume; and the scribe Belkasir, the son 20 of Eelrimanni, the son of Babutu. 21 Babylon, in the month Adar, on the 22nd day, in the 2nd year of 22 Nabuna'id, King of Babylon. NOTES.
20 ga Bil-ri-man-ni apal Ba-bu-tu Babilu arah Adaru Amu 22 kam /attu 2 kam BabilL
22 Nabt-na'id bar
3. In the break here the last sign would indicate that either N e r g a 1 or M a r d u k has been broken off. -- 5. Literally, "he made ", then, "he received". 6. As it was no concern of Alardukikishanni who would ultimately possess his slaves, the receipt was naturally made out in the name of the present purchaser, Nabuapaliddin. -- 7. na-a-ut-tum, as Tallqvist reads the word, taking it from the root naiS. Peiser, on the other hand, reads na-a-pir-tum, taking it from the root Saparu, "to send". Either is admissible. The former reading is chosen here because, to my judgment, it is the better, -- 8. If the break contains ina ili, the following ha must be read Di (the appearance of the sign on the tablet would admit either) and the whole would be ina muhhi. 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 received from N. for the price of G. and her son: to N. he gave it." Notice the form na-din-na-mu from nadanu. -12. The first u.an.tim and gabri must be read together, and the second u.an. tim. with the illegible adjective in line 13. -- 13. 14. This contract evidently gave age, parentage and history of the slaves, together with the certificate of the officials appointed by the government to take charge of the slave trade. T his naturally went to the purchaser, 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 15. /u-u refers to the contract tablet described in 13. 14, - 21. Hence in the 18. year 553 B. C.
This tablet treats of a sale through commission. Nabuahidin, one of the Egibi family, has instructed Mardukikishani, his agent probably, to purchase for him the slave Gularininni and her boy from Nabuapaliddin. 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 receipt, 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. 13.
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lThe Afetropolitan Mitseum of Art.
TE o-T E
Small tablet of a brown color, 1, x 2 Inches. The signs are very plain with two exceptions, one In the 5th and the other In the 17th line. It is but slightly damaged at the two lower corners of the obverse.
Transliteration. 1 1/3 tu kaspi Sa Rimut apal-u ai 2 Kur-ban-ni-Marduk apal Itpi-t-ilu 3 ina ii Bil-iddin apal-u sa Nirgaluballi-it 4 apal amilu sa a-na harrini mimma mala 5 ina ali Kas-sur(?) ip-pu-u-u a-hi 6 ins u-tur Bil-iddin it-ti Ri-mut 7 ik-kal ul-tu ili 1 tu kaspi 8 ia-a-na-a-na ul iti-i~ 9 ia i-ti-isa-na iii il-li 10 Bil-iddin na-a-ut-ti fa harrani 11 il-lak mimma i-lat ba Bil-iddin 12 ia-a-nu kaspu ga barr&ni Sa Nabt-ahiIiddin mt-vu 14 apal Man-di-di Arad-Bl apal-u ia 15 Du-um-muk apal Arad-Bil 16 amilu dupsar Nabi-apal-iddin apal-u la Da-bi-ia 17 apal Su-ha-ai Babilt arah Tasriti
Translation. 1 4 shekel of money which Rimut, the son of 2 Kurbanimarduk, the sol of Eppshilul 3 is to receive from Ieliddin, the son of Nergaluballit, 4 the son of the ,.. In regard to business, as much as he 5 in the city Kassur gains, a share 6 in the profit Beliddin with Rimut 7 will consume. Below 1 shekel of money 8 neither shall take away. 9 Who does take (anything) away, against (him) there is a debt. 10 Beliddin the command of the business 11 possesses, Whatever is additional, belonging to Beliddin 12 it is not. The capital of the business belongs to NabAahiddin.
13 amilu mu-kin-nu Ri-mut apal-u Ba TSi- 13 TWitnesses: Rimut, the son of Nimeku, 14 the son of Mandidi; Aradbel, the son of 15 IDummuk, the son of Aradbel, 16 Scribe bia, Nabfiapaliddin, the son of Da-'
17 the son of Suba. Babylon, in the month Tashrit, 18 on the 22nd day, in the 4th year of Nabfina'id, 19 King of Babyloin
18 fmu 22 kam iattu 4 kam Nabf-na'id 19 Jar Babili
A y ,p
Pourth Year of Nabonidus.

I . - III -..
-
NOTES. 2. Kur-ban-ni-Marduk occurs also in the next tablet (14, 19), but the syllable ni is omitted. Undoubtedly the same man is mentioned in both cases. For Kur-ban see 11, 13. ipisilu Cf.the Hebrew K'tY. - 5. Beginning of line 5 is blurred; therefore the reading of the name alf Kassur canl be but tentative. - 6. u-tur I would connect with atru "more, exceeding" ; and ataru "to be above". Compare also the Hebrew ~rll! "that which remains over', then, "profit". The word occurs also in 15, 5. - 7. Literally "will eat", the meaning is "will share". ultu hi, a phrase not common in the contract tablets. Cf, i6tu ili Pel. Gram. S8b. It has the sense here, undoubtedly, of '"from, below". -- 8. a-a-na-a-na "theother", then in awider sense, "either". i9. ti-ik, from itiku "to remove", but here spelled with the i and not the e vowel. il-li "to be as a burden or debt", from ill "to go up". ' he word occurs in this form in Strass. Nbk. 300, 10. After ili we must supply Au, which is often omitted. - 10. na-aAut-ti: see note to 12, 7. - 11. il-lak from aliku. ' he phrase naSta alfku (Tallq. p. 108) means "to go at the bidding of, to perform a business transaction for"; here, I take it, Schroder, Phrcn. Gram. SJr the sense requires another translation. i-lat (Phanecian n See Z. A. II, 71. 175; Tallq. p. 40. ia-a-nu, com 120) is an adverbial form from ~y. - 15. The large space in the middle of the line indicates an erapare the Hebrew s. sure by the scribe on the tablet. 'he 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 in the year 551 B. C.
Beliddin and Rimut have gone into partnership with a certain sum of tmoney advanced by Nabuahiddin. Beliddin is to manage the business,
while Rimut is to do the work in a certain city. Beforehand Beliddin is to pay I shekel to Rimut, perhaps in order to induce him to enter the This division is partnership, or to pay off a debt. Both are to share in the profit equally, otherwise there would be a statement to the contrary. either anticipates and takes his share beforehand, to take place only when the profit amounts to more than one shekel. If he is in debt by this amount to his partner. On account of the smallness of the amounts involved, it may be supposed that the contract is one between two humble mechanics, perhaps weavers or gardeners.
10
NO. 14.
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Sixti
Year of Nabonidus.
11
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Tablet of a light brown color, 2 x 28 inches. The upper and lower sides are well-curved, while the right and the left sides are perfectly flat. The signs are very plain and clearly made. There is a small space after line 27 dividing the writing, otherwise the latter goes around the tablet continuously. The sides contain no writing. Transliteration. 1 40 karpatu dan-nu-tu ri-lku-tu a-di 2 2 ta nam-sa-a-ta u 2 ta nam-ha-ra-ta 3 tna dib-bi 10 dan-nu 6a na kikari tabi a4 Translation. 1 40 empty vessels together with 2 ...... vessels; 2 sacrificial vessels (pending)in in-suit; 10 vessels of good wine to the value of ka for 3 shekels, - 3 ka (equivalent to) 1 shekel to be counted; -
41/3 [Ia] 3 tu 3 ka 1 tu kaspi ma-nu-u
12

5 49 measures of dates, which are to be received from Nergaliddin, 6 which to the value of %shekel of money are to be counted; 7 18 shekels of money, a receipt for which is to be received from Beliddin, 8 the son of Nergaluballit, who the command 9 of the business possesses. 10 A perfect copper ...... 2 shekels of money; to the value of
5 40 marihu(P) sulfpi ta ina ili Nirgaliddin 6 &a a-na 1/3 tu kaspi ma-nu-u 7 18 tu kaspi u.an.timaa ina ili Bil-iddin
8 apal-u &aNirgal-uballi-it ia na-al-uttum 9 fa harrani il-la-ku 10 sipparu mu-Aai-hi-nu ia-ta-lam-mu ana 2 tu kaspi 11 11 ta sippa-u ka-sa-a-ta a-na 1 tu kaspi 12 ..... -u-bar mar-ri ip-ti parzili na-ag-hi-
11 11 copper cups(?) to the value of 1 shekel of money; 12 ...... an iron hatchet; an iron ...... 13 an iron ...... ; threshed(?) 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 12 mana, 10 shekels of money in the business of Nabuahiddin, 18 the son of Shula, the son of Egibi, and of Rimut, 19 the son of Kurbanmarduk, the son of Epeshilu, are at the disposal of Rimut. 20 Witnesses: Nabuahibullut, the son of 21 Mardukirba, the son of Suha; Nabuszirshuteshur, 22 the son of Nabfishumiddin, the son of Kadidi; Mardukziribni, 23 the son of Shula, the son of Nasirhata; 24 and the scribe Irbamarduk, the son of Mardukikishanni, 25 the son of Ellatu. Babylon, in the month Airu, 26 on the 23rd day, in the 6th year of Nabuna'id, 27 King of Babylon.
13 parzili zir-mu-u parzili tibnu gu-ri-nu 14 a-na 2 tu 4 ta isu kussi 15 u 3 ta isu isu tabu(P) a-na 2 Vu 16 1 t-i 2 ta lkata-mi/ kaspi gal-la gal-la 17 1/21 ma-na 10 tu kaspi Aa harrani Ba Nabt-ahi-iddin 18 apal-u ia Su-la-a apal t-gi-bi u Rimut 19 apal-Au Aa IKur-ban-Marduk apal Ipii6-ilu ina pani Ri-mut 20 amilu mu-kin-nu 6u Aa f'abft-ahi-bul-lut apal-
21 Marduk-irba apal Wu-ha-ai Nabft-zirAutfiur 22 apal-Au Aa Nabtt-Aum-iddin apal Ka-didi Marduk-zir-ibni 23 apal-Au Fa Su-la-a apal Naiir-]at-ai 24 u amilu dupsar Irba-Marduk apal-Au ia Marduk-iil-Aa-[an-ni] 25 apal Xllatu-u Babilu arab Airu
26 fmu 23 kam Aattu 6 katn Nabi-na'id 27 Aar Babili
Sixth Year of Nabonidus.

NOTES.
13
1. rikutu must be connected with -p "empty." e 2. namsata is mentioned also (nam-sa-tum) in Strass., Nabn. 258, 12; Peiser, Bab. Ver. CXLIII, 11; Haupt, B. A. I, 176. namharata. Cf. Lotze, TP 1.5. This word occurs again in Strass., Nabn. 258, 13; 787, 13; Cyr. 183, 18; also in Peiser, Bab. Ver. CXLVIII, 14. 3. dib-bi means "suit, complaint before a coulrt." For other instances see Tallq. p. 63. Fikari tabi. Consult Peiser, 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 maihu is uncertain. Cf. Peiser, K. A. p. 101; Bab. Ver. p. 243. 9. It seems as if the sign for Vu had been written on the tablet instead of barranu at first. - 10. mu-iaa-hi-nu. Tallqvist on page 132 suggests "a utensil of bronze." Aa-ta-lam-mu must be taken from the root aalamu "to be perfect." - 11. kasata may be the Hebrew P - 12. marri "hatchet." 'allqvist on page 97 fully explains the derivation and meaning of the word. Zehnpfund, however, in B. A. I, p. 535 and 636 objects to this translation. He treats marru as a synonym of ungu 'ring." nachipti is some utensil made of iron. The ,vord 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 t.. "threshing
floor." Hence tibnu gurinu may mean "threshed straw." 16. That kata-miF is added to numerals in order to denote fractions, the denominator of which is one number higher than the given number, and that the latter forms the numerator, is conclusively shown in the "Sitzungsbericht d. Kgl. Ak. d. Wissensch. zu Berlin," 1889, p. 828, Anm. 1. - 17. galla galla is the old way of writing the plural. 19. Ku"-banMarduk 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-lut. The usual form is bul-lit; the u of bul has evidently attracted the vowel in lu. 25. tllatu-u (also 11, 9) is also given in Strass., " W6rterver. z. d. Inschrift. z. Liverpool ," p. 20. - 26. Undoubtedly na'id, as the first three wedges show. Tablet dated in the year 543 B. C. Nabuahiddin, and Rimut had formed a partnership. They deter-
mined to give up their joint business. Nabuahiddin, out a list of the articles and the money Rimut.
therefore, makes
that are to fall to the share of
There we find copper, iron, and wooden utensils mentioned, Even Beliddin, their business manager,
and their respective values given ; spices, wine, and money added, and all handed over to Rimut. is compelled to pay back to Rimut the money he loaned from the latter. It is to be regretted that we know so little shows them to be small and common objects. about the various vessels and implements mentioned here. The value attached to each, however,
14
'lThe lfetropolitan Museum of Art.
NO. 15.
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Sixth Year of jfabonidus.
15
Tablet of a light brown color, 1%x 2s inches. The tablet is gradually crumbling off, and it is fortunate that this copy could be made before the signs have been effaced. The right hand lower corner of the obverse Is broken off, and thus the last signs of lines 8, 9, 10, and 11 are destroyed. The writing is plain and well defined. The left side is without inscription. There is also a large space between lines 12 and 13. Transliteration. 11/3 ma-na kaspi Ba Sapik-zir apal-Au sa Nabtt-Aum-iddin 2 apal Na-din-Ai-bar ina ili Nabf-itir apal-Au Aa *il-la-a 3 apal It-ik-kal-la a-na harrani mimma ma-la 4 ina all u si-ri ina ili ip-pu-uA 5 ina u-tur a-Iu zittu NabS-itir. it-ti-i 6 Sapik-zir ik-kal ina Aatti 2 tu kaspi 7 Nabt-itir ultu Larrani a-na Au-mu Vibturn i-na-Au 8 pu-u-tu lalJladi kaspi Bl-...... 9 apal-Au Aa Nabit-Aum-uiur apal Bani[ia] ........ 10 amilu mu-kin-nu Nabt-balat-su-[ik.-bi apal-Au sa] 11 Zir-ia appl amilu banf Nabai-ukin-[zir] 12 apal-Au Aa Bil-uballi-it apal amiu pa-Siki 13 amilu dupsar Bil-uballi-it apal-su Aa Na-di-nu 14 Babilu arah Samna tfmu 11 kam Aattu 6 kam Babili Translation. 1 Y mana of money, which Shapikzir, the son of Nablushumiddin, 2 the son of Nadinshebar, is to receive from Nabuet6r, 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 possession - Nabueter with 6 Shapikzir will consume; during the year 2 shekels of money 7 Nabuet6r from the business upon (his) name, as possession, will take. 8 The receipt for the principal of money 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; Nabukinzir, 12 the son of Beluballit, the son of the ... man; 13 the scribe Beluballit, the son of Nadin. 14 Babylon, in the month Marcheshwan, on the 11 th day, in the 6 th year of 15 Nabuna'id, King of Babylon. NOTES. 4. 3. The vertical wedge at the beginning of the sign mimma is left out. ip-pu-uA, "has acquired." ipisu has this meaning also in Deluge lablets, 1. 277. ina all u .siri. This phrase occurs also in Peiser, Bab. Ver. XXXVllI, 8. See also Tallqvist, p. 120. -- 5. u-tur, see note to 9, 6. Also Strass., Cyr. 148, 7; Nbk. 51, 4. - 7. i-naAu. Similar forms occur in Strass., Nabn. 63, 12; 746,14; Nbk. 235, 9. jibtum from
15 Nabt-na'id Aar
16
gabatu "to take. "The term is generally used to denote possessions of clothing and other 8. pu-u-tu. This articles, but here also of money. See Tallqvist, p. 120 and 121. adds another form to Peiser's much discussed put and Tallqvist's bud. Abel and Winckler, on p. 81b of their Keilschrifttexte, give a word pttiu "Zugang", which may be connected with the above. - 9. Nabat-Sum-ugur. Another sign had previously been writ11. amilu bani (GIM). See ten for usur, but was changed to its present form. Tallqvist, p. 57 and 61. - 112.amilu pa-il-ki. For other passages see Tallqvist, p. 118 ailsc his note. - 14. Dated in the year 540 B. C., as the preceding tablet.
Shapikzir and Nabueter have made a business venture together. Besides the little money they invested, they borrowed as capital to work with a certain amount of money from 1el......, the son of Nabushumusur. 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 1 of a mana in debt to Nabushumiddin, 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 service (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 firm-name, he alone receiving the money.
NO. 16.
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Sixth Year of Nabonids.s.
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Tablet is of a dark brown color, the reverse Is almost black; 1 x 1%rinches, and rectangular. The signs are not very distinct. The left and right sides are not written upon. Transtiteration. 1 1/3 ma-na kaspi Aa Bani-a-tu-t-sag-ila 2 marat-su Aa Natt-Fum-iddin 3 ina ili Ba-ni-ia apal-Au Aa NabA-Aumid d in
Translationt 1
X
mana of money which Baniatuesagila,
* daughter of Nabushumiddin, 3 is to receive from Pania, the soI of Nabftshumiddin, 4 the son of the priest of Ninip, and of Ramu'a, 5 his wife. The money is the wages
4 apal amilu bangu N.nip u Ra-mu-u-a 5 a8ati-Au kaspu man-da-at-tum
The Metropolitan MMiseum of Art.

6 &aSi-nu-nu aA-at-ti 10 tu kaspi 7 i-nam-di-nu a-di 3 Au Aatta
8 u niA-ru gab-bu-tu 2 i-na-Au
6 of Sintunu the servant, money
10 shekels ot
7 they will give, together with 3 shu a year, 8 and the entire s!m (?) the two will bring. 9 IHana'shu their maid-servant 10 is the security of Baniatuesagila. 11 Witness: Marduksharrani,
9 Ha-an-na-'-Au aA-at-su-nu 10 ma4-ka-nu ia Bani-a-tu-t-sag-ila 11 amilu mu-kin-nu Ma-duk-Aarra-ni
12 apal-&u Aa Bil-ii-Aa apal Sa-tab i-su 12 the son of Belikisha, the-son of Shatibtishu; 13 Nabft-zir-iddin amilu mafr Aipri daini 14 Sapik-zir apal Nirgal-musallim 15 apal Sin-ga-ga-nim-mi u amilu dupsa' 16 Ba-ni-ia apal-,u sa Nabat-Aum-iddin 17 apal amilu Aangu Ninip arah Adaru Babilu 13 Nabuziriddin, judges; the messenger of the
14 Shapikzir, the son of Nergalnusallim, 15 the son of Siugaganimme; and the scribe 16 Bania, the son of Nabushumiddin, 17 the son of the priest of Ninip. Babylon, in the month Adar, 18 on the 6th day of the 6 th year of N:ablina'id, 19 King of Babylon. )TES.
18 imu 6 kam Aattu 6 kam Nabit-na'id 19 Aar Babili
1. Baniatu. A form from the root banfi "to build." Hence, probably, "daughter." Compare the Hebrew 't;Z "to beget," Gen. xxx: 3. Isagila was the name of the tnmpel of Marduk at Pabylon (Z. A. II, p. 179; Tiele, Babylonisch-Assyrische Geschichtsl, p. r41; Jensen, Cosmologie p. 492; Hommel, Babylonisch-Assyrische Geschichte p. 230; Sayce, Babylonian Religion, p. 64). Hence the name implies that she was born or lived in 6. aaâttu here has the meaning of "servant, slave." It generits neighborhood. ally means "wife." - 7. 'he sign Au is often taken to be sanitu "time." Jensen (( osmologie p. 4' 7), however, doubts it; also Winckler in A. &W. Keilschrifttexte, Schrifttafel No. 47. Here it is some article. If Au is to be read Aanitu, Bania and his wife seenm 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 Lattu see Pognon, L' inscription de Bavian, p. 168. 8. niA-ru must have the meaning of "sum" or "debt" in this passage; cf. Tallq. p. 108. It is curious that the simple numeral, two vertical wedges, suffices to denote the "two" persons. 14. The scribe wrote apal instead of apal-Au Aa; the latter usually precedes the father's name, while the former precedes the family name. Some other reason, however, may have proripted this omission. - 18. Dated in the year549 B. C., as the two preceding tablets.
lsaniatules.gila had loaned her brother, the priest of Ninip, and his
.Eiqhth Year of Nabonidus.
19
wife her slave Sinunu for 20 shekels wages. Bania was not rich enough to pay the amount immediately, so he paid 10 shekels at once and promised to pay the remainder during the year. Until this agreement had been complied with, the slave of Bania and his wife was to remain :as security with his sister. Even among so closely related members of a family legal forms had to be complied with !
NO. 17.
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49
20
14
The Metropolitan fMuseum of Art.
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Tablet of a light brown color, 1y x 2inches. The signs are plainly and neatly made. All the available space on the tablet is used for writing, though the lines and the individual signs are well divided. Alarge round hole in the middle of line 4, extending into line 5, and a small break at the end of line 7, are the only things that mar the perfection of tils little tablet. The words " King of Babylon" are found in the middle of the lelt side.
Transliteration.
Translation. 1 % mana 4 shekels of money which Iddilnmarduk, the son of 2 Ikishapla, the son of Nirrsin, from 3 Arabi, the slave of Iddinmarduk, 4 the son of NXrsin, will receive in the month Ululu, 5 of the 8 th year of Nabuna'id, King of Babylon. 6 Every (lay against him it will inerease. 7 The money, which for witness (fees) was given, (Arabi) 8 has given. 9 Witnesses: Belharran, the son of 10 Musallim, the son of the priest of Nana; 11 Tabne, the son of Nabiahiddin, 12 the son of the priest of Zariku; and the scribe 13 Mardukmusallim, the son of Nablishipusur, 14 the son of Ahabani. month Ululu, Babylon, in the ara]t
1 1/3 (mana) 4 tu kaspi &aIddin-Ma- duk apal-su la 2 Ikli-a-apla apal Nlr-Sin ina ill 3 A-ra-bi amilu gal-la Iddin-Marduk 4 apal Nfir-Sin Ululu it-ti-ru i-na(!)
5 Aa Aattu 8 kam Nabt-na'id Aar Babili 6 Aa ftmu ina ili-.u i-rab-bi 7 kaspu Aa a-na manzaza u-da-nu-tu ... 8 iddin-nu 9 amilu mu-kin-nu Bil-iarran apal-Au 6a 10 Mu-sal-lim-mu apal amilu Fangu Na-na 11 Tab-ni-i apal-Au Aa NabA-abi-iddin 12 apal amilu bangu ilu Za-ri-ku u amilu dupsar 13 Mlarduk-musallim apal-Au 6a Nab&ilp-c sur 14 apal Aha-ba-ni Babilu arah Ululu
15 fmu 28 kam Aattu 8 kam Nabf-na'id 16 aar Babili
15 on the 28 th day, in the 8 th year of Xa: bfna'id, 16 King of Babylon.
Eighth Year of Nabonidus.

NOTES.
21
1. The wood mana is omitted. -- 2. The scribe had written the sign for i first, in place of NMr, and then had changed the former to the latter sign. -- 3. Arabi, I would take as first having denoted the nationality of the slave, (for he is distinctly called amilu gal-lu here,) then the word became a proper name, and we find one Arabi, the son of Bilsunu, the son of the priest of Sama, mentioned in Strass., Cambyjses 257, 14. 15. (See also note to tsaggilai, 26, 6.) Between lines 3 and 4 apal-Su 9a Iki-sa-apla, his father's name, is omitted, and only the family name is given. This is the reason why we find simply apal beginning line 4. His father's name is given in line 2, and the scribe 4. it-ti-ru. Half of the sign it, and also evidently thought it unnecessary to repeat. half of the ti, is broken off. No traces are visible. The sign for a must evidently be a mistake for na; and as both signs are very common, the scribe might have written the one for the other. -- 7. u-da-nu-tu. A curious form from nadanu. For forms with final tu(m), see Strass., Nbk. 78, 4; Nabn. 357; 525, 23; &c.; and for preformative u, see Strass., (yr. 26, 9; 170, 7; 337, 12. -- 10. Mu-sal-lim-mu. The final syllable must be read mu and not Aumu, as an examination of the same name in 25, 7 will show. ilu Na-na. See Z. A. III, p. 5; VII, p. 142; Jensen, Kosmologie p. 102; Sayce, Babylonian Religion pp. 260, 282. Compare also Payne Smith, Thesaurus col. 2387; Hoffmann, Ausziige aus syrischen Akten persischer Martyrer pp. 130. 151 ff; Lagarde, Agathangelus 1887 p. 135; on Sassanide coins, BOR I, p. 166; ZDMG, 44, 669. -- 13 ilu Za-ri-ku. This god's name is found also in Strass., Cyr. 141, 14; 149, 12; see also 25, 13 of this book. Strassmaier, Verh. des 5ten Intern. Orient. Cong. zu Berlin 1881, B. 42, 32 (p. 134), gives Za-ar-ri-ku as the name of a man, taken undoubtedly from the name of the god.13. Nabfi-ip-usur for NabCt-Sipa-usur, "may Nebo protect the feet." -- 15. Dated in the year 547 B. C.
Iddinmarduk lent his slave Arabi 24 shekels of money in the month

Ululu, which the latter was to return in the same month. As a slave was not held responsible for his actions, would seem, single day was to increase the amount; not know. This daily increase seems but his master, the latter, it did not wish to risk his money for a longer period. Every at what rate of interest, we do especially severe, for a slave as
could not have been but a poor man. The latter was also rcq ired, an additional curb to his business ambition, to line 8. After all the payments to be made, time that the loan had to run, great financial embarrassments. the proper time ! to pay the With this imposition he seems to have cheerfully complied,
witness fees. according
and considering the short.
Arabi must have had to contend with Happy he, if he returned the money at
22
NO. 18.
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Tablet of a grayish brown color, 13 x 1%s inches. The writing is good and the signs are plainly 8o closely together and are so lightly made, that it Is difficult to decipher them. On the lower edge are two rows of tlnger nail Impressions, each containing sixteen marks. The lower row, however, Is more deeply
made; with the exception of the last five slgns of line 8. These are written
pressed In.
.Trawtuteraut
Tranlatmn, 1 9 shekels of money Iddinmurduk, the son of
1 9 tu kaspi Iddin-Marduik pal-Au Aa
Eighth Year of Nabonidus.

.. ,...... .
28
2 Ik-i-arapla apal Nt;-sin ina lfata 3 Pu-na-ni-tum a-di ti-lit-tum hi-na 4 ha ultu iii mi-pir-tu 5 ha Abla-da na-da-nu aShat-6u 6 ina bubulli kaspa-Au rmat-ir 7 ina manati ia Tab-ni-i-a 8 apal-uu 6a Nabt-ahl-iddin 9 apal amilu Fanlgu Sa-mna/ Nabt-is-kip apal
2 Ikishapla, the son of Nuirsin, from thel hands of 3 Punanitum, together with double the amount(?) 4 which, in behalf 5 of Ablada, he gave to his wife 6 at interest: his money he has receiveld. 7 In the presence of Tabnea, 8 the son of Nabfiahiddin, 9 the son of the priest of Shamash; Nabiiskip, 10 the son of Mardukshumibni, the son of Idaninnabiu. 11 Barslba, in the month Adar, 12 th day, on the
10 apal-hu Aa Marduk-ium-ibni Idanin-Nabft 11 Barsiba arab Adaru fmu 12 kam 12 hattu 8 kam Nabf-na'id Aar 13 dah-uu-tum 1l ba-i-t
Babili
12 in the 8 th year of Nabuna'id, King of Babylon. 13 A further demand there is not. TES.
3. ti-lit-tum. The meaning of this word is doubtful. Peiser, Bab. Ver. p. 309, translates "Auflage"; and Tallqvist, p. 41, follows him. The word occurs also in the same form in Strass., Nabn. 1058, 8. hi-na really means "two," but if it must be translated 4. mi-Lir-tu is used as a preposition and thus, it ought to precede its substantive. means "opposite." Notice the identity of the signs iir and tu. - 5, na-ta-nu must be 7. read na-da-nu. See Deluge Tablets, 1. 187, tu-ud-da-a at-ta "thou shalt know." mansazi. For other examples see '1alq. p. 103, and Peiser, Bab. Ver. LIII, 6. The word in the Deluge Tablets, lines 141 and 143, means "a resting place" (Haupt, B. A. I, 173i. - 9. The name of the god Shamash is here spelled out, usually the ideogram tu is written. - Barsiba or "Borsippa," the name of the Babylonian city founded by Nebuchadrezar. Many tablets are dated from this city. See Strass., Cyr., Inhaltsverz. p. 14; 12. Hence in the year 547 B. C. - 13. The meaning Camb., Inhaltsverz. p. 16; &c. of dat-hu-tum is uncertain. I would connect it with dalof "to touch," and dibu "neighborhood." Its position at the end of the tablet, and the fact that it is used in the phrase in which raufitu if generally used, would give it a meaning similar to "demand."
The sense I derive from the tablet is this: Iddinmarduk has lent Ablada 9 shekels of money, together with a small amount 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. The entire sense of the tablet rests upon the supposition that "teittuiri"
means "amount."
24
The Metropolitan Mseum of Art.
NO. 19.
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Ninth Year of Nabonidus.

5 ina manzazi ga, 6 Bil-ahl-ik.l- a 7 apal-u Aa Bil-u-nu 8 u Bil-apal-iddin apal-iu ia 9 t-mid-su arab Sabatu 10 fimu 16 kam attu 9 kam 11 NabA-na'id bar [mat Babili]. 5 In the presence of 6 Belahikisha, 7 the son of Belshunu; 8 and Belapaliddin, the son of 9 Emidsu. In the month Shabat, 10 on the 16 th day, in the 9 th year of 11 Nabuina'id, King of Babylon. NOTES.
25
4. ma-hi-ir. The sign for hi is blurred and indistinct, and I was led to read u in its stead in the first edition of this book. Now, indeed, the form of the word is clear and the sense of the passage is obvious. The same form occurs in 30, 8.-- 5. manzazi. 9. As no mention of a city is made, we are led to infer that Consult note to 18, 7. Babylon is meant. -- 10. This tablet is therefore 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, I 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 much the sum of money loaned amounted to.
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The signs are very indistinct, asif madebv i
dull stylus. The left edge Is not inscribed, otherwise all the available space Is used. The only serious imperfection isa small round hole in line 11 of the reverse, breaking out the signs for Banita. A few other unimportant lacunae occur in lines 14 and 15. Tranliteratim 1 4 tu kaspi Aa Nabft-balat-iddin 2 mar-Au Fa il-la-a mar Ia NaSi-ir-na-a iaina ii Nabit-abt-iddin lTranslation. 1 4 shekels of money of Nabfibalatiddin, 2 the son of SillA, the son of 3 Nasherna, which he is to receive from Nabuiahiddin, 4 the son of Shula, the son of Egibi. 5 On the 24th day of the month Shhaat he will give 6 the sheep(?), the ox, (and) the copper, 7 which Mushezibbel to 8 Nabfiahiddin gave. 9 Witnesses: Nabiiddin, the son of 10 lMushezibbel, the son of Nashenabfiapla;
4 apal-6u ia u-la-a apal t-gi-bi 6 6nu 24 kam ia ara Sababu i-nam-din 6 pa-ri-ri-is al-pa siparra 7 ia Mu-Mit-ib-Bil a-na a8Nabtt-a4liddin id-di-nu 9 amilu mn-kin-nu Ialata-iddin apal-iu 0 u--ibBi pal a-i-Nbfp 10 Mu-Il-sib-BEl apal Na-ii-i-Nabft-apla
Ninth and Thnta Years of Nabonidus.

11 Iddin-Nabft apal-u sa [Bani-ia] apal Du-ub-bi 12 u amilu dupsar Nabf&-a]i-iddin apal-bu ia 13 Su-la-a apal t-gi-bi Babilu 14 arab sabatu fimu 23(P) kam r kam 15 Nabft-na'id bar BabilL attu 9 11 Iddinnabfu, Dfibbi;
27
the son of Bania, the son of
12 and the scribe Nabuahiddin, the son of 13 Shul, the son of Egibi. Babylon, 14 in the month Shabat, on the 23 rd day, in the 9 th year of 15 Nabina'id, King of Babylon,
NOTES. 2. maru and aplu are used indiscriminately in the Contract Tablets. 8. The sign for Aa is a little peculiar. We generally find two small vertical wedges above one heavy vertical wedge, here we have only one. I have printed three in other 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" ('l allqvist, p. 117; Delitzsch, Assyr. Stud. p. 166). The word, however, if read correctly, must be classed among the unknown. 11. Without doubt Bani-ia, as the first signs show. Thereis room for only two signs. - 13. The form of gi 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 ;&0, lines 2 and 3, of this book, 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. Tablet dated in the year 546 B. C., as the preceding.
Nabubalatiddin has lent Nabuahiddin 4 shekels of money. The latter unable to pay, agrees to give instead of cash payment the sheep, the ox, and the copper utensils just given to him by Mushezibbel, one of his debtors. Alpu is the general name for cattle; he therefore might h:.ve promised a calf or a cow.
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NO. 21.
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Tenth Year of Nabonidus.
29
Tablet of a dark yellow color, shading to black at the lower right hand corner of the obverse. Size: 2 x 2% inches. At the end of the tablet there is a considerable space (S inch) not used. Also between lines 10 and 11, the scribe has left a large space. None of the four edges are written upon. The upper Pdge 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.
Transliteration. 1 .... um-ukin-na ma -/uu Aa Iddin-....
Translation. 1 ..... shumukinna, the son of Iddin.... 2 in the pleasure of his heart, Kalba, the son of 3 Iahata, son of whom Nabuahiddinna, the
2 ina hu-ud lib-bi-iu Kal-ba-a mar-su
3 [6a] Ia-ha-ta [ma -Au]
/a
Naht-ahi-iddin-na
4 6a Na' i-ahl-iddin-na ul-tu si-hi- i 5 u-rab-bu-/u u li-nad-nu
4 Nabuahiddinna, from smallness 5 had made him great, and had indeed given 6 also what he had promised him, Nabuiahiddinna, 7 the son of Shula, the son of Egibi, 8 for adoption gave. 9 Ealba, the son of Nabuahiddinna, 10 is he. 11 Witnesses: Lusananurimarduk, 12 the son of Kiribti, the son of Egibi; 13 Mardukiddin, the carpenter, 14 the son of Mardukep6sh, 15 the son of Zirai; Iddinnanabu, 16 the son of Ibna, 17 the son of Dabibi; 18 and the scribe Aradmarduk, the son of 19 Bitlia, 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 Nabuna'id, King of Babylon. to
6 u Ma ik-bu-u a-na Nabft-ahi-iddin-na
7 mar-u 6a Su-la-a apal t-,i-bi 8 a-na maru-u-tu id-di-in 9 Kal-ba-a mar 6a Naba-ahi-iddin-na 10 Au-u 11 amiln mu-kin-nu Lu-us-a-na-nOlti-
Marduk
12 mar-su sa Ki-rib-ti apal t-gi-bi

13 Marduk-iddin amilu IB-bani
14 apal-u ga Marduk-ipi-i 15 apal Zir-ai Iddin-na-Nabfi 16 mar-Au Aa Ib-na-a 17 apal Da-bi-bi 18 u amilu dupsar Arad-Marduk apal-/u pa 19 Bit-ti-ia apal amilu i-ma6 Bil 20 Babilu arab Samna-am-a Babili. 21 Amu 4 kam attu 10 kam 22 Nabft-na'id bar
TES. 1. The name does not occur again on the tablet; we therefore cannot supply the missing links. - 3. That the son bears the same name as his father is very rare. The break 4. 5. "From at the end of the line will admit of only the two signs apal and 6u. smallness had made him great" is an expression for which I can find no parallel in any
30
The Mletrololitan Juseum of Art.
contract tablet. The sense, however, is very plain. Kalbal had been a slave, and Xabi:tlhiddin adopted him, thus making him a free man, and giving him all the privile ges that freedom implied. This was, indeed, a leap fromn smallness to greatness. 5. linad-nuwith the precative ii. T'his occurs often. -- 6. This Nabuiahiddin must be the fatler, the one mentioned in line 4. -- 8. ma -tu is the term regularly used to signify "adoption." -- 9. 10. These lines give the gist of the whole tablet. It is a quaint sentence and is entirely to the point. - 13. IB-bani "carpenter," a provisional translation. -- 19. i-mar is an ideogram. 1 he name of this scribe occurs also in 25, 17. But here his family name is given as apal amiluiangu Bil, thus proving conclusively that i-:ma6 is a synonym of angu, and possibly ought to be read iangu. For other passages where it occurs, see Tallq. p. 45. -- '0. It is curious to note how the name of the month Marcheshwan is spelled out. The first of the three signs is deemed sufficient in nearly all the other cases where the name occurs. Cf. 15, 14; 27, 4. 5. -- 21. Dated in the year
545 B. C.
Nabuahiddin had become possessed of Kalba,

shumukin. slave, to whom he had undoubtedly
the slave of Nabu(?)In order to do
He himself had no issue, and was thus led to adopt the taken a fancy.
so, he had to obtain the consent of Kalba's former master, so that no stain might remain upon his character or his social standing. This course would also effectually prevent all legal proceedings for reclaiming the slave on the ground that he belonged to the king, that he had never been properly sold, or for any other real or fictitious reason. It was a common custom among the ancient Babylonians, if they
were childless, to adopt worthy slaves. And if we remember that many noble and educated men of neighboringnations were reduced to slavery by the frequent 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 families and there adopted.
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Tenth Year of Nabonidus.
31
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Tablet of a grayish brown color, 1% x *e3inches. 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 suppliel. The writing is clear, and the signs distinct and well-made. The left side alone bears no inscription. 'nanslation, 1 '4 mana 5 shekels of money which Ittimardukbalatu, 2 the son of Nabfiahiddin, the son of Egibi, 3 is to receive from Aradlllarduk, the son of Marduketer,
Transliteration.
1 1/3 ma-na 5 tu kaspi sa [Itti-Mardukbalatu] 2 apal-u 6a Nabit-ahi-iddin apal t-[gibi] 3 ina ili Arad-Marduk Marduk-iti-ir apal-u sa
32
4 apal amilu Pa kaspa.a.an
The Metropolitan MAseum of Art.

tabti-u ina arah Airu 4 the son of the governor of his portion. In the month Air in cash 5 the X mana 5 shekels and its interest he will give. 6 Misatum, his slave, is the security 7 of Ittimardukbalatu until that Ittimardukbalatu 8 his money has received. Nabuishudakata, 9 the daughter of l akishgula, 10 the son of the guardian, has received a receipt for the money 11 she brought. Witnesses: Rimut, 12 the son of Ai, the son of Aradnergal; 13 Ridalshamash, the son of Etermarduk, 14 the son of Epeshilu; Zirftu, the son of Nabuziriddin; 15 and the scribe Ittimardukbalatu, son of Aradbel. the
5 1/3 ma-na 5 tu u hubulla-u i-nam-din 6 Mi-sa-tum gal-lat-su ma-ka-nu 7 1 Itti-Ma-duk-balatu a-di iii a IttiMarduk-balatu 8 kaspa-Su i-gal-li-mu Nabf-u-gu-da-
9 marat-si Aa Ta-ki-GCu-la 10 apal amilu kipu pu-ut i-ti-ru Aa kaspi 11 na-ga-a-ta amilu mu-kin-nu Ri-mut 12 apal-u a Ai apal Arad-Nirgal 13 Ri-dal-Samaa
zir-iddin
apal-u a tti -Marduk
14 apal Xpi-iA-ilu Zir-atu apal-Au 6a Nabft15 u amilu dupsar Itti-Marduk-balatu apal-u a Arad-Bil 16 Babilu arah Adaru fimu 10 kam 17 Aattu 10 kam NabiL-na'id gar Babili
16 Babylon, in the month Adar, on the 10 th day, 17 in the 10 th year of Nabunna'id, King of Babylon.
NOTES. This tablet has already been published by Strassmaier in his autograph 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. amilu Aa tabtiAu. See 1allq. p. 76 for other instances. - 5. "Its" interest, that is, the interest on the X mana 5 shekels. -- 8. Strassmaier reads Naltt-ip-tum-:i-.., which, in my judgment, is not borne out by the signs on the tablet; the above reading seems to me to be the most likely. -- 10. amilu kipu. Tallqvist on p. 122 gives a number of meanings for this word, and many passages where it occurs. nalata, lit. "brought," then, "lent." -- 13. Ri-dal-StmaA. Strassmaier writes mut 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 Airm (May).. Until this payment is made, Ittimardukbalatu retains a female slave of Aradmardukbalatu 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
L7t'verth Year of 2Nabonidus.
33
the same relation with him to Aradmarduk, she must in some way be Perhaps she is his wife, though no stateconnected with the latter. Inent on that point is made.
NO. 23.
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34
The Metropolitan Mutseum of Art. LEFT SIDE.
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Tablet of a orown color, 11 x 2 inches. The signs are plainly written, excepting the name in the first line. It seems as 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. Transliteratian. 1 1/2 ma-na kaspi sa Nabt-rimu-lip-tum 2 mar-su Ba Sa-zu-bu 3 amilu rab.ka-a-ri a Barri 4 ina ili NabA-ahi-iddin
5 aInilu dainu mar-Au a Sa-la-a
Translation. 1
1/
mana of money which Nabfiremuliptum,
2 the son of Shuzubu, 3 the rabkatr of the king, 4 is to receive from Nabfiahiddin, 5 the judge, the son of Shula, 6 the son of Egibi; in the month Adar 7 he will give (it). 8 Witnesses: Shula, 9 the son of Ikishapla, the son of Iddinbel; 10 Iddinmarduk, the son of Belshulishkun, 11 the son of the guardian; Nadin the scribe, 12 son of the ....... Babylon, 13 in the month Shabat, on the 2nd day, in the 11 th year of 14 Nabfina'id, King of Babylon. 15 The renmainder 2K mana of money 16 ...... does not belong to the king.
6 apal t-gi-bi ina arab Adaru
7 i-nam-Jin
8 amilu mu-kin-nu S'a-la-a 9 mia-su ga Iki-.a-apla apal Iddin-Bil
10 Iddin-Ma-duk isku-un
apal-u
a Bil-4um-
11 apal amill kipu Na-din dup-sar

12 mar amilu IR.BAL.TAB(P .SA
Babilu 13 arah S'abatu Amu 2 kam rattu 11 kam 14 Nabt-na'id ar iaarri 16 ...... l i-a Babili
15 ri-hi-it 2 1/2 ma-na kaspi
TES. 3. amilu rab.ka-a-ri. This was the official appointed by the government to see that the weights and measures of the merchants were of correct legal size. karu means a dry measure; it is the *3 of I Kings iv: 22. In Ezek. xlv: 11 it is also used as a liquid measure. For other instances where this official is mentioned see Tallq. p. 79. -- 4. This Nabiiahiddin is mentioned also in 12, 7.9. 15. 11. amilu tipu; cf. 15, 10 and note. dupsar.
Eleventh Year of Nabonidu.c.
35
'lhis form is rarely found on the contract tablet;. amilu is omitted at the beginning, and sar is added. Ordinarily the sign for dup slffices f r the wor.l dups:; cf. 11, 17; 12. 'he reading of the title of the father of the scribe is 12, 19; 13, 16; 14, 24; &c. very uncertain. amilu IR occurs very often on the tablets (Tallq. p. 50', but the remain13. ing signs are so indistinct, that 1 venture to give them only with great reserve. 15. The whole debt must have consisted of 3 mana, only 1 In the year 544 B. C. mana of which was to be paid in the month Adar; about this remainder there was undotlbtedly another tablet in existence.
Naburemuliptum has loaned Nabuahiddin
mana, which the latter
promises to pay back in the month Adar (March). Naburemuliptum mllust have belonged to the household of the king, and the I mana must have been loaned from the king's funds ; for, in lines 15 and 16, we find a remainder mentioned which did not belong to the king, but was the private property of Naburemuliptum. The fact that there is no stateiment to the effect that the i 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 possibly 12, show that the contracting parties must have been of high standing, and render the above explanation of the tablet very probable.
NO. 'Z4.
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36
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. . ~ . ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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Tablet of a dark gray color, lf x 2Y inches. On the left side there is no writing. A few 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 covered with a hard substance, which renders a few of the signs difficult to read. In lines 5 and 8 In the lacunse, traces of the signs for "hubullu' can be seen. But on the left upper corner nothing can be read, as the tablet is there covered with this flinty accumulation, the removal of which would, I fear, entail the partial destruction of the tablet. Transliteration. 1 3 ma-na kaspi 6a Iddin-Marduk apalAu Aa 2 Ik.i-sa-apla apal NfAr-sin ina ili 3 Nabt-ban-aha apal--u Ba Ikli-a-apla apal Na-din-Marduk 4 &aara ili 1 ma-ni-i 1 tu kaspi ina Translation. 1 3 mana of money which Iddinmarduk, the son of 2 Ikishapla, the son of Nursin, is to receive from 3 Nabuibanaha, the son of Ikishapla, the son of Nadinmarduk. 4 Every month (at the rate of) upon one mana 1 shekel of money 5 at interest shall increase. Belrimanni, 6 the son of Mardukmusallim, a receipt 7 has received (and) has given. month 8 interest he will give. Every
5 ina [Lubulli] i-rab-bi Bil-ri-man-ni 6 apal-u 6a Marduk-nusallim Ft-uu 7 i-ti-ru na-din arha-ta.a.an 8 []ubulla] i-nam-din
Eleventh Year of Nabonidus.

_II
37
_
9 [amilu mu-kin-nu] Bil-apal-iddin apal-
9 Witnesses: Belapaliddin, the son of 10 Nabfiddin, the son of Rammanshumiddin; 11 Nbbuiiddin, the son of Zirukin, the son 12 of the priest of Gula; Belapaliddin, 1; the scribe, the son of Dahhisha, the son of Nabulitsu. 14 1 abylon, in the month Shabat, on the (2 th day, 15 in the 11 th year of Nabuna'id, 16 King of Babylon.
Au Aa 10 Nabt-[iddin(P)] apal iddin Ramman-Aum-
11 NatO -iddin apal-u Ha Zir-ukin apal 12 Aa amilu Fangu Gula Bil-apal-iddin 13 amilu dupsar apal-gu Aa Dah-hi-Aa(P) apal Nabt-lit-su 14 Babilu arah Sabatu tmu 12 kam 15 Battu 11 kam Nabl-na'id 16 gar Babili
NOTES. 3. Nabf-ban-aha. Peiser in his Babyl. Ver. wrongly transcribes this name Nabtban-zir. The last sign never has the meaning : ziru "seed." Strass. in his Camby. correctly transcribes Nabf-ban-ahu (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-i is generally used in this connection. For other examples see Tallq. p. 96 and Peiser Babyl. Ver. p. 319b. - 9. amilu mu-kin-nu is evidently demanded by the sense. - 10. Nalti-iddin. Traces of the iddin can be distinctly seen. 11. The 6u at the end of the line is either omitted or written so lightly as to escape detection. - 13. Dah-hi-a. 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 intrusted to him to Iddinmarduk, and receives one from Nabubanaha, to whom he had given the money; here his responsibility ends. He doubtless received a commission commensurate with the service he had performed for Iddinmarduk from the latter. This we might find recorded upon another tablet.
NO. t5.
FRONT.
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Eleventh Year of Nabonidus.
39
<<I-
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inches. The left side is smooth and flat, and contains no Tablet of a dark gray color, 2 x 2%7 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 of the tablet th'ere is also a bad break, but this probably contained only a few signs. Line 11 is just on the lower edge, which it completely fills.
Transliteration.
1 11 tPi kaspi sa ina pan .........
A:]
Translation.
[apal-
1 11 shekels of money which are to be received from ...... , the son 2 of Idda, (and) 9 shekels of money which are to be received from 3 Nabuzirikisha, the son of Shakanshum, - Iddinmarduk, 4 the son of Ikishapla, upon (his) account are made out; 5 X mana of money, which is to be received from Rimut, the son of 6 Nabuikinapla, - Eanasir, the son of 7 Musallim, upon (his) account is made out; 8 a measure of ...... Ashanashad took; 9 Aradmarduk according to their measures ...... 10 ...... of land; 15 shekels which are to be received from Radshi ...... 11 and the slave of Naburimanni ...... (and) 12 5 shekels of money which are to be received from Tabnea, 13 the son of the priest of Zariku, are their shares. 14 Witnesses: Marduket6r, the son of
2 sa Id-da-a 9 tu kaspi ia
ina pan
3 Nabt-zir-iki-a apal-Au ha Sakan-sum

Iddin-Marduk
4 apal-Au ha Iki-Sa-apla a-na ili i-ti-li

5 1/3 ma-na kaspi Aa ina pan Ri-mut apal-u ha 6 Nabf-ukin-apla I-a-na-sir apal-Au Aa
7 Mu-sal-li-mu a-na i-li i-ti-li

8 ka-ru-u Aa ka-pak-i A-ga-a-na-Sad sabit 9 Arad-Marduk Aa ka-ri-Au-nu an-us-tinu
10 ... siri 15 ti kaspi Aa ina pan Radii- ..... 11 u gal-la sa NabA-ri-man-ni ......
12 5 ta kaspi Aa ina pan Tab-ni-i-
13 apal
amilu gangu ilu Za-ri-1lu a-ha-a-
ta-u-nu 14 amilu mu-kin-nu Marduk-iti-ir apal-u
aa
40
---- ---------

15 Rimut, the son of Aradnergal; Nabiteresh, 16 the son of Tabnea, the son of Ahabani; 17 and the scribe Aradmarduk, the son of Bittia, 18 the son of the priest of Bel. in the month TDuzu, Babylon,
15 Rimut apal Arad-Nirgal Na'fi-iri/ 16 apal-iu ha Tab-ni-i-a apal Ata-ba-ni 17 u amilu dupsar Arad-Marduk apal-u /a Bit-ti-ia
18 apal amilu nangu Bil Babilu arah
DAzu 19 ftmu 24 kam Battu 11 kam Nabf-na'id Far 20 Babili 10 gur Ai.bar /a ............
19 on the 24th day, in the 11th year of Nabuna'id, King 20 of Babylon. 10 measures of grain, which 21 is to receive from Itti......, (the son of) 22 Eelnasir for ......
21 la-pa-ni It-ti-............ [apal(l?] 22 Bil-navir a-na ............
NOTES. 1. ina pan is here equivalent to ina mr-hhi or, as I prefer to read, ina il. It means "in the service of," and then in an extended sense, "to be received from." See Tallq. p. 115, panu, 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 karu. Eut then the Greek xOpOg has both vowels short, showing that the pronunciation must have varied. kapak-i can possibly be some variety of grain, the general term for which, Ai.bar, the scribe mentions in line 20. - 9. an-us-ti-nu can only be a provisional reading. - 10. si-i. Aradmarduk must therefore have received his share in real estate. - 13. a-bs-;ta-u-nu. This form is found also in Strass., Nabn. 572, 10; 653, 9; and Nbk. 30O, 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-pa-ni is the exact equivalent of the Hebrew 1. . For other examples see Tallq. pp. 89, 90; Peiser, Bab. Ver. CXXX, 19; S. A. Smith, Keilschrifttexte Assurbanipals III, p. 59; 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 certain 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 Radshi...... and the slave of Naburimanni, and 5 from Tabnea; finally, Itti .... pays to the last creditor the latter's 20 shekels in grain.
Thirteenth Year of Nabonidus.
41
NO. '6.
FRONT.
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42
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Tablet of a darlt samber color shading to black, 18 x 2%inches. The signs are well made, and cover the entire sunace of the tablet. Both corners of the right side are broken off, rendering lines 1, 10-15, 22, and 23 incomplete. This tablet undoubtedly belongs tothe reign of Nabuna'ld, as the break in line 23, though large in extent in the above text, will admit of but one sign on the tablet. Transliteration. 1 1/2 ma-na 6 tu kaspi ga Itti-Marduk..... -balavu 2 apal-/u /a NabQ-ati-iddin apal 1-gibi 3 ina Ili Na-din apal-u a Nirgal-itir 4 apal Ba-bu-tu u Nu-ub-ta-a a/at-u 5 marat-sun a NabQf-mu-Mi-ni-ud-da 6 apal t-sag-gil-ai ina lib-bi 7 sa1/3 ma-na 6 tu kaspi Aa arha ina
lii
Translation. 1
1
mana, 6 shekels of money, which Ittimarduk.... balatu,
2 the son of Nabiahiddin, the son of Egibi, 3 is to receive from Nadin, Nergaleter, the son of
4 the son of Babutu and Nubta, his wife, 5 the daughter of Nabumusheniudda, 6 the son of Esaggilai. Thereupon 7 . mana, 6 shekels of money every month at the rate of 8 (upon 1 mana 1 shekel of money, against them
8 1 ma-ni-i 1 tu kaspi ina ili-gu-nu

9 i-ab-bi u 1/4 10 t.u kaspi u-Aib-u
I
a .
43
1 . I / .
U are [o lIlnreatse,
. 1-
. ............
;talll
/4 ,U
n cvt
a.r...r.
1A
iv
shekels of money they are to place

10 la biti 6adi i-di bit-ia ....
10 in the house to the east hand of my house, 11 and they are to return my money. The security 12 they took, they are to return it to me(?). 13 ' heir whole house is security, 14 until that his money is (paid). 15 W itnesses: Nabfmusheniudda, 16 the son of Belziribni, the son of Esaggilai; 17 Nablugamil, the son of Nabumusheniudda, 18 the son of Esaggilai; Nabusurshu, the son of 19 Balatu, the son of Misirai; Ikishapla, 20 the son of Appakkalia, the son of Egibi; 21 and the scribe Nadin, the son of Nergalet6r, 22 the son of Babutu. month Nisan, Nabufna'id, Babylon, in the
11 u ti-ra kaspi-ia ma-ka-[nu] .... 12 sab-ta ti--:a-u ia-[a-tu(? ] 13 bit-su-nu gab-ti ma-k[a-nv] 14 a-di ili Aa kaspi-u i-gu-[u] ....
15 smilu [da] 16 apal-iu Pa Bil-zir-ibni apal t-sag-gil-ai mu-kin-nu Nabi-mu-i-ni-ud-
17 Nabfi-ga-mil apal-u a lTabti-mu-i-
ni-ud-da
18 apal I-sag-gil-ai Nabf-uour-Au apal-Au
ha 19 Ba-la-tiu apal Mi-sir-ai Iki-ia-apla

20 apal-Lu ha A-pak-kal-ia apal I-gi-bi
21 u amilu
dupsar
Na-din
apal-iu
ga
Ni :gal-itir 22 apal Ba-bu-tu Babilu arab N-sannu
23 fimu 14 kam Battu 13 kam Naitf-na'id
23 on the 14th day, in the 13th year of
24 Aar
Babili
24 King of Babylon. 25 In the presence of Eellitsunu, 26 the mother of Nadin.
25 ina a-a-bi a Bil-lit-su-nu 26 ummu a Na-din
TES. 1.'There is a break at the end of the line. Itti-marduk-balatu, however is a complete and common name. (See index to proper names.) There might have been some flaw in the clay of the tablet when the scribe wrote it, and this may have led him to pass 6. I-sag-gil-ai. (Cf. also over the small space. If this be so, the name is complete. 16, 1. 10, and note.) It is a question whether these names ending in ai are adjective forms or have passed over and become ordinary proper names. I should be inclined to the latter view. We have a good parallel in the proper names of slaves among the Romans. "ISyrus, 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 name. Generally, however, these forms are family names. ina libbi 6a "thereupon." See Peiser's renderings, Bab. Ver. p. 318b. -- The real interest shall be one shekel on every
44
mana, that is, 1% per cent. But to this amount must be added the interest spoken of in line 9, which is 21 per cent, making the total interest for every month 4 1-6 per cent. ma-ni-i. See Tallq. p. c6. - 9. u- b-u. Strass., Nbk. 137, 11, has the form u-Mib-u. -11. 12. ti-ra. A peculiar form from taru. It is in the dual, agreeing with the subject: Nadin and his wife. sabta is in the dual for the same reason. -- 22. The first signs show that "Nisan" is the month mentioned. - 25. 26. Women, as a rule, were not allowed to act as witnesses. We therefore find the short note simply to mention the fact that Nadin's mother, Belitsunu, was also present at the signing of the contract, thus signifying 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 percentage for that time. Nadin and Nubta had evidently had some business 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, for the money loaned. they gave their house as security in return
NO. 27.
FRONT.
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to almost black. The signs are distinct and prettily made. Size: 1s x 23. The sides are free from writing, excepting the right side, which contains a few signs of lines prolonged from the reverse. Transliteration. 1 1/2 ma-na kaspi /a Itti-Marduk-balatu apal-Au ga 2 Nabit-ahi-iddin apal A-ba-ba-ti-la 3 ina ili La-a-ba-6i apal-u ga Zi-ri-ia 4 apal Na-ba-ai ina arat Samna ina-addin 5 ki-i ina arat Samna la id-i-nu 6 ga a: ha ina ili 1 ma-ni-i 1 tu kaspi 7 ina ili-Au i-rab-bi 8 amilu mu-kin Ri-mut-Bil apal-u Sa Bil-Marduk 9 apal Sa-am-ma-' Bil-itir apal-Au 6a 10 Nat-ft4um-usur apal Rammanu-Sumusur 11 Su-ka-ai apal-gu ga Kal-ba-a apal Babuu-tu 1 Translation.
which contains afew signs of lines prolonged from the reverse.

Y. mana
of money which Ittimardukbalatu, the son of
2 Nabfahiddin, the son of Ababatila, 3 is to receive from Labashi, the son of Ziria, 4 the son of Naba; in the month Marcheshwan, he will give (it). 5 If in the month 1Marcheswan he does not give (it), 6 every month (at the rate of) upon 1 mana 1 shekel of money 7 against him it shall increase. 8 Witnesses: Rimutbel, the son of Belmarduk, 9 the son of Shamma' ; Beleter, the son of 10 Nabucshumusur, the son of Rammanushumusur; 11 Suka, the son of Kalba, the son of Babfitu;
46

12 and the scribe Baniummagu, the son of Belahiddinna, 13 the son of Sirdishbit. Babylon, in the month Ululu, on the 6 th day, 14 in the 13 th year of Nabuina'id, King of Babylon.
12 u amllu dupsar Bani-um-ma-gu mar-fu a Bil-a-ddin-n 13 apal qir-diS-bit Qmu 6 kam Babilu arah Ululu Babili
14 iattu 13 kam Nabi-na'id iar
NOTES. 4. ina-ad-din. The word spelled in this way occurs also in Strass. Nabn. 282, 7. -6. Rate of interest for every month 1% per cent, or for the year 20 per cent. -- 8. mukin. The final nu might have been omitted by the scribe by mistake. '[he form, however, occurs again in Strass. Nabn. 153, 5; Peiser, Bab. Ver. CXLVII, 10. -- Si-amma-'. A shortened form for Sama-ilu (Strass., Verzeich. zu den Liverpool Insch. p. 60.) 14. Dated in the year 542 B. C., as the preceding tablet.
Ittimardukbalatu has loaned Labashi half of a mana, and has 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 that month, then interest at 20 per cent a year will accrue against him. for an indefinite period of years. Hence the money is really loaned
NO.
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8.
FRONT.
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Fourteenth Year of Nabonidus.

C,
47
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Tablet of a dark gray color, 1 3 x 1,3 inches. The writing is very much effaced; in fact, the tablet is gradually crumbling to pieces. The left side, as in most of these tablets, is not written upon. The above reading is the best possible. Transliteration. 1 8 ta kaspi i-ti-ru &a 2 Ka-ti-lu-tum i-tir-tum a-na Amtu 3 marat-su Aa Marduk-gum-ueur Sa-agBil-ti
Translation.
1 8 shekels of money, the pay which 2 Katilutum paid to Amtu, 3 the daughter Shashbelti, of Mardukshumusur;
48
The Metropolitan Museum ef Art.

4 the son of Nabuittiapli, the son of Hupf, (his) price 5 from the hands of Ittimardukbalatu, the son of Nabuahiddin, 6 the son of Egihi, received. 7 They made a tablet concerning ....... bricks, offerings, and date palms, 8 together with a receipt for Nabftahlddin. 9 With one another not will they live. 10 Witness: Iddinmarduk, the son of 11 Ikishapla, the son of NtNrsin; 12 Nabutiddin, the son of Belidanin, the son of the ...... man; 13 and the scribe Iddinnahununtishmarduk, 14 the son of Nabinasir, the son of the ...... man. 15 Babylon, in the month Nisan, on the 14th day, 16 in the 14 th year of Nabuna'id, 17 King of Babylon.
4 apal-u 6a Nat1f-itti-aDli apal Hu-p:.u 6imu
5 ina kata Itti-Marduk-balatu apal-u 6a Natif-ahi-iddin 6 apal t-gi-bi ma-hir 7 i-pu-u-6a dupp, 6a KI.LU libittu ginu-u u gisimmaru 8 a-di u.an.tim &aNabf-ahi-iddin 9 it-ti a-ha-mis ul bal-tu-u
10 amilu mu-kin-nu Iddin-Marduk apalAu ia
11 I-ki-ia-apla apal Nfr-Sin 12 NabA-iddin apal-/u ga Bil-idanin apal amilu ni-sur-gi-na 13 u amilu dupsar Iddin-na-hu-nun-ti-iMarduk 14 apal-u fa Nabl-nalir apal amilu nisur-gi-na 15 Babilu arah Nisannu tmu 14 kam
16 Aattu 14 kam NabL-na'id 17 bar Babili
TES. 1. i-t;-'u must be a substantive here, as the sense and every like construction demand. --- 2. i-tir-tum, from the same root as the preceding, though a change in the first vowel has occurred. This form is also found in Strass. Nabn. 6 0, 17; 720, 15; Peiser, Bab. a-a-Bil-ti: we would expect Sa-ai-Bil-it. 1he last sign, Ver. XLIII, 17; LXXI, 7. -4. Nabil-itti-apli: "May Nebo be with the however, is indistinct on the tablet. sons." - 7. i-pu-uA-a is in form the 3 rd person plural feminine of the preterite. But 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 confounded, especially in the contract tablets. The Babylonian at this stage resembles the Middle Arabic, where the pronunciation of the final vowels was 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 sinu "sheep." gi-nu-u is taken by Tallqvist (p. 62) to mean "sacrifices, offerings." I'eiser (Bab. Ver. pp. 258 and 289) takes it as equivalent to alpi 9. bal-tu-u: from balatu. As the t and cattle." See also Jeremias, B. A. I. p. 279. the t were almost identical in pronunciation, the scribe evidently did not make the distinction in this case. Tallqvist, on page 57 of his valuable little book, gives a word
Fourteenlh Year of
ahbonidus.
49
balatu "fulness, blessing," but this meaning evidently does not tit into this passage. - 12. amilu ni-sur-gi-na may mean "thle man who guards the sacrificial offering;" from nasaru "to protect" and ginti in line 7. lie would thus be an attachei of the 16. Dated temple. -- 13. 'Ihe signs hu and nun are curiously blended together. int the year 541 B. C.
The explanation of this text is easy. Katilutnm and her husband Ittimarldukbalatu determine to part with their servants Amtu and Shashlelti. The latter, I would conclude, are a married couple. Eight shekels are the wages of Amtu, and a similar amount, doubtlessly given on another tablet, came into the hands of Shashbelti. These four set up a t:ll let, giving the amount of work performed; and they add to this the receipt of Nabuahiddin, the father of Ittimardukbalatu, who therefore seems to have been the controlling power in the affairs of the two respective couples. This last receipt acted as a final document concerning their mutual relations; that is, it signified that the work had been properly performed, and that Ittimardukbalatu and his wife had to be satisfied and now had no claims against the servants. Finally, in line 9, we come to the quaint sentence: With one another they will not live. This shows that the rupture between the two couples is complete: they want to have nothing more to do with each other.
NO.
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50
The Metropolitan Museumn o39 Art.
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Foudteenth Year of N2abonidus.

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51
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Tablet of a dark gray color, 1% x 2' inches. The signs are very lightly made and closely written. 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 completely rubbed off. There is, however, but one break on the tablet, and this Is in line 18, where the determinatlve for woman is broken out. The other lacunae are caused by the rubbing off of the signs. The fact, that the scrite sought to crowd so long a text on so little space, accounts for the omission of many of the signs that must be supplied in order to meke sense.
Transliteration. 1 Sa-an-na-a Ku-up-pu-ut-tum 2 u Tab-lu-tu a-mi-lut-tum ia Itti-
Translation. 1 Shanna, 'Kfpputtum, 2 and Tablutu, the slaves which Ittimar dukbalatu, 3 the son of Nabufahiddin, the son of Egibi, 4 from the hands of Beliddin, the son of Banta, the son of Nergalusur, 5 for money received. (and) And Rishartum
Marduk-balatu 3 apal-6ua a Nabfi-ahi-iddin apal 1-gi-bi
4 ina kata Bil-iddin apal-Au fa Ba-ni-ia apal Nirgal-usur 5 a-na kaspi i-pu-6u u Ri-ar-[tum]
3 Ni-lat-tum marat-su Ba Arad-Bil apal Ikbi-[Marduk( P)] 7 u Bil-iddin apal-u ga Ba-ni-ia apal RI/ar-tum 8 kaspa iima pi-Sa-an-na u Ku-up-pu-tuttum 9 a-na Itti-Marduk-balat a id-di-nu u 10 Tab-lu-tu marat-su Sa-an-na-a
6 kNilattum, the daughter of Aradbel, the son of Ikbimarduk, 7 and Beliddin, the son of Banta, the son of Rishartum, 8 for money, an equal price, and Kupputtum 9 to Ittimardukbalatu gave; also 10 Tablutu, the daughter of ShAnnh,
52
11 a-di-i kaspi-u balatu
Thte Metropolitan Af(useum of Art.

id-din Itti-Marduk11 together with his money (that) he gavei
Itti Iardukbalatu 12 left behind, until the bidding

13 in writing of Nabubalatsuikbi, the son
12 u-mag-Ai-ru adi ili na-[as-ut-tu] 13 6a-ta-ra ~a Nabfi-balat-su-ikbi apal-u
of
14 Bani-ia apal RI-Sar-tum it-bal
14 Bania, the son of Rishartum, he will

bring. 15 Ittimardukbalatu his bidding has fulfilled.
15 Itti-Marduk-balatu ni-si-su i-kat-lul
16 La-a=-na-a u Ku-up-pu-ut-tum a-na 17 9i-da-tum ul i-gar-ra-ku a-na kaspi
16 Shhnna and Kuippfittum for 17 a present not will he present (or) for money
18 ul i-nam-di-nu Sa-an-na-a u [Ri]-artum 19 Itti-marduk-balatu ki-i u-tir 6a ri-hi-ti
18 not will he sell. Shanna' and Rishartuh
19 Ittimardukbalatu,
when
he
returns
what remainder (there is), 20 Bil-iddia u Ni-lat-tum ummi-Au it-tadin 21 Ili-lat-tum pu-ut Sa-an-na-a u 20 (to) Eeliddin and Nilattum, his mother, he will give. 21 Nilattum the receipt (concerning) Shaunna and 22 Ku-up-pu-ut-tum na-ga-a-tum 23 amilu mu-kin-nu Bll-d--hir apal-u ha 22 ifipputtum will bring. 23 Witnesses: l3eldihir, the son of .-... ,
24 apal Nab-i.k-bi Ardi-.a apal-u a Itti-
24 the son of Nabikbi; Ardia, the son of Itti ......
25 apal ainilu Aakanu Iddin-Nabfi ha al-a apal ......
apal-Au
25 the son of the overseer; Iddinnabiu, the son of Sala, the son of ...... ; 26 Ittinabibalatn, the scribe, the son of Mardukiddin, 27 the son of Beleteru. 28 1babylon, in the month Nisan, 20 th day, on the
26 Itti-Nabit-balatu amilu dupsar apal-u a Marduk-iddin 27 apal Bil-i-ti-ru 28 Babilu arah Nisannu amu 20 kam
29 gattu 14 kam Nabl-na'id 30 Sar Babili
29 in the 14th year of Nabuna'id, 30 King of Babylon.
NOTES. 1. a-mi-lut-tum and gallu are used interchangeably. - 4. The determinative ilu "god" is omitted before Nirgal. -- 5. The space in the word i-pu--- u denotes an erasure t)y the scribe on the tablet. "And" must be 'supplied at the end of the line, as Rixartum and Nilattum were two different women. 8. pi-ha-an-na-a "equal;" compare the HIebrew DDS "to divide," hence "to divide into equal parts," then, "equal." pi-Aa-anna in Strass. Xabn. 186, 5; 213, 2; 1029, 7 is undoubtedly the same word. - 11. Notice
53
how peculiarly id-din is written. 'Ihe horizontal wedge has the value of nadanu, and the three slanting wedges must here be taken as the phonetic complement din: giving 1l. Aa-ta-ra I would take here as An adus as the complete word the form iddin. verbial accusative, or as an accusative of specification. Compare -1M) and l. . -15. ni-si-su. Perhaps this might be a secondary form of 14. it-bal. Ifteal of abalu. naAfItu "bidding" from nafS. That the 6 should go over into s would not be a strange thing in colloquial language. However, I offer this only as a suggestion. -- 17. Ai-datum I would connect with idft -'tribute," cf. Sanh. II, 55. It fits especially well with i-Aar-ra-ku, from Aaraku "to give, present," though the former is spelled with k and the latter with .. 18. Ri-Aar-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 mtus be supplied at the beginning of this line. -- 24. Nab-ik-bi, a contracted form of Nat ftikbi. It is strange that the scribe has not recognized this and written the god's name with the determinative. I consider this a good example of how the Assyrian proper namtes were read. I believe that Nabu in proper names was read as it is here, and not, as in other cases, we are accustomed to transcribe it. But as Assyrian is a written and not a spoken language for us, we must transcribe the signs as they stand. 28. T'he ;sua. ;srn 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. Ittimardukbalatu has been commissioned by Nabubalatsuikbi to acquire foir aim the three female slaves Shanna, Kupputtum, and Tablutu. Rishartum and Nilattum and Beliddin, who seem to have had some interest in the slave Kupputturn, hereby signify their assent to the sale. But Ittimardukbalatu is first required to show on what authority he purchases the slaves. He therefore leaves Tablutu and Shanna behind him as security, and deposits 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 responsible person, hence this demand 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. Ittimardukbalatu, 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 tabllet on this sul ject.
54
The AMfetropolitan 2MUiseum of Art.
NO. 30.
FRONT.
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55
Tablet of a light maroon color, 1lf x 1% inches. The Signs are blurred and difficult to decipher. The left side is not inscribed. In the first line of the reverse there is a large hole, which destroys the lower part (the vertical wedge) of the sign tar. Transliteration, 1 10 tu kaspi na-ag-ut-ti 2 Aa NQr-i-a apal-iu sa Bil-iki-sa 3 apal amllu Aangu ilu Na-na Nabil-iriS 4 apal-u Aa il-la-a apal Man-di-di 5 u Bil-u-nu apal-gu a Bil-iki-Sa 6 apal amilu /angu ilu Na-na ina kata 7 U-ka-ga-tu-ra-4ad 8 ma-hi-ir 1-lat 9 1/3 4 tu kaspi ina gim-ru ........ 10 amilu mu-kin-nu ilu Dalnu-zir-ibni 11 apal-u Aa Ab-la-a apal tpi-i/-ilu 12 La-di-pi apal-fu ga Di-na-a 13 u amilu dupsar NabA-iriA 14 apal-u a il-la-a apal Man-di-di 15 Babilu arah Simanu Babili 16 imu 18 kam gattu 14 kam 17 Nabf-na'id bar Translation. 1 10 shekels of money, the bidding 2 of Nurea, the son of Belikisha, 3 the son of the priest of Nana; Nabuerexh, 4 the son of Sill, the son of Mandidi; 5 and Belshunu, the son of Beliklisha, 6 the son of the priest of Nana, from the hands of 7 Ukagaturashad 8 have received; in addition 9 4. shekels of money in vegetables (she paid ? ). 10 Witnesses: Dainuziribni, 11 the son of Ablci, the son of Epeshilu; 12 Ladipi, the son of Din'a, 13 and the scribe Nabferesh, 14 the son of SillA, the son of Mandidl. 15 Babylon, in the month Siman, 16 on the 18 th day,in the 14 th year of 17 Nabana'id, King of Babylon. )TES. 8. ma-Li-ir is the singular; we would expect the plural. i-lat: see note to 13, 11. 9. gim-ru: see Tallqvist p. 61. The latter takes it to be the name of some produce mentioned together with grain and vegetables. - 10. ilu Dainu-zir-ibni. The, fourth sign of the name is tar; in Briinnow's Classified 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 received a commission from Nurea, Nabutum, and Belshunu to furnish 10 shekels worth of groceries as well as 4 shekels worth of. vegetables. She acquitted herself of this commission, and obtained this tablet as a receipt.
56
NO. 31.
FRONT.
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Tablet of a light fawn color, 13( x 2 inches. The signs are very small and, in some places, indistinctly 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. Secondly, one and one-third lines on the upper part of the reverse, which contain the name and parentage of but one witness. Below this there is again a large space. Finally, four lines containing the name of the scribe 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 la i-pi6-6a Marduk-[balat: ] duppu ia Itti-
Translation. 1 The receipt which is made out (namely) the tablet, which Ittimardukbalatu, 2 the son of Nabuahiddin, the son of Egibi, and Kalba, 3 the son of Nabiiahiddin, the son of Egibi, made. 4 Kalba every year about 10 shekels of money to 5 Ittimardukhalatu will pay, and 41. shekels of money, 6 the remainder, Kalba unto Ittimardukbalatu 7 will give. One document they took. 8 Witness: IddinnabA, the son of Tkishapla, 9 the son of Belibni. 10 Ittinabfbalatu, the scribe, the son of Mardukbanzir, 11 the son of Beleter. In the city Bitshare, 12 in the month Dfizu, on the 23 rd day, in the 16 th year of 13 Nabina'id, King of Babylon.
2 apal-/u a Nablti-r ]i-iddin apal j-gi-bi u [Kal-ba-a] 3 apal-Iu 6a Nabai-ait-iddin apal t-gi-bi i-pu-lu 4 Kal-ba-a latta iii 10 tu kaspi a-na 5 Itti-Marduk-balatu ul-ti-la u 4 1/2 tu kaspi 6 ri-'h-tum Kal-ba-a a-na Itti-Mardukbalatu 7 it-ta-din ku-u ilti-in ta.a.an Ia-t%-ru il-ti-
8 amilu mu-kin-nu Iddin-Nabt apal-fu Aa Ikl4-a-apla 9 apal Bil-ibni 10 Itti-NabA-balatu amilu dupsar apal-iu 5a Marduk-ban-zir 11 apal Bil-itir alf Bit-aar-i irsitu 12 arab DAzu itmu 23 kam fattu 16 kam 13 Nabf-na'id bar mat Babili
rES.
4. latta. Note the insertion of an a between the signs an and na. All four signs must 7. il-ti-]u-u: Ifteal be read as an ideogram. - 5. ul-ti-la for uftila: Ifteal of ilu. 8. As a general rule two or more witnesses were required for every legal of liku. 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 Mtuseum of Art.
Two brothers, Kalba and Ittimardukbalatu, 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 promises 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.
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62
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The Metropolitan Mutseum of Art.
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Tablet light brown, beautifully glazed. The obverse is very much effaced by The signs are beautifully cracks and breaks, but the reverse is perfect 1. X2. inches. made. Line 4 is prolonged over the right edge. The king's name in the last line is very plain. 1 30 biltum kaspi Ea SAllma pin ASum-iddin inl iii ia 1 Thirty talents of money, belonging to Shamash, to be received of Shumiddin, SharranimardukMardukmusallim, 2 apal, Kirrema, (and) Accordingly, for 3 Nabfimusalliml. one mana sheep 4 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), the sheep 6 and the young (?) they will give. 7 In the presence of Belepuish, the judge .... ... ; ; 8 Na'idmarduk, the priest ....... 9 Beleresh, the son of Nanaunili; 10 Nabfugallim, the son of Ep6shilu; 11 Aradilu, the son of Rabdishbani; 12 and the scribe Nabfeternapshati. Nippur, 13 on the 13th day, in the accession year of 14 Sinshumlishir, Kiug of Assyria.
2 Marduk-musallim Sr-a-ni-Mfar-dukapal Kir-ri-i-ma 3 iabfi-musallim a-ki-i-ma a-na i ma-na 4 a-na Samras i-na arabh Ululu i-namn-dinu isti-in pu-ut ia-ni-i na-iu-u 5 ki-i ina arah Ululu la id-dan-nu ini 6 u ta-lit-tu i-nam-di-nu 7 ina manzazu Bil-tipu-ut. (amilu) dainu ........ 8 alid-Marduik (amilt) sanyu la bi ........ 9 Bil-iris [apal-su] a Na-na-nc--ni-li 10 Nabfi-gal-lim apal ipi-2t-ilu 11 Arad-ilu apal Rab-dis-bani-i 12 u (amtlu) dupsar Yabfu-itir-napsiti Nippuru 13 umu 13 karm a.ttu riw arrutu 14 Sin-ium1-liir iar (mat) Assur(ki)
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 Asurbanipal's successors, about whom there is still much to be learned.
Twelfth Year of Shamhshshumukin.

__
63
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tiL
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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 ~iklu 6 ikhlt kaspi ia Su-la-a 2 ina ili Bil-ahi-ir-ba 3 hu-lni-u-ut-tum 1 One mana, one-third shekel and six shekels of money, which Shula 2 is to receive from Belahirba 3 as advance.
61
The Ifetropolitan Museum of Art.

4 Witnesses: Kasiru, the son of the shepherd; 5 Nabuahishulli, the son of Imbushia; 6 Beliddin, the son of Iranu; 7 Belkishir, the son of Egibi; S aud Belkasir. At the city Himeri, .0 in the month Shabatu, on the 25th day, in the 12th year, 10 in the 12th year of Shamashshumukin, 11 King of Babylon.
4 (amaiu) mu-kin-nthT~a-xi-ru ?na^r (watiau) 5 NYabfi-a/fl-.h-li-m inc~r Jmt-btt-.-ia
6 Bil-iddin mi'Ij- -Ir-a-mua

7 Bl-ki-iir mu'r i-gi-bi S u Bid-ka-sit aWu li-i-ri J 6 aru4i, Sabaui [fUioil] 25 kamo .alta 121 kamn 10 UIUtu12 kanit $iL~-rU. u-ukin-n
11
atr Babili(ki)
Shula has advanced Belahirba 1 riana and 6 shekels, and this tablet merely records that fact without stating when the money is to be returned, or what interest, if any, is to be paid.
NO. 3.
TTT y ET I
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Sixteentlh Year of Shamashshumuakin. RE VERS'E.
(65
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Tablet brown, mottledli.h black spots; 1jX21 inches. The obverse is flat, while the reverse curves outward, so that the tablet is one inch thick at the middle. Perfectly preserved. The signs are large and well made There is a large space at the end not used, and the left edge is also without writ ing. 1 3 ma-na kaspl xcaTt9
,$u-la-a
2 tu abfi-ga-mil ina il A;,uar-dan-nu 3 Ai-bu-u Ba-tc-ul 4 I-gi-gi Nirgal-ai u Si-i-[gu-al 5 ulltu iimtC 1 karm .a arah Di'zz arha.a.an .,iklu 1 6 ina il-.su-.nu i-rab-bi i'ti-ini pu-vt 7 8 9 10 11
1 Three mana of money which Tu', Shula, 2 and Nabfigamil are to receive from Ashshurdannu, 3 Aibft, Batfil, 4 Igigi, Nergalai, and Slhcguna. 5 From the first (lay of the month Dfizu on, every month one shekel 6 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; Dumku, 11 the son of Kadinu; Shami, the son of Adrinn; 12 Shnlhl, the son of Shamashiddin, the fisherman;
(a-ni-i na-tU-tu ,taim-mar-ru, kaspu i-mah-hlar (amilu) mu-kin-nu Ir-ba mnir-usa Tik-ra-ha-ma Du-um.-ku mur-,su a K'a-dtl-nu Sa-mi-i apal-,t .:a Ad-rl-nu Ha'mrk-
12 Su-la-a imnr (amilt) b.i'irul iddin
13 mur (amilu) nangu Babili(ki) Dumnki-ia apal Ga-hal
13 the son of the priest of Babylon; Dumkia, the son of Gahal;
66

14 and the scribe, Mluranu, tie soi of Egibi. 15 Babylon, in the month Dlzu, on the 9th day, 16 in the 16th year of Shamashshumukin, 17 King of Babylon.
14 u (ami t) dupsar Iu-ram-n mrnrr I-gi-bi 15 Babilu(ki) arahDizu fimu 9 kIam 16 ,attu 16 kam ASamal-wlmn-ukin-na 17 .ar JRabili(ki)
The three persons named in lines 1 and 2, have loaned three mana to the six They are to pay no interest till the month Dfzu mentioned in lines 3 and 4. (July) arrives. Thereafter they must pay the very moderate interest of one shekel per month, that is, 6 per cent per year. If, however, the debtors wish to return the money, they may pay it to any one of the three creditors, whom they can most conveniently reach.
NO. 4.
OB VERSKE.
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Sixteenth Year of Shamashslzrimukin.
67
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Tablet yellow; 1 x2 inches. The signs are very indistinct, as if the stylus usetd 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 ahard flinty substance. The edges are not written upon. A large space is left between lines 9 and 10. 1 g iik-lu kaspi' vi-;s-7c t 1 One-third shekel of money, the revocation, 2 which (took place) against Nabfbelil]ni, 3 from the 20th day of the month DfAzu, 4 wherever Nabushumishkun will be found, 5 the remainder he will verily return. 6 Witnesses: Silla, 7 the son of Nabintiai; 8 Tab6t, the son of Sinknrunu; 9 Lubalat, the son of Nabfinaai; 10 and the scribe Shamashushezib. 11 Babylon, in the month DOzu, on the 20th day, 12 in the 16th year of Shamashshumukin, 13 King of Babylon.
2 c0iii Nabfi-i-il-llimn 3 ul-tui umu 20 kam .sa arah Dnzu 4 a-Jar Nabfi-.um-iskuu-un ina pun amur-a 5 u-tir li-it-tir G (amilu) mu-lcin-nu Sl1-la-a 7 mi2r Aa Nabi-na-ai 8 Tab-bz-it apal Sin-lcur-u-n 9 Lu-ba-lat apal Nabui-na-ac 10 u (amilh) dupsar ~'amas-u-ki-zib 11 Babilu(ki) arah Duiz1u iimu 20 kam 12 sattu 16 kamnz ama.s-um-ukin 13 Jar Babili(ki)
Nabfbelilani had been excluded by Nabishumishkun from a certain portion of his inheritance. Now this action is revoked and Nabubelilani can hope to inherit all he had expected.
68
: -
NO. 5.
TB VERSE.
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Thirteenth Year of Kineladanos.

17
69
<< 
Tablet brown shading to black; I UX2;- inches. The upper right hand corner of the obverse is destroyed, and the obverse is badly damnaged throughout by the crumbling off of the clay. The reverse is alnmost perfect, a few easily supplied signs at the end of lines 17 and 18 being broken off. The signs are very plain. There is no writing on the left edge.
1 (,tmhi) nm-klin-ni-i
.a int pa-n;i-,u-
L,]l ......
2 N 'igal-u-,at-hi it-ti ........ 3 iut bit (ilRl) Sfa-bil-b;t ta-bal-[la-all 4 ar--l,-.n- ............ 5 I.yr '-ri-,i ((ami0l) i-pi-(.a . D 1UP TU [biti] (il,) So-
1 These are the witnesses according to whose testimony

2 Nergalushathi with........
3 in the temple of the god Sabitbit lived. 4 Sharl.i.......................... 5 Usurrushi, the ........ of the temple of the god Sabitbit; 6 Belmushalni, the .......... of the temple of the god Sabitbit; 7 Et'rlu, the ........ of the temple of the god Sabitbit; 8 BeletCr, the........of the temple of the god Sabitbit; 9 Ziria, the singer; 10 Asharidu, the son of Shanashisl; ; 11 Shamashuballit, the ....... ; 12 Shamashusur, the priest of the city (?) Amatnigaba; 13 Mardukziribni, the son of Iraui; 14 Nabflsur, the son of Ashshuritmi; 15 Shamnishmudammik, the son of the.... ... 16 Bibea, the son of the............... 17 In the month Tashritu, on the 17th day, in the 13th year of 18 Kineladanos, King of Babylon.
bit-bit 6 Bn/il-mu-al-Wi ( TUbiti (ill) S.TiElho) bit-bit 7 I-/t-ru (0mn11) T'I bfl; (ild) Sa-b;t-bit 8 Bl1-iiru (am/h/) TU bWti (ii) S.-bit-b;t
9 Z;r-ia ((miilu) zammfaru 10 A-.ia-rill-du ( al ,a-na-,fl-,-i1
11 Samaus-uballi-it (amil, ) PI. IR. MlIS namats-w.er (ant/l,) .;ny/i1 s( Amatt-nigab-a [([ki)] 13 lMardlk-zir-ibnli (pal Jr-a.-i 14 Nabiu-usur apal Ai,;lr-itmi 15 /ama-mnludammoi-ik apal (amilul) HI.BI 12 16 .Bi-bi-i-a apal (amnilu) HI. BI 17 arah Ta.4ritu iiumu 17 karm sattt 13 k[aum] 18 iKan-ta-a-la-nu . r' Ba[bili(ki)]
This tablet is evidently a document prepared for use in some suit. It gives the names of the witnesses who could testify that Nergalushathi and another person, whose name is contained in the break at the end of line 2, had 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 I. D UP is not known.
70
The name of the king, Kineladanos, has been frequently identified with Assurbanipal, and many Assyriologists argue that the latter, after the overthrow of his brother Shamashshumukin, ruled over Babylon in person, assuming this obscure name Kineladanos. But this seems impossible. We cannot understand how an illustrious Assyrian king should lay aside that illustrious name and assume an insignificant and unknown one. Kineladanos is most likely the predecessor of Nabopobtssar on the throne of Babylon.
NO. 6.
OB VERSE.
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About two lines on the obirerse, and two on the reverse are broken off.
RE VERSE.
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Fourteenth Year of Kineladanos.

. . . . .
71
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Tablet light brown; 1lX2~ 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 ...... : ....... 4...... r...... G ...... 7 ...... S na 8.......... a pizn Nz2]-si-ri ina, pn, Bil-af^l-ir-ba ia pun Ri-ar-t1 [ia] pus n Su-la-a [al] pun Kal-ba-a [inap]&n Bil-uha7li-it u D;rp Bl-ll-a ina pun 1B3-nballi-it arahu 2 I 4 5 6 7 7
8
from from from from from from
Nasiri; Belahirbn; Rishartu; Shula; Kalbi; Belnballit and Dinna;
...... from Beluballit; in the month JInlun (they will pay).
Lines 9 -12 are destroyed. 13 ...... [ina pin] Mardnk-zir-ibni 14 ...... [ina] plAn ifMaduk-tab.ha-a15) ...... .4a -na suliupn iddin-nu 16 .... a.. a-na tI.BAR na-ia-a 17 ...... a-na 50 xikliu(9 3iku t kaspl 18 ...... [] 16 ma-na 14 kibkl ta.[a.an]. mi, kaspi 19 ..... [rahl, Ai]t iiml)t 15 kamt.saftu 14 kaxz 20 ...... Ianz-ta-?a-nn ...... from Mardnukiribni; ...... from Marduktabbani. ...... which for dates were given; ...... which for grain were brought; ...... mana 534 shekels of money; 18 and 16 mann 14 shekels each of money. 19 In the month Airu, on the 15th day, in the 14th year of 20 Kineladanos. 13 14 15 16 17
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 persons 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 534 shekels; and the grain, in line 16, according to line 18, at 16 mana, 14 shekels.
72
The Metropolitan IMuseum of Art.
NO. 7.
OB VERACSE.
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Eighth Year of Nabopolassar.
73
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Tablet brown; 2-X31 inches. The lower left hand corner of the obverse is totally broken off, also the upper left hand corner of the reverse is destroyed 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. -Easures are frequent. A few wedges, numerals, are scattered in the empty space above and below the date on the reverse, not bearing upon the text of the tablet. Line 8 is written small and very closely to .ine 7, as if explanatory of line 7.
74

1 Dates still on the tree, belonging to the ........ officers of the city of Belikbi. 2 In the 8th year of Nabopolassar, King of Babylon. 3 46 gur 4 pi perfect dates Shapikzir, 4 as the ........ of Nabfibullitanni into the store-houses will give. 5 15 gur 3 pi (dates) Airi and AhuluImur, 10 gur of their palm branches equivalent to 2 gur (dates) they will give. 6 7 l gur 2 pi (dates) Nabfbani, 5 gur of his palm branches equivalent to 1 gur (dates) he will give. 7 74 gur (dates) Nergalmusallim, 9 gur (palm branches) equivalent to 2 gur (dates), 8 the ........ of Beluirtu, give). 5 [gur] Sa 1 (he will
1 sulupw i.-it-tCu ,a (amilu) N CSAhR. MIS a alu Bil-ik-bi 2 kattu 8 kaL Nabl&-apal-.'uar iar Babili (ki) 3 46 gur 4 pi sultipuy gac-rit Sapik-zir 4 [I].DUP sa Nabi'-bu.lit-an-ni ina biti iburl i-aCt-di 5 15 Sgu 3 pi Ai-ri tu AhJt-la-intor 10 ytr iii-s-i'-tn itt ka 2 gufr i-'ir (!)
6 71 ygr 2 pi^yabu-ba-nil 5 y r i8-.ii)nna-~st ~a I/r' i-tir-ma 7 74 gua yirya.Cl-, asalliUL 9 0gu' ia 2 yur
8 L D UP ksaBil-u-ir-tu 9 31 gur ,Sanma-apal-u.wur yur
10 - 21 gur Nirgal-mtusllim 1.D UP ,a Biu-u-ir-tu 25 gur ia 5 gur
9 31 gur (dates) Shamashapalusur, 5 gur (palm branches) equivalent to 1 gur (dates, he will give). 10 + 21 gur (dates) Nergalmusallim, the ........ of Beluirtu, 25 gur (palm branches) equivalent to 5 gur (dates, he will give). 11 .... gur (dates) Belshakir, 15 gur (palm branches) equivalent to 3 gur (dates), he will give. 12 Mardukshumibni (and) Shamashsap. ir, 16 gur 2 pi (palm branches) equivalent to 3 gur 2 pi (dates, they will give). 13....... andNergalibni, the....... of Nabulna'id.
11 .... tit 12 ....
guI' Bil.-ankir 15 gur ta
3 gut' i-
lMarduk-sum-ibni S'mas.a- p ir 16 gur 2 pi ia 3 gur 2 pi
13 ........ u Nirtal-ibnLi LD UP ~a Nab&u-na.id 14 .. ...... uki I D UP 2 gur iw 3 ygtu
15 ........ 16 ........[zir] 17 .........
Nabfi-zir-ibni B D UP a Nabiu-ibni-
2 gur 14 ........ kin, the ........ (palm branches) equivalent to 3 gur (dates). 15 . N.... Nabfiziribni. 16 ........ bel, ibnizir. the ...... of Nabu.
ur 10 gurt a 2 gur 2 pi
17 ...... usur, 10gur (palm branches) equivalent to 2 gur 2 pi (dates).
Eighth Year of Nabopolassar.

18 ........ [ D] UP 8 jttr'ra 2 aur a Sat-Nabu-- -
75
19 ........ 12 yur 2 pi ga 2 f1.ur 2 pi 20 40 aur 2 pi Ai-ri 'ab&i-u-zib-an-ni
21 araT Ululzu fimn 21 kamir attu 8 kamC Nabi-apal-tutur war Babii(ki)
18 ........ the ...... of Shanabfishu, * 8 gur (palm branches) equivalent to 2 gur (dates). 19 ........ 12 gur 2 pi (palm branches) equivalent to 2 gur 2 pi (dates). 20 40 gur 2 pi Airi (and) Nabftshuzibanni (will give). 21 In the month Ululu, on the 21st day, in the 8th year of Nabopolassar, King of Babylon.
This tablet treats of the taxes that the farmers had to pay to the granary of the city Belikbi. The officials mentioned in line 1, were probably the tax-gatherers. The tablet seems to say that palm 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 difficult to translate.
NO. S.
OB VERSE.
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The remainderof the line is erased, the traces correspondto line 11.
76
v?
The Metropolitan AIulseum of Art.
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Tablet gray; 1-X2g inches. The clay is soft and brittle. The signs are very smalland crude. A straight line separates lines 2 and 4. Line 13 just occupies the lower edge. There is much space wasted.
1 sutuiipu
(t(-(ta
I(lma-acr-ttu
akr arah Nisauo.u w(tttt 9 1kain INYubiapal-ui.ur I. .MI'u (lamia) 3 a-na amilu ...... 2
MU. MIS nadia

4 28 [_pi] 4i ka Marduk-zir-ib-ni
1 (This is the number of measures of) dates, which at the end 2 of the month Nisannu of the 9th year of Nabopolassar, 3 to the ...... priests and the (temple) servants was given. ka Mardukziribni, 4 28J pi 4
Ninth Year of Nabopolassar.

5 ina mli-'il inmu 15 kamc arka umu n a arah Simranln i-tir 6 75 [pi] S'lamal-iti-ir iba tal-lak fimnu 15 kam arkca umu, 7 ka arah Nisanni (amiilu) mu-te i-tir 8 160 + (This line is erased, the traces correspond to line 11, hence probably misplaced.) 9 15 [pi] Bil-uballi-it apal (amhlu) pa,si-ki 10 u Balat-sa acla ili iKdurra 11 196 [pi] NabfU-zir-gal-lim 12 n'l'u 15 kamC t m-akC-ka-ska lU , il-li i-tir 13 stpcharu 751 [pi] ili S.mao-iti-ir 14 5 [gur] SI. B AR ,a TSama-iti-ir 15 Sa (amnlt ) ma.-li di ina bit ill 16 aralh Adarua 17 3 rIe 13 kamtn a(ttt 8 kamn (a (aInilu)
77
__
5 in the middle (of the month) on the 15th day after the first day of the month Simanu, paid. 6 75 pi Shamasheter, at the end of the 15th day after the first day 7 of the month Nisannu (to) the...... man, paid.
'3 15 pi Beluballit, the son of the....... 10 and Balatsu for Kudurru (paid). 11 196 pi Nabizirgallim 12 on the 15th day as taxes and rent(?) paid. 13 Altogether' 751 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 measurer. 18 1 gur is sustenance for the month Nisannu. 19 19 pi Balatsu, the shepherd, (and) Musallimapla (paid). 20 35 pi ..................... paid.
...... har(?)-ra-Im fLma)L-di-di
18 1 y[ur] ki-is-ki-[ra] ,a arah, Nisannu 19 19 [pi] Balat-sa (ntilbl) rit '2) 35 [pl] ........ i-fir Mu-salliml-
the purport of this tablet is given in the first three lines. It is a list of the debts or tithes that were paid to the priests and temple servants. All these amounts were paid at various dates, but before the end of the month Nrsannu of the 9th year. There Mardukziribni 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 13th line half of a pi has even been added to Shamasheter's quota. Lines 17 and 18 give the amounts of grain paid to the measurers for their work and their keep.
78
The Metropolitan2Museum of Art.
NO. 9.
OB VERSE.
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80
The Mietropolitan Museum of Art.
Tablet gray, very hard, surface glazed; 13 X3 inches. The signs are plainly made. Numerous dividing lines 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
SIf BAR
(,t (antlu) Irrril
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AHaflai-t
2 "Na ina p)dtt Mardak-~ar-an-n!~ 3 4 5 6

(amtiiut) bil pilOitit ia
la-tar Bil-ib6i
Saillma,-zir-iktl-kL i8-gu-wt u
582 pi ?maC-i-71ta ina 2 ta ilipi a (amlili) bil jpihaut
7 h1.arrcita atIa-r)-i-tlhoi i-du ul na-dbt, 8 347' [pi] 12 [;Ial] a-ka-l)b ma)-4i-l U 9 ia 1 'ilil)l fa (amtilua) bil )pi/jdi ta puMi-tanit 10 harraibu ar-ki-i-tit2 i-da atl na-dit 11 435 nlla-i-a iailitppi ot a A-id-a 12 439 ita ilippipa Nabki-itir 13 439 ina ilippi a Bil-iddinb cpqal Mu2-ni-u
14 429 ina ililppi sa Bil-iddin, (tpal .NMa-lir
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
439 in.a ilippi ia Bitl-kt-enu 439 ina ilippi sa Iddin-na-uo-nI 363 ina ilippi Sia-untr' 386 maictiht (ilu) ...... si-sSt naplaru4239 [pi] 3 [ka]t ........ inalib-bi 2004 ma-i-hlu a-La si-kab 199 mn.,ilU (aniu) dup-sar 66 ma.siha (amilu)man-di-dl 43 i-da-a-ta ga abft ka-lu-ui-[A]i-i S'.BAR ka Nabu'-t-kum-ikL-u (amilu) ?zrrisu ka iSmams Ukin Du-muk-ukit is-hf-nu 300 mac-ihu i ina ilippi a ASamana
28 i-du ttl na-din ina lib-bi a( 1 maCt-i-ltu
1 Grain belonging to the gardeners of Shamash, 2 which is at the disposal of Marduksharanni, the prefect, which Ratar, Belibli, 4 (and) Shanashzirikisha, brought. 5 582 measures, the size of a pi, 6 in two ships, belonging to the prefect, (they brought). 7 In the first business transaction he did not pay freight money. 8 3471J,pi 12 ka, measures of food, 9 in one ship belonging to the prefect, (they brought); this is at his disposal. 10 In the second business transaction he did not pay freight money. 11 435 measures in the ship of Aida (they brought); 12 439 in the ship of Nabfieter; 13 439 in the ship of Beliddin, the son of Mumeshu; 14 429 in the ship of Beliddin, the son of Nasir; 15 439 in the ship of Belshunu; 16 439 in the ship of Iddinnanunu; 17 363 in the ship of Sinusur; 18 386 measures ...... sisu (brought). 19 Total 4239pi 3 ka ............... 20 Thereof 2004 measures arefor......; 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 Nabishumishkun, the gardener of Shamash, 26 Ukin (and) Dumukukin brought. 27 300 measures ill the ship of Shamash (he brought). 28 Freight money he did not pay. Thereof (however) 1 measure

29 ana ab W ka-lbt-lu,4s-i iddln 30 300 ma-si-hu ~a Nabfi-z'i-ibni 31 32 33 34 is-,sa-a ina lib-bi 30 mal-si-hn lb-na-a 25 ((am lu) dup-sar 9 (amilu) man-(i-dd 3 i-da-a-ta arah AbU i'nmut 9 kcam-,,a.tt 9 klam
81
II
35 7'abb-rapalt-nw .sar IBalid(kbi)
he gave. 29 to the chief ........ t f1 300 measures belonging to NabfizirTV ibni 31 were brought. Thereof 30 measures 32 Ibna (received); 25. the scribe; 32 9 the measurer; 3 for freightage. 34 In the month Abu, on the 9th day, in the 9th year of 35 Nabopolassar, King of Babylon,
Marduksharrani, the prefect of the province, has purchased a large quantity of grain from the gardeners of the temple of Shamash. This grain is to be freighted to him by water. Ratar, Belibni, 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 19, is 59 pi 9 ka below the actual amount: evidently the scribe was no expert mathematician. From line 20-24 the disbursements of the prefect are recorded. It is interesting also to note what wages or commission were given to the scribe and to him that measured the grain. The scribe performs intellectual labor, he 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 Nablushumishkun; and lines 30-33 that of Nabfiziribni. The former spends only one measure for freightage; while the latter spends the disproportionate 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 willingly 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.
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Tablet brown; 1X2k inches. The obverse is well preserved, with the exception of the right hand lower corner, which is blurred; the traces of the king's name are, however, certain. Line 10 of the reverse is badly effaced. 1 12 ma-.Si-lu ina .kit/tl Nabil-gtzd-i-a 2 ina mi-di-ti d a s?7diUpU 9 karn 3 ina lib-bi i-mit-tu ,a lsalt 4 ,aainap/mn NA,(bi'4lrnrn2-i -iddbt opa l-ia ([c] 5 Nabu.-naid ul i-t[ir] 6 arah Kisilimu iirmu 16 karn .atbt 9 kam Nabi-apal-usur 7 8 9 10 11 20 ma-ii-thu .a ma-ak-ka-su 85 Masihu 3 [Ral NTabu-tab-ni-vi 5 maiAlu 3 ka Iti-ir-Bil (amilu) sikaru ...... 93 mahiju 3 ka iua pdn Bil-apal-iddin
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1 12 measures from the hands of Nabfigudea, 2 in the measuring of the dates, 3 in addition to the dates still on the tree, of the 9th year, 4 which he was to receive of Nabfishumiddin, the son of 5 Nabfina'id, he did not receive. 6 In the month Kisilimu, on the 16th day, in the 9th year of Nabopolassar. 7 20 measures for taxes; 8 85 measures 3 ka Nabfitabniri, 9 5 measures 3 ka Eterbel, 10 the wine ....... (paid); 11 93 measures 3 ka were received of Belapaliddin.
Twelfth Year of Nabopolassar.

,-?04 ma(-i-/4 t DJ)b,-n. a 12 napjla.n 13 i-nit-ti -tir
83
12 Total: 204 measures, Dinnii, 13 of dates still on the tree, received.
This tablet seems to be a memorandum kept in the business house of Dinna. Nabfigudea owed Dinnai twelve measures of dates, which he ought to have paid in the harvest; and Nabfishumiddin owed him the crop of dates that were unripe at the first picking. But Diunn did receive the 204 measures that Neither of these debts was honored. were due him from other creditors. According to Peiser a ma.ihui is equal to 9 ka; hence the fifth sign in line 8 must be taken as 3 instead of t,in order to make the total 204 measures.
NO. 11.
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Tablet brown; 11 x2 inches, rectangular. The three lowest lines of the obverse are badly damaged. The two right corners of the reverse are destroyed. The clay has crumbled off in some places, rendering decipherment difficult. A straight line on the lower edge divides obverse and reverse. 1 2 ma-na f ma-na.f5 .i; l kas.pi a-lhd-tu 2 ; nultte Sama stim tin, 3 ina ili Nabu-mnudammi-ik 4 apal-iikt fa S'a-Nabu-hn-u mulr (amlih/) 5 ima araht' Adara [flan] 1 aL-nal Safit. 6 i-wlam-din 7 ina mlloazulz .fa Bil-..wr'(almilb) .angul Marduk 8 1fi-nu-u-a-ma-Bil m/r ..... 9 apal Nur-Mardulk Bil-ib-ni 10 apal (amilu) anqfju Sip-par(ki) nama.nur-ibni 11 opal Dan-ni-dan-a tKdurru apal rie
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1 2j mana 5 shekels of money, the third (loan?) 2 which (he received) from Shamash, namely, the price of the sheep, 3 to be received from Nabfimudammik, 4 the son of Shanabfishli, the son of the shepherd. 5 In the month Adarn, on the first day, to Shamash 6 he will give (the money). 7 In the presence of Belusur, the priest of Marduk; 8 Minfianabel, the son of............. 9 the son of Nfirmarduk; Belibni, 10 the son of the priest of Sippara; Shamashnufribni, 11 the son of Dannidana; Kudurru, the horse herdsman; 12 and the scribe Belukin, the son of the overseer of his fruit (?). 13 Sippara, in the month Nisannu, on the 12th day, 14 in the 12th year of Nabopolassar, 15 King of Babylon.
12 u (amilu) dupsar Bil-ukin apal (amibl) ,akin in-bu-.u 13 S:ip-par(ki) arahNisannu Unu 12 kalm 14 siattu 12 kam .4Nabu-apal-uwur 15 far Babili(ki)
Thirteenth Year of Nabopolassar.
85
The temple of the sun-god at Sippara had sold Nabimnudarnmik 2' 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 Adaru (March). As the tablet mentions no interest, Nabumudammik seems to have had the use of the money up to that date free.
NO. 1..
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Tablet of a mauve color; 1[X31 inches. The bottom is totally effaced, the left corncr pairticularly. The reverse se3nms to have contained no writing, but as the upper part is gone there may have been a few lines there. The signs are roughly made. 1 alpu L l NITA nik'i Sip-par(ki) 2 arahl Ai7t fimu 13 kam .attu 13 klam 3 Nabiu-apal-ut.Tr arrtu 4 alpu Ul. U alpc T'2.KAL p.n (df) 5 1 [alpu 1 [ U 1 (ibtl Ai alp u TU.KAL] p) n SE 1 Cattle (and) sheep; the sacrifices at Sippara. 2 In the month Aim, on the 13th 'lay, in the 13th year of 3 Nabopolassar, the King. 4 A ...... cattle, and a ...... cattle for Shamash; 5 one ...... , one ...... for the god Ai; 6 one ....... one ...... for the dewelling of the god Me; 7 one ...... two ...... forthe temple of Marduk 8 and Zarpanitum; 9 one ...... , one ...... for the god Pubelbel; 10 one ...... , one ...... for Belit of Sippara; 11 one ...... for the god Ramman; 12 one ...... for the god Shala; 13 one ...... for the god Ann; 14 one ...... for the god Bel; 15 one...... for the god Ea ........ ; 16 ...... for ........ ; 17 ...... for the goddess (Anuni)tum.
6 1 [L] 1 ["] p,.1 .p.bti (2) (il")
7 1 ["] 2 ["] piL 7,1ti (;1t) )Mairx1uk 8 u (ilu) Zar-pa-ni-tum 9 1 ["] 1 ["] p'ln (Ulu) Pu-bil-bil 10 ["] 1 ["'] pn (ilS) Bilit Sip-par(ki) 1 [alpu TIT. KAL] pn (ilvR)Ralmminnu 1 ["] pn (ilu) ^na-la 1 ["3 ppan (ilu) A-lwu 1 ["] p^n (ilu) Bil 1 ["] p^.~ (ilu) ia SAL. . PA R. nA 16 ...... pn GIS.DA 19 ...... pan (ibt) [A-?u.-nil-tfon 18 and 19 destroyed. 11 12 13 14 15
This interesting tablet gives us the list of offerings presented to each of the gods in the great temple of the sun-god at Sippara on the 13th day of the month Airu (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 our ledgers. The priest evidently kept a careful account for each day. Other lists of the same character are Nos. 17, 26, etc., to be published in Part IIt.
Fourteenth Year of N2abopolassar.

cl_--
87
NO. 13.
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Tablet brown; 15 X2j inches. Both lower corners of the obverse are broken off. The upper right portion of the reverse is glued on. Above line 18 the numeral for 14 is written, and above line 17, that for 27. These figures, however, cani have no meaning here. Two straight lines divide the text, as indicated. 1 kil ;at (anillt) ud.-par kitl
(ainilu) lu-!Jit-.,ar(mtis)
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2 wa ailu Bil-i:-bi i.-su-u duppa 3 2000 kat .'a kitiu ,( B4il-nail mil pin l 9,ama.-a'ldMd-iddl 4 ina db-bi 500 mi-iu 1000 [natl] a-na 10 ,i'klu khaspi 5 500 [mi-isu kju-mu 3 ui' sulipu Z-siuJ 6 .a ina(puni-.u-nu i-t-.tir 7 1 ima-na 8 Bikbhlt a-di 10 iiklX kaslpi a, Bl8 9 10 11 12 it-l
Bil-na'id it-la-din 2300 k.at tca Mkiti .7aiU-.iu-[nu] ...... bil-tam -ba-' u I-tu-..... [in lib-bi 10]75 mi-.i 1225 [.at] ........- t BiS-u-,m a-a 12 .riikl [ktaspi] 13 ........ a-na A'ama.t it-ta-din 14 500 [
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15
ma-na 4 .OiS'lat kaspi a dtl 12 .iklut kas[pl a]-na nlh ktll Bil-sau-nu [it-la-din]
1 Linnen of the weaver. Linnen into the hands of the stewarts 2 of the city Belikbi, he brought for a receipt (?). 3 2000 kat of linnen, which Belna'id is to receive from Shamashahiddin; 4 thereof 500 meshu, 1000 kat for 10 shekels of money, 5 500 meshu for 3 gur of dates was the sum(?) 6 that he paid to them. 7 One mann 8 shekels, in addition to the 10 shekels of money (paid) for the linnen, 8 Belnatid gave. 9 2300 kat of linnen, which Belshnnu 10 ........ demanded, and Etu.......; 11 thereof 1075 meshu, 1225 kat, 12 ........ which Belshun for 12 shekels of money 13 (bought), to Shamash he gave. 14 500 meshu for the joint possession of Shula, for ........... , Belshunu (acquired); 15 a mana 4 shekels of money, in addition to the 12 shekels of money, for 16 the price (paid). of the linnen Belshunu
16
Setventeenth Year of Nabopolassar.

.-
89
- .
17 arah Airu Umu 26 kcam Lattu 14 kam 18 NabfU-apal-usur
17 In the month Airu, on the 26th day in the 14th year of 18 Nabopolassar.
A weaver brought a certain amount of woven linnen to the stewarts or governors of the city Belikbi. This the latter were to dispose of according to contract. Therefore Belnanid 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-,iu equal to a kat in value) 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 2300 kat, which fell to the share of Belsbunu. The text of lines 10, 11, and 12 is so fragmentary that we can only guess how this liunen was paid for. These 2300 kat were divided into 1075 meshu and 1225 kat, for which Belshunu paid 12 shekels into the treasury of the temple of Shamash. Now 500 of these meshu Belshunu seems to have acquired together with Shula. The above mentioned 12 shekels were probably the commission of the temple. The actual price Belshunu paid for the linnen was Amana 4 shekels, in addition to the 12 shekels commission. Hence Belshunu paid altogether 36 shekels for 2300 kat of linnen, 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 linnen. 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.
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Tablet shading from light to dark gray; 1+-2 inches. A straight line is drawn below the 3rd line. The obverse is badly damaged, the lower left corner is completely destroyed. A break occurs in the middle of the upper edge. The right side shows the marks of the thumb as the scribe held the tablet while writing upon it. The upper and left edges are free of writing. A large space at the end is unused. 1 alpE um-mra-m(nmti)) ia la 2 pun (amniu) ir-rii (mis) (iwa) si-nu 3 a-na (amilu) [iangu] (ilu) A-nu na-dit 4 itin kCa I ardak-iddin inct pc,n VFir1 Cattle, in great numbers, which 2 by the gardeners of the ......... 3 were given to the (priests of) the god Anu. 4 One (head of cattle), which Mardukiddiu has received from Nuirshamash; 5 ....... which Shamashukinahi has received from Nfirshamash; ......, which Marduk has received from Nfirshamash (and) 7 Mannudinabu, 8 In the month Abu, on the 22nd day, 9 in the 17th year of 10 Nabopolassar, King of Babylon.
5 ...... a aScmaoltkikn-th i il ba p.;}n Niur-arnama [Nit]r...... a lMar-duk imca p Samag 7 lMan-nu-di-i-YabC 8 [arakJ Abu ifmt 22 kaei 9 wattu 17 kamn 10 Nabu-apal-u.tur oar Babili(ki)
This tablet is a receipt for cattle, probably tithes, received by the priests of the temple of the god Anu. Mardukiddin, Shamashukinahi, and Marduk are the priests, Nuirshamash and Manuudinabfi are the tithe-payers.
Nliefeenfth Year of Natbopolassar.
91
NO. 15.
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Tablet brown and black; 1X2 inches. The four edges contain no writing. The reverse is erased by the scribe, as long crossing lines show. Lines 6 and 7 are very lightly made, and it socims that they just escaped the destructive stylus of the scribe. 1 suiipu i-llit-tt 'fa (i.) kit'a a t5LUea 1 Dates, still hanging on the tree, of the garden of Shamash, 2 at Dilbat. In the month Ululu, oR the 30th day, 3 in the 19th year of Nabopolassar, King of Babylon, 4 5 6 7 101 gur Uhhea (received); 101 gur Shamashertsh (received); Total 202 gur of dates altogether (were sold).
2 't Di!-b(tt(ki) (aral Uilua nmau 30 kain 3 iatta 19 kan.I Xabhl-pal-uw ur i(r Babili(ki) 4 5 6 7 101 gar Uh-hi-ia 101 gur Samas-iri-i natclparu 202 ,gur sulupu la gai:-ru-tu
The tablet explains itself. The temple of Shamash at Dilbat sold 202 measures of dates to two persons; and this is a memorandum of that fact. Dilbat is a place occurring in almost every tablet of Peiser's "Keilschriftliche Acten-Stiicke aus Babylonischen Stdten. "
92
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NO. 46.
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Tablet dark gray; 1X2& inches. The upper edge of the obverse is destroyed, and the surface is marred in 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 upon the right edge. The signs are large and plain. .... r...... 1 44 jatr 'LBAR ..... 2 I.D UP sa Arad-Nabii apal-ie .a Nab&. ..... a*L-di-i (nira) 3 ul-tu baiblni slnt 'SalL N:i-ku-di Nabi4 inn ili Arad-AYabu apa-l- ea Na zir-ibli 5 inta ki-it sa ara(h [Abu] inl biti (amilu) rab (miAi) 6 ita ma-Ai-hi a Ri-[-matj apal Mi-pi-i 4 ma-i-/hi 7 a-ita 1 gur i-nam-din 8 ina nainzcaz) ta lNiral-ar-TTil-lit 9 (amlilu) ki-i-pi sa BIT. TU m^l.r...... 10 Mltt-i-zib-MiIardk Sip-par(ki) (amn ilu) iataty 1 44 gur of grain, ............. ..... 2 the amount (?), which Aradnabi, the son of Nabui ....... (in the space) 3 from the two sheep-gates of Shamash to the river Nikudi, 4 from Aradnabfi, the son of Nabiziribni, is to receive. 5 At the end of the month Abu, in the house of the chiefs, 6 according to the measure of Rimut, the son of Mipi, (that is,) 4 measures 7 as one gur, he will give 8 in the presence of Nergalsharmillit, , the son 9 the guardian of the ....... of ...... (and) 10 Mushezibmarduk, the priest of Sippara. 11 Witnesses: Nabizirlishir, the son of , 12 Balatu, the ...... ; ........... 13 the son of Shula, the son of Iddinmarduk; 14 Muranu, the son of Lutsananitre, 15 the son of Shanashishu; and the scribe Aradbel, 16 the son of Nabilahiddin, the son of the ...... 17 Sippara, in the month Nisannu, on the 25th day,
11 (amilu) mu-kcin-ntu Nabu-zir-lir apalku [IaJ 12 Balata (amnilu) pa-ii-ki ........ 13 apal-tu,a Sa-la-aapal Iddin-M[,arL[dlk] 14 lut-ra-nt apal-in ka La-mu-ana-n.ltr 15 apal Sa-na-8i-t'au (amilu) dupsar Arad-Bil 16 apal-hit ga Nabit-ahl-iddinapal (amnl) pa-i-rki 17 Sip-par(ki)aralt Nisannu unmu 25 kanr
94
18 iattu 3 kaon
The iMetropolitain Museum of Art.

abi-na'id ~ar Babili(ki) 18 in the 3rd year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
Aradnabi is to receive 41 gur of grain from his namesake in the month Abn (August), and at a place somewhere between the two gates of the Shamash temple, called the sheep-gates, and the river Nikudi. Here in one of the government agencies, the second Aradnabfi (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 equivalent of one gur. At the measuring of the grain Nerg;lsharmillit and Mushezibmarduk will be present to see that the measuring is done honestly. The contract was made in the month Nisannu (April), and hence had four months to run.
NO. 47.
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Tablet gray with numerous black spots; l1Xlj inches. The lower right corner of the obverse is flattened down, thus destroying part of two witnesses' names. The reverse is perfect. 1 mat-t-kar-rat ~a XabUm-sU r-iddinfl 2 i-bu-ru-mrua a-lBa Bil-iddin 0 a-ia 1 siklu kaspi id-din-al 4 ina manzazu Bil-ik'-~a 5 apal-ku Sa Nirgal ...... 6 I-lu-i-pu-[us] 7 Ri-mut 8 Babilu(ki) arall Ulult 9 imnt 15 kam Sattu 3 kcarm 10 Nabi'-nalid sar 11 Babili(ki) 1 The merchandise, which Nabushumiddin, 2 namely the harvest, to Beliddin 3 for one shekel of money gave, 4 In the presence of Belikisha, 5 the son of Nergal ....... 6 Iluipfsh, (and) 7 Rimut. 8 Babylon, in the month Ululu, 9 on the 15th day, in the 3rd year of 10 Nabonidus, King of 11 Babylon.
This tablet is a receipt pure and simple. Nabushumiddin sold one shekel's worth of produce to Beliddin, and gave him this receipt for his money.
NO. 48.
OB VERSE.
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Tablet light brown; 1Jx2j inches. The clay has crumbled off in numerous places.
The right upper corner of the obverse is destroyed, and 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 5 ma-i-lhu KL4'. BAR i-na mai-Salr-tIui] 2 ia arah Abu sattu 4 kaml La-a-ba1 5 measures of grain at the end 2 of the month Abu, of the 4th year, Labashi (will give); 3 3 measures with 6 talents of........ .... (and) 4 with 16 ...... for the temple of the goddess Anunitum 5 and the goddess Gula, to Mardukshumiddin (he will give). 6 2 measurcs, at the end of the month Abu,
[ii] ......
a ........ 3 3 ma-i-i-lthu a 6 ba-li-tm Sh 4xa 5 16 it(?)-ri .a biti (ilu) A-itu-i-tIun t (ihu) Gu-la a-Lna Marduk-iwu-iddin i-na mas-iar-tum .a arah
6 2 ma-si-hai [A]bu

7 a-na Pi !a 'id-Mard?.k Lz-us-ananiUr-i 8 apal Aabu-zr'-qlal-lin 1 .qr 4S'I.BAR wSi .L-lamn-nl-a (Wi9 LtT.7N1TA klhi-mi mil-u 10 ina kiut Ba-la-tu-ma i-nam-dli 11 Ba-la-tu Sf.BAR-.st i-tir 12 +- 2 p, Sk.BAR a-na kat-ur-ru-b,. 13 kta a-s8-hu 14 5 ma-s.i-h7 i i-na maa-,ar-tum1 15 r'a aralh Abt .iatt 4 kamn at-na 16 iMu-ra-?u apal Lu-us ana-n1in-i 17 S'. BAR i at :lt. Stmaz.S-irba nabit alpi 18 arlta Nisann7t h'in 3 klam att1. 4 kaml 19 lNab)u-nal' .sar B1abli(ki)
97
7 on the account of Nl'idmardiuk, Lfisananhire, 8 the son of Nabfizirgallim, (will give). 1 gur of grain, 9 sheep, wholesome flour (?) Gimilln 1( 11 12 13 14 15 16 into the hands of Balatu will give: Balatu has received his grain. + 2 pi of grain for the offering of............ 5 measures at the end of the month Abu, of the 4th year, to Maranu, the son of Lfisananfire, (he will give): 17 the grain is to be received of Shamashirba at the house of the cattle. 18 In the month Nisannu, on the 3rd day, in the 4th year of 19 Nabonidus, King of Babylon,
This tablet is evidently a statement containing the debts of Labashi, Lfisananure and Gimillu. Very likely this statement was issued by some agent, through whose hands the merchandise and the money had to pass.
NO. 49.
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281
Tablet light brown;
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The best rendering possible is
The surface has crumbled away in many
places, and thus the tablet is in a very bad condition. given below.
1 [alp]u $a sini L (T.TU. KAL

pun (ilu) Sama. alpu ,uasin^ L U. TU. KA L pan (ilu) A-[num] [alpu ia ,anz]LU. TU [IKA7L] pan (iiu) Mar[duk] si]ni LU. TU. .hA[L] 7 [alpu sa 8 [pan] (ilu) Marduk 9 p,.n (ilu) [Zar]-pa-ni-tum 10 alpu ku...... [L] U. TU. KAL 11 pn (ilu) Bilit-mi-tu-ka 12 L U. TU. KAL. L UM 13 pAn (ilu) Ranmmnu' 14 LUTU. KAL. LiU 15 pin (ilu) A-[nu]m 16 u (ilu) Bil 17 L . TU. KAL. LUM 18 pin (i/u) maruti bit TU. KAL 2 3 4 5 6 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 LU. TU.KAL.LUM [pun] (ilu) GAR LU. TU. KAL.LUll[ pIn (iiu) A-nu-ni-tum ,a Sippari(ki) il,.ni &ina L U. NITA Nirgal(?)-ukin-na-bala t 1 alpu u 3 sini NVabu-u-si-zib it-ta-din
1 Cattle, namely ........ sheep, 2 for the god Shamash. 3 Cattle, namely ........ sheep, 4 for the god Anu. 5 Cattle, namely ........ sheep, , for the god Marduk. 7 Cattle, namely ........ sheep, 8 for the god Marduk (and) 9 for the goddess Zarpanitlim. 10 Cattle, namely ........ 11 for the goddess Belitmetuka. 12 13 for the god Ramm.n. 14 15 for the god Anu. 16 and the god Bel. 17 18 for the gods, the daughters of the house of ........ 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ..................... for the god Gar. for the goddess Anunitum of Sippara: two goddesses. One sheep Nergalukinnabalatu (gave). One head of cattle and 3 sheep Nabfishezib gave.
100
27 arah Samai

ittU 22 k[arn]
28 [.attu] 4 [kant] abcl-[nahid] 29 [,dar Babiii(ki)
27 In the month Samnu, on the 23rd day, 28 in the 4th year of Nabonidus, 29 King of Babylon.
'his tablet gives us a list of the offerings made to the gods at Sippara in the great temple of the sun-god on the 22nd day of the month Samna (November), in the 4th year of Nabonidus. Besides the regular offerings, Nergalukinnabalatu and Nabfishezib seem to have made sacrifices. The break on the tablet at the 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 Nabopolassar, to whose reign most of the tablets of this class must be referred.
NO. 50.
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Seventh Year of Nabonidus.
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Tablet light gray; IUXIU inches. The first line of the obverse is totally effaced, likewise the upper left corner of the reverse. The tablet, on the whole, is very much damaged. 2 3 4 5 6 V' Nrtal-u-kin opal (ie() Illhat-u [a-no B1-iddin apal Sag-qil-ai ina arah Tasriut i-nam-din 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Nergalukin, the son of Ellatu, (to) Beliddin, the son of Saggilai, in the month Tashritu, will give. Witnesses: Nergalshumibni, the son of Nabishnmiddin, the son of Aradbel; Nabfibalatsuikbi, the son of Mardukirba, the son of Iddinmarduk: and the scribe Beliddin, the son of Kisirnabfi. Babylon, in the month Airu, on the 22nd day, in the 5th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
7 [(amillu) mun-ki]An-nu Nirgal-,oum-ibi 8 [apal-,tl-4a] Nobil-s).n-iddin apal Arad-Bil 9 Nabu-balat-su ik-bi apal-su ,sa 10 Marduk-irba apal Iddin-Marduk 11 u (amilu) dupsar Bil-zddin apal-,n ,a Ki-sir-Nabu 12 Bablilu(ki) arahl Air lhrmu 22 karn 13 Aattu 5 karn NrabS-wo'ld 14 .ar Babili(ki)
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.
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The lMetropolitan Museum of Art.
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19
Tablet light brown; 13X2} inches. The signs are plain and well-made. 1 .......... di-di mn.a.an [balatul ....... Itti-Nabft-
All four edges are broken off.
1 ...... (gur of measured grain ?) 100 each Ittinabbalatu ............
KSeventh Year of 1Vabonidus.

2 ...... iur 1 pi 4i BAR ri-di;-t Pis-.a-dup 3 a(-di aalr. Tiblitu Raltu Ikam6 6 Nabyinl'ild ,farru 4 30 gurt.lt 6 [kaiom bit bfitu aralb Tibitu atlht 2 ....
103
gur, 1 pi of grain, the remainder, Pishshadup, " until the month Tebitu of the 6th year of Nabonidus the King, (will give).
-
S0 gur from the storehouse in the month Tebitu of the 6th year, (he will give).
Line 5 is erased. 6 28 fur 3 pi inn bit bik ara ........ 7...... ur inl c kuta ibii-uiam-iddil t I 6 28 gur 3 pi into the storehouse, in the month ...... (he will deliver). 7 ...... gur from the hands of Nabfi. shumiddin (le will receive). 8 ...... money of........
8 ...... kasp Sa ka ......
Four or more lines are broken off. 13 ...... Nabii-gab-zat a-di imu ...... 13 ...... Nabgabzu until the .... 14 ...... day
14 ...... ki-i-mi biti Skapik-zir ...... 15 ...... Ai ant ili pi-i wa I;i-Na.[bfubarlatu] 16 .......-. -u SI BAR-it Arad-Gula a-na ill pii .a Itti-[ Nabii-balatul 17 [arc/I] Nisatn.tt fiLnu 7 kamsalta/ k[ail] Babili [(ki)] ...... 18 [Nab]|it-na^'dsCar .9, ...... 19 taut ...... 7
sustenance of the house of Shapikzir ....... 15...... Ai, according to the word of Ittinabubalatu, (took). 16 ... his ...... of his grain Aradgula according to the word of Ittinabfibalatu (took). 17 In the month Nisannu, on the 7th day, in the 7th year of 18 Nabfi-na'id, King of Babylon. 19 ........
The defective condition of this fragment will allow me only to make a supposition in regard to the subject matter of the text. Ittinabfibalatu seems to have been the overseer of some public granary. 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 remainder 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 16, that Ittinabfbalatu was an authoritative person, and that his word had.some weight in the management of the granary.
104
NO. 52.
OB VERSE.
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1 inn u-an-tha (ini,;) Ra k4 BARi I 2
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B'I/.bcalhul! (tlpal-su ;(t D n-na-a
8 k Sn i
(ili La-a-ba-Vi (tpal-ti sa kBaltu
1 Upon the certificates for grain, 2 belonging to Beluballit, the son of Dinna, the son of Eteru, 3 which is to be received of Labashi, the son of Balatu,

4 apal Saq-f-il-ai u ,Tu- 9 5 apal-uistaNabFu-itir apal Ik-1b[i- .... !
105
4 the son of Saggillai, and of Tu', 5 the son of Nabfieter, the sou of Ikbi .. ,
Two or more lines are destroyed. 8 9 10 11 12 13 Za-kir apal ...... (amilu) dupsar Ni-ku-d a ap(dl-.ut .St Li-ii-ru apal (amiiu) c'a ,gta Bil Babilu(ki) arar Abu iibat 11 kanm attl 9 ikaoM, Nabu-na'id iar Babili(k ci) 8 Zakir, thee son of ........ 9 Scribe: Nikudu, the son of 10 Lishiru, tthe son of the priest of Bel. 11 Babylon in the month Abu, 12 on the lit th day, in the 9th year of 13 Nabonidu s, King of Babylon.
Beluballit has in his po.ssession certificates entitling him to a certain quantity of grain from Lablashi and Tu'. lie now proceeds, on the strength of these, to take part of his possessions, and this tablet, duly inscribed with the fact, is then given to the two latter persons.
NO. 53.
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Tablet dark brown; 1 X28 inches. The tablet is in perfect condition, with the 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 reverse, with the exception of the upper part which is free of wedges, and which contains the number of the tablet. 1 Nt,-ur-Satlma u Mt .I-i-zib-Nabu (lailu) la-mu-ta-nu "2 tnt Ni-din-hum apal-is ia Xabhu-tar usur a-na 2 ma-na 10 iik!ul kaspi 3 a-na Iddin-Marduk apal- 'ta I'ki4aapla apal Niir-Sin 4 ul-tu aral Tairitu sa ;attu 8 kaFa 2Wabu-na'id Yar Babili(ki) 5 id-di-nu-ma a-da-an-Zi a-di ki-it iC arah Udlut 9 kamt a-na ili ii-ku-nu-nt 6 iasattn 7 a-da-aln-st i-ti-ik-ima kaspu ia i-ti-ru 1 Nirshamash and Mushezibnabfi, the servants, 2 whom Nidintum, the son of Nabftsharusur, for 2 mana 10 shekels of money 3 to Iddinmarduk, the son of Ikishapla, the son of Nlrsin, 4 from the month Tashritu of the 8th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon, on, 5 gave; and the term (of payment) till the end of the month Ululu 6 of the 9th year on his account be set. 7 His term (of payment) had passed away, and the money which he should pay 8 there was not. (Then) Nidintum to Iddinmarduk 9 said "(Since) money for thy payment (to me) 10 there is not, Nfrshamash and Mushezibnabfi 11 for a tablet of the full price, I will bring; (which tablet shall say) 12 'Nidintum, the son of Nabisharusur, 13 of his own free will, Nuirshamash 14 and Mushezibnabf for 2 mana 10 shekels of money,
8 1i i-ti Ni-din-tlum a-a Iddln-Marduk 9 ik-bi tnu-ma kasptu a-na i-tl-rl-ka 10 ld i-8i NiLr-SanmaI u Mift-i-zib-yabt 11 (a-n]a duppi bimi gam-ru-tu a-bu-uk 12 Ni-din-tum apal-Iu ia Nbabf-.^r-uyaur 13 ina hu.ud lib-bi-su Nu-ur-Samas 14 u Mu-ti-zib-Nabu a-na 2 ma-ntL 10 uiklu kaspi
108
The ifetropolitaiL Museum of Art.

15 to Iddinmarduk, the son of Ikishapla, the son of Nursin, 16 gave. Against flight, reclaiming by the seller, reclaiming by the king's officer, 17 and previous adoption, which about Nfirshamash and Mushezibnabfi 18 might arise, Nidintumn will be reWitnesses: sponsible.' 19 Labashi, the son of Dumuk, the son of Saggillai; 20 Shakinshum, the son of Shumusur, the son of Shigcla; 21 Belmusallim, the son of Ziria, the son of Nashuai; 22 and the scribe Nabushapikzir, the son of Balatsu, 23 the son of Tukpe. Babylon, in the month Tashritu, on the 10th day, 24 in the 9th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon. 25 In the presence of Ebatum, the wife of ........ 26 the daughter of /Mardukshumibni,the son of Shula.
15 a-nald Iddin-Marduk apal-sa sa Ik-saapla apal Nur-Sia 16 id-din pIa-t sijku-htt-a pa-ki-!n ac'ad6cr-u-tat
17 u mar-balau-taa ill
VuSr-i(taflrw
ua
.Mu-i-zib-.ab u 18 cc ti-il Ni-din-tua, kin-nu nIa-i (ajlinr ) au-
ap(ll-ita CDtL-,m, (1pal 19 LC-a-ba-i Sug-gil-la-ui 20 SlkiL-wtum apal-Ea (t amta-ttttmr apal Si-u-z.-(a 21 Bil-m1) sallon aJpl-kI iaZiri-ia apal a-f-al 22 u (amilu) dapsar NVabu-iapik-zir apal8a cf Ba-lat-su 23 apal 'Tk-pi-iBablla(ki) arah TlW'itl, Umna 10 kat, 24 sattu 9 katm Naub-r.a'id ir 25) -i-li -(a I -ba-taitmL tatlati Babili(ki) ......
'2 mnarat-sa w(e Mlardak--ian-ibit apal sbt-[la-a]
A conThis tablet treats of the sale of two slaves by Nidintum to Iddinmarduk. tract tablet was at first made, according to which the 2 mauan 10 shekels were to be paid at the end of the month Ululu in the 9th year of the reign of Nabonidus. But Iddin. marduk found himself unable to pay at the appointed time. So Nidiutum, immediately il the beginning of the succeeding month, has a tablet made, recording the absolute sale of the slaves, and allowing the money to remain as a debt over Iddinmarduk. What interest, if any, the latter is to pay, is not stated here.
NO. 54.
OB VERSE.
1T
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Ninth Year of Na)bonidus.
109
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110
The Mfetropolitan Museum of Art.

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RE VERSE.
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Tablet brown, with a decided pink tinge; 24 inches wide at the broadest, and 2a inches long at the longest part. The three remaining edges are perfectly flat and smooth. According to my judgment more than half of the tablet below line 14 is broken off. In the middle of line 14 the tablet is 11 inches thick. This tablet has been published in
autograph by Strassmaier in his texts 13 ff. Peiser gives a transliteration would not have republished the tablet cuniform text in the possession of the No. 380, as well as by Pinches in Ifebraica III, and translation in Z. A. III, pp. 365-371. I here, if it were not my intention to publish every Metropolitan Museum of Art. This text contains
13 lines less than the one published by Pinches and Peiser, from whom the missing parts are supplied.
__
111
1 Bil-ka-sir apal-su ka Na-di-nu apal Sag-gil-la-ai 2 a-na Na-di-nu abi-su apal-iu sa Ziri-ia apal Sag-gil-la-ai 3 ik-bi um-ma a-na blt mar-blni-i taspur-an-ni-ma Zu-un-na-a 4 as-sa-ti a-hu-uz-ma miru u murtu l1 tul-du Bil-u-sat 5 mur-su ga Zu-un-na-a mar a6ati-ia8a la-pa-ni 6 Ni-ku-du apal Nur-Sin mu-ti-su nlah-ru-u 7 tu-li-du a-na mIru-u-tu lu-ul-ki-i-ma 8 lu-u mrru-u-a su-u ina duppi mra- uti-su 9 ti-sa-ab-ma iskhtini u mim-mu-ni 10 ma-la ba-sgu-u ku-nu-uk-ma pa-ni-su su ud-gil-ma 11 [l]u-u maru sa-bit Na-di-nu a-mat kiiti-i-ni su-u
1 Belkasir, the son of Nadinu, the son of Saggillai, 2 to Nadinu, his father, the son of Ziria, the son of Saggillai, 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 daugh, ter she bore (me) not: Belusat, 5 the son of Zunna, the son of my wife, whom unto 6 Nikudu, the son of Nflrsin, her former husband, 7 she bore, as my adopted son I will take: 8 verily he shall be my son. At (the writing of) the tablet concerning 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. 11 Verily our adopted son shall he be. Nadinu, to the word (which) 12 Belkasir, his son had spoken, did not give his assent. (Then) Nadinu, 13 that for eternal days no one else should seize 14 (his) rights of income and his services, wrote out a tablet.
12 [Bil-ka-s]ir mur-su ik-bu-su la im-gur Na-di-nu 13 [a-na u-mu ru-ku-t]u man-ma sanam-ma a-na 12 la-ki-i 14 [iukxti u nikasu-ku-nu]-tu dup-pi istur-ma (About 15 lines are missing.
For the continuation of the text see Zeitschrift fiir Assyriologie III, pp. 366-368.) 30 Nergal ....... , the son of Saggillai; 31 Labashi, the son of Dumuk, the son of Saggillai; 32 the scribe Mardukbelzir, the son of Shula, 33 the son of Usuramatbel. Babylon, in the month Shabatu, on the 15th day, 34 in the 9th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
[apal Sag-gil-la-ai 30 Nirgal ...... 31 La-a-ba-ui apal-iu sa Du-m[ukj apal Sag-yil-la-ai 32 (anmlu) dupsar Marduk-bil-zir apal-su sa Su-la-a 33 apal U-sur-a-mat-Bil Babilu(k') arah Sabatu umu 15 kam 34 3attu 9 kam Nabuf-na'id sar Babili(ki)
112
Belkasir had married Zunna' according to the wish of his father Nadinu. But Zunna proved to be barren. Belkasir, however, did not wish to depart this life without an heir, he therefore proposed the adoption of his step-son. To this Nadinu, for some reason, would not give his assent. Now Belkasir had every legal right t) adopt Belusat, and he would undoubtedly have done so, lhad not his father made a will declaring that if Belkasir;should have a natural and legal son, the latter should be the heir of his grandfather's fortune. If, however, this heir should not come to this world, then Belkasir should adopt his brother, and the lattcr would then become the heir of Nadinu's wealth. If Belk:isir should be unwilling to adopt his brother (?), then he should adopt his sister. - The end of the tablet is unfortunately broken off, hence we can not learn the final result of all these hypotheses. For a fuller explanation of this tablet see Z. A. III, 365-371.
NO. 55.
REVERSE.
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This very fragmentary tablet, of which only part of the reverse is preserved, is of a light gray color, 1X. I inches. The sigus are very lightly, but finely, made. At least ten lines must be missing. i 11 .......... ....
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shi, the son of ............

,
12 [apal] ........ Ifur-ban-ni-Marduk 13 apal Irba-'irgalBabilu(ki) 14 arah Tarritu uimu 22 kam
12 the son of ....... duk
; Kurbannimar-
13 the son of Irbanergal. Babylon, 14 in the month Tashritu, on the 22nd day,
Twelfth Year of Nabonidus.

15 Wattu 12kam Nabu-naa'id[,ar] Babili(ki)
113
15 in the 12th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon. The only fact mentioned,
What this tallet purports to say, I am at a loss to tell. besides the date, is that Kurbannimarduk is a witness.
NO. 56.
OB VERSE.
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Tablet brown-, iI 1 inches. The right upper corner of the obverse is broken off. And the surface of the obverse is as if pressed down with the finger before the tablet was baked. There are numerous cuts and strokes on the tablet, which were undoubtedly made by the careless scribe. Otherwise the signs are well made. 1 [i-nla ki-it sa ara/t Samna Nu-ub-ta-a 2 [marat ...... ] apal-ku sa Mu-s-izibBil apal Arad-Samas 3 ...... ma-na kaspi a-noa Samas-iddin apal-ku sa Marduk-zir-ibni 4 apal Sar-a-ra-zu-u (amilu) mjr sip-ri sa Sum-ukin 5 [apal]-su sa Na-sir apal Arad-Bil ta-nam-din-ma 6 u-an-tim (mi) sa 6i. BAR u sullpu 7
ta
Sum-ukin sa ina iii Kur-ban-niMarduk
8 apal-su sa Marduk-um-ibni [apall Arad-Nirgal 9 mu-tum ka Nu-ub-ta-a i-il-la-' 10 i-na-a8-u-ma [a]-na Nu-ub-ta-a 11 u-bul-lam-ma u 4 rit-tum kas[pi] 12 a-na Samas-iddin ta-nam-din-ma
1 At the end of the month Samna, Nibta, 2 the daughter of ...... ; the son of Mushezibbel, the son of Aradshamash, 3 .... mana of moneyto Shamashiddin, the son of Marduziribni, 4 the son of Shararazu, the messenger, for Shumukin, 5 the son of Nasir, the son of Aradbel, will give. 6 The receipts for the grain and the dates 7 of Shumukin, which against Kurbannimarduk, 8 the son of Mardukshumibni, the son of Aradnergal, 9 the husband of Nfibta, are made out, 10 (the latt3r) will take, and to Nfibta 11 he will bring (them). And 4 certificates (?) for the money 12 to Shamashiddin she will give.

13 u-an-tim (mis) a-na Nu-ub-ta-a 14 i-nam-din (amilu) mu-kin Itir-Marduk apal-su 15 a: Sum-ukin apal (ilu) Kib-na'id La-a-ba-si 16 apal-su sa Nabiu-idanin apal Mu-kallim Sapik-zir 17 (amilu) dupsar apal-su sa ftir-Bil apal Arad-Bil 18 [a]lu Sa Sum-ukin arah Samna iumu 5 kam 19 [,attu] 12kam Nabu-na'id arBabili(ki)
115
13 The receipts to Nfubta 14 he will return. Witnesses: Et6rmarduk, the son 15 of Shumukin, the son of Kibna'id; Labashi, 16 the son of Nabftidanin, the son of Mukallim; Shapikzir, 17 the scribe, the son of Eterbel, the son of Aradbel. 18 In the city of Shumukin, in the month Samna, on the 5th day, 19 in the 12th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
Nubta promised to pay a certain sum of money at the end of the month Marcheshwan (November) to Shamashiddin. The latter was in turn to pay it over to his master Shamashukin. This sum of money was due for grain and dates bought of Shamashukin. Now the bills had been made out in the name of Kurbannimarduk, the husband of Nfibta. He naturally turned them over to his wife, who had contracted the debt. Nfibt& 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.
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The right Tablet light gray; at the longest side 1, and at the broadest 14 inches. and blurred very are signs The destroyed. totally is lablet, the of edge, with part edges. upper the and left the on wedges no are There difficult to decipher. 1 66 gur sulpu zakh-pi .sa .... 2 apal-4u ,ka Balatu apal I-sal-/;l-li [ina ili] [ul 3 Bil-ttir-napsiiti Marduk-...... 4 Xabu-zir-kasir ina arah Ta.ritu s[lnm] 5 6 7 8 ]a-sa-ri i[t-ti] ...... gam-ru-tu ina [gur] tu-!tal-la lib-bi kas-pa (?) ...... bil-tum sa ltu-sa-)i ...... i-nam-din-nu isti-in p[u-ut] 1 66 gur dates, the planting, which...., 2 the son of Balatu, the son of Esaggillai, (is to receive of) 3 Beleternapshati, Marduk ...... ,and 4 Nabfizirkasir. In the month Tashritu, at the 5 full price, during the harvesting, together with ...... gur of 6 unripe dates, for money ?) ...... 7 talents of date ...... 8 they will give. One receipt

9 [i]-na-.su u i-lat ra-[Lu-tu] 10 sa ilI Marduk-ka.qir (amilu) ...... .[a] 11 SUmo-usur apla-.8u a N(tbu-na-[.sir] 12 apal Mi-pi-i Iddln-nf-apla [apai-l]j 13 sa Iri.-BIl apal Bit-- ...... 14 (amilt) dupsar Itti-atbuh-balait apalsu sa ...... 15 alui Ma-mil-ki-as aroah Utlul 16 fmu 1 kamni attu 13 kaon 17 sar Babili rabu-[na'id]
117
9 he will bring. And in addition there is the balance 10 in favor of Mardukkasir, the ...... (which) 11 Shumusur, the son of Nabfnasir, 12 the son Mepe, (and) Iddiunapla, the son 13 of Ereshbel, the son of Bite ....... (will give). 14 Scribe: Ittinabfibalatu, the son of ........ 15 In the city Mamilkishu, in the month Ulnlu, 16 on the 1st duy, in the 13th year of Nabonidus, 17 King of Babylo"
Beleternapshati, Marduk...... , and Nabfizirkasir, who were farmers or gardeners, 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 date-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 Shumusur and Iddiunapla. The last named two men must have stood in some intimate relation with the three mentioned in lines 3 and 4, otherwise they would not have been mentioned on this tablet and in this connection,
NO. 5S.
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118
The Metropolitan MBeum of Art.

____
REVERSE.
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Tablet gray; lxl inches. A fragment. The signs are crude. The right side and about 4 lines upon the lower edge, are broken off. The left and upper edges are not written upon. 1 5 iklu bit-ka kaspi a ...... 1 5 coined shekels of money, which 2 the daughter of Shapikzir is to receive from ......... 3 the son of Balatu, the son of Marduk ...... 4 and Na'ittum, (the daughter of) ....
2 marat-su sa Sapik-zir ina ili ... . 3 apal-ku ka Ba-la-tu apal Mar[duk] ...... 4 u Na-'-it-tum [maral-su sa] ......
About four lines are broken off. 9 Bul-lu-tu (amilu) dupsar apal-gu Sa ...... 10 apal Mu-lul-lim Babilu(ki) [arah] .... 11 imu 8 kam rattu 12 war Babili(ki) 13 kamn Nc[bu-na'id] 9 Bullutu, the scribe, the son of ....... 10 the son of Mulullim. the month ...... , Babylon, in
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'ittnm were to pay to the daughter of Shapikzir. Whether interest 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 Nabonidus.
119
NO. 59.
OB VERSE.
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Tablet 1ix2i 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 kItat Ri-mut 2 Lapall-gsu a A-hu-nu arah Dizu umu 9 kam
120

3 36 sheep from Shamashmudammik, the shepherd; 4 +-7 sheep from Musallimmarduk, the son of the overseer; 5 + 22 sheep, as ........ sheep, 6 from the chief of the priests, 7 ...... not for slaughter ...... 8 Scribe: Shamashzirgallim, 9 the son of Sbamashdfra. 10 In the month Dfizu, on the 10th day, in the 15th year of 11 Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
3 3'J LU.NITA ina k^t3 Soiamacnmudammi-ik (anilu)ri-tu 4 + 7 LU.NITA ina kt2 MusallinMarduk apal pa-ki-r[a-nu] 5 + 22 LL. NITA i-na LU.NITA 6 ...... -la-a ina .khta (amilu) rab ~a sanyi 7 ...... a-na .sad-ik ...... 8 [(amnil) dupsar] Samacf-zir-qal-lib 9 [apal-su.a] Samaas-ducr-a 10 [katm [ara]l Dza imnu 10 karn ! 1 Nabi-na'id mar Babili(ki) sattu 15( 9)
This tablet gives a list of the sheep and of those that offered them, probably in the temple at Sippara.
NO. 60.
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Tablet dark brown shading to black; 1X#1 inches. The tablet has been very roughly used, judging by the blurre 1 .ppearance of the signs. The left edge contains The edges and corners no writing, the right edge but a few signs of prolonged lines. are perfect; the whole tablet is preserved. 1 maC-na 5 ii.kht kaspi 8a 2 ina 1 siklu bit-ka ka Nabu-ri-man-ni 3 apal-nu sa Ba-ni-ia ia ill 'li lMardukfakin-nsum 4 apal-1su (ia B1'-u.sar-isunL apal (anila) anguz Bil 5 a satti ina ili 1 ma-na 12 ~iklu 6 kaspi min ili-su i-rab-bi 7 Marduk-9u-la-hu-u-a 8 u mtri-u (amilu) nisi biti-iu 9 mag-ka-nu 10' ia Nabii-ri-man-niu (amilu) rasu-u 1 Amana 5 shekels of money, which 2 is divided into single shekels, which Nabfirimanni. 3 the son of Bania, is to receive from Mardukshakinshum, 4 the son of Belusurshum, the son of the priest of Bel; 5 every year, upon one mana, twelve shekels of 6 money shall increase against him. 7 Mardukshulahta 8 and her sons, the slaves of his house, 9 are the security 10 of Nabfrimanni. And a creditor,
122

11 whoever he be, over (the slaves) shall have no say 12 until Nabfrimanni his money 13 shall have received. Witnesses: Belshunu, 14 the son of Rimut, the son of Mutnasibil; 15 Rammauziribni, the son of Rammanlabak. 16 Scribe: Nabushumishkun, the son of 17 Mardukshakinshun, priest of Bel. the son of the
11 sa-nam-ma ina ii ul i-al-lat 12 a-di Nabu-ri-man-ni kaspa-iu 13 i-kallim-mu (amilu) mu-kin-nu Bilsu-nu ia A Ri-mut apal Mut-na-si-bii 14 apal-u 15 Rammainu-zir-ibniapal-ku aRammnnula-bak 16 (amilu) dupsar Nabf-sium.-iku-un apal-8u ha 17 Marduk-gaktn-sum apal (amilu) sangu Bil 18 Babily(ki) arab Samna ftmu 21 karm 19 aattu 16 WFam NabOi-na'idgar Babili(ki)
'18 Babylon, in the month Samna, on the 21st day, 19 in the 16th year of Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
MardakAhakinshum loaned i mana 5A shekels of money from Nabfrimanni. This money had been paid out in single shekels, therefore Mardukshakinshum received 251 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, the female slave of These slaves, it is Mardukshakinshum, together with her sons, are to be security. especially stipulated, can not be given as security to another creditor of their master, nor can they be disposed of by the latter, until Nabfrimanni's claim has been settled.
NO. 61.
OB VERSE.
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Tablet brown, with numerous black spots; Ijx1 inches. The left upper orner 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 ...... [gur] S,. BAR sa Sum-ukin 2 [apal-su a] ...... na-.ir apal AradBzl 3 ina ili Marduk-sium-iddin apal-.u sa 4 Arad-Bil apal Arad-Bil 5 ina arah Airu ina kakkadi-su 14 gur 6 7 8 9 10 id-dup-tum ina babu Ka-lak-ku i-nam-din i-lat u-an'tim u ib ti-tu [i-pi]-i-sa (isu) kiru ip-pu-us (amtlu) mu-kin-nu Ukin-zir apal-su sa 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 nalakku, 7 he will give. In addition receipt 8 and a bond (?) were given (that) 9 he will make a park. 10 Witnesses: Ukinzir, the son of Ai,
124

11 the son of the ....... man; Nabuikbishu, 12 the son of Nergalibni, the son of the chief carpenter; 13 ........ tukmarduk, the son 14 of ...... , the son of Shumidannu; 15 ............. . .. ............... 16 In the month ...... on the .. day, in the +4th year of Nabonidus, 17 King of Babylon.
11 apal (amilu) tubtu na-bit-ti Nabu-ik-biAu 12 [apal-su sa] Virgal-ibni apal (amilu) rab b.ni 13 14 15 16 ...... tuk-Marduk apal-su [ia] ...... [apal] Sum-idan-nu ...... sa si dan si ta ...... [attu] + 4 kamz Nabui-naid
17 [Aar] Babili(ki)
Shumukin is to receive from Mardtikshumiddin a certain quantity of grain. In the month Airu (May) the latter promises to give 14 measures in the gate Kalakku (see Peiser, B. V. VI 5). In addition to this, lines 7- 9 seem to say, he is to make a park for Shumukin. The labor connected with this is probably to count the same as tle delivery of several measures of grain. Lines 8 and 15 are too blurred to be properly deciphered.
NO. 62.
OB VERSE.
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About four lines on the obverse, andfour on the reterse are broken of.
RE VERSE.
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Reign of Nabonidus.
125i
X1u inches. The Tablet a fragment of dark gray color with dark olive spots; 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 SLBAR 2 pi a-ba-ah 9iin-nu 2 ...... bit-li-i-ma20...... ka-ai tumi-mi 3 ...... ba-u-i sa La-ba-[a-\Ji 4 [apal-Yu 8a Ba-la-tu apal Sag-gil-la-ai 1 ..... gur of grain, 2 pi of ........
......vessels of spices, 20 . 2 ...... vessels of spices, 20 ........ of Labashi, 3 ............ 4 the son of Balatu, the son of Saggillai.
About 8 lines are missing. 13 ......- im arah Airu iimu 1 karm 13 ......... in the month Airu, on the first day, 14 in the . .th year of Nabonidus, King 15 of Babylon.
14 [attu] ...... kamr [Nabul-na'idwar 15 Babili(ki)
This exceedingly fragmentary tablet gives a list of goods belonging to Labashi. Whether he is to receive them from somebody 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.
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Ai fragment.
The tablet is much damaged.
Th.
22 gur 4 pi 4I.BAR ;u-[ul-lu(?)] sa Sam-ukin apal-.L sa Na- ...... apal Arad-BlB ina i[li] Ri-mut apal-~u ...... .a apal L-gi-bi ina arah Airu [.sa attu ...... .kamj
1 2 3 4 5
22 gur 4 pi of grain, over and above which Shumukin, the .,on of Na...., the son of Aradbel, is to receive from Rimut, the son of ........ the son of Egibi. In the month Airu, of the .. th year,
Reign of Nabonidus.
6 ina bbbi Ka-lak-ku ka[.kkcadi-.\ul 7 id-dup-tum i-[nam-din] 8 ira lib-bi 1 pi St.BAR ...... 9 Sl. ZIRSu zak-[pi] ...... 10 ik-.ka-bu mas-ka-nu ...... 11 ap)al-su sa Na-din-ku apal Arad(ilu) ...... 12 Sa SI.BAR ..... i-pu-i ...... 13 ~a ina kaita Ifur-ban-ni-Marduk [mar] ...... 14 (amzlu) mu-kin-nu [Na1bu-,sum-us[ur apal-su sa] 15 I-ri-su apal (amzlu) rab bini ...... 16 apal-Au ka Nabu-ihk-bi apal (amilu).... 17 Mardzk-iakin-mum apal-2a Si. ....
127
6 in the gate Kalakku, his sum total, 7 namely the ...... , he will give 8 Thereof 1 pi grain, and .... (measures of) 9 his seed field, planted with........ 10 are called the security. ........ 11 the son of Nadishu, the son of Arad ...... , (is witness that the money) 12 for the grain of ...... was paid .... 13 which was received from Kurbanni. marduk, (the son of) ...... 14 Witnesses: Nabushumnsur, thesonof 15 Erishu, the son of the chief carpenter; 16 the son of Nabfiikbi, the son of the 17 Mardukshakinshum, the son of Shi........ 18 Scribe, Beluballit, 19 the son of Aradbel. In the city .... 20 in the month Samna, on the 28th day, in the . .th year of 21 Nabonidus, King of Bubylon.
18 (amlu) dupsar Bil-uballi-i[t] 19 apal Arad-Bil alf ...... 20 arah Samna innu 28 [kam, attu] ...... [kam] 21 Nabh-na'id rar [Babili(ki)]
Shumukin is to receive 22 gur 4 pi of grain from Rimut. The latter promises to deliver it in the month Airu of the .. th year, in the gate Kalakku (see, 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.
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About onle li7ne on the olwerse, and two oi the reverse are broken of.
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The right and lower edges are destroyed. The right side of the reverse is totally effaced.
The signs are very plainly made. 1 u-an-tim ia u-nu-tu (amilu) ...... 2 subatu usubu u mu-i-zib ...... 1 The receipt for the utensils of the ...... man, 2 (for) ...... garments and loans (?)
.oooo.
The right
ofthe reverse is totally effacert dark gray shading to blacyed. The rigches atide
Reign of Nabonidus.
3 sa Nabiu-itir apal-f.u ssa Nabu-ibni-zir [u] a[pall .......... 4 ga Bil-ik2-sa apal-su sa Nabu-ibni-zir a[pall...... 5 a-na ili La-a-ba-gi apal-[tu ia] ...... 6 apal Sa-gil-ai is-a-' 7 ina lib-bi a-na La-a-ba- ..... 8 u-an-tim ia Nabu-itir apal-iau [Nabiu-ibni-zir] 9 Bit-iki-sa i-[nam-din]
129
ia
3 that belonged to Nabuieter, the son of Nabuibnizir, the son of ........ (and) 4 that belonged to Belikisha, the son of Nabfibnizir, the son of ....... 5 to the account of Labashi, the son of ....... 6 the son of Saggillai, is made out. 7 Thereafter to Labashi, ....... 8 the receipt of Nabfet6r, the son of Nabuibnizir, 9 Belikisha will give.
Lines 10, 11 and 12 are effaced. 13 14 15 16 apal Su-ha-ai ...... apal amilu (ilu) Na-[na-aj...... apal llu-u-uur-u .......... (amilu) dupsar Ni-din-tu[m apal-i, gal ...... 17 Babilu(ki) arahKisilimu [unu] ...... kam satu] .... [kam] kI 18 Nabu-na'id iar Ba[bili(ki)] 13 14 15 16 the son the son the son Scribe: of Suhai; ...... of the priest of Nana; of Ilusurshu; ...... Nidintum, the son of ......
17 Babylon, in the month Kisilimu, on the .. th day, in the .. th year of 18 Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
Nabfetfr and Belikisha, two brothers, sold a certain amount of implements, clothes, and other things. The bill was to be paid by Labashi. Nabufetr had evidently commissioned his brother Belikisha to look after his interests. 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 contained only the names of the witnesses and the date.
NO. 65.
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Tablet light gray; 1X2 inches. The signs are blurred, and a considerable portion of the surface of the tablet has crumbled off. The riglt upper corner, extending half the length and breadth of the t;blet, is broken off. A bad break is also found on the lower edge. The tablet is very difficult to decipher.
Reign of Nabonidus. __
1 18 gur S. BAR [ca (ilu) Dalnu-sumiddin] 2 apal-su ia il-la-a apal...... n 3 Nabi-apal-iddinapal-su ia Marduk-irba apal ...... 4 ina arah Duzu kakkadu-u i-nam-din 26 gur 5 ga pir'u ma-tum sa arah Duizu pan Bilit-ahratunikFuJ 6 sa (ilu) Dalnnu-um-iddin ii i Ri-kissak-la-...... 7 gal-la-su mas-ka-nu ia (ilu) Dainusulm-iddin 8 (amzlu) rasu-u ka-nam-ma (ina) iii ul i-sal-lat 9 pap-pa-su a[-na ma]s-gar-tum in arah Tibitu 10 Nabu-apal-iddin [a-na] (ilu) Damusum-iddin i-tir 11 it-an-t[im (mi)] ........ pa(?) i ti 12 gab-bi ........ u-ub-[la-a]-' 13 (amilu) mu-kin-nu Ri-mut apal-n sa Nab -ibni-zir Man-nu-gi-ri Bil-iddin 14 apal 15 apal-u sa Li-si-ru apalI-sag-gil-[ia-ai] 16 u (amilu) dupsar Marduk-sum ..... [apal-ki sa] ...... 17 apal Arad-Nirgal [Babilu(ki)] 18 arah Sabatu umu 25 kam [sattu] .... [kam] 19 Nabu-na'id s[ar Babili(ki)]
131
l 18 gur of grain, which Dainushumiddin, 2 the son of Silla, the son of ....... is to receive from 3 Nabutapaliddin, the son of Mardukirba, the son 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 6 of Dainushumiddin is it. Rikishshakla....... 7 his slave, is the security of Dainushumiddin. 8 Another creditor shall have no say over him. 9 (His) sustenance till the end of the month Tebitu 10 Nabfuapaliddin shumiddin. will pay to Dainu-
11 The receipts for ............ 12 all (of them) ....... he will cause to be brought. 13 Witnesses: Rimut, the son of Nabiuibnizir, 14 the son of Mannugiri; Beliddin, 15 the son of Lishiru, the son of Esaggillai; 16 and the scribe Mardukshum......; the son of ....... 17 the son of Aradnergal. Babylon (?) 18 in the month Shabatu, on the 25th day, in the .. th year of 19 Nabonidus, King of Babylon.
Dainushumiddin ts to receive from Nabuiapaliddin 18 gur of grain. The latter promises to deliver them in the month Dfuzu (July). These 18 gur have already been vowed to the goddess Belit-ahratu by Dainushumiddin, and the latter has also promised to have them deliver d in the same month. Consequently he must be severe in demanding the grain at the proper time. He, therefore, takes Rikishshakla .... , the
132
slave of Nabfiapaliddin as security, and by means of line 8, denies the right of any other creditor of Nabfiapaliddin to have any say over the slave. He even demands sustenance for the latter, for five months beyond the time, when the payment of the grain has become due. Lines 11 and 12 seem to imply that after all requirements have been sastisfied, Daiuushumiddin will cause all the necessary receipts to be handed over to his debtor Nabuapaliddin.
NOTES.
No. 1. Line 1. ina ili ina pan is a double expression of one and the same idea, as ina ili and ina pan are used interchangeably in the contract tablets. Lines 3, 5. Line 6. sin Briinnow C. L. 10253. mean-
ta.lit-tu is propably a t formation of the stem aladu, Heb. 84 ing "to beget"; hence, tentatively, "the young."
Line 10. The sign ni is written on the tablet by mistake for kak. Line 12. Nippuru. No. 2. Line 1. Line 7. See Brinnow C. L. 2877.
si.klu 6 siklu written instead of 6* siklu. According to Strassmaier, Cambyses Nos. 195, 226, 286, Bil-ki-sir is the son of Su-la-a, of the family of Egibi. only the family names are given. In this tablet, however,
Line 9.
umu is omitted by the scribe, and sattu 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 Shamashshumukin's (Saosduchinos) name. however, it is omitted. NJo. 3. Lines 1, 12. Su-la-a. To be read thus though Su-ba-a is written. Line 8. Notice the curious form of mah. Line 14. -< for . No. 4. Line 1. Line 5. ni-is-hu. u-tir. See Tallqvist p. 105, and Peiser, K. A. II 26 In No. 4,
From utru. See Strass. Neb. 261 6; also Part I of this book,
where it occurs in the form u-tur 136 15 5. No. 5. Lines 3, 5, 6. (ilu) Sa-bit-bit. Strassmaier reads (ilu) Zamame. Lines 7, 8. The last sign is the sign of repetition, and means that TU.BIT (itu) Sa-bit-bit is to be repeated. Line 11. (amilu) PI IR. MIS, if read syllabically (amilu)pi-ir (mU), may mean "seedsmen," though there is no reason why the plural should have been used.

No. 5.
134
Line 12. I would take Amat-ni-gab-a with the (ki) broken off as the name of a city, as every parallel construction with (amilu) angu demands. Line 14. Aksur-ikbi. See BrUnnow, C. L. 5124.
Lines 15, 16. (aminlu) HIBI might be a mistake on the part of the scribe for (amilu) HI. GA, as only two small perpendicular wedges are lacking in order to make of hi a ga. Then we must read, according to Brinnow, C. L 8239 (amilu) tibi. In line 16 amzlu is omitted. No. 6. No. 7. Line 17. The same construction as in 2 ' of this part. Lines 5, 6. 4ia-sin-na. This word I take with Tallqvist (p. 112) to mean '.. Cant. 7:9. But Peiser, (B. V. "palm-branches," according to the Heb.
it must be read with the s and not the s sound.

a
p. 210; K. A. p. 102) believes it to signifiy the portion that the

-
stewart or tenant receives.
: Lines 8, 10. Bil-u-ir-tu "Bel has sent," from Sir.
No. 8.
Line 3. Line 5. Line 6.
The pronunciation of the 4th sign is not known as yet. MU(MI6). See Tallqvist, p. 90.
(amilu)
This is a round-about] way of saying "on the 15th day of the month Simanu. tal-lak. A t formation from aliku. "shade, roof," then perhaps "rent." Compare line 9. ina pini "to be at the disposal of," and not to be read irap.n "to be received from," as the context shows. Mr. Pinches (Inscribed Babylonian As m.aiiu was only a general
Line 12. sil-li Heb. ~ No, 9. Line 2.
Lines 18, 21, 22. masihu as I conjecture.
Tablets in the Posession of Sir Henry Peek, Bart., Part I. p. 16) shows that this sign stands for 24 ka. term, the masithu 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. No. 11. Line 5. No. 13. Line 3. mi-di-ti "measuring," Heb.
8"T
"to stretch, to measure."
kamo seems to have been omitted. kcat or kuta hands is taken by Mr. Pinches (Insc. Bab. Tab. Part. I, p. 4) to mean "skeins." "Cattle in great numbers." ummunnu means
No. 14. Line 1.
alpu um-ma-nu (miS).
"troops, people, army;" but it contains the idea of number, I have therefore rendered it thus here. la pAn B.. (See Tallq., p. 43 for examples.) Compare No 25, line 21 of Part I.
Notes to the Second Part.

f 5 | w rT--s-3-
13
No. 14. Line 5. No. 15. Line 7.
The sign for Nabuf is erased at the end of the line. la aam-ru-tu. The la here has the same ideomatic force as the
Hebrew preposition. No. 46. Line 3. babYni sint Slamap. These were evidently the two gates of the temple of the sun-god at Sippara, through which the sacrificial sheep were brought in. Line 16. The perpendicular wedge before amilu is a mistake by the scribe. Nlo. 47. Line 1. Line 2. Line 6. ma-kur-ra from the same root as the Hebrew i-bu-ru-na for i-bu-ru-ma. The names compounded with Ilu are not common. Ipisilu, Aradilu, etc. No. 48. Line 2. The name Labsil is spelled either La-a-ba-0i or La-ba-a-il. Line 3. Line 9. ba-li-tum must be considered a variant for billum. ki-mi "sustenance, support." T:.V "good, wholesome." Line 12. ku-ur-ru-bu comes from the same root as It . a by-form of the latter. No. 49. Line 1. LU.TU.IKAL is probably to be read phonetically as the phonetic endings ium in lines 12, 17, 19 and 21, and lu in line 14, show. L Uis probably the prefixed determinant. No. 51. Line 14. ki-mi-mi is a lengthened form of ki-mi. No. 53. Line 1. (amilu) la-mu-ta-nu. See Tallq. p. 89. The Compare LU. NITA. Cf. No. 48 9. 7:38), and is (Lev. . (Peiser, B. V. XXIII,) Sa-lam-ma A few are
- T
"to '3 sell."
Line 16. The scribe by mistake wrote si-hu-hu-u for si-lu-u. and pa-ki-nu for pa-ki-ra-nu. Line 18. ia is evidently a needles repetition. No. 54. Line 9. i.ktLini seems to be a double plural formation. Consult also
No. 56. Line 11. rit-tumn must mean something like "certificate." Peiser B. V. p. 324a. Line 15. (ilu) Kib-na'id. A.tentative reading. No. 57. Line 6.
tu-hal-la lib-bi. Compare tu-hal-lum lib-llb-bi, Peiser, B. V. CXLVII 7; also lib-bi lib-bi, Strassmaier, Nabn. 271
1
6 11 385
6.
No. 59. Line 4. pa-ki-ranud. The determinative (amilu) is omitted. No. 60. Line 7. Marduk-u-la-hu-u-ua means "Marduk is my forgiveness." root n Line 8. No. 61. Line 4. (amilu) nibi is used here as (amnilu) galli. Arad-Bil apal Arad-Bil. The two names are distinguished here in writing, though they are pronounced alike. Hebrew
136
No. 61. Line 5. No. 62. Line 1. No. 64. Line 1. Line 2.

Usually the tens precede the units, but the reverse is the case here. Wi-in-nu occurs also in Strass. Nabn. 558, 10. u-nu-tu "utensils." Consult A. &W. Sanh. I, 28. usu, according to Briinnow C. L. 11188. This a frequent omission
Line 14. (amilu) (ilu) Na-[na-al. iangu is omitted. on the contract tablets.
No. 65. Line 5. pir'u ma-tum is evidently another phrase for S. ZIR translated by Peiser "seed (field)." Here pir'u is equivalent to SI.BAR of line 1,
and ma-tur is added to complete the phrase. Bilit-ahratu (Briinnow C. L. 11523) "Belit of the Future," "Belit, Goddess of Futurity." Line 14. -tu .a seems to be erased in this line on the tablet, as is indicated by the space.
I--
-- -C-T-- -

Alfred Moldenke (1893) - Cuneiform Texts in The Metropolitan Museum of Arts

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CUNEIFORM TEXTS

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

EDITED AND TRANSLATED

NEW YORK 1893

PREFACE TO PARTS I. & II.

Preface to Parts I. & II.

LIST OF BOOKS QUOTED, AND ABBREVIATIONS.

Babylonian and Oriental Record. London.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

16 16 7 17 1 182 [1911] 2016

alf Bit-gar-i 31 al&Kas-sur (P) 13 s

Airu 22 4 14 2 Simanu 30 1 Dftzu 25 1 31 12 Ululu 27

Sa-mai 18 ' :-. PERSONS.

ilu A-ba-ba-ti-la 27 2 Ab-la-a 30 1 Ab-la-da 18

Ib-na-a 21 16 t-gi-bi 12 1418 20 4 13 21

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ardi-ia 29 24 Arad-Bil 13 14 1" 22 1 29 6 Arad-Marduk 21 Arad-Nirgal 22 A-Sa-a-na-Sad 25 It-ik-kal-a 15 3

Da-bi-ia 13 1 Da-bi-bi 21 17 Du-ub-bi 20 11 Du-um-muk 13 1 Dan-a 11 14

Itti-Marduk-balatu 26 1 27 Itti-Nabaf-balatu 29 6 31 1 Ba-bu-tu 1220 26 4 21

Di-na-a 30 12 ilu Dainu-zir-ibni 30 10

Bil-.......... 15 Bil-uballi-it 15 12 Bil-ibni 31

Bil-zir-ibni 26 16 Bil-aSLI-iddin 27 12 Bil-a]i-iljf-Fa 19 Bil-barran 17 Bil-itir 27

Index of Proper Names.

Nabft-ahi-iddin-na 21 La-a-ba-gi 27 La-di-pi 30 12 Lu-us-a-na-nfri-Marduk 21

NabA-ukin-...... .15 Nabif-ukin-apla 25

Mi-ga-tum 22 ' Marduk-ban-zir 31 Marduk-iddin 21

Marduk-Aum-ibni 18 " Marduk-gum-usur 28 s Marduk-iarra-ni 16 Mu-gi-zib-Bil 20 Na-ba-ai 27

Nabf-balat-iddin 20 1 Nabf-balat-su-ikbi 29 Nabf-bani-aha 24 Nabt-ga-mil 26 Nabf-iddin 20

Naba-itti-apli 28 ' Nu-ub-ta-a 26

Nabt-zir-iutibur 14 ' Nabt1-a]l-bul-lut 14 T

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Nirgal-uballi-it Nirgal-iddin 14 Nirgal-itir 26

Ra-mu-u-a 16 4 Rammanu-atl-uballit 11 Ramman-u-mi-i 12 18 Rammanu-ium-iddin 24 10 Rammanu-ium-usur 27 10

Nirgal-musallim 16 Nirgal-na'id 11 14 Nirgal-upur 29 Ntr-Sin 11

Na-Fi-i-Naba-apla 20 10 Na-bi-ir-na-a 20 Bu-La-ai 14 21 Sin-ga-ga-nim-mi 16 Si-nu-nu 16 6 Sin-tab-ni 11 Su-ka-ai

Tab-ni-i-a 11 1 18 Ta-k i -Gu-la 22

Kur-ban-Marduk 14 1 Kur-ban-ni-Marduk 13 ......- uvur-bilu-u 12

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES ACCORDING TO GENEALOGY.

" Bil-um-ii-ku-un " Nabft-nasir " [Bani-ia] " Itf-ta-apla

*Iddin-Nabt- .... Iddin-Nabt Iddin-Nabft Iddin-na-Nabt t-a-na-sir I4l-ga-apla Irba-Marduk

BilAbni ........ , Da-bi-bi

" Ib-na-a "Y Mu-sal-li-mu

" Mar-duk-ikit-a-an-ni " Illatu-u

Ardi-ia Arad-Bil Arad-Marduk

" Marduk-ltl-ir "Arad-Bil " Nabft-all-iddin " Nabta-a4l-iddin

Itti-Marduk-balatu " Itti-Marduk-balatu " Itti-Marduk-balatu

"; A-ba-ba-ti-la " t-gi-bi

Marduk-ban-zir "6Marduk-iddin " Na-di-nu

" Bil-i-ti r " Bil-i-$i-ru

[Ri-Aar-tum "6 amilu Sa " Nab-ik-bi

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bil-tarran Bil-itir Bil-kaBir

" Mu-sal-lim-mu " Nabft-Sum-ufur Bil-ri-man-ni "I-mid-su

Bil-apal-iddin Bil-apal-iddin Bil-ri-man-ni Bil-Fu-nu Bil-.......... Ba-ni-ia

" Nabft-[iddin?] " Nabi-ahi-irba Marduk-musallim Bil-iki-a ,, Nabtt-gum-upur " NabA-Sum-iddin

"Ab-la-a "Nabft-zir- iddin

Ramman-u-ml-i t-gi-bi Na-ba-ai

t-gi-bi " Zir-ai " 1Naiir-bat-ai Arad-Nirgal

" Marduk-ipi-iS "Su-la-a