LOT 0177

Western Asiatic Elamite King Shihak-Insusinak I Royal Cuneiform Brick

1150-1120 BC

13 1/4" (2.9 kg total, 34cm wide including stand).

A fired clay brick with seven lines of cuneiform text referring to King Shihak-Insusinak I; accompanied by a scholarly note by Dr. Manuel Ceccarelli, phD earned at the University of Tübingen, Germany, which states:
'Brick with Elamite cuneiform inscription of Shilhak-lnshushinak, king of Elam (South-West Iran), ca. 1150 –1120 BCE. This royal inscription celebrates the restoration of the temple of the goddess Kirisha. The inscription can be reconstructed thanks to similar bricks.'I, Shilhak-lnshushinak, son of Shutruk-Nahhunte, beloved servant of Kiririsha and Inshushinak, King of Anzan and Susa: Humbanumena built the temple of Kiririsha-of-Liyan with unbacked mudbricks, and, as it threatened ruin, I restored it to its original state: with backed bricks, I (re)built it, and for my life, for the life of Nahhunte-Utu, of Hutelutush-lnshushinak, of Shilhina-hamru-Lakamar, of Kutir-Huban, of lshnikarab-huhun, of Urutuk -EI-halahu and of Utu-ehihi-Pinigir, with this intention,for our sake(?), I gave it to Kiririsha, my goddess.'';mounted on a custom-made stand.

Property of a London gentleman; acquired at Bonhams, London, 22nd September 1998, lot 140; previously in a private UK collection; accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages and Dr. Manuel Ceccarelli's notes.