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Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,255
1900-1700 BC
4" (168 grams, 10.1cm).
A clay tablet containing a forty-one line extract from a Royal hymn, which claims to be written by Enḫedu'anna, a daughter of the great king Sargon of Akkad; accompanied by a copy of a typed and signed scholarly note by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Clay Tablet, 102 x 55 mm., with Section of Sumerian Royal Hymn. This tablet is joined from two pieces with a little loss of text at the break and also due to other damage. However, of the 41 lines of cuneiform script which it contains, the majority are complete and legible. The tablet has a 40-line extract from a hymn which claims to be written by Enḫedu'anna, a daughter of the great king Sargon of Akkad (c. 2235-2279 B.C.). The total composition consists of 153 lines, and this tablet gives lines 40-79. This tablet is Old Babylonian, c. 1900-1700 B,C., and after the extract has a single line giving a date, but only the day of the month remains. Enḫedu'anna is claimed as author of quite a few Sumerian texts which survive, and though it is always possible that she employed professional scribes to compose the texts, the very personal matter in some of them does give the impression that they do in fact reflect her thoughts. This hymn is usually known today, as it was in the ancient world by the first phrase, Nin-me-sharra, 'Lady of all the cosmic regulations.' It is in fact is (sic) praise of the goddess Inanna. Enḫedu'anna was appointed by her father to be high priestess of Nanna, moon-god of Ur, and she held that post for a long time, until the reign of her nephew Narām-Sîn, but in a rebellion against Narām-Sîn Ur was led by a man Lugal-anne, and according to this hymn he deposed Enḫedu'anna from her office, which is not surprising.
Translation
[Lady] who makes glad the [reins], lady [who makes rejoice] the heart,
Whose anger is not appeased, the daughter of [Sîn,] the great one,
Lady who excels over the land, who has [refused] you worship?
In the mountain where you worship is withheld, grain is taboo,
Its (the mountain's) great gate you have turned to ashes.
Its rivers bear blood for you: its people have nothing to drink.
It leads to you its army captive,
Its troops break up for you of their own accord.
Its strong young men [go before you] of their own accord.
A storm has taken over[the city's] dancing,
The men and domestic animals are driven before you as captives.
Over the city of which it was not said, 'The land is yours,'
Of which it was not spoken, 'It belongs to the father who begat you,'
You have uttered your holy command, [have turned it back from your way],
[Have caused] your foot [to be removed] from its animal pens.
Its women [do not speak] pleasantly with their husbands,
By night they do not confer [in love],
[They do not reveal] the holy things of their bodies.
Aggressive wild cow, [daughter of Sîn the great one],
Lady superior to An, [who has refused your worship?]
One of the right cosmic regulations, great lady [of ladies,]
Who came forth from the holy womb, [superior to] the mother[who bore you],
Extremely wise one, lady of the lands,
Life of the abundant peoples, let me [chant] your holy song!
Faithful deity, fitted for the cosmic regulations,
It is magnificent to speak of you with power!
Merciful, truly pure of heart, let me speak of your cosmic regulations.
I enter my holy sanctum,
I, high priestess, I Enḫedu'anna,
I carry the basket, I sing the hymn,
But now [I am put] in the retreat and have to live thus.
The light is extinguished, the day is darkened,
Shadows come near, the storm covers (everything).
My honeyed mouth speaks confusion,
My pleasant disposition has turned to dust.
Sîn, what is this Lugal-anne to me?
Speak to An that An may release me,
You must [say] to An, 'Now!' [that An may release me.]
[This woman will despoil the manhood of Lugal]-anne.
[Mountain and flood lie at her] feet.
[That woman is] exalted, [she will make the city abandon him.]
[Month ....], 18th day, [year .....]
This is an important new addition to the textual history of this fascinating personal hymn said to have been written by the king's own daughter.' [No Reserve]
PROVENANCE:
Ex central London gallery; acquired 2000 from a UK dealer; acquired by them from an Oxford academic, catalogue number c/1178; examined by the late Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s; and accompanied a copy of a typed and unsigned two page scholarly note and translation by the Professor; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10254-166488.
