DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Unpublished Old Babylonian Letters in the Slemani Museum (Selected Letters) Volume I Ardalan Khwshnaw 2018 Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Humanities DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Ardalan Khwshnaw Unpublished Old Babylonian Letters in the Slemani Museum (Selected Letters) Volume I Doctoral School of History, Dr. Gábor Erdödy, head of Doctoral School Assyriology Program, Dr. Tamás Dezső, head of Doctoral program Members of the Committee and their academic degree: president: Dr. Tamás Dezső head of Doctoral program reviewer : Dr. Csabai Zoltan PhD. reviewer: Dr. Adám Vér PhD. member: Dr. Buhály Attila PhD. secretary: Dr. Zoltán Niederreiter PhD. Supervisors: Dr. Gábor Kalla PhD., habilitated university docens and Dr. András Bácskay PhD. Budapest, 2018 Table of Contents Knowledeg ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter I: An Introduction to Old Babylonian Letters I.1. A Survey of Old Babylonian Letters Publications …………………………… ...................... 5 I.2. The Provenance of Old Babylonian Letters ………………………………… ...................... 21 I.3. The General Form of Old Babylonian Letters ……………………………… ....................... 34 I.3.1. Simple Formula ………………………………………………………………….. ......... 34 I.3.1.1. ana PN (Recipient/Addresser)………………………. ............................................. 35 I.3.1.2. qibī-ma ………………………………………… ..................................................... 35 I.3.1.3. umma PN (Sender/Writer) ………………… ............................................................ 35 I.3.1.4. Letter Content ……………………… ....................................................................... 36 I.3.2. Greeting Formula ………………………… .................................................................... 37 I.3.2.1. Simple formula …………………… ......................................................................... 37 I.3.2.2. GNN Greeting/Salutation …………… ..................................................................... 37 I.3.2.3. Letter Content ……………………… ....................................................................... 38 I.3.3. Other Formula ………………………………………… ................................................. 44 I.4. The Type of Old Babylonian Letters …………………………… ......................................... 44 I.4.1. Royal Letters ……………………………………… ....................................................... 44 I.4.2. Official Letters ………………………………………… ................................................ 45 I.4.3. Business Letters ……………………………………… .................................................. 45 I.4.4. Private Letters ………………………………………… ................................................. 45 I.4.5. School Letters …………………………………………. ................................................ 45 I.4.6. Other Subject ………………………………………….. ................................................ 45 I.5. Old Babylonian Letters give a lot of Important Information About … ................................. 45 I.5.1. Economy …………………………………… ................................................................. 45 I.5.2. Political History …………………………….. ................................................................ 46 I.5.3. Administration ……………………………. ................................................................... 46 I.5.4. Law ………………………………………………… ..................................................... 47 I.5.5. Society ………………………………………………..................................................... 48 I.5.6. Historical Geography …………………………… .......................................................... 48 Chapter II: Historical Background of Old Babylonian Period II.1. Isin ……………………………… ........................................................................................ 49 II.1.1.The First Kings of the Isin Kingdom ………………… .................................................. 50 II.1.2 Isin-Larsa Combat ………………………. ..................................................................... 52 II.1.3 The End of the Isin Kingdom …………………………… ............................................. 55 II.2. Larsa ………………………………………………. ............................................................ 57 II.2.1. The First Four Kings of Larsa Kingdom ……………… ............................................... 57 II.2.2. Gungunum as the First Strong King of Larsa 1932-1906 B.C.. ……. ........................... 59 II.2.3. The Reign of Abī-sarē 1905-1895 B.C.. ……………………………… ........................ 61 II.2.4. Another Strong King of Larsa …………………………… ........................................... 62 II.2.5. Nūr-Adad 1865-1850 B.C.. …………………………………… ................................... 64 II.2.6. The Reign of Sîn-iddinam 1849-1843 B.C.. ……………………. ................................. 65 II.2.7. Larsa from 1842-1835 B.C.. ………………………………… ...................................... 66 II.2.8: A New Amorite Dynasty in Larsa …………………………. ........................................ 68 II.2.9: Larsa During the Second King of the New Amorite Dyanasty …… ............................. 69 II.2.10. The End of the Larsa Kingdom ……………………… ............................................... 72 II.2.11. A New King at Larsa ………………………. .............................................................. 74 II.3. Babylon …………………………………… ........................................................................ 75 II.3.1. The First King of the First Babylonian Dynasty ………………… ............................... 75 II.3.2. The Second Babylonian King ……………………………… ........................................ 76 II.3.3. Babylon from 1844-1813 B.C. ……………………………. ......................................... 77 II.3.4. Babylon during the Reign of Sîn-muballiṭ 1812-1793 B.C. …………… ...................... 79 II.3.5. Babylon during the Reign of its Great King …………………………………… .......... 80 II.3.6. The Conquest of Larsa by Hammurapi in 1763 B.C.. ………….. ................................. 82 II.3.7. Hammurapi Campaigns to the North …………… ......................................................... 84 II.3.8. Babylon under the Reign of Samsu-ilūna 1749-1712 B.C.. …………… ...................... 84 II.3.9. Samsu-ilūna Victories over his Enemies ……………………….. ................................ 85 II.3.10. Babylon under the Reign of Abī-ešuh 1711-1684 B.C.. ………… ............................. 86 II.3.11. Babylon from 1683 to 1626 B.C.. …………………………. ...................................... 87 II.3.12. The Last King of the First Dynasty of Babylon ……… .............................................. 88 II.3.13. The End of the First Dynasty of Babylonian ………………… ................................... 88 II.4. Uruk ……………………………………… .......................................................................... 89 II.4.1. The Sîn-kāšid Dynasty in Uruk ………………… ......................................................... 89 Chapter III: Provenance and Historical Background of Letters III.1. Introduction …………………………………………. ........................................................ 94 III.1.1. Personal Names ………………… ................................................................................ 96 III.1.2. Greeting Formula ……………………………… ......................................................... 97 III.1.3. Form of Letters …………………… ............................................................................. 99 III.1.4. Geographical Names ……………………… ................................................................ 99 III.2. Early Old Babylonian Letters ………………………… ..................................................... 99 III.2.1. Letters of Sāsija ……………………………………… .............................................. 100 III.2.2. Letter of Sāsija to Lipit-Ištar ………………. ............................................................. 103 III.2.3. Letters addressed to Sāsija ……………………… ..................................................... 103 III.2.4. Letter addressed to NIG-Sîn …………………. .......................................................... 103 III.2.5. Letter of Ur-Ištar ………………………. ................................................................... 103 III.2.6. Letter addressed to Namzitarra ……………… .......................................................... 104 III.2.7. Letter of Marduk-mukīn-šimtim ................. ............................................................... 104 III.2.8. Letter of Sîn-rabi …………………… ........................................................................ 104 III.2.9. Letter of Naram-Sîn to Emṣi‟um ……………………. ............................................... 105 III.2.10. Letter of Ahum to Warad-Marduk …………… ....................................................... 105 III.2.11. Letter of Ikūn-pî-Iškurma to Rabī-ṣillašu …………................................................. 106 III.2.12. Letter of Simmūgra …………… .............................................................................. 107 III.3. Rīm-Sîn I - Hammurapi period Letters ………… ............................................................. 108 III.3.1. Letter of Warad-Marduk to Etel-pî-Ištar ………… .................................................... 108 III.3.2. Letter sent to Awīl-ili …………………… ................................................................. 108 III.3.3. Letter of Ilī-amtahhar to Ilī-ummati …………… ....................................................... 109 III.3.4. Letter of Ninurta-balāṭīm to Sîn-imgurranni ………… .............................................. 111 III.3.5. Letter of Sîn-šemi ………………… ..........................................................................