The land grant to Ḫasardu kudurru, is a four-sided limestone narû, or memorial stele, from the late 2nd millennium BC Mesopotamia recording the gift of 144 hectares of land on the bank of the Royal Canal in the Bīt-Pir’i-Amurru region of the Diyala valley by Kassite monarch Meli-Šipak (c. 1186–1172 BC) to an official or sukkal mu’irri, by the name of Ḫa-SAR-du (reading uncertain). It is titled, “O Adad, the hero, bestow irrigation ditches of abundance here!"[1] and is notable for the light it sheds on middle Babylonian officialdom.
Land grant to Ḫasardu kudurru
Deed recording the grant of fifty GUR of corn-land by Kassite king Meli-Šipak to Ḫa-SAR-du, an official, in the British Museum
The object was excavated by Hormuzd Rassam during his 1881–82 excavations in Sippar on behalf of the British Museum. It was recovered, along with two other entitlement stelae, from a room in the temple of Šamaš[1] and given the museum reference BM 90829.
Deities invokededit
Thirteen gods are invoked by name together with "all the gods whose names are portrayed on this narû." These are represented by eighteen icons arranged around the conical top.
The god Marduk is pictured twice, once by a kusarikku holding a spade, and once with a marru or tasseled spade in front of the kusarikku. Ea may be represented both by the south wind and a ram-headed crook.[2]Šuqamuna and Šumalia, the Kassite deities associated with the investiture of kings are portrayed by a bird on a perch. Several of the symbols are widely attested icons of their gods such as the lunar disc for Sîn, solar disc for Šamaš, the lightning-fork for Adad, the lamp for Nusku, the leaping dog for Gula, the mace with twin lion-heads for Nergal, the eagle-headed mace for Ninurta, the eight-pointed star for Ištar, and the coiled snake for Ištaran.[3]
Cast of charactersedit
The principal parties to the transaction were the king and a Kassite military official:
Meli-Šipak, šar kiššati, "king of the world" (the donor)
Ḫa-SAR-du, son of Sumû, sukkal mu'erru, messenger? of the commander[4] (the beneficiary)
The title sukkal mu'erru suggests his rȏle is as a representative or liaison officer at the royal court on behalf of the military commander, or mu'erru.[5]
The officials conducting the transfer:
Ibni-Marduk, "son of Arad-Ea," šādid eqli, the surveyor
Šamaš-muballiṭ, ḫazannu, mayor of Bīt-Pir’i-Amurru or possibly its (chief) magistrate[6]
Bau-aḫu-iddina, ṭupšar šakin māti, the scribe to the "ruler of the land," probably a provincial governor
Itti-Marduk-balāṭu, ša rēš šarri (lúSAG LUGAL), the king's representative, a servant
The witnesses to the transaction:
Iddina-Marduk, šakkanak māt tāmtim bīt-Mallaḫi, a governor of a province in the Sealand, southern Mesopotamia
Rizi ... ni (a Kassite), kartappu (lúKA.DIB), the chariot commander[4]
Libur-zanin-Ekur, ša rēši (lúSAG), a court official
Lūṣa-ana-nūri-Marduk, sukkallu ṣīru, grand vizier or first-rank courtier
Iqīša-Bau, "son of Arad-Ea," role unknown
Šamaš-šum-lišir, son of Atta-iluma, šakkanak Agade. mayor of the city of Agade
The term ša rēši designated a royal eunuch in the Assyrian court but there is no evidence of a similar fate for a court official in middle Babylonia.[7] Furthermore, Kidin-Marduk (not the witness on this kudurru), an official with this title is pictured bearded having inherited the position from his father, and later bequeathing it to his son, on a cylinder seal of the reign of Burna-Buriaš II.[8] It is significant that both the military positions are occupied by Kassites.
Principal publicationsedit
C. W. Belser (1894). "Babylonische Kudurru-Inschriften". In F. Delitzsch, Paul Haupt (ed.). Beiträge zur Assyriologie, II. J. C. Hinrichs. pp. 165–169. “Grenzstein” no. 101
F. E. Peiser (1896). "Babylonische Urkunden aus der dritten Dynastie". In K. B. Schrader (ed.). Keilinschriftliche Bibliothek, IV. Reuther & Reichard. pp. 56–60.
L. W. King (1912). Babylonian Boundary Stones and Memorial-Tablets in the British Museum. British Museum. pp. 19–23, pls. XXIII–XXX.
Ursula Seidl (1989). Die Babylonischen Kudurru-Reliefs: Symbole Mesopotamischer Gottheiten. Academic Press Fribourg. 24, 221 no. 12, for the detail 168f no. XLIII
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Land grant to Hasardu kudurru.
^ abEleanor Robson (2008). Mathematics in Ancient Iraq: A Social History. Princeton University Press. pp. 167, 169.
^F. A. M. Wiggerman (2007). "The Four Winds and the Origins of Pazuzu". In Claus Wilcke (ed.). Das Geistige Erfassen Der Welt Im Alten Orient: Sprache, Religion, Kultur Und Gesellschaft. Eisenbrauns. p. 154.
^Tallay Ornan (2005). The Triumph of the Symbol: Pictorial Representation of Deities in Mesopotamia and the Biblical Image Ban. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. pp. 45–52.
^ abL. Sassmannshausen (2001). Betträge zur verwaltung und Gesellschaft Babyloniens in der Kassitenzeit. Philipp von Zabern. pp. 55, 59.
^J. A. Brinkman (1968). A Political History of post-Kassite Babylonia, 1158-722 B.C. (AnOr. 43). Pontificium Institutum Biblicum. pp. 309–311.
^L. R. Siddal (2007). "A re-examination of the title ŠA REŠI in the Neo-Assyrian period". In Joseph Azize, N. Weeks (ed.). Gilgamesh and the World of Assyria: Proceedings of the Conference Held at the Mandelbaum House, The University of Sydney, 21-23 July 2004. Peeters Publishers. pp. 225–226.
May 08, 2024
land, grant, Ḫasardu, kudurru, land, grant, Ḫasardu, kudurru, four, sided, limestone, narû, memorial, stele, from, late, millennium, mesopotamia, recording, gift, hectares, land, bank, royal, canal, bīt, amurru, region, diyala, valley, kassite, monarch, meli, . The land grant to Ḫasardu kudurru is a four sided limestone naru or memorial stele from the late 2nd millennium BC Mesopotamia recording the gift of 144 hectares of land on the bank of the Royal Canal in the Bit Pir i Amurru region of the Diyala valley by Kassite monarch Meli Sipak c 1186 1172 BC to an official or sukkal mu irri by the name of Ḫa SAR du reading uncertain It is titled O Adad the hero bestow irrigation ditches of abundance here 1 and is notable for the light it sheds on middle Babylonian officialdom Land grant to Ḫasardu kudurruDeed recording the grant of fifty GUR of corn land by Kassite king Meli Sipak to Ḫa SAR du an official in the British MuseumMaterialLimestoneCreatedc 1179 BCDiscovered1881 1882Babylon IraqPresent locationLondon England United Kingdom Contents 1 The stele 1 1 Deities invoked 1 2 Cast of characters 2 Principal publications 3 ReferencesThe stele editThe object was excavated by Hormuzd Rassam during his 1881 82 excavations in Sippar on behalf of the British Museum It was recovered along with two other entitlement stelae from a room in the temple of Samas 1 and given the museum reference BM 90829 Deities invoked edit Thirteen gods are invoked by name together with all the gods whose names are portrayed on this naru These are represented by eighteen icons arranged around the conical top The god Marduk is pictured twice once by a kusarikku holding a spade and once with a marru or tasseled spade in front of the kusarikku Ea may be represented both by the south wind and a ram headed crook 2 Suqamuna and Sumalia the Kassite deities associated with the investiture of kings are portrayed by a bird on a perch Several of the symbols are widely attested icons of their gods such as the lunar disc for Sin solar disc for Samas the lightning fork for Adad the lamp for Nusku the leaping dog for Gula the mace with twin lion heads for Nergal the eagle headed mace for Ninurta the eight pointed star for Istar and the coiled snake for Istaran 3 Cast of characters edit The principal parties to the transaction were the king and a Kassite military official Meli Sipak sar kissati king of the world the donor Ḫa SAR du son of Sumu sukkal mu erru messenger of the commander 4 the beneficiary The title sukkal mu erru suggests his rȏle is as a representative or liaison officer at the royal court on behalf of the military commander or mu erru 5 The officials conducting the transfer Ibni Marduk son of Arad Ea sadid eqli the surveyor Samas muballiṭ ḫazannu mayor of Bit Pir i Amurru or possibly its chief magistrate 6 Bau aḫu iddina ṭupsar sakin mati the scribe to the ruler of the land probably a provincial governor Itti Marduk balaṭu sa res sarri luSAG LUGAL the king s representative a servant The witnesses to the transaction Iddina Marduk sakkanak mat tamtim bit Mallaḫi a governor of a province in the Sealand southern Mesopotamia Rizi ni a Kassite kartappu luKA DIB the chariot commander 4 Libur zanin Ekur sa resi luSAG a court official Luṣa ana nuri Marduk sukkallu ṣiru grand vizier or first rank courtier Iqisa Bau son of Arad Ea role unknown Samas sum lisir son of Atta iluma sakkanak Agade mayor of the city of Agade Kidin Marduk luMES GAL high official The term sa resi designated a royal eunuch in the Assyrian court but there is no evidence of a similar fate for a court official in middle Babylonia 7 Furthermore Kidin Marduk not the witness on this kudurru an official with this title is pictured bearded having inherited the position from his father and later bequeathing it to his son on a cylinder seal of the reign of Burna Burias II 8 It is significant that both the military positions are occupied by Kassites Principal publications editC W Belser 1894 Babylonische Kudurru Inschriften In F Delitzsch Paul Haupt ed Beitrage zur Assyriologie II J C Hinrichs pp 165 169 Grenzstein no 101 F E Peiser 1896 Babylonische Urkunden aus der dritten Dynastie In K B Schrader ed Keilinschriftliche Bibliothek IV Reuther amp Reichard pp 56 60 L W King 1912 Babylonian Boundary Stones and Memorial Tablets in the British Museum British Museum pp 19 23 pls XXIII XXX Ursula Seidl 1989 Die Babylonischen Kudurru Reliefs Symbole Mesopotamischer Gottheiten Academic Press Fribourg 24 221 no 12 for the detail 168f no XLIIIReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Land grant to Hasardu kudurru a b Eleanor Robson 2008 Mathematics in Ancient Iraq A Social History Princeton University Press pp 167 169 F A M Wiggerman 2007 The Four Winds and the Origins of Pazuzu In Claus Wilcke ed Das Geistige Erfassen Der Welt Im Alten Orient Sprache Religion Kultur Und Gesellschaft Eisenbrauns p 154 Tallay Ornan 2005 The Triumph of the Symbol Pictorial Representation of Deities in Mesopotamia and the Biblical Image Ban Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht pp 45 52 a b L Sassmannshausen 2001 Bettrage zur verwaltung und Gesellschaft Babyloniens in der Kassitenzeit Philipp von Zabern pp 55 59 mu irru CAD m 2 p 179 ḫazannu CAD ḫ p 164 J A Brinkman 1968 A Political History of post Kassite Babylonia 1158 722 B C AnOr 43 Pontificium Institutum Biblicum pp 309 311 L R Siddal 2007 A re examination of the title SA RESI in the Neo Assyrian period In Joseph Azize N Weeks ed Gilgamesh and the World of Assyria Proceedings of the Conference Held at the Mandelbaum House The University of Sydney 21 23 July 2004 Peeters Publishers pp 225 226 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Land grant to Ḫasardu kudurru amp oldid 1191947356, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
