BE 17/1, 003 (P266568)

Letter tablet excavated in Nippur (mod. Nuffar), dated to the Middle Babylonian (ca. 1400-1100 BC) period and now kept in Penn Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Museum Collection(s)

Penn Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Museum Number

CBS 11426

Period

Middle Babylonian (ca. 1400-1100 BC)

Provenience

Nippur (mod. Nuffar)

Artifact Type

Tablet

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Letter (Letter; (Obv)29x(Rev)20 lines)

Language(s)

-

Measurements

-

Text

tablet
obverse
1. [a-na be]-li2#-ia# [qi2-bi2-ma]
 en: Speak to my lord:
2. [um-ma] {disz}_lu2-{d}marduk_# [_ARAD2_-ka]
 en: The following (says) Amīl-Marduk, [your servant]
3. [a-na] di#-na-an be-li2-ia [lul-lik um-ma-a a-na be-li2-ia-ma]
 en: I shall go as my lord's substitute! (Speak) the following to my lord:
4. [mu?]-u2# _i7_ ki-i il-li-ku# [...]
 en: After the water had run out of the nāru canal ...,
5. [mu?-u2?] mi-il kisz-sza-ti uh-hu-[ur ...] sza#? 3(disz)? x [...]
 en: [the water of] the peak flood was late ... of#? three (?) ...
6. [(ki) it?]-ta#-ah-su nam-kar-si-mat-{d}[en]-lil2# u3 nam-kar-_nibru[{ki}_]
 en: As soon as (?) they (pl. of water) are going to have returned, I am going to open the namgāru canal Namkar-Simat-Enlil and the namgāru canal Namkar-Enlil.
7. [e-pe]-et#-te _3(u) gur numun_ sza im-lu#-u2# ki#-i _i7_ ih-hi-su#
 en: 30 (gur) seeds (cropland 300 iku = 243 ha), which it/they filled, after (the water in) the nāru canal had returned,
8. [x x x x?] il-ta#-ka-an x-x-x [... i-na] _i7#_ e-tel-pi# [...]
 en: [they have placed (there). In ... of the nāru canal of Etel-pû ...
9. [...]-i _i7_ hasz-mar-gal-[du ... me-e?] a-di-na ul isz-sza-ka-nu-ma
 en: ... of the nāru canal of Ḫašmar-galdu ... has not yet been placed (in there) until now and
10. [i?]-te#?-ni-lu u3 _pa5_-{d}[x]-ra ul ip-te
 en: [it/he repeatedly keeps d]eserting (it). He did not open the atappu/palgu-ditch of ...ra.
11. [...]-ni-ti sza be-li2 isz-[pu?-ra?] um-ma-a hi-sza-ti
 en: .... Regarding that, which my lord has written about [to me]: “The following: Open the weirs!”
12. [pe?]-ti mu-u2 a-di-na i-na [hi]-sza#-a-ti
 en: Until now water has not been placed in (the upstream side of) the weirs.
13. [ul] isz-sza-ka-nu sza {d}er3#-ra#-ga-[mil] ta#-mi-ir-tu ra#?-bi-tu ma-la-at
 en: Regarding Irra-gāmil: the large tamirtu land is filled.
14. [sza] 2(u) gur _numun ki-sza-di i#-[na] pa-an _i7# {d}#nanna#-gu2-gal_
 en: (And) [regarding] the 20 (gur) seeds (cropland 200 iku = 162 ha) at the bank of the river in front of the nāru canal of Nanna-gugal:
15. me-e ip-te-te-e-ma il#-la#-ku sza na-at-[ba]-ak-ti
 en: as soon as he is going to have opened the water, they are going to run. Regarding the natbaktu-reservoir:
16. me-e ul-tu nam-kar _{disz}du3#_-sza-_{d}marduk_ ki-i ip-tu-u2 mi-s,u2
 en: after I had had opened the water out of the namgāru canal of Banâ-ša-Marduk, (it became clear that) they (pl. of water) were too little.
17. _a-sza3_ {d}er3-ra-ga-mil i#-ma-la-a?-ma# na-at-ba-ak-ta
 en: As soon as it is going to have filled the fields of Irra-gāmil, I am going to close the natbaktu-reservoir,
18. e-se-ke-er-ma me-e [sza?] _i7_ [nam]-gar-{d}en-lil2{ki}
 en: and I am going to open water from the nāru canal Namkar-Enlil
19. a-na na-at-ba-ak-ti e#-[pe]-et#-te# i-na-an-na e-pe-et-te-ma
 en: for the natbaktu-reservoir. Now that I have opened (the natbaktu reservoir)
20. mu-u2 ul-tu na-at-ba-ak#-ti# sza {d}er3-ra-ga-mil li-s,u2-ni
 en: water out of the natbaktu-reservoir of (for) Irra-gāmil shall go out.
21. sza [ka]-le#-e sza na-at-ba#-ak#-ti qa2-nu-u2 sza 5(disz) har-bu
 en: Regarding (that of the) the kalû-dikes of the natbaktu-reservoir: the reed of 5 ḫarbu fields
22. sza _ensi2-mesz_ sza _{disz}{dingir}marduk#-uri3#_ na-di i-na a-sza-ab be-li2-ia
 en: of the iššakku farmers of Marduk-nāṣir is thrown (down). I have written to my lord when my lord was residing (in his residence, i.e. here?),
23. a-na be-li2-ia al-tap-ra [u3] i#-na-an-na a-na be-li2-ia al-tap-ra
 en: and now I have written to my lord again.
24. ki-i qa2-nu-u2 na-du-u2 _gu4#-mesz#_ sza# er-re-szi u3 _ensi2-mesz_
 en: After the reed was thrown down and after they had driven the cows of the erreszu and iššakku here,
25. ki-i u2-qa2-ri-bu i-te-lu#? i#-na# t,u2-bi be-li2
 en: (after that) they left. My lord shall kindly
26. li-ik-szu-da-am-ma [...] a#-na# _{disz}{dingir}marduk-uri3_
 en: arrive here. And ... regarding Marduk-nāṣir,
27. szum-ma i-na ka-le-e# [u3?] szum-ma i-na# hi-ru-ti
 en: when in the kalû-dikes and when in the digging work,
28. [mi-im]-ma# be-li2 i-na-da-asz-szu li-[pu]-usz
 en: [what]ever my lord throws down for him, he shall do!
29. [sza be]-li2 isz-pu#-ra um#-ma#-a me#?-e a-na _bad3-{d}en-[lil2-hi-a{ki}_ pe]-te
 en: [Regarding what] my [l]ord wrote to me: "The following: [O]pen the water to Dūr-Enlilē!"
reverse
1. i-na-an-na _a_{me-e} a-na na-at-ba-ak-ti e-pe-te-ma#?
 en: Now that I have opened the water into the natbaktu-reservoirs,
2. mu-u2 a-na _uru_ {d}er3-ra-ga-mil ul ir-ru-bu#-ma#?
 en: the water is not flowing into the town of Irra-gāmil.
3. me-e a-na na-at-ba-ak-ti e-pe-te-ma
 en: If I am going to open water into the natbaku-reservoir,
4. a-na _bad3_-{d}en-lil2-_hi-a{ki}_ ki-i ir-ru-bu u3 ka-lu-u2 ul e-pu-usz
 en: how shall it flow into Dūr-Enlilē, when the kalû-dike is not done?
5. ta-mi-ir-ta sza _bad3#_-{d#}en#-lil2#-_hi-a_ be-li2 ki i-mu-ru
 en: After my lord had inspected the tamirtu land of Dūr-Enlilē,
6. a-ka-an-na iq-ta-[ba um-ma]-a szu-ru da-an
 en: he said [to me: “The following:] the reed bundles are strong!
7. ma-am-ma la [...] a-na be-li2-ia#
 en: No one shall ...!" To my lord
8. a-ka-an-na aq#-[ta-ba um-ma]-a _a-sza3-mesz_ a-na [...] har-bi
 en: thus I said: "The following: the fields for ... ḫarbu ploughs
9. sza _bad3_-{d}en-lil2-_hi-a[{ki}_ ... be?]-li2 a-ka-an-na iq-[ta-ba]-a
 en: of Dūr-Enlilē ...." (And) my lord said:
10. um-ma-a u3 szu-nu i#?-[na? _uru_ {d}]er3-ra-ga-mil [...]
 en: "The following: they i[n the town of] Irra-gāmil ...
11. u3 _bad3-{d}nusku{ki}_ [... ir]-ri#?-szu [i?]-na#-an#-na# [...]-szi
 en: and Dūr-Nusku [... they are s]eeding (with a seeder plough). Now ...
12. sza pi-hat _bad3-{d}en#-[lil2 _hi-a_ ...]
 en: of the province of Dūr-Enlilē ..."
13. ka-la-a sza ta-mi#-[ir-ti ...] te#? [...]-szi
 en: the kalû-dike of the tamirtu land ...
14. ki-i id-du-ni-szu-nu#-[ti? ...] szu#? [...]
 en: when he neglected them ...
15. li-sze-lu-u2 [...]-ma _a-sza3_ [...]
 en: They shall take away ... and the field ...
16. la i-ma-as, i-na# [...] sza be-li2 [... i]-pu-usz
 en: It is not too small! In# ... of my lord ... (he) produced
17. [...] _sag_ sza [...]
 en: ... "head" of ...
18. [...] mi#-ni-[...]
 en: ...
19. [...]{ki} um-ma-a a#-na {disz}ib-ni-_{d}kur#_
 en: ... The following: to Ibni-Amurru
20. [... be]-li2 i-sza-pa-ra-am#
 en: ... my lord will send to me
21. [...] a#-da-ga#-lu i-na sza-at-ti
 en: ... I will wait for the year
22. [...]-na-a sza s,a-ab-tu
 en: ... which is seized
23. [...] du-ul-la an-na-a
 en: ... this dullu work duty
24. [...] e-bu-ri _erin2-mesz_
 en: ... harvest time the ṣābu work troops
25. [...]-le-e iz-zi-zu
 en: ... they stood
26. [...] na-at-ba-ak-tu#?
 en: ... the natbaktu-reservoir?
27. [...]-szar#? a#-na#? 4(u) _numun_
 en: ... for 40 (gur) seeds
28. [...]-te#?-ma [...]-i-di ul-tu s,a-ab-tu
 en: ... since they were seized
29. [it]-ti-il-tu [...] i-mi-ki-ru
 en: at the first time ... they will irrigate
30. [e]-le-nu-usz-szu u3# [...]
 en: above him and ...
31. [...] ki-i sza be-li2 i-sza-pa-[ra ...]
 en: ... according to that which my lord is going to send to me ...
bottom
1. [...] u3 ha-s,a-ar-ti sza [...]
 en: ... and haṣartu wool of ...
2. [... be]-li2 ki-i sza {d}nin-gir2#-[su ...]
 en: ... when my lord that of Ningir[su(-)]...
3. [...]-szu 1(u) 2(asz) _u2#-gid2#-da [...]
 en: ... his/him ... 12 (units) of tall grass ...
4. [...] be-li2 a-na#? [...]
 en: ... my lord to (?) ...
left
1. [...]-ti sza-lim i-ba-asz-szi a-na-ku a-nam-din-ma
 en: ... is healthy. He/it is available. I am going to give
2. [... ma?]-am-ma li-qa2-am#?-[ma? ...]
 en: ... somebody shall give it to me ...

Text content

Genre(s) Letter (Letter; (Obv)29x(Rev)20 lines)
Language(s)

Chronology

Period Middle Babylonian (ca. 1400-1100 BC)
Accounting Period

Record

LOD URI https://cdli.network/entity/P266568

Physical information

Artifact type Tablet
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s) Clay
Preservation fragment
frag,obv. cracked,rev. effaced,w/loose frags.

Provenance

Provenience Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
Written In
Archive
Excavation Number
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

Collection(s) Penn Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Museum Number CBS 11426
Accession Number

External resources

External Resource Identifiers
Penn Museum (Penn) 585578
Electronic Babylonian Library (eBL) CBS.11426

References

  • primary: BE 17/1,, 003

    [Radau1908BE17/1] Radau, Hugo. 1908. Letters to the Cassite Kings from the Temple Archives of Nippur. Babylonian Expedition 17/1.

Revisions and credits

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-01-21 at 07:48:15 Pagé-Perron, Émilie Artifact metadata Földi, Zsombor J.; Jiménez, Enrique; Pagé-Perron, Émilie Electronic Babylonian Library Pagé-Perron, Émilie Approved View
2019-04-02 at 07:34:03 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-04-02 at 07:28:45 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-04-02 at 07:17:33 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-04-02 at 07:06:33 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-04-02 at 06:54:59 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-04-02 at 06:33:13 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-04-02 at 06:03:52 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2017-12-19 at 02:19:30 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Firth, Richard CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2017-12-09 at 08:32:45 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Dahl, Jacob L. CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2017-11-08 at 22:57:33 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2005-04-25 at 00:00:00 CDLI, CDLI Artifact metadata Englund, Robert K.; Fitzgerald, Madeleine; Foxvog, Daniel A.; Frayne, Douglas R.; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô Penn Museum CDLI, CDLI Approved View

Cite this Artifact

“BE 17/1, 003 Artifact Entry.” (2005) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). February 1, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P266568.
BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry (No. P266568). (2023, February 1). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P266568 (Original work published 2005)
BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P266568 (Accessed: October 26, 2026).
@misc{2023BE,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-10-26]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {feb 1},
	title = {BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P266568},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P266568},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/2/1/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P266568
LB  - CDLI:P266568
M1  - 2026/10/26/
TI  - BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P266568
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“BE 17/1, 003 Artifact Entry.” (2005) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). February 1, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P266568.
BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry (No. P266568). (2023, February 1). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P266568 (Original work published 2005)
BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P266568 (Accessed: October 26, 2026).
@misc{2023BE,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-10-26]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {feb 1},
	title = {BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P266568},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P266568},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/2/1/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P266568
LB  - CDLI:P266568
M1  - 2026/10/26/
TI  - BE 17/1, 003 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P266568
ER  -
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