PBS 01/2, 050 (P261026)

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

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Text / annotations

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Chemical Data

Seal Chemistry

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Metadata history Transliteration history

Museum Collection(s)

Penn Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Museum Number

CBS 04757

Period

Middle Babylonian (ca. 1400-1100 BC)

Provenience

Nippur (mod. Nuffar)

Artifact Type

Tablet

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Letter (Letter; (Obv)32x(Rev)32 lines, *with signs)

Language(s)

-

Measurements

-

tablet
obverse
1. [...]-_mesz_ mu#?-[...]
 en: ...
2. [...]-_mesz_-u2 gi#?-na#?-ta#? [...]
 en: ...(pl.) confinement# ? ...
3. [x x-x]-s,a# be-li2-ia ia-nu [...]
 en: ... of my lord is lacking. ...
4. u3 2(disz) _erin2-hi-a_ bu-ri a-na hu-[ur-ru? ...]
 en: and two ṣābu workers for the digging of wells ...
5. i-na-na-ma _{gesz}kiri6_ i-na _u4 5(disz)-kam#_ [...]
 en: And now on the 5 th day the garden ...
6. ki-i kul-li-[zu] i-s,i _{gesz}kiri6_ [...] it-ta-ak#?-[su? ...]
 en: when the ox driver has chopped (?) wood from the garden ...
7. i-na-an-na ki i-tab-la a-na ki ma2-s,i u4-mi a-na [...]
 en: Now, when he carried it off-for how many days to ...
8. i-tu-ur-ra 2(disz) _erin2-hi-a_ sza ak-lu-u2 bu-ri li-[ih-ru ...]
 en: will he return? May the two workers, who I have detained, dig wells,
9. u3 me-e a-na da-li-i li-id-[di]-nu-ma _e2_ na-pisz-ta5 [...]
 en: so that they may give water for drawing and so that the house may? live.
10. _u4-1(disz)-kam_ nap#-har _erin2-hi-a_ a-na _{i7}bad3-{d}iszkur{ki}_ ul-te-bi-ir
 en: On the first day I let the total of the workers repeatedly cross back and forth over the Dūr-Adad canal (= i.e. to check which parts need redigging/repair?).
11. _{i7}bad3-{d}iszkur{ki}_ a-di _u4 1(u)-kam_ usz-ta-[na]-as-sa#-ha#-ma#
 en: I will have the Dūr-Adad canal dug up until the 1 0 th day and
12. me-e e-pe2-et-te a-na pa-an-_edin_ sza al-li-[ka? har-bi? sza?]
 en: I will open the water for the pīḫātu Pān-ṣēri. Regarding the fact that I wen[t to (the ḫarbu fields of ?)]
13. _ensi2-hi-a_ sza _uru_-{d}nin-urta-mu-bal-li2-it,[...]
 en: the iššakku farmers of the city Āl-Ninurta-muballiṭ ...
14. re-e-sza ki-i asz-szu-u2 il-te#-en#-nu-u2 zu-[...]
 en: when I checked the number of men, then each one ...
15. i-na mu-uh-hi al-ta-ta-ka-an u3 5(disz)# x [...]
 en: (on the fields/canals) there I placed each of them and then 5(disz) ...
16. a-na il-te-en-nu-u2 a-wi-le-e ma-nu-ti [...]
 en: to each man, who was counted, ...
17. _gu4-hi-a_ sza {disz}ib-ni-{d}kur sza 6(disz) har-bi ki-i a-ma#?-ru
 en: when I had inspected (?) the cattle of Ibni-Amurru, the ones of the six ḫarbu fields,
18. szum#-ma# a-na bu-ul-lu-[li] im-me2-esz-szi-lu
 en: and when# to scatter (them on the fields) they had divided them evenly (i.e. between the fields),
19. [...]-me#-ma lu-u2 _{gesz#}kiri6_-ru-um-ma i-sza-ta-ti
 en: are [...] filled with [wa]ter. In the garden(s) are fires
20. [...]-ak-ku-nu u3 _gu4-hi-a {iri}bad3-{d}marduk{ki}_
 en: your (Pl. m) ... and the cattle of the city Dūr-Marduk
21. [...] 3(u) 1(disz) har-bi ki-i a-mu-[ru?] i-[...]-na-ap?-szu-nu-ti
 en: ... when I inspected 3 1 ḫarbu fields ... he ... them
22. _geme2 ARAD_-ka szu-nu-ti la# [...]
 en: don ’t ... your female and male servants
23. 6(disz) har-bu da-an-ni-isz szu-[...]
 en: 6(disz) ḫarbu fields strongly ...
24. [...] {disz}tu-kul-ti-_{d}kur_ ki-i a-mu-ru-ma a-[...]
 en: ... after/that I saw Tukultī-Amurru and ...
25. [...] _gu4#-hi-a_ da-an-nu-ma a-a-u2 _uru_ tu-nu-[...]
 en: "the [...] cattle is strong. And which city have you [...]
26. [... de]-ke-e _numun_ um-mu#-ru sza _uru_-re-e-i{ki} [...]
 en: [... in order to co]llect (levies) the seeds are inspected (?). Regarding the city Āl-rē’î:
27. [i-na? _sze?]-numun_ de-e-ki [...] _sze-numun_ uh-hu-ur u3 _numun_ [...]
 en: out of? (the barley) seeds of the dēkû officials ... barley seeds remain and seeds ...
28. [u2]-du-u2-szu a-di ki-[...]-i# i-na de-ke-e u2-ni-x?-[x-x?]
 en: [(in?)] his [sa]ck(s) ... until ... in the collecting of levies he did ...
29. [...]-ir _numun_ [...] _lu2_ ha-[...]-i-di 2(u) 2(asz) _gur#_ [...]
 en: ... seeds? ... the (person) ... 22 gur ...
30. [...] _ARAD_ [...] ri!#-ik-su
 en: ... servant ... the riksu preparation (for the offering)
31. [...]-re-e li#-bar-ru#?
 en: ... he may observe# ?
32. [...] gi#-ti _hi-a#?_ [...]
 en: ...
reverse
1. [...] di# _numun_-u2 a-na me-e za-la-[...]
 en: ... the seeds to water ...
2. [...] it-tu-u2 u3 mu-u2 i-na bu-ri-[i? ...]
 en: ... with me? and water in the well ...
3. [...]-ma i-sza-ap-pi2-lu _{gesz#!}kiri6-mesz_ am-mi-ni _lu2_-{d}[...]
 en: ... and they will go deep. Why has Amīl-... the gardens
4. [...] a-na _{gesz}kiri6-mesz_ a-na-ku a-nam-din asz-szu14 {i7}bad3-{d}iszkur{ki}
 en: ...? I have given for the gardens. Regarding the Dūr-Adad canal,
5. [...] sza be-li2 isz-pu-ra um-ma-a _{iti}sig4-a {iti}szu-numun-na_
 en: ... which my lord wrote to me about the following: “Because in the month simanu, the month du’ūzu,
6. [...] u3 _{iti}ne-gar_ he-ra-a ki#-i# aq-ba-ak-ku! ul te-eh-ri
 en: .. . and the month abu the digging, which I had ordered you to do, you did not dig
7. [...] _{i7}bad3-{d}iszkur{ki}_ ab-la-at [ma?]-a ul ah-ri
 en: (because of that) ... The Dūr-Adad canal has dried up.” All I can say is: I have not dug.
8. [lu]-u2 ab-la-at i-na _{iti}sig4-a_-ma i-na he-re-e ug-dam-mi-ir#
 en: It may dry up, since I have completed the digging in the month simanu already.
9. [...] i#-na-an-na-ma a-na a-ba-li [uh]-hu-ra-at _nig2-szid_-ia [...]
 en: ... Now# it has been left there to dry up. My account was ...
10. [... i]-na _ka2-dingir-ra{ki}_ be-li2 ki-i [i-mu-ru] sza ul-tu _{iti}sig4-a_
 en: when my lord inspected it ... in Babylon. Regarding the fact that from the month simanu
11. [a]-di _{iti}ne-gar_ qa2-nu-u2 a-[...] i-na-na be-li2 li-tu-ur-ma
 en: until the month abu reed has .... Now my lord may return and
12. [... li]-pu-usz-ma ul-tu qa2-nu# u2#?-qat-tu-u2 be-li2 ki li-ib-bi-szu
 en: ... he may act upon it. After he will have finished (off) the reed, my lord may treat me according to his heart.
13. li#-[pu-usz]-sza-an-ni [a]-na mi#-ni#-i _erin2-hi-a_ ri-iq-ma u3 a-na-ku a-da-gal
 en: Why are the worktroops idle and I have to wait?
14. asz-szu14 {iri}e-mu-qa2-at-_{d}marduk_ sza be-li2 isz-pu-ra um-ma-a
 en: Regarding the city Emūqāt-Marduk, which my lord wrote to me about the following:
15. asz-szu14 la i-ri-szu ut,-t,e4-ta li-si-ru-szu i-na {iri}e-mu-qa2-at-_{d}marduk_
 en: Because he has not cultivated, they may collect barley from him. In the city Emūqāt-Marduk
16. be-li2 _i7_ ul ih-ra-a a-na-ad-di ki-i ir-ri-isz
 en: my lord has not dug the nāru canal. I will let it lie fallow. When he wants to cultivate it,
17. u3 lu _erin2-hi-a_ a-na pa-ni-ia mu#-usz#!-szur#?-szu# um-ma-a i-na _erin2-hi-a_
 en: then it might be the case that the workers,which were (assigned) for me, are already set free for him. The following: "Because with the help of the workers
18. _i7_ ki la te-eh-ri-ma# la te-ri-isz lu _e_ lu _i7_ hal-pu
 en: you did not dig a canal and you did not cultivate, because of that either the iku irrigation canal or the nāru canal are covered (?)."
19. i-na ba-lu4 be-li2-ia ul e-he-[er]-ri i-na-an-na _erin2-hi-a_ a-na pa-ni-ia
 en: Without my lord(' s permission) I will not dig. Now the workers,which had been (assigned) to me,
20. mu-usz-szur-ma u3# dul#-li# ra#-ma#?-ni#-ia i-na _sza3_ i-qa2-ab-ba a-tasz-bu [...]
 en: are set free. Therefore my dullu work duty, that of myself, according to (his) heart/mind, he will order (me to do). I have been staying here (waiting)
21. be-li2 a-na tu#-[ur-ri-x] um-ma-a ki-i dul-la an-ni-a-am i-na ra-ma-[ni-ka]
 en: for my lord to return. The following: "When you performed this dullu work duty on your own ( = in that of yourself)
22. te-pu-szu _i7#_ [...]-szu-{d}marduk# ki-i la te-eh-[ri ...]
 en: you did not dig the canal …šu-Marduk."
23. _erin2-hi-a_ be-li2 ki-i re-qi2#? ul i-di-nam ki-i la hi-t,u2-u2 _erin2#-[hi-a?]
 en: When the workers of my lord were idle, then he did not give. But because it was not the offence of the workers (?)
24. ut,-t,e4-ta sza be-li2 le-qa2-a iq-bu-u2 i-le-qu2-ma sza be-li2-ia-ma
 en: they will take the barley, which my lord ordered them to take: That of my lord (i.e. from his stocks)
25. u3 _ninda_-szu-ma sza be-li2-ia-ma ki-i ib-te-ru-u2 i-na _e2_ be-li2-ia
 en: and his bread, that of my lord. Whenever they are hungry don’t I (usually) receive rations from the house of my lord?
26. ip-ra-a ul a-ma-har asz-szu14 _ansze-kur-ra_ sza be-li2 isz-pu-ra
 en: Regarding the horses,which my lord wrote to me
27. um-ma-a _ansze-kur-ra_ sza ad-di-na-ku szu-bi-la12 a-a-u2-tu# _ansze-kur-ra_
 en: the following about: "The horse, which I gave to you, let it be brought to me!" Which horses
28. sza be-li2-ia-ma a-a-u2-tu at-tu-u2-a a-na-ku# _ansze#-kur-ra_
 en: are the ones of my lord and which ones are mine? I have the horses
29. sza be-li2-ia a-ki ki-na-tu-u2-a _sipa ansze-kur-ra-[mesz_ ...]
 en: of my lord, as well as of my servants and the shepherds of the horses ....
30. s,a-ab-tu-ma _ansze-kur-ra_ sza an-na-an-na i-qab-bu [...]
 en: They have been seized and the horses of so and so, which he spoke about, are ...
31. u3 _ansze-kur-ra_ sza be-li2-ia ma-a-di i-tu-u2-[a ...]
 en: and the horses of my lord are numerous. By my side ...
left
1. [...] ir-te-mu-ka a!-a-ka-a nu-ba-'a-a-szu-nu-ti _edin_ i#?-ma-al?-lu
 en: ... has mercy with you. Where shall we search for them? The steppe will be filled ...

Consult previous versions and their differences
Consult sign list of Middle Babylonian (ca. 1400-1100 BC)
Consult word list of Middle Babylonian (ca. 1400-1100 BC)

  • Artifact type: Tablet
  • Material: Clay
  • Measurements (mm):
  • Weight:
  • Artifact Preservation: fragment
  • Condition Description: Tablet+*frags(3), u. E. &Lo. E. missing, ruled
  • Join Information:
  • Seal no.:
  • Seal information:
  • Artifact comments:

  • Genre(s): Letter (Letter; (Obv)32x(Rev)32 lines, *with signs)
  • Language(s):

  • primary: PBS 1/2, 050

    [Lutz1919PBS1/2] Lutz, Henry F. 1919. Selected Sumerian and Babylonian Texts. Publications of the Babylonian Section 1/2. University of Pennsylvania.

  • Composite No.:
  • Museum No.: CBS 04757
  • Accession No.:

  • Provenience: Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
  • Elevation:
  • Stratigraphic Level:
  • Excavation No:
  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2024-08-30 at 08:49:45 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata, Other metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2023-01-19 at 10:20:17 Pagé-Perron, Émilie Artifact metadata Földi, Zsombor J.; Jiménez, Enrique; Pagé-Perron, Émilie Electronic Babylonian Library Pagé-Perron, Émilie Approved View
2017-12-19 at 13:07:34 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Dahl, Jacob L. CDLI Approved View
2017-12-19 at 02:35:09 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô CDLI Approved View
2017-12-09 at 08:32:45 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Dahl, Jacob L. CDLI Approved View
2017-11-08 at 22:57:32 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Dahl, Jacob L. CDLI Approved View
2005-04-25 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact metadata Englund, Robert K.; Fitzgerald, Madeleine; Foxvog, Daniel A.; Frayne, Douglas R.; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Zimmermann, Lynn-Salammbô Penn Museum CDLI Approved View

Consult this artifact as presented on the website of collections and projects:

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes: -

Cite this Artifacts

“PBS 01/2, 050 Artifact Entry.” (2005) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). August 30, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P261026.
PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry (No. P261026). (2024, August 30). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P261026 (Original work published 2005)
PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P261026 (Accessed: February 22, 2026).
@misc{2024PBS,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-02-22]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {aug 30},
	title = {PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P261026},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P261026},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/8/30/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P261026
LB  - CDLI:P261026
M1  - 2026/2/22/
TI  - PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P261026
ER  -

Cite this Artifacts

“PBS 01/2, 050 Artifact Entry.” (2005) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). August 30, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P261026.
PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry (No. P261026). (2024, August 30). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P261026 (Original work published 2005)
PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P261026 (Accessed: February 22, 2026).
@misc{2024PBS,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-02-22]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {aug 30},
	title = {PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P261026},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P261026},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/8/30/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P261026
LB  - CDLI:P261026
M1  - 2026/2/22/
TI  - PBS 01/2, 050 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P261026
ER  -
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