Details

LOT 0190

Old Babylonian Cuneiform Messenger Tablet Recording the Journeys of Royal Envoys

END OF AMAR-SIN'S REIGN, 2047-2038 B.C.

3 1/2 in. (186 grams, 89 mm).

Pillow-shaped clay tablet with dense rows of cuneiform text in two columns to each face, (79 lines in total):

1-3. x liters of beer 4 liters of bread, (for) Ili… royal messenger, when he went to …
4-6. x liters of beer x liters of bread, (for) … royal messenger when he went to (visit) the commisionar, dedicated to a judiciary case
7-10. 5 liters of beer 5 liters of bread, (for) Turam-ili royal messenger when he went (concerning) the fugitive troop from Irisagrig who have been arrested,
11-13. 3 liters of bear 2 liters of bread, (for) Ilum-bani, royal messenger when he went (concerning) the fugitive troop, slaves of the palast who have been arrested,
14. 5 liters 5 liters of bread, (for) …
15-17. 5 liters of beer 5 liters of bread, (for) Lu-BaU royal messenger, when he went to the Šubartum (land)
18-19. 5 liters of beer 5 liters of bread, (for) Šu-Ea royal messenger
20-22. 2 liters of beer 4 liters of bread, (for) Ur-Šul-pa’e, when he was in charge of the zigum-equids
23-25. 3 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Ibquša royal messenger when he went to (the city of) Zitian
26-28. 3 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) the secretary, royal messenger when he went to Dadani (the gouvernor).
20-30. 5 liters of beer 5 liters of bread, (for) Hurazi royal messenger
31-32. 3? liters of beer 2 liters of breed, (for) Šu-Eštar royal messenger
33-34. 3 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Dada the royal messenger
35-37. 3 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Dudu royal messenger when they went to (the city of) Der
38-39. 3 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Šu-Erra royal messenger
40-43. 3 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Šu-Iškur royal messenger when he left (the city of) Der to the king's place
44-45. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Narua-igidu the cook
46-47. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of breed, (for) Puzur-Šuba the cook
48-49. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Ababum the cook
50-51. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Ur-Eana
52-53. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Lu-diĝira
54-56. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Ir-Nanna
57-59. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Šu-Enlila, (who) are boatmen
60-61. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Lu-Nanna
62-64. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Namtiešta, (who) are people (working) on the boat’s bow
65-66. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Apil-nia
67-68. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Ur-Enki
69-70. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Nanna-bazige
71-74. 2 liters of beer 2 liters of bread, (for) Lu-Ninšubur, (who) are boatmen …, when the went to (fetch) the equids for the queen

Total : 92 liters of beer […]

Provenance

Specialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman and housed in London before 1992.
Thence by descent to family members.
Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples.

Accompanied by a typed and illustrated report with translation.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12120-216213.