VANDERBILT' ORIENTAL- SERIES
ASSYRIAN AND BABYLONIAN CONTRACTSSTEVENSON
SSA-77a.THE VANDERBILT ORIENTAL SERIESedited by
Herbert Gushing Tolman and James Henky Stevenson
ASSYRIAN
AND BABYLONIAN CONTRACTS
ARAMAIC TtEFERENCE TOTES
L^o^By
JAMES HENRY STEVENSON,Professor in I'atulerbilt UniversUy.
Vu.D.
3.
a
-
NEW YORK
:
CINCINNATI
:
CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
Copyright,BY
190:3
James Henry StevensonE-P1
-V-_, ^}
/
/
PREFACE.In the present volumeall
the cuneiform tablets
in the British ISIuseum having
Aramaic
inscriptions,
are brought together for the
first
time, and arranged
for purposes of comparative study.
The cuneiform
texts v^ith their
Aramaic readings,
as they appear on the tablet, are reproduced with as
much
fidelity as possible;
and the individual Arain
maic texts appear separately"where eachis
a body of notes,is
discussed.
The reader
requested to
compare the legendsinal is
in both places, as it
may
some-
times happen in the process of etching, that the orig-
more
faithfully produced in
one place than in
the other.
The
entire corpus of
Aramaic
inscrip-
tions will be found
grouped together
at the close of
the cuneiform texts, where readings
may
be com-
pared, the development of the alphabet traced, and
the individual peculiarities of the scribes noted.
In the transliteration and translation the cuneiformorderis
followed, so that the line for line of the As-
syrian
may
be preserved.
This has obvious disad-
vantages, })ut I think the advantages outweigh them.I have not thoughtit
necessary to
mark
all
accent-
ed
letters, as
il,
a, etc.,
nor have I usually indicated
long vowels when they were not indicated by the(3)
4:
PREFACE.In the translation I have generally shown
scribe.
the constituent
elements of proper names where
these were certain.I desire to
acknowledge the uniform courtesy whichcopying these tablets in the Britishof
I received while
Museum, from Dr. E. A. Wallace Budge, keeperhis assistants.
Assyrian and Egyptian antiquities, as well as from
Every
facility
and encouragement
was given me toward making the collectiom complete.
1
am
indebted to
my
instructor.
Prof.
Robert
Francis Harper, for Aaluable suggestions and help
while studying these texts.
Rev. C. H. AV. Johns,in Queen's College,
M.A., lecturer in AssyriologyCambridge, has alsolaid
me
under obligation by
reading the greater part of this book in the proofsheets.
While
this kindnessis
on the part oi Dr. Har-
per and Mr. Johnsof
highly appreciated, yet neither
themParts
is
to be held responsible for opinions ex-
pressed here.I., II.,
and IV. of this l)ook were originally
presented to the University of Chicago for the de-
gree of doctor of philosophy.VANDEllBrLT UNIVERSITY,Nashville, Tenn,,
March
28, 1U03.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.Preface Table of Contents.
3 5 6
List of Abbreviations
Register of Tablets
8 9.
IntroductionAssyrian Texts Transliterated and Translated
30.
Babylonian Texts Tranliterated and Translated Aramaic Reference NotesRegister of Proper Names
90115 149157
Cuneiform and Aramaic Texts
....(5)
LIST OF AP3BREYIATIONS.A. B. P.A. B. B.
Br.
Meissner, BcitriigeLeipzig, 1893.
sum
AUbalyylonischen Pri-
vatreclit,
J.
Kohler uud F. E. Peiser, Aus dem Babylonischcn
Rcchtslcbcn, Leipzig, 1890, //.
A. D. D. C. H. W. Johns, Assyrian Deeds and Doctnnents, Vol. I., Cambridge, 1898; Vols. IL and IIL, 1901.B.
A.
itischcn Sjyrachwisscnschaft, hercmsgebeben
znr Assyriologie und vergleiclicndcn semvon Friedrieh Delitzsch und Paul Haupt, Leipzig, 1890, ff.
Beitrltge
B. A. L.
A. IL Sayce; The Semitic Series: B(d>ylomaus und Assyrians, Life and Customs, New York, 1900.
B. V.
C. /. S.
F. E. Peiser, BabyJonische Vcrtr'dge, Berlin, 1890. Corjnis Inscrijitiomim Scmiticanim, De Vogiie, Paris//.
1881,
Doc. Jur.
J.
Oppert andet
J.
Menant, Ducumcnts Juridiqucs
dc VAssyrieG. A.
de hi Clnddec.Inscriptions,
I. S. A. Cook, A Glossary of the Aramaie Cambridge, 1898.
(/.
A. S.
J. A.
Knudtzou, Gebete an den tionmngott, Leipzig,
1893.II.
W. J5. Friedrieh Delitzsch, AssyrischesLeipzig, 1894r-1.896.
Ilandiv'urterbucli,
J.
R. A. S.
Jonrnrd of t/te Payed Asiatic London, 1805, ffSchrader,
Society,
New
Series,
K,
5. Eberhanllin, 1889,
Kcrliiisc/irifllic/i,' llihliothck.
P.i-r-
//..
Mu.'kiiu
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLATED.either Nabti-ah-usui', or Ahuni, or Alu-nuri, or their brothers,
53
or the sou of their sons, or their brothers,or the sons of their brothers, or their relatives,^
who, with Kakkullanu, with his sons, with the son of his sons, lawsuit, indictment shall bring, with Astir, Samas, Bel, Nabu,or the lord of his lawsuit, 10 niina of silver shall deposit.
Before Before Before Before Before Before Before Before Before Before Beforethe
Astir-killanni, the general.
Likipu,Balasi,Zizi, the
i'luto sign.){ditto sign.)
second officer of {.ditto sign.) Idi, the merchant. Hirisa-a, the porter of the temple of Kidmuri. Salmute, the merchant.Samas-iksur, the. ..
officer.
ouma, the
scribe.
Ilu-gabri, the foot officer.
Sin-sar-usur, officer of the bodyguard.
The month lyyar, the 20th day,
eponymy:
of Sin-sar-usur, scri})e of the land.. . .
Aramaic
The document concerning
Sardurkal
No. 13.
Thein
seal of Samas-bullit-anni,
the seal of Ardi-Istar;all,
two sons of Abu-eriba,.. .
of the city of Kurubi,
owner(s) of the land, house,1
land,
park
Literally, "
any one
of theirs."
5i
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLITERATED.
tap-ri-u biiru a-na sanali tada-a-ni
bitu 2 imer ekli dah-di "'Ur-didalj-di "^Lu-u-balit bitu
54
KA ekli'"'"Nabii-l)alat-sii-ikl)i
dah-di "'Hii-sa-a-abitu 42
{ditto siani?])
KA [ekli dah-di '"]Lu-u-balit.
dah-di dah-di1
.
.
'" ''.
.
.
imer 30
KA ekli
d[ah-di. . .
.
.
.
dah-di "'Lu-u-l)alit
sa il-ki-' dah-di '^'Nergal-snm (?)-iddin
(
?)
30
KA ekli bitu it-hi-si ina sep'"'" *'"
tili
Sum-ma-''" Raniman 60 ina ku-tal tili SamaS-eriba 3 imer ka-ba-ku napharu 20 imer ekli ina Glb-BAR sa 9 bitudah-di
KA
dah-di
KA
at-ru 'Jkiru tap-ri-u burii ina '''Kur-u-bi
ina
u-pis-ma "'Kak-kul-la-nu ""^'rab ki-sir ku-um 1 mani kaspi a-na sanati ikkal
3 me-ri-se 3 ka-rap-hi ^ 6 sanati eklu ikkal kaspu ina eli se tarame^ i-sak-kan
eklu u-se-sa esre-tu se nu-sa-hi^reba-tu se ip-si '&Tebetu iimu G''"
'-""
lim-mu *'Sin-sar-usur "'"^'A.BA. mati pan "'Ba-la-si-i "'"*'' rab ki-sir apil sarri pan '"Asur-kil-la-an-ni "'"^^ {ditto sign) {ditto sign) pan '"Zi-zi-i ""*M.r attontion was called to tlie Aramaic on The catalogue makes no mention of it.this tablet liy
Mr. Johns.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLATED.
75it.
While he conductsBefore Before Before BeforeDidi,.
his lawsuit he shall not take
Silim-ilu, the priest.. .
....
the priest(?).. . .
.
.
Milki-abu(?),
Zu-u.
..... .
governor of the land ofAramaic:
Concerning Menahem.
No.
21.
The seal of Huda, owner of the personsMarduk-hutnu,Adi, his brother,
sold.
two persons servants Huda, and has concluded a bargain (for them) Nina-a,in all,
of
the general of the king.
For
1 mina, 30 shekels of silver,
according to the mina of C'archcnns^, from Huda, he takes (them); the price is paid in full;those persons are sold,taken.
Appeal,
lawsuit, complaintshall not be.
Whoever
in the future,
wheneverhe shall bring an action at law,
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLITERATED.lu-u ^Hu-da-a-a lu-u aple-sn apil aple-suitti ''"^Kina-''^a-a
di-e-nu dababu ub-ta-u-ni
10
mane
kaspi 2
mane
hiirasi^'
ina pur-ki '^"Is-tar sa Kinai-sak-kan kaspu a-na esreti
a-na beli-su utar ina di-ni-su
idabub-ma la i-lak-ki pan "'Bel-dan-an "*'salsu hatu pan '"A-di-i pan "(?). i..
^
?
Aramaic:
l^ci^^^
*
*
*
No. 22. -Sm. 921.
Ku-mu
[kunuki-su su-pur-sii is-kun]
.su-piir '"Ilii-m[a-la-ku]
bel ekli [tada-ni]
bitu 30 imer eklisa
.
.
.
me
bitu 2 i[mer ekli
.
.
.
sa sammassammii'i-na ra-su[.. .
(diitoif] sujn)
ina
.
.
.
ina "'Ha-me kimmata nari, kimmatii kimmatu sa-ba-ru...
.
.
.
.
.
.
u-pis-ma "*Man-nii-k[iultu
.
.
.
pan
'"llii-ma-ka-[kiij
That
IS,
HUB.
Is tins
a synonym for
HU.
iSI *
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANST.ATED.either Hilda,
77
or his sons, the son of his sons,
who, with Nina-a,law.suit,
complaint shall bring,
10 mina of silver, 2 mina of gold, in the treasury of Istar of Ninevehshall deposit.
The money according
to tenths
to its
owners shall return. While his lawsuit he carries on he shall not take (it).. ..
Before Bel-danan, the third Before Adi. Before i...
oflScer.
.
Aramaic;
No. 22.Instead of his seal, he has placed his nail -mark. The nail-mark of Ilu-malaku,
owner of the land which is sold. Real estate, 30 imer of land of water; real estate 2 imer of land of sesame in. ..
(?)...
.
.
.
.
.
.
in
.
.
.
in the city of
Hame. ..
.
.
,
boundary is the canal, a boundar}^ is a boundary is has concluded a bargain for and Mannuki.
A
.
.
.
.
.
it.
From-The338 R.6.
Ilu-malakusign, Se, wiitten i)ei-uliarly.
Cf. 6m, in line U,
A. D. D. reads,
i,
and
C. I. S. omits tlie
and sib, in hue aUogcllier.
83-1-18,
78
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLITERATED.. . .
ina libbi 11 siklu ka[spi
kaspu ga-mur ta-dineklu [ki-a-tu zar-pu lak-ki-u]lu-u apil
.
.
.
lu-u kur-b[u^-su
.
.
.
lu-u
.
.
.
sa di-e[-nu dababu]itti11
"*M[an-uu-ki. . .
.
.
.
aple
61
mane
kaspi*'"
.
.
.
mani hur[asi.
.
.
.
ina pur-ki
.
.
ina di-ni-su [idabub-ma]la i[-lak-ki]
pan '"Apan"'..
.
.
.
pan '"Man pan "^ apil.
.
.
.
.
.
'".
.
.
pan "\ pan "^
.
.
.
.
pan
ara& Kijslimi
2
.
.
.
Aramaic:
J^DH
'pIN* '7 '^SdSn* 'n^l
No. 23.-K.8528.U-p[is-ma^Ram]man-na'i[d^^(^).ina libbi
.
.
imani
-1
siklu kaspi i\\ki]
kas-pu ga-mur ta-dineklu su-a-tu zar-pulak-ki-u tu-a-ru di-e-nu1 A. n. D. reads, zag; but nuiTierons others.
compare A. D. D. Nos.f),
422,
R.4; 423, E.4;is
and
A. D.
I),
reads, TaSritui
but
I
think the broken sign
better read,
Kislimu.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLATED.for eleven shekels of silver he takesit;
79
the pricethat land
is
paid in
full;
is sold, is
taken.
either the son of
.
.
.
or his relative (?) or. .,
who, lawsuit, complaint with Mannuki. . .
or (his) sons [ 6 mina of silver,.
.
.
shall bring],.
.
.
1
mina of
gold,
.
.
.
in the treasury of
.
.
.
While he conducts.. .
his lawsuit
he shall not take it. Before Before A Before Before Before The month Kislimu..
Man.
.
.
.
.
.
,
son of
.
.
Before Before. . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Aramaic
:
The document concerning Elimalek land of the city of Hame.
of the
No. 23.
And. .
has struck a bargain for.
(it)
Ramman-nai'd thehe takes(it);
officer.
For i mina and 4 shekels ofthe pricethat landtaken.is
silver
paid in
full;
is sold,
Appeal, lawsuit.
80
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLITERATED.la-as-su
dababu
man-nu
sa ina ur-kis
ina ma-te-ma i-za-ku-pa-ni i-garru-ni lu-u*'*Ti-ti-i
lu-u apil-su'"
lu-Hi apil apil-su la di-e-nu
dababu41
itti
Ramman-naid
apil-su
apil apil-su ub-ta-u-ni
mane
kaspi misu-usak-r[u]. .
mani hurasi
ina pur-ki Istar a-[sib
.
i-sak-kan kas-p[u]
Aramaic:
7pn H^l999
No. 24.-K.458.[di-e-nu dababju la-as-si
[man-nu sa igarru-]ui[lu-u.
.
.]
Zeru-tu lu ap[le-s]u
[lu-u] me-me-ni-su[sa itti]'"
Im-sa-i
[di-]ui
dababukaspi i-dan
ub-ta-u-ni
10
mane
a-di-e la sarri lu bel di-ni-su
pan "SaiTU-lu-da-ri1
Written ku by scribal error.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLATED.complaint shall not be.
81
WhoevershallTiti,
in the future,shall rise up,
whensoever he
go to law,or his son,
either
or his son's son, who, lawsuit,
complaint with Ramman-naiVl, his son, (or) the son of his son, shall bring, 4 mina of pure silver,1
mina of
solid gold,
in the treasury of Istar,
he
shall deposit the
who money.
dwells at.
.
.
.
.
Aramaic
:
Document concerningwhich(is) in. . .
a field
No, 24.
[lawsuit, complainjt shall not be.
Whoever[either.
shall enter a lawsuit,.
]
Zeru-tu, or hi[s son]s,
[or
.
.
.
]
his relatives,.. .
[who, with ] Imsai, [lawjsuit, complaintshall bring,
10 mina of silver shall deposit (by) decrees of the king or the lord of his judgment.
Before Sarru-lu-dari.6
82
ASSYRIAN TEXTS TRANSLITERATED.
pan "^Sab-di-i '^'mii-kil Pa^ (^^'-^ [pan] Bir-am-ma-a """^'salsu Si^ [pan] "^ Man-nu-lu-u-ahu-u-a [pan] '" Bel-ga])-bi-e pan '" Sarru-ntiri '"'rab alani pan "^Nabu-kigall pan '"Nalbas-same sangu pan "' Na-sulj pan "^Tap(0'"'. . . . ..
.
.
.
.
.
.
'-&Tebet[i
...'
Aramaic
*:
*
*
JJ^
^i\ VVD XTS^
IDENTIFIED this name with that of " Sargon." This is quite possible since, although the Hebrew spelling is pil"1D, the Aramaic is often nothing more than a transcription of the Assyrian name. This sugC.I.
S.
gestion, however, leaves unexplained the
tO
following.
Lidzbarski proposes to identify it with " Sitirkanu," the name of the third party sold, while D stands asthe initial letter of "Tabuni," mentioned in line The absence of t from the Aramaic in the three.
12 and IT). But not absolutely certain, as the horizontal wedges are partly broken off of the first sign, and the sign as it now stands might ecpialThere was no doubt room on that ly well be guv. part of the tablet broken off for the third name, "Barahu," but I can think of no reason for the unfirst
word
is
no objection.
(Cf. Nos.
the reading "Sitirkanu"
is
usual reversal of the order of names.5,
(See Nos..,"
4,
and
IT.
)
It is
worthy of note here that only part
of the purchaser's
name appears, "Marduksome relation
.
.
and
that this purchaser bore
to Sennacheri)>.*
132
ARAMAIC REFERENCE NOTES.
No.
20 81-2-4,
152.
Menahimu
sells
three female slaves to the SaJclntu.
The Aramaic says simply: " Coucerniug JVIeuahem." For a similar use of 7 in the sense of "concernin Written NA-BU-U-A, which is in favor of A. D. D., III., Nabua; but the reading, NA-BU-U-U-A, seems ratlier to cast doubt upon the simpler form.
REGISTER OF PROPER NAMES.Nabu-zer-iddin, 29: 14.Nabu-zer-lisir, 40:2.
153
Radium, 3: Ragzu, 37:
11. 15.
Naharau, 1: C. Nalbas-same, 24: 17. Nasuh ... 24: 18.Nasir-duru, 6: 20.Nashu-ali, 10: 14.
Ramman^-bullitsii, 34:11.
Ramman^-danan, 18: 20. Ramman^-ibni, 34: 13. Ramman^-Na'id, 23: 1, 12.Ramman^-naten-ilu, 30:6.
Nergal-abu-usur, 29: 12.33: 13; 37: 15.
Ramman^-rimani,
16: 9.
Ner^al-sum-iddin, 13: 16; Ramman^-sar-usnr, 33: 10.
Ramman ^-uballit,
34:3.
Nergal-sar-nsur, 16: 13; Ra'u, 16: 11.29: 13, 16.
Rimut, 35:3;30:4;31:13.5.
Nergal-usezib, 31:
Nidintum, 33:40:3.
8;
37: 19; Sabdi-, 24: 11.
Salam-ahe, 14: 28.2.
Nidintum-Bel, 33:Nikiidu, 34: 12.Nina-a,! 15: 4; 21:
Salmute, 12: 30.Sil-Nabu, 17:5.
7.
Sukuda, 37:Sangi, 4: 17.
22.
Nusku-imurani, 8: 17. Nusku-Malik, 10: 10. Nurua, 5: 26. Nur-Sin, 34: 10.Paka-ana-Arbaili,17:1,
Sapiku, 9:
1.
Se-haza, 8: 10.
Si-duru- 4: 19.
Sigaba, 4:Sili, 12: 3.
5.
Pani-Nabu-temu, 29:
1, 6,
Silim-Asur,
7: 35.
7,9. Pan-Istar-lamur, 8: 16.
Silim-Bel, 18: 23.Silim-ilu, 20: 21.
Pappada, 18:
22.
Simadi, 4:
9.
/Parsu(0,
8: 12.
Sin-aplu-iisiir, 8: 15.
Pir'a, 19:27.
Sin-ah-eriba, 1: 24.
Purka-a, 11: 25.1"-
Sin-ahe-e[riba], 19:oftlie
7.
In
G: 12 tlie
name'
city
is
written Ni-nu-ii.
Written IM.
Written U.
:
154
EEGISTER OF PROPER NAMES.Sum-iikin, 36:4.
Sin-etir, 37: 18.
Sin-ittiya, 33: 12.
Suzubu, 41:28; 12:
7.
Sin-sar-usur,
13:
34, 36; 14: 39.
Sitirkanu(?), 19: 4. Suka-a, 14: 23; 40: 3.Sadu-rabu-bullit, 32:12.9.
Tabuni, 19: 3. Takuni, 2: 3.Tebeta-a, 6: 4; 5: 35.
Tiha, 18: 18.Tab-sar-lstar, 17:6.
Sadu-rabu-sum-iddin, 31
Tukuni, 25:
5.
Salamraanu, 29: 10, 13. Titi, 23: 10. a-Xabu-su, 6: 18; 32: 10. bamasa, 37: 17. Ubar, 34. 8. Samas-eriba, 13: 19; 17: 7; Ukinya, 39: 4. 30: 5. Unzarhu, 19: 18. Samas-iddin, 37: 4, 13. Unzarhi-Asur, 17: 26. Samas-iksur, 12: 31. Unzarhi-Istar, 6, 7. Samas-reua, 14: 22. TrdLi, 13: 7, 33. Samas-rimani, 18: 15. Usi\ 4: 3.bamas-sabit, 11: 16.
Samas-sum-usur, 19: 15. Yaisu, 25: 6. Samas-uballit, 33: 12; 34: /Yakai-ahe, 20: 3. 12; 37:20.' Yamannu, 7: 29, 32. ^ VSangti-Istar, 5: 27.ar-lstar, 17: 2, 11.
Zabida, 32:
4.1, 6.
SaiTU-lu-dari, 24: 10.
Zabinu, 10:
Sarru-nuri, 24: 15.Sepa-Istar, IS: 4.
Zabisi, 40: 8.
Zer-Istar, 17: 27; 5: 36.4.
8epit-Nabu-(0, 31:Suisa, 4: 18.
Zeri-ya, 31: 13.Zeri-a, 5: 25.
Sulmu-ahe, 14: 27. Sulum-Babili, 41: 11.
Zer-ukin, 14: 33; 16: 12.Zita-a, 11: 20.ZizI, 13: 31; 12; 37.
Suma,
13: 37; 12: 32.
Summa-Ramman,
13: 18.
Zizi-ya, 19: 22.
PAET
IV.
CUNEIFORM AND ARAMAIC TEXTS.(155)
ASSYRIAN TEXTS.No. 1. K.405.
Ot).c^
fff^^yfT
^P^'''^^m
No. 6.-S.SS7.
E,
l-