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RECORDS OF THE PAST
RECORDS OF THE PAST

BEING ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
OF THE
ANCIENT MONUMENTS OF EGYPT AND
WESTERN ASIA
NEW
SERIES
EDITED BY
A.
VOL.
H.
SAYCE
Multa; terricolis lingua;, coelestibus una
LONDON
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND
15
SONS,
PATERNOSTER ROW
A II rights
reserved
LIMITED
PREFACE
THE favourable reception accorded to the first series
of Records of the Past, and the hope more than once
since
expressed
series
discontinuance
its
would be again
attempt
to
lay before the public
important documents
left
us
some
by the
of the ancient Oriental world.

that have elapsed since the
that
have led to
started,
first
similar
this
second
of the most
civilised nations
During the ten years

series was concluded,
Assyrian research may be said to have entered upon

a new phase.
Expeditions have returned from
Babylonia, bringing with them the spoils of ancient
libraries, the clay tablets preserved in the British
Museum
and
elsewhere
have
been
copied
and
examined with increased industry and exactness,

and students have been flocking to the new study in
The decipherment of the

cuneiform inscriptions of Van has opened up a fresh
world of language and history, and the geography of
Germany and America.
Western Asia
in
the
out in almost
mapped
The increase
Assyrian
all its
epoch
has
been
essential details.
of materials, and
more
especially of
PREFACE
vi
labourers in the field of research, has
ledge of the Assyrian
more
made our know
lexicon at once
Inscriptions which were
accurate.
ten years ago can
now be
to exactness, while
many
read with a
wider and
still
fair
obscure
approach
of the translations proposed

in the former series of the Records can be amended
in
many
Indeed there are certain cases
respects.
in
knowledge has shown the

tentative renderings of a few years ago to be so
faulty, if not misleading, that it has been determined
which the progress
to replace
them by
is now being
The new series
which
an
of
revised translations in the series

issued.
will, it
improvement upon
points.
The
introductions
its
is
hoped, be found to be
predecessor
in
certain
translations will be provided with fuller
and
notes, bearing
more
particularly
upon the history, geography, and theology of the

texts, and drawing attention to the illustrations they
afford of the Scriptures of the Old Testament.
The
historical inscriptions, moreover, will be published, so
far as is possible, in chronological order.
In one point, however, a difference will be noticed

between the plan of this second series of Records and
that of the first.
The value of a translation from a
language known only to a few scholars depends

large measure upon the confidence with which
in
its
The writer who

precise wording can be accepted.
wishes to make use of a translation from an Egyp
tian or Assyrian
purposes ought
text for historical or controversial

to
know where
it
is
certain,
and
PREFACE
where
ought
it is
Vli
lie
only possible, or at most probable.
or
or
words
of
passages
warning
to receive
readings
of
doubtful character, and the translator
ought to provide proofs of any new renderings he
may
give.
In the present series of volumes, accord
doubtful words and expressions will be

followed by a note of interrogation, the preceding
ingly,
word being put
where necessary other

be used only for the transliteration
of proper names or words which cannot at present
be translated.
The notes will contain a justification
wise
of
italics
new
into italics
will
translations,
whether of words hitherto uncle-
ciphered or of words to which a different signification

has hitherto been attached.
The names of indi
viduals will be distinguished from those of deities or
by being printed in Roman type, whereas

names of deities and localities will be in capitals.
localities
the
Though
exploration
carried on actively in
thanks mainly to the
and discovery have been
Egypt during the last decade,

Egypt Exploration Eund and
the enterprise of Professor Maspero, the results have

not been so startling or numerous as those which
have attended the progress of the younger study of

There is not the same reason for
Assyriology.
amending the
translations, previously published, of
Egyptian documents, nor has any large number of

been brought to light. Instead, there
historical texts
fore,
of publishing alternately translations from the
Assyrian and Egyptian monuments, Assyrian and

Egyptian texts will appear in the same volume,
PREFACE
Vlll
though
element
it
will
will
doubtless happen that the Assyrian

preponderate in some volumes, the
Egyptian element
Egyptian and Assyrian,
in others.
Phoe
of course, will not be exclusively represented
nicians and Proto-Armenians have left us written
;
monuments; comparatively few though they may be,

and the Records of tJie Past would be incomplete
without such important inscriptions as that of the
Moabite king Mesha or of the Hebrew Pool of
Siloam.
In
commending
the
first
volume of
this
new
series
of Records to the approval of the public, the Editor

must not forget to say that the enterprise is inter
national,
ities
his
eminent scholars belonging to
having consented to take
name appears somewhat
present volume,
it
is
part in
it,
all
national
and that
too frequently in
the
a fault which shall not occur
again.
A. H.
S COLLEGE, OXFORD,
id August 1888.
QUEEN
if
SAYCE.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PACE
I.
THE DYNASTIC TABLETS AND CHRONICLES

OF THE BABYLONIANS.
II.
III.
By
the
SIN-GASHID
PINCHES
......
By
the
78
By Mr. THEO.
EDITOR
84
KING
I,
.
86
THE ASSYRIAN STORY OF THE CREATION.

By
VII.
42
PINCHES,
Museum
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLATH-PILESER
OF ASSYRIA.
VI.
By M.
By Mr. THEO. G.
AN ERECHITE S LAMENT.
(}.
ENDOWMENT OF THE TEMPLE
Assistant-Curator in the British
V.
.....
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF TELLOH.

ARTHUR AMIAUD
E-ANA.
IV.
EDITOR
the
EDITOR
THE BABYLONIAN STORY
.122
OF THE CREATION
ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF CUTHA.
By
the
EDITOR
.147
CONTENTS
PAGE
VIII. BABYLONIAN
By
LAWSUITS
Professor
Institute
IX.
JUDGMENTS.
OPPERT, Member of the
.154
INSCRIPTION OF MENUAS, KING OF ARARAT,

IN
THE
VANNIC
EDITOR
X.
J.
AND
LANGUAGE.
.
THE ANCIENT HEBREW

SILOAM.
By
the
EDITOR
By
.
INSCRIPTION
.
the
.163
OF
.168
EQUIVALENTS OF THE HEBREW LETTERS

LITERATION
OF
ASSYRIAN
IN
THE TRANS
NAMES MENTIONED
IN
THESE VOLUMES.
K
1
hi
Km
/i
P|
it,
kh
LD
/, j/
/c-
N.B. Those Assyriologists who transcribe

The Assyrian e represents a diphthong as well as
Y
p
s,s
<
,7
-I
C*
.f,
by
5//
s/i
use
^ for
D.
]}.
In the Introductions and Notes W. A. I. denotes The

Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, in five volumes,
published by the Trustees of the British Museum.
THE ASSYRIAN CALENDAR

CORRESPONDING MONTHS
1.
2.
3.
Sivanu (Sivan)
4.
Duzu (Tammuz)
5.
Abu (Ab)
6.
Ululu (Elul)
7.
Tasritu (Tisri)
8.
Arakh
"
9.
i
o.
March
Ni sannu (Nisan)
Aaru (lyyar)
Ki
....
May
June.
June
July
July.
August.
September.
September
October.
(Marchesvan)
month
"
silivu (Chisleu)
Dhabitu (Tebet)
12.
Sabadhu (Sebat)
Addaru (Adar)
13.
Arakh-makhru (Ve-Adar), the
1 1.
May.
August
savna
the 8th
April.
April
October
November
December
January
February
November.
December.
January.
February.
March.
intercalary month.
THE DYNASTIC TABLETS AND

CHRONICLES OF THE BABYLONIANS
BY THE EDITOR
CHRONOLOGY
we
the skeleton of history, and until

can find the correct chronological place for a his
torical
is
monument
it
loses a large part of its value.
Thanks to the lists of the so-called eponyms, by

means of whom the Assyrians dated their years, the
chronology of the Assyrian kings has long since been
placed upon a satisfactory footing as far back as the
tenth century before our era.
The
dates, moreover,
assigned by Sennacherib to Tiglath-Pileser I. (B.C.

1 1
06), and Tukulti-Uras, the son of Shalmaneser I.
1290), as well as the lengthy genealogies with
which these kings are connected, enable us to extend
(B.C.
Assyrian chronology back for another five hundred

years, though, of course, with only approximate
accuracy.
While our knowledge of Assyrian chronology,

however, has thus been tolerably fixed for a long
time past, we have had to depend upon the vague
and contradictory statements of Greek writers for
VOL.
RECORDS OF THE PAST

our knowledge of the chronology of the older king
dom of Babylonia. Apart from the invaluable table
of kings
known
as
Canon, which belongs

Babylonian history, and the
Ptolemy
to the later period of
unsatisfactory
of dynasties
list
epitomist of Berossos, our only
excerpted from an
monumental authori
Babylonian chronology were the Assyrian

inscriptions themselves, together with a few fragments
for
ties
of
tablet
dynastic
brought
to
light
by Mr.
George Smith and the so-called Synchronous History

of Assyria and Babylonia, of which I published a
translation in the former series of Records
of the
Synchronous History was

an
composed by
Assyrian scribe, and consists of
brief notices of the occasions on which the kings of
Past
(vol.
This
iii.)
"
"
the two countries had entered into relation, hostile or

otherwise, with one another.
was published
Since
my
translation
1874, another large fragment of

the tablet has been discovered, and accordingly I
in
purpose giving a new translation of the whole docu
ment
in a future
volume of the present

"
"
Synchronous History
series.
The
gives no dates, and conse
chronological value depends upon
our
knowledge of the respective dates to which

Assyrian monarchs mentioned in it belong.
the
quently
its
few years a number of discoveries

due to Mr. Pinches has entirely changed our position
Within the
last
regard to the chronology of the Babylonian kings.

As I have already stated, Mr. Smith found among
in
the tablets brought from the royal library of Nineveh
DYNASTIC TABLETS OF THE BABYLONIANS
a small fragment which, as he perceived, contained

the names and regnal years of the kings of Baby
lonia,
The work
in dynasties.
arranged
to
which
it
belonged must accordingly have been similar to that

from which Berossos derived his dynastic list of
Mr. Smith published the frag
Chaldean monarchs.
ment, with a translation

Transactions of
tJie
and commentary,
in
the
of Biblical ArcJuzology,
Society
It is written on both sides, and the

(1874).
tablet once consisted of six columns, each containing
iii.
about
seventy
lines.
will
call
the
it
"
Third
Dynastic Tablet."
The next discovery was made by Mr. Pinches six
years later among the inscriptions brought from the
site
by the overseer of Mr. Hormuzd

He found among them a small tablet of
of Babylon
Rassam.
unbaked
clay, quite
complete and inscribed on both
names of the kings belonging

to two early dynasties, the number of years reigned
by each king being added to the names in the case
sides.
It contains the
of the
first
of schoolboy
some
larger
memory.
The
dynasty.
s
exercise,
work
in
The Reverse
tablet
the
"
having been copied from

be committed to
has been published by Mr.

tlic
Society of Biblical
7th December 1880, and
First Dynastic
to be a sort
order to
Pinches in the Proceedings of

Archaeology,
seems
will
call
it
Tablet."
the
more important document
Mr.
was
Tablet
Second Dynastic
published by
Another and
"
"
Pinches, with a translation and explanation, in the
RECORDS OF THE PAST

Proceedings of the Society of Biblical ArcJitzology, 6th
May 1884. This is also a tablet of unbaked clay
from Babylonia, and
it
contains a
list
of the
Baby
lonian sovereigns, arranged in dynasties, from the
first
dynasty which made the city of Babylon the capital
down to the period of the Persian conquest. The

number of regnal years is added to the name of
each king and the length of time each dynasty lasted
The names of some of the kings

duly recorded.
are written in an abbreviated form
this is especially
the case with those belonging to the second dynasty.
is
The
list,
notice
"
will
be observed,
is
confined to the
reigned
Babylon itself. No
taken of the kings and dynasties who ruled
Accad and Sumer" before Babylon became the
dynasties
in
it
which
in
is
capital of the empire.
The
lost
columns
of the
Third Dynastic Tablet show how numerous they

were, and the fact is borne out by the bricks and
"
"
other
monuments
of
early
Chaldean
monarchs
whose names do not occur among the successors of

Sumu-abi. Most of the kings, indeed, whose names
are
known
to us in connection with the temples they
belonged to older dynasties than
built or restored
those which had their seat in the city of Babylon.

considerable number of their names is to be
another tablet brought by Mr. Rassam from

and
Assyria,
published by Mr. Pinches in the Pro
found
in
ceedings of the Society of Biblical ArcJiczology, iith

small portion of it had already
January 1881.
been published
in
W. A.
I., ii.
65, and had given rise

to a
good many false conclusions. The object of

was philological and not chronological in
this tablet
fact the writer expressly states that the
kings were
"
not written according to their chrono
He
order."
logical
names of the
merely wished to furnish the
Semitic or Assyro-Babylonian translations of the

Accado-Sumerian and Kassite names borne by so
many
mode
of the early princes, and in
some
cases of the
which the names of Semitic kings were pro

nounced or written by their Accadian subjects.
in
Among
the latter
is
the
name
of Sargon of Accad,
the ancient hero of the Semitic population of Chaldaea,

who founded the first Semitic empire in the country
and established a great library
in his capital city of
The seal of his

Sippara.
librarian, Ibni-sarru, of very beautiful workmanship,
Agade
or
Accad near
now
in
Paris,
is
and has been published by M. de
Clercq (Collection de Clcrcq,
pi.
5,
No. 46), while a
copy of his annals, together with those of his son

His
Naram-Sin, is to be found in \V. A. I., iv. 34.
date has been fixed by a passage in a cylinder of
Nabonidos discovered in the ruins of the temple of
the Sun-god at Sippara, and published in W. A. I.,
The antiquarian zeal of Nabonidos led him to
64.
v.
the foundations of the temple in the

hope of finding the cylinder of Naram-Sin, who was
known to have been the founder of it, and he tells
excavate
us
"
(col.
among
ii.
56
sought for
deep
seg.)
its
old foundation-stone, and eighteen cubits
RECORDS OF THE PAST

into the ground, and the foundation-stone
Naram-Sin, the son of Sargon,
which for 3200 years no king who had gone before
I
dug
had
of
me
seen,
the Sun-god, the great lord of E-Babara, the temple of the

seat of the goodness of his heart,
let
me
see,
even
me."
In the opinion, therefore, of Nabonidos, a king

a passion for investigating the past records
who had
of his country,
his
own
Naram-Sin reigned 3200 years before
time, that
Before the
of Accad,
lies
rise
is
to say,
about
B.C.
3700.
of the Semitic
that earlier
kingdom of Sargon
Accado-Sumerian period
when Babylonia was still in the hands of a people

who spoke an agglutinative language, such as those
of the modern Turks or Finns, and had originated
the cuneiform system of writing and the primitive
Relics of this
civilisation of the Chaldean cities.
period have been discovered by M. de

Sarzec in the mounds of Tel-loh, and the Sumerian
ancient
which
inscriptions
they bear are
now being de
ciphered by French scholars, more especially by

M. Amiaud. M. Amiaud has been good enough
to introduce the historical documents of Babylonia
and Assyria
the
readers
of the
present series
of Records of the Past, by his translations of these
oldest memorials of human life and thought in the
to
valley of the Euphrates.
about
B.C.
flourished as far
our
era.
If
3800, the kings
Sargon of Accad lived

must have
of Telloh
back as the fourth millennium before
The
last chronological
document brought
during the last few years
is
most important of
This
termed
May
Dr. Winckler
Dr.
translation
the
it
(1887);
Oppert.
It
in
in
The
and commentary by
ZeitscJtrift fiir
has
tablet
also
Assyriologic,
been translated
i,
by
(which is marked 84.

from Babylonia and is
356) was brought

inscribed on both sides with four columns of
2-1
it
Society of Biblical A rcJiatology,

Since then, the text has been
a
in
dis
its
of
tJie
1884.
published with
2,
what has been

"
the Proceedings of
ii.
is
to light
respects the
The Babylonian Chronicle

by
Mr. Pinches, who gave an abstract
"
coverer,
6th
all.
many
in
text.
was a copy or compilation made by a Babylonian

the reign of Darius from older records, and must
to the document from which
Canon of Babylonian kings was extracted.
have been similar
Ptolemy
Like the
B.C.
latter
it
starts
from the era of Nabonassar,
747.
The
chronicle
is
written from a Babylonian point
of view, and must therefore be checked by contem
poraneous
What
Assyrian inscriptions.
scribe as Assyrian successes are
over altogether or
they de
sometimes passed
as
Babylonian vic
The Assyrian kings Tiglath-Pileser III and
tories.
Shalmaneser IV are not acknowledged under the
represented
names they had adopted from two of the most

illustrious monarchs of the first Assyrian empire,
but under their original names of Pul and Ulula
Sargon, on the other hand, whose name was that of
;
RECORDS OF THE PAST

the favourite hero of Babylonian legend,
by the same name in the Chronicle as he
monuments
of
At
Assyria.
the
is
is
known
on the
same time the
Chronicle helps us in correcting the inaccuracies of

the Assyrian accounts, where, for example, Suzub
represents both Nergal-yusezib and Musezib-Mero-
dach.
In
confirms the judgment, already

Assyriologists, that Sennacherib is the
fact,
expressed by
it
least trustworthy of the royal historians of Assyria.
We
are at present ignorant of the precise
way
in
which the Babylonians reckoned their chronology.

Tn Assyria the years were named after certain officers,
eponyms, who were changed

each year, and as most of the institutions of Assyria
were derived from Babylonia it is very probable that
ordinarily
known
as
the system of counting time by the names of the

eponyms was also of Babylonian invention. How far
we can
trust the dates assigned to the kings of the
earlier dynasties
is
open to question.
The
length of
jeign assigned to the kings of the dynasties of the
sea and of Bit-Bazi in the Second and Third Dynastic

Tablets do not agree, while the number of regnal years
îven to the several kings of the first dynasty of Babylon
hot only plays on the same ciphers but is suspiciously
On the other hand, the contract -tablets be
long.
longing to the time of Khammuragas imply that his

reign was not a short one.
There
lists
evidence in a later part of the dynastic

that at least one name has been omitted.
Dr.
is
Winckler has published
(in
the Zeitsclirift fiir As-

syriologic,
from
ii.
commencement
the
3)
Babylonia (marked
certain king of Babylon,
the son of Kara-Urus.
of an inscription
belonging to a
himself Kuri-galzu
83.1-18)
who
calls
Dr. Winckler shows that this
must be Kuri-galzu II, and that his name ought to

in the list between those of Kara-Urus and
occur
Rimmon-nadin-suma.
It is quite possible that
reigns have fallen out in other parts of the
The lacuna
other
lists.
the Second Dynastic Tablet be

tween the beginning of the eighth dynasty and the
in
commencement
of the reign of
Nabonassar unfor
tunately prevents us from determining with certainty

the date assigned by the compiler of it to Sumu-abi.
But there are two synchronisms between Babylonian
and Assyrian history which may serve
to
remedy the
defect.
According to Sennacherib, Meroclach-nadinakhe defeated Tiglath-Pileser I, 418 years before his
own conquest
of Babylon, that
is
to say, in B.C. 1106,
while the "Synchronous History makes Assur-bilkala, the son of Tiglath-Pileser I, the contem
"
porary of Merodach-sapik-kullat, and Assur-dan the

great-grandfather of Tiglath-Pileser I, the contem
porary of Zamama-nadin-suma, the father of Assur-
dan being contemporaneous with Rimmon-[sumanatsir ?].

If Merodach-nadin-akhe is the ninth king
of the dynasty of Isin, the date of
suma
will
be
B.C.
Zamama-nadin-
1160, agreeing very well with the
period to which the end of the reign of Assur-dan
should be assigned.
who
flourished
In this case Sagasalti-buryas,

will not
800 years before Nabonidos,
RECORDS OF THE PAST

be identical with the Saga-sal [tiyas] of the dynastic
list.
The reign of Khammuragas will have com
menced
B.C.
establishing
We
2282,
its
the
dynasty of
first
power there in
B.C.
learn from the inscriptions of
that he
was the
first
Babylon
2394.
Khammuragas
of his dynasty to rule over the
whole of Babylonia. A rival dynasty had previously

reigned at Karrak in the south, while the Elamites
had invaded portions of the country and probably

held them in subjection. Assur-bani-pal states that
the Elamite king Kudur- Nankhundi had carried
away
the image of the goddess
Nana from Babylonia
1635 years before his own time, or about B.C. 2285,

and contract- tablets refer to the conquest of "the
Elam and King Rim-Agu" of Karrak by

Khammuragas. A large number of contract-tablets,
lord of
indeed, belong not only to the reigns of
Khammu
and his son Samsu-iluna, but also to the reign

ragas
O
O
of Rim-Agu, who seems to have been master of the
greater part of Chaldaea before his overthrow by the
king of Babylon. George Smith was probably right
him with the son of the Elamite prince

Kudur- Mabug, who ruled at Larsa and claimed the
imperial title of king of Sumer and Accad."
The rise of the empire of Khammuragas brought
with it a revival of learning and literature such as
had marked the rise of the empire of Sargon. The
in identifying
"
calendar appears to have been reformed at this

period, and the great native work on astronomy and
astrology put into the shape in which it has come

down
what
The
to us.
some
reign thus formed an era
similar to that of Nabonassar,
and
it is
therefore
how
closely the date I have assigned

with
that arrived at by von Gutcorresponds
schmidt from classical sources for the beginning
o
o of
If the Latin translation can
the Babylonian epoch.
curious to see
to
it
be trusted (Simplicius ad Arist. dc Coelo, 503 A), the

astronomical observations sent by Kallisthcnes from
Babylon to Aristotle
1903 years
(i.e.
in
B.C.
to B.C. 2234).
331
reached back for
Berossos the Chaldean
according to Pliny (x.H. vii. 57), stated

that these observations commenced at Babylon 490
years before the Greek era of Phoroneus, and conse
historian,
quently
in
B.C.
According to Stephanos of
2243.
Byzantium, Babylon was

date (given
built 1002 years before the
by Hellanikos)
for
the siege of
1229), which would bring us to
(B.C.
Ktesias, according to
B.C.
Troy
2231, while
George Syncellus, made the
reign of Belos or Bel-Merodach last for fifty-five years
from
B.C.
2286 to 2231.
The
fifty-five
years of Belos
agree with the fifty-five of Khammuragas.

I add here the Canon of
Babylonian kings given
by Ptolemy in the Almagest.
n.c.
1.
2.
3.
....
Nabonassar (Nabu-natsir), 14 years

Nadios (Nadinu), 2 years
Khinziros and Poros (Yukin-zira and Pul),
.
731
years
4.
the
Iloulaios or Yougaios 1 (Ulula), 5 years

Yougaios, if it is not due to a corruption of the
of Vagina, the father of Merodach-baladan.
name
747
733
text,
may
726
represent
RECORDS OF THE PAST

B.C.
12 years
5.
Mardokempados (Merodach-baladan),
6.
7.
Arkeanos (Sargon), 5 years

1
Interregnum for 2 years
....
8.
Belibos (Bel-ebus), 2 3 years
(Assur-nadin-suma), 6 years
Aparanadios
Regebelos (Nergal-yusezib), i year.
11. Mesesimordakos (Musezib-Merodach), 4 years
12. Interregnum for 8 years
9.
10.
....
13.
14.
15.
Asaridinos (Esar-haddon), 13 years
Saosdoukhinos (Saul-suma-yukin), 20 years

Kineladanos (Kandalanu), 22 years
.
Nabopolassaros (Nabu-pal-utsur), 21 years

17. Nabokolassaros (Nebuchadnezzar), 43 years
1 8.
Ilauaroudamos (Avil-Merodach), 2 years.
1 6.
19.
20.
1
Nerigasolasaros (Nergal-sarra-utsur), 4 years

Nabonadios (Nabu-nahid), 17 years
.
Filled
up according
to
721
709
704
702
700
694
693
689
68 1
668
648
626
605
562
4
56o
556
Alexander Polyhistor by the brother of Senna

and by Merodach-baladan for
cherib, by Hagisa or Akises for thirty days,

six months.
2
Called Elibos by Alexander Polyhistor.

Assordanios according to Alexander Polyhistor.
Josephus (from Berossos) here inserts Laborosoarkhodos, the infant
son of Neriglissor, for three months.
3
4
No.
i.
TRANSLATION OF THE FIRST DYNASTIC

TABLET FROM BABYLON
OliVERSE
1.
2.
Sumu-abi, the king: 15 years.

Sumu-la-ilu, the son of the
Zabu, the son of the same
same: 35
years.
14 years.
18 years.
4. Abil-Sin, the son of the same
5. Sin-muballidh, the son of the same: 30 years.
1
6. Khammu-ragas, the son of the same: 55 years.
Sam su-iluna,- the son of the same 35 years.
7.
3
8. Ebisum,
the son of the same
25 years.
9. Ammi-satana, the son of the same
25 years.
21 years.
10. Ammi-sadugga, 4 the son of the same
1 1.
Sam su-satana (?), the son of the same 31 years.
3.
12.
ii kings of the dynasty of
BABYLON.
REVERSE
1.
(The dynasty
2.
K!-[AN] Nigas.
3.
l)amki-ili-su.
The
of)
Anman
URU-AZAGGA. 5
the king.
five names of the dynasty are Semitic.

Khammuragas is
of a large family."
SinKossasan, and is interpreted
muballidh may have married a foreign wife.
The Sun-god (is) our god," another Semitic name.
1
Kassite
first
"
or
"
4
5
"The doer,"
also Semitic.
Kassite, interpreted
Uru-azagga
is
now
"the
family is established."
represented by a part of the
(the ancient Sirpurla) or its

6
immediate
vicinity.
Nigas was an Elamite word.

Semitic, signifying
"gracious is
his
god."
mounds
of Telloh
KECOXDS OF THE PAST
14
4.
5.
Is-ki-pal.
2
Sussi.
6.
Gul-ki-sar. 3
7.
8.
9.
10.
Kirgal-dara-mas, the son of the same.

4
A-dara-kalama, the son of the same.
A-kur-du-ana. 5
Melam-kurkura. 6
7
11.
Ea-ga(mil?).
12. i[i] kings of the dynasty of URU-AZAGGA.
1
the sweeper away
Perhaps to be read in Semitic Sapin-mat-nukurti,
The name seems to have been a title.
of the land of the foe."
Perhaps the Semitic sitssu, "sixty."
3
the destroyer of hosts."
In Semitic Muabbid-kissati,
4
Apparently, therefore, the son of the preceding king.
5
Rendered by the Semitic Abil-Bel-u sum-same,
the son of Bel (the
lord) of the treasury of heaven."
6
The glory of the world."
7 The last character is
If my restoration is correct,
partially destroyed.
Ea has rewarded."
the name would be Semitic and signify
"
"
"
"
"
"
TRANSLATION OF THE SECOND

DYNASTIC TABLET FROM BABYLON
No.
2.
COLUMN
The first eleven
lines arc destroyed.
12.
ii kings [of the dynasty of
13.
Anma[n]
14.
Ki-AN [Nigas]
15.
1
6.
17.
1
8.
19.
20.
21.
22.
BABYLON]
for
[294
years].
for [5]! (years).

for 55 (years).
x
for
46 (years).
Damki-ili[su]
Is-ki-[pal] for 15 (years).

Sussi, (his) brother, for 27 (years).
Gul-ki-[sar] for 55 (years).
Kirgal-[dara-mas] for 50 (years).
A-dara-[kalama] for 28 (years).

A-kur-du-[ana] for 26 (years).
Melamma-[kurkura]
for 6 (years).
Bel-ga[mil?] for 9 (years).

24. For 368 (years) the
kings of the dynasty of
23.
URU-
AZAGGA.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Gandis
for 16 (years)..
Agum-si[pak] his son for 22 (years).
2
Guya-si[pak] for 22 (years).
Ussi his son for 8 (years).
... (years).
... (years).
29.
Adu-medas
30.
Tazzi-gurumas for
for
Mr. Pinches copy gives 36 years.

Is this king merely a duplicate of his predecessor, the different
spelling of the name having caused the annalist to divide one king into two ?
-
RECORDS OF THE PAST
[Agum-kak-rimi
31.
The next
for
years],
of this column and the first thirteen lines of

the next are destroyed.
line
COLUMN n
14
for
15
1 6
for
22
26
for
8.
(years).
7 (years).
~
Kara
for
Gis-amme ...
17.
(years).
2 (years).
ti
for 6 (years).
Saga-sal [tiy as] for 13 (years).

Kasbat his son for 8 (years).
19.
20.
21. Bel-nadin-sumi for
Kara-Urus
22.
for
i
year (and) 6 months.
year (and) 6 months.
23.
Rimmon-nadin-suma
for 6 (years).
24.
Rimmon-suma-natsir
for
30
(years).
for 15 (years).
Meli-Sipak
26. Merodach-abla-iddin (Merodach-baladan) his son for
25.
13 (years).
Zamama-nadin-sumi 5 for i (year).

G
Bel-suma
for 3 (years).
For 576 (years) 9 months the 36 kings [of the dynasty
27.
28.
29.
of the KASSiTEs]. 7
....
Merodach-
30.
for 17 (years).
Supplied from an inscription of the king himself, \vho styles himself

the son of Agum
the son of Tassi-gurumas, the descendant of Abi
and the offspring of the god Suqamuna.
2
Identified by Dr. Oppert with Kudur - Bel, who, according to
Nabonidos, was the father of Sagasalti-b uryas, the latter of whom reigned
But the identification is doubtful,
800 years before himself (B.C. 1340).
since the names do not agree.
3
"The servant of Bel" (Kudur-Bel) in Kassite.
4
"The man of Merodach" in Kassite.
5
Zamama-nadin-sumi was a contemporary of the Assyrian king Assur.
dan-an (whose name should probably be read Assur-dan, and be identified

with that of Assur-dayan, the great-grandfather of Tiglath-Pileser I.)
B
Or Bel-nadin7
The Kassites were a rude tribe of the Elamite mountains on the north
Noldeke has shown that they must be identified
east side of Babylonia.
with the Kossceans of classical geography.
.
17
for 6 (years).
31
The next
line of this
column and the first four of the next

are destroyed.
COLUMN
for 22 (years).
... x for
in
year and 6 months.
6.
Merodach-nadin-
7.
Merodach-kul[lat]
8.
Nebo-nadin- ... for 9 (years).

For 7 2 (years and) 6 months the
9.
for 13 (years).
1 1
kings of the
3
dynasty of IsiN.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Simmas-si[pak] for 18 (years).

Bel-mukin-[ziri] for 5 months.
Kassii-nadin-akhi for 3 (years).
For 21 (years and) 5 months the three
kings of the
4
dynasty of the land of the Sea.
14.
15.
E-ulbar-sakin-sumi for 17 (years).

Uras-kudurri-[utsur] for 3 (years).
(?)-Suqamu[na] for 3 months.

3 months the 3 kings of the dynasty
6.
Si/^;//;//
7.
For 20 (years and)

of BIT-[BAZI].
8.
AN
[an ELAMITE] for 6 (years).
for 13 (years).
19
1
Perhaps Merodach-nadin-akhi, the antagonist of the Assyrian king

I.
418 years before the conquest of Babylon by Sennacherib,
and consequently B.C. 1106.
Perhaps the Merodach-sapik-kullat of the Synchronous Tablet, who
was a contemporary of Assur-bil-kala, the son of Tiglath-Pileser I.
3
Isin (PA-SE) was also called Pate si
the city of the high-priest" in
Tiglath-Pileser
("
Babylonia), according to \V. A. I., ii. 53, 13.

4
That is, the Persian Gulf.
Merodach-baladan is described below as
also belonging to the dynasty of the country of the Sea, and his ancestral
kingdom was that of the Kalda or Chaldees in Bit-yagina among the
marshes at the mouth of the Euphrates.
VOL.
i8
RECORDS OF THE PAST
20
for 6
months (and) 12
(days).
column and the first

of
fourth column are destroyed.
The next twelve
the
lines
COLUMN
2.
line of the
iv
Nebo-suma-yukin [the son of Dakuri]
for
...
(years).
4.
Nabu-[natsir] for [14] (years).

Nebo-nadin-ziri 2 his son for 2 (years).
5.
Nebo-suma-yukin
6.
The 31
7.
Yukin-zira of the dynasty of SAsi
3.
8.
9.
i
o.
[kings?]
his
son for
month and
12 days.
of the dynasty of BABYLON.
for 3 (years).
Pulu 5 for 2 (years).

Ulula 6 of the dynasty of TINU for 5 (years).
Merodach-abla-iddina (Merodach-baladan) of the dynasty
of the country of the Sea for 12 (years).
for 5 (years).
1 1.
Sargon
12.
Sin-akhe-erba (Sennacherib) of the dynasty of

the greater for 2 (years).
13.
Merodach-zakir-surni the son of Arad-
4.
month.
Merodach-abla-iddina a soldier of KHABI
5.
6.
...
KHABI
for
for 6 .months.
Bel-ebus of the dynasty of Babylon for 3 (years).

Assur-nadin-sumi of the dynasty of KHABI the greater
for 6 (years).
17.
1
Nergal-zusezib for
(year).
The Nabonassar
of Ptolemy s Canon, B.C. 747.

Called Nadinu in the Babylonian Chronicle.
3
Possibly we should supply "years" instead of "kings."
4
The annals of Tiglath-Pileser III show that we should read Sapi or
Yukinzira is the Khinziros of Ptolemy s Canon.
Sape.
5
Pulu is the Pul of the Old Testament, the Poros of Ptolemy s Canon.
His name is replaced by that of Tiglath - Pileser in the Babylonian
Chronicle, and the two years of his reign correspond with the two years
during which Tiglath-Pileser reigned over Babylonia.
6
The Shalmaneser of the Babylonian Chronicle and the Assyrian
monuments, the Ilulaios of Ptolemy s Canon.
7
Does this imply that he was a different person from the famous
2
Merodach-baladan, the contemporary of Sargon and Hezekiah?

1
8.
Musezib-Merodach of the dynasty of BABYLON

(years).
19.
20.
Sin-akhe-erba (Sennacherib) for 8 (years).

Assur-akhe-iddina (Esarhaddon) for [12 years].
21.
Samas-suma-yukin (Saosdukhinos) for [20 years].

Kandal-[anu] (Khineladanos) for [22 years].
22.
The
rest
of tJic tablet
is destroyed.
19
for
RECORDS OF THE PAST
No.
TRANSLATION OF THE THIRD

DYNASTIC TABLET
3.
COLUMN
Obv.
Only the ends of two
....
600
(years)
he reigned.
(were) in
ii
ili
(AN) Illadu
the son of the
Mul-men-nunna
same
(years).
COLUMN
III
It contained about seventy lines.
Is entirely lost.
COLUMN
Rev.
[The dynasty] of BABYLON,

[for
...
....
Obv.
Sumu-[abi
for
....
Kbit (?)-Kis the son of
Zabu
all.
COLUMN
Obv.
.
middle have been preserved.
lines in the
.....
[The kings]
[n
IV
kings for 294 years].
for 15 years].
14 years.]
Abil-Sin [for 18 years].
Sin-[muballidh for 30 years].
The next six
The
For
lines are destroyed.
i[i kings of the dynasty of
URU-AZAGGA].
3 [6 8 years].
An [man] ....
Ki[-AN-nigas]
....
The
rest of the
cohimn
This was the Semitic reading
Pallil.
is destroyed.
the Accadian seems to have been
COLUMN v
Rev.
The marshmcn
The
(?)
leader of
of the country of the sea (were) in
marshmen
the
(?)
of
the land
(was) Simmas-sipak the son of Erba-Sin
whose reign was prosperous
his
all
sea
of the
god brought him aid
years he reigned.
In the palace of Sargon (his corpse) was burned.
Ea-mukin-zira established himself as king, the
i
21
for
Kha smar
son
of
months he reigned.
In the vestments of BIT-KIIA SMAR he was burned.
;
for 3
Kassu-nadin-akhi the son of Sappa
[He was burned]
The
reigned
for
years.
in the palace.
3 kings of the dynasty of the country of the

reigned for 23 years.
Sea
[E]-ulbar-sakin-sumi the son of Bazi reigned for 15 years:

in the palace of KAK-MKRODACH
[he was burned].
[Uras]-kudurri-utsur the son of Bazi reigned for
years.
[SilanimJ-Suqamuna the son of Bazi reigned for 3 months

in the palace of Lu
SA [he was burned].
.
[The
3] kings of the dynasty of the

for
house of Bazi reigned
20 years (and) 3 months.
a descendant of the race of
ELAM
reigned for
6 years.
In the palace of Sargon he was burned.
[One king] of the dynasty of ELAM reigned

The
1
May
also be read
Kassite language.
for 6 years.
rest of the tablet is lost.
Kutmar.
The word meant

The
"a
hawk"
"
Sappite."
in
the
RECORDS OF THE PAST
No.
TRANSLATION OF THE BABYLONIAN

CHRONICLE
4.
Oln>.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
COLUMN
3d year of Nabonassar] king of BABYLON

ASSYRIA sat on the throne.
In the same year [Tiglath-pileser] descended into the
country of ACCAD, and
the cities of RABBIKU and KHAMRANU he spoiled,
and the gods of the city of SAPAZZA he carried away.
[In the
[Tiglath-pileser] in
In the time of Nabu-natsir (Nabonassar) the town of
BORSIPPA
7.
was
separated
from
BABYLON.
The
which
battle
Nabonassar
8.
9.
fought against BORSIPPA
is
not described. 1
In the 5th year of Nabu-natsir Umma(n)-nigas
10.
in
ELAM
11.
In
(his)
sat
upon the
throne.
4th year Nabu-natsir
fell ill
and died
in his
palace.
12.
1
3.
4.
15.
1
6.
For 14 years Nabu-natsir reigned over BABYLON.

Nadinu 3 his son sat upon the throne in BABYLON.
In the second year Nadinu was slain in an insurrection.
For two years Nadinu reigned over BABYLON.
4
Suma-yukin the governor, the leader of the insurrec
sat
tion,
upon the throne.
That
is,
The
in the history
from which the writer extracted his chronicles.
(overtook him).
Nebo-nadin-ziri ("Nebo has given a
Literally
3
"fate"
seed")
Tablet
Nadios in Ptolemy s Canon.
4
Called Nebo-suma-yukin in the Dynastic Tablet.
;
of the Dynastic
DYNASTIC TABLETS OF THE BABYLOXIAX.

AS
1
7.
8.
19.
For 2 months and

BABYLON.
Yukin-zira
seized
23
days Suma-yukin reigned over
upon the throne.
In the 3d year of Yukin-zira Tiglath-pileser,
22.
when he had descended into the country of ACCAD,

destroyed BIT-AMUKANU and captured Yukin-zira.
For 3 years Yukin-zira reigned over BABYLON.
23.
Tiglath-pileser sat
24.
In
20.
21.
upon the throne
in
BABYLON.
2d year Tiglath-pileser died
(his)
in
the
month
Tebet. 1
25.
For [22] years Tiglath-pileser the sovereignty over
ACCAD
26.
27.
and ASSYRIA had

in ACCAD.
On
the 25th day of the
(Shalmaneser)
28.
sat
exercised.
upon
the
in
For two years he reigned
month Tebet Sulman-asarid
ASSYRIA
He
throne.
destroyed
the
city
of
SAHARAHIN.In (his) 5th year Sulman-asarid died in the month

Tebet.
30. For 5 years Sulman-asarid reigned over the countries
of ACCAD and ASSYRIA.
29.
31.
On
the
2th day of the
month Tebet Sargon
sat
upon
the throne in ASSYRIA.

32.
33.
In the month Nisan Merodach-baladan sat upon the

throne in BABYLON.
In the 2d year of Merodach-baladan Umma(n)-nigas

king of Flam
December.
M. Haldvy may
be confounded with Samerina or Samaria.
it with the city of Sibraim mentioned in Ezek. xlvii.
1 6 as lying between Damascus and Hamath.
-
Not
be right
to
in identifying
RECORDS OF THE PAST
24
the province of DUR-ILI
34. in
fought a battle against
Sargon king of ASSYRIA, and

35. caused a revolt from ASSYRIA: he overthrew them
utterly.
36.
37.
Merodach-baladan and his army, which to the assistance

of the king of ELAM had gone, did not obtain a battle
he arrived too late. 2
:
In the 5th year of Merodach-baladan Umma(n)-nigas

king of ELAM died.
39. [For 3 years] Umma(n)-nigas reigned over ELAM.
3
40. [Sutruk -nankhun]du the son of his sister sat on the
throne in ELAM.
41
up to the loth year
38.
The remaining
lines
of the column are destroyed.
COLUMN
1.
In the
2.
3.
For
th year
battle
II
....
....
years
[Merodach
baladan
reigned
over
4.
BABYLON].
Sargon [sat upon the throne
The next fourteen
in
BABYLON].
lines are destroyed,
did not oppress (?) 5

20. he (Sennacherib) was angry also with Merodach-baladan,
1
9.
The Babylonians he
and [took him prisoner]

his country, and
the cities of LARAK and SARRABA[NU
21.
22.
he devastated
he destroyed].
That is, the Assyrians. The Annals of Sargon, on the other hand,
claim the victory for Assyria, though Babylonia was left in the hands of
Merodach-baladan.
2
3
Literally,
"he
undertook
The Elamite Sutruk was
dess Istar.
4
So restored by Winckler.
6
See
W.
A.
Berossos, which
near Sippara.
it
too
late"
identified
(ana arki itsbat-
so).
by the Assyrians with

B
their
god
Ikhmi s.
Larak was the Larankha of

69, No. 5, 13.
the Greek writer seems to have confounded with Surippak
I.,
ii.

23.
After his capture (Sennacherib) placed Bel-ibni

the throne in BABYLON.
25
upon
24.
In the
25.
destroyed the
26.
In the 3d year of Bel-ibni Sennacherib into the country

of ACCAD
first
year of Bel-ibni Sennacherib

cities of KHIRIMMA and KHARARATUM.
27. descended, and devastated the country of ACCAD.

28. Bel-ibni and his officers he transported into ASSYRIA.
29. For 3 years Bel-ibni reigned over BABYLON.
30.
Sennacherib
31. placed
In the
son Assur-nadin-suma
his
upon the throne
in
BABYLON.
year of Assur-nadin-suma Sutruk-[nan]king of ELAM

33. was seized by his brother Khallusu who closed the
gate before him.32.
first
khundu
34.
35.
For 1 8 years Sutruk-[nan]khundu hadreignedoverELAM.

His brother Khallusu sat upon the throne in ELAM.
In the 6th year of Assur-nadin-suma Sennacherib

descended into the country of ELAM, and the cities of
NAGITUM, KHILMI,
38. PELLATUM and KHUPAPANU he destroyed.
Afterwards Khallusu the
39. He carried away their spoil.
36.
37.
king of
40.
41.
42.
43.
ELAM
marched into the country of ACCAD and entered Sippara on the nianli (?).
He killed some people (but) the Sun-god did not issue
forth from the temple of E-BABARA.
He captured Assur-nadin-suma and he was carried to
ELAM.
For 6 years Assur-nadin-suma reigned over BABYLON.
1
Written Is-tar-khu-un-du.
The Susian inscriptions
himself write the name Su-ut-ru-uk-[AN ]-Nakh-khu-un-te.
That is, imprisoned him.
of
the
king
RECORDS OF THE PAST
26
44.
The
ELAM
king of
46.
placed Nergal-yusezib in BABYLON

caused [a revolt] from ASSYRIA.
He
45. on the throne.
In the ist year of Nergal-yusezib, on the i6th day of

the month Tammuz, 1
2
and occupied its

Nergal-yusezib captured NiPUR
neighbourhood (?).
48. On the first day of the month Tammuz the soldiers of
ASSYRIA had entered URUK. S
47.
COLUMN
III
spoiled the gods belonging to

inhabitants.
URUK
as well as
1.
They
2.
Nergal-yusezib fled after the Elamites, and the gods be
3.
as well as
URUK
longing to
On
of
its
its
inhabitants (the Assyrians) carried away.

month Tisri 4 in the province
the 7th day of the
NIPUR
5.
he fought a battle against the soldiers of ASSYRIA and

was taken prisoner in the conflict, and
For i year and 6 months
he was carried to ASSYRIA.
6.
reigned
4.
Nergal-yusezib
over BABYLON.
On
the
26th
day
of the
[month Tisri?]
7.
Khallusu king of
against
ELAM
his
people revolted,
him
8.
[the gate before]

They slew him.
they closed.
For 6 years Khallusu
reigned over ELAM.

9.
Kudur
in
ELAM
sat
upon the
Afterwards Sen
throne.
nacherib
i
o.
descended into
ELAM and from
the country of RASI as
far as
it.
1
2.
Bix-BuRNA
he devastated.
Musezib-Merodach
sat
upon the throne

-
June.
Now
Bit-Burna (-KI)
Warka, the Erech of Gen.

is
x.
10.
in
BABYLON.
Now
Niffer.
September.
called Bit Buna (-KI) in the annals of Sennacherib.
27
In the first year of Musezib-Merodach on the iyth day

of the month Ab 1
Kudur
14.
king of ELAM was seized in an insurrection
and killed. For 10 months
13.
15.
Kudur had
Menanu in ELAM
know the year 2 when
ELAM and ACCAD
reigned over ELAM.

throne.
I do not
upon the
6.
sat
7.
he collected together and
the soldiers of
battle against
in
the city of
KHALULE
ASSYRIA
he fought, and caused a revolt from Assyria. 3

19. In the 4th year of Musezib-Merodach on the i5th
4
day of Nisan
20. Menanu king of ELAM was paralysed, 5 and
21. his mouth was seized and he was deprived of speech.
1
8.
22.
On
25.
On
the first day of the month Kisleu the city [of BABY
LON] was taken, Musezib-Merodach
23. was taken and led away to ASSYRIA.
24. For 4 years Musezib-Merodach reigned over BABY
LON.
the 7th day of the
ELAM
26.
27.
month Adar
Menanu
king of
died.
For 4 years Menanu reigned over ELAM.

Khumma-khaldasu 8 in ELAM sat upon the throne.
In the eighth year of the king there was ... in Baby

lon.
On the 3d day of the month Tammuz
29. the gods belonging to ERECH went down from the city
28.
of
ERIDU
to
ERECH.
July.
2
The
March.
chronicler s sources here failed him, but Winckler has pointed

out that the battle of Khalule must have taken place in either B.C. 691 or
690.
3
The annals of Sennacherib claim a complete victory for the Assyrians.
5
ii.
"
Literally,
Tetanus constricted him
"
(misidtuv imisid,
27. 47, 48).

6
7
8
9
November.
February.
Called Umman-aldas in the Assyrian inscriptions.
Eridu was on the coast of the Persian Gulf.
cf.
W.
A.
I.,
RECORDS OF THE PAST
28
30.
On
the 3d day of the
month
Tisri
Khumma-khaldasu
the king of ELA.M by the Fire-god

was stricken and perished through the
power
(?)
of the
For 8 years Khumma-khaldasu
god.
32. reigned over
33.
34.
ELAM.
Khumma-khaldasu the second in the country of ELAM
sat upon the throne.
On the 2oth day of the month Tebet, 1 Sennacherib
king of ASSYRIA
his own son 2 was murdered in an insurrection. For
[24] years Sennacherib
From the 2oth day of the
36. reigned over Assyria.
35.
by
37.
the
month Tebet
until
2d day of the month Adar
is
described as a
period of insurrection in ASSYRIA.

3
Assur-akhi-iddina
38. On the 8th day of the month Sivan
the throne in
son
sat
on
his
(Esar-haddon)
ASSYRIA.
39.
In the
first
year of Esar-haddon, Zira-kina-esir
sea coast,
40.
when he had
of
of the
[ERECH
laid fetters
on the
city
of ERECH, the city
?]
destroyed in sight of the officers of ASSYRIA and [fled] to

the country of ELAM.
42. In ELAM the king of ELAM took him and [slew him]
with the sword.
43. In a month I do not know the officer called Gn-cnna
41
was
44.
In the
...
in the city of
month
city of
Elul,
the
god
NIPUR.
Gu si 7 and
the gods [of the
.]
December.
It will be noticed that the chronicler speaks of only one son, whereas
3
two are named in the Old Testament.
May.
J
Nebo has directed the
Called by Esar-haddon Xebo-zira-kina-esir
established seed
the son of Merodach-baladan.
5
6
That is, of the Persian Gulf.
August.
7
"The god of the favourable mouth," a local divinity (perhaps be
longing to Sippara, W. A. I., v. 31, 30), and identified with Uras (W. A.
"
("
"),
I.,
ii.
57, 54).

45. proceeded to DUR-ILI
[the gods of
proceeded to DUR-SARGON
47. In the month Adar the heads of
;
29
46.
48.
In the second year the
The
IV
akhe-sullim the Gu-enna.
3.
are destroyed.
COLUMN
Rev.
2.
major-domo
ne.vt tiuo lines
...
1
marched against ASSYRIA and in
[the (iimirjri
ASSYRIA were slain.
... the city of SIDON was taken its spoil was carried
;
away.
4.
The major-domo mustered
5.
In the 5th year on the
6.
Assyrian soldiers BAZZA

In the month Tisri the head of the king of
occupied.
the country of SIDON
2(1
a gathering in ACCAD.
day of the month Tisri the

-
7.
8.
In the month
off, and brought to Assyria.
Adar the head of the king
of the countries of GUNDU and Si su 3 was cut off and
was cut
brought to ASSYRIA.
9.
He
10.
ELAM entered SIPPARA.

The Sun-god 4 from
E-BAUARA did not issue forth. The Assy
In the 6th year the king of

offered sacrifices.
the temple of
rians
marched
into
EGYPT.
ETHIOPIA was troubled. 5
1
So restored by \Vinckler.
The Gimirra are the Gonier of the Old
Testament, the Kimmerians of classical writers.
Apparently the district of Arabia Petrita called Bazu by Esar-hathlon,
Buz in the Old Testament.
Probably
in Kilikia.
The Sun-god whose temple has been discovered by Mr. Hormuzd

Rassam in the mounds of Abu-Habba was the patron-deity of Sipar or
Sippara.
city called
Sippara of the Sun-god," there was a neighbouring

Sippara of Anunit." The two together formed the Scriptural
Besides
"
Sepharvaim or
5
"
"
two
Mclitkh imina.
Sipparas."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
30
11.
Khumma-khaldasu the king of ELAM without being
12.
For
13.
Urtagu
14.
In a month
sick died in his palace.

5 years Khumma-khaldasu reigned over ELAM.
his brother sat upon the throne in ELAM.
I do not know Nadin-Suma the Gu-enna

and Kudur the son of Dakuri went to ASSYRIA.
15.
6.
7.
8.
In the 7th year on the 5th day of the month Adar the
soldiers of ASSYRIA marched into EGYPT.
In the month Adar Istar of the city of ACCAD and the
gods of the city of ACCAD
had departed from the country of ELAM and on the

loth day of the month Adar entered the city of
ACCAD.
In the 8th year of Esar-haddon in the month Tebet

on a day of which the date has been lost l
20. the country of the RURIZA was occupied; its spoil was
19.
21.
carried away.
In the month Kisleu
its
spoil
was brought into the
city
ofUR.
22.
On
the 5th day of the
month Adar
the wife of the
king died.
23.
In the tenth year in the month Nisan the soldiers of

ASSYRIA marched into Egypt. 2
On
the 3d day of the month Tarnmuz and also on

1 6th and i8th days
25. three times the Egyptians were defeated with heavy
24.
the
loss.
26.
On
22d day Memphis, 4 the
the
royal city,
was cap
tured.
2 7.
Its
king fled
his
son descended into the country of
[ETHIOPIA].
1
In the history from which the chronicler derived his account.

The chronicler notes here that the last character in the line
wanting
3
4
in his copy.
massacres took place

Written Membi.
"
Literally,
in
Egypt."
was

28.
was carried away;

goods were
Its spoil
its
In the
29.
nth
officers
[its]
men
31
were [enslaved];
year the king [remained] in ASSYRIA
his
ath year the king of ASSYRIA

march he fell ill, and died on the roth day of
the month Marchesvan. 1
30.
In the
31.
On
the
33.
For 12 years Esar-haddon reigned over ASSYRIA.

Saul-suma-yukina in BABYLON, Assur-bani-pal
ASSYRIA, his two sons, sat on the throne.
34.
In
35.
month lyyar, 2
Bel and the gods of ACCAD from the city of ASSUR
had gone forth and on the nth day of the month
32.
36.
accession
the
year
of Saul-suma-yukina
in
in
the
lyyar had entered into BABYLON.

In that year [against] the city of KiRBrru.M 3 [there was
its king is conquered.
war]
38. On the 2oth day of the month Tebet Bel-edir-//;V/ (?)
in BABYLON is seized and put to death.
37.
39.
The
first
part (of the chronicle) has
been written
like
original and has been made public.

tablet of Ana-Bel-KAN the son of Libludhu
its
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
The
the son of Nis-Sin, by the hand of Ea-iddin the son of

Ana-Bel-KAX the son of Libludhu of Babylon,
the 5th day of the month

king of BABYLON,
the 22d year of Darius
the king of the world.
October.
Apparently the
Assur-bani-pal at the
April.
city
of Karbat in Northern
of his reign.
commencement
Egypt, conquered by
RECORDS OF THE PAST
32
No.
TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION

5.
GIVING THE ASSYRIAN INTERPRETATION
OF THE NAMES OF THE EARLY BABY
LONIAN KINGS
Obv.
COLUMN
About forty
i.
Ur-Damu.
2.
Babar-uru.
3-
Ur-
45-
Ace.
.]la.
lines lost.
"
Ace.]
Ace.
"
"
Ace.
Man of the goddess GULA."
"The
"
Ace.
"Ur-]Babara.
Is-ki-]pal.
Man
Man
Sun-god
protects."
of the
Moon-god."
of the
Sun-god."
Sweeper away of the
hostile
country."
6.
[Gul-ki-]sar.
"
Ace.
7.
A-[dara]-kalama.
8.
A-kur-du-ana.
Ace.
"
Destroyer of
the
Ace.
"
hosts."
Son of the god EA king of

land."
Son of BEL
(the mountain)
of the treasury of heaven."

9.
10.
Lugal-ginna.
Ace.
The queen Azag-Bau.
"Established
"
king"(Sargon).
The goddess BAU
is
holy."
Ace.
11.
These are the kings who
12.
13.
Khammu-ragas.
Ammi-didugga.
14.
Kur-gal-zu.
after the flood are not de

scribed in chronological order.
That
The name
Kas?
Kas.
Kas.
"
Of
"Of
"
Be
a large
family."
an established
a
family."
shepherd."
Accado-Sumerian.
of the king was really Sarganu (perhaps of the same origin
as the Biblical Serug), but his Accadian subjects misunderstood it, turning
it into Sarru-kinu,
"established king," which was written in Sumerian
is,
Lugal-ginna.
3
That
is,
Kassite or Kosscean.

15.
1
6.
Kas.
Kas.
Simmas-sipak.
Ulam-bur-yas.
"
"
33
Offspring of MKRODACH."
Offspring of the lord of the
world."
19.
Nazi-Murudas.
Kas.
Kas.
Meli-Sipak.
Kas.
Burna-bur-yas.
20.
Kara-Urus.
17.
18.
"
"
"
The shadow
Man
of
URAS."
of MERODACH."
Servant [of the lord of the

world]."
t;
Kas.
COLUMN
About
i
Minister of
[BEL]."
II
thirty -three lines are lost.
[an-]khegal.
Ace.
"With
[an-]khegal.
Ace.
"With
MERODACH is
MERODACH is
life."
ver
dure."
3.
4.
Ace.
Lu-Silig-lu-sar.
Ace.
Un-kur-Silig-alim.
"
Man
of MERODACH."
lord
"The
land
is
mouth
is
of the
MERODACH."
5.
Gu-sermal-Tutu.
Ace.
"
The
closer of the
MERODACH."
6.
Ace.
Sazu-[AN]kusvu.
"
MERODACH
7.
Sazu-ap-tila-nen-gu. Ace.
"
to
8.
Ace.
Ur-Nin-din-bagga.
"
Man
of
9.
Khumeme.
Ace.
10.
Dili-khidu.
Ace.
"
GULA
of
Man
and
of
Mu-na-tila.
12.
Nannak-satu.
"
Ace.
Ace.
May
declared
[the goddess
death]."
GULA."
name
his
god PAP-
the
of)
SUKAL."
11.
has
him."
life
"(Man
live."
Moon -god
"The
over
god."
MERODACH
life
an
is
shadowing
has
be
gotten."
13.
Nannak-agal-duabi. Ace.
Moon-god
"The
over
14.
Labar-Nu-dimmud.
Ace.
is
strong
all."
"Servant
of
EA
[lord of the
universe]."
15.
Urudu-man-sun.
1
"
Literally
VOL.
Ace.
"The
god NUSKU has
the messenger of the treasury (of
given."
heaven)."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
34
6.
Kud-ur-Alima.
Ace.
"
17.
Dun-aga-ba-khe-til. Ace.
1 8.
Damu-mu
Dun-gal-tur-tae.
as -khe
Sweet are the loins of
BEL."
BAU vivify her womb."

May GULA be one name."
"May
"
gal.
Ace.
9.
"
Ace.
May BAU
and
20.
Ace.
Tutu-bul-anta-gal.
"O
MERODACH
spare her
21.
Dugga-makh-Sazu. Ace.
establish
great
small."
comrade
the word
is
"Supreme
as a
(?)."
of
MERODACH."
22.
Khedu-lamma-ra.
23.
Mul-khe-sal.
Ace.
24. Dimir-Uru-du.
"PAP-SUKAL is thecolossos."
"
Ace.
Ace.
May BEL
the city
25.
Dimir-Umk-du.
26.
Dimir-Erida-du-ru.
"
Ace.
be
exalted."
as son [of
Moon-god
"The
UR]."
The god who
is
the son of
[ERECH]."
Ace.
"A
son of ERIDU, the
[as
creator]."
The next two

Rev.
The first
COLUMN in
tivo lines are destroyed.
Ace.
a-edina.
choir of the goddess
"The
ZARPANIT."
2.
"
Ace.
Si-ru.
"
3.
Kur-nigin-garra- gurusnene.
4.
5.
qalzi
mama.
6.
first-born."
nes
kiam
"
URAS, thou
"URAS
who
Ace.
"
BEL
loves
Ace.
7.
Laghlaghghi-Gar.
8.
Kur-gal-nin-mu-pada.
"
"
constancy."
place."
NEBO illuminates."
The great mountain (BEL)
records the
The
overseer."
of Nipur has returned
to his
Ace.
art
Ace.
Mul-lil-ki-bi-gi.
created."
their
Ace.
1
Uras-saglitar -zae-men.
Ace.
Uras
BEL has
URAS is
correct reading of this
word
is
name."
doubtful.

Ace.
Aba-Sanabi-dari.
9.
"
Who
BEL
like
is
35
a bride
groom."
Ace.
Aba-Sanabi-diri.
10.
"
Who
of
11.
Ace.
Es-Guzi-gin-du.
is
BEL
like
(the lord)
counsel."
temple of E-SAGGIL
"The
the establishment of the

son."
13.
Ace.
Khu-un-zuh.
Nab-sakh-menna. Ace.
14.
Massu-gal-Babara-gude.
12.
"
BEL who knows
"BEL,
"What
mankind."
prosper me."
is shorn
by RIMMON."
Ace.
Ur-Sanabi.
15.
16.
Lu-Damu.
17.
Tutul-Savul.
"
Ace.
"
Ace.
Ace.
The man
The man
"The
8.
Nin-sakh-gu-nu-tatal.
9.
Agu-sag-algi.
Agu-ba-tila.
Ace.
Ace.
22.
Lubar-E-gir-azagga. Ace.
Bad-Mullilla.
Ace.
command."
"O
given
1
son."
what
Larru-ningub-al.
mustered."
who changes
The Moon-god has
"May
21.
GULA."
Sun-god has
not (his)
"
a
20.
EA."
of
"PAP-SUKAL
Aec.
Aec.
of
the
Moon-god
vivify
below him."
BEL, defend the land
is
mark."
23.
"Servant
"
of
XERGAL."
Minister of
"
26.
"E-SAGGIL is
"
BEL."
The Moon-god
Ace.
Xanak-gula.
nu-laragh-danga25.
Ace.
su-mu-aldibba.
24.
is
great."
(O Sun-)god, in difficulties
and dangers take my
hand."
[Es-Guzi-]kharsag-men.
our
mountain."
Ace.
More than
thirty lines arc destroyed ]icrc.
COLUMN
1.
Ulam-Urus.
2.
Meli-Khali.
Kas.
Kas.
"
"
IV
Offspring of BEL."
Man of GULA."
The Assyro-Babylonian translation is a paraphrase,

The Accado-Sumerian compound is literally
instances.
has established a
head."
some other
The Moon-god
as in
RECORDS OF THE PAST

3.
Meli-Sumu.
Kas.
"
Man
of
the
god
SUQA-
MUNA."
8.
Kas.
Kas.
Meli-Sakh.
Kas.
Nimgirabi.
Kas.
Nimgirabi-Sakh.
Nimgirabi-Buryas. Kas.
g.
Kara-Buryas.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Meli-Sibarru.
Kas.
"
Man
"Man
"
The
"
merciful."
Merciful
is
Merciful
is
"
"
of the god SIMALIA."

of the Sun-god."
the
Sun-god."
[BEL the lord
of the world]."
Servant of [BEL lord of the
world]."
Kas.
Kas.
11. Nazi-Sipak.
Kas.
12. Nazi-Buryas.
10.
Kara-Sakh.
Servant of the Sun-god."

Shadow of MERODACH."]
of BEL lord] of
["Shadow
"
["
the
The remaining eight
world."
lines are lost.
No.
37
6.
TRANSLATION OF THE ANNALS OF
SARGON OF ACCAD AND NARAM-SIN
l
When
the
moon
at its setting with the colour of a dust-
moon was favourable

season
marched against the country of ELA.M and subjugated
cloud 2
filled
the crescent, the
for
Sargon who
the
men
Misery
(?)
of
at this
ELAM.
he brought upon them
their food
he cut
off.
When
the
moon
at
its
setting filled the crescent with
the colour of a dust-cloud, and over the face of the

sky the colour extended behind the moon during
the
the day and remained bright,

moon was favourable for Sargon who
against the country of [PHOENICIA], and
marched
His hand con

quered the four quarters (of the world).
subjugated the country of PHOENICIA.
7.
When
the
moon
and on the
increased in form on the right hand

and moreover [during] the day the
left,
finger reached over the horns,
W. A. I. iv. 34. The text has been translated in part by Mr.

The astrological notices with which the account of
George Smith.
Sargon s campaigns is associated are explained by the fact that the great
Chaldean work on astronomy and astrology was compiled for his library
at Accad, and that one of the objects of this work was to trace a connec
tion between certain astronomical occurrences and the events which im
1
mediately followed them.

Ana pikhirti-su tsirip zakiki.
3 The moon
lay on its back, and the distance from the extremity of
one horn to that of another was as much as a span.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
38
moon was
the
8.
favourable for Sargon
produced joy
9.
[like]
who
at this
season
BABYLON, and
of BAB-DHUNA was carried away
(?) [in]
dust the spoil
and
... he made ACCAD
10.
called
its
men
of
1 1.
[the
1 2.
[When
13.
[the
the
moon
a city; the city of
....
he
name;
....
in the]
midst he caused to dwell.
on the
moon]
left
the colour of
fire
[on] the left of the planet, and

was favourable to Sargo]n who at this season
against the country of PHOENICIA
The four quarters (of

[marched and subjugated it].
the world) his hand conquered.
14.
the
behind the
moon
the
15.
[When
1 6.
four heads were placed,

[the moon was favourable to Sargon who at this season]
marched [against] the country of PHOENICIA and
[subjugated the country of PHOENICIA.] His [enemies

he smote ; his heroes
1
in the gate of its
rising.
1 7.
moon]
[When the moon was fixed?] and a span

moon was favourable to Sargon] as for whom
19.
?]
[the
at this
season the goddess [!STAR]

20.
[with
favours] filled for
him
his
hand
goddess ISTAR [all countries]

21. caused him to conquer; against Tiri
22.
[When
the
moon] appeared
[like]
the
(?)....
a lion, the
moon was
favourable to Sargon who at this season

23. was [very] exalted and a rival (or) equal had not; his
own country was
at peace.
Over
[the countries] of the sea of the setting sun
24.
and
1
for 3 years at the setting
The Sun-god must be
"
referred to.
he crossed
sun
The Mediterranean.
39
Every place to
countries] his hand conquered.
His images
form but one (empire) he appointed.
at the setting sun
26. he erected.
Their spoil he caused to pass over into
25.
[all
the countries of the sea. 1
[U hen the moon on] the right hand was like the colour
of gall, and there was no finger - the upper part
was long and the moon was setting (?),
27.
moon was
favourable for] Sargon
who enlarged
28.
[the
29.
palace of Delight (?) by 5 initklnt, and

established the chiefs [in it] and called it the
his
House of
Kiam-izallik?
When
moon was like a cloud (?), like the colour of

and there was no finger - on the right side was
the colour of a sword
the circumference of the left
30.
the
gall,
side was visible
towards
31.
face
its
on the
left
the colour extended
moon was
favourable for Sargon against

this season Kastubila of the country of
and against KAZALLA

marched
and he smote
(Sargon)
whom
the
at
KAZALLA
rebelled
32.
complished their destruction.

33. Their mighty army he annihilated
to dust
The
34.
We
the
he ac
he reduced KAZALLA
ruins.
station of the birds
When
35.
and
their forces
moon was
he overthrew.
like a cloud (?), like the
colour of
this that Sargon had crossed over into Cyprus, and

image of himself. This might explain why his later name
sake Sargon sent to the island a monument, which is now in Berlin.
General di Cesnola brought back from Cyprus a Babylonian cylinder of
1
infer
from
there erected an
haematite bearing the inscription,

Abil-Istar, the son of Ilu-Balidh, the
The cylinder was probably executed
servant of the deified N aram-Sin."
either during the reign of Naram-Sin, or shortly afterwards, as the cult of
the king is not likely to have continued after the fall of his dynasty.
3
Thus he has appointed."
It could not be measured.
"
"
What
this refers to
be metaphorical.
it
is
impossible to say.
The
expression can hardly
XECOKDS OF THE PAST
40
the colour of a sword
was
and there was no
gall,
visible
finger
;
on the
right side
the circumference of the
was
left
2
against its face the Seven advanced; the moon
was favourable to Sargon, against whom at this
and
36.
season
the elders of the whole country revolted and besieged
him in the city of ACCAD ; but
37.
Sargon issued forth and smote their forces; their de

struction he accomplished.
38.
REVERSE
2.
Their numerous soldiery he massacred

was upon them he collected.
The booty of Istar
he shouted.
3.
When
1.
the spoil that
"
"
4.
the moon had two fingers, and swords were seen

on the right side and the left, [and] might and peace
were on the left
its hand presented a sword ; the sword in its left hand
was of the colour of sukhuruni ; the point was held
in the left hand and there were two heads
[the moon] was favourable for Sargon who at this season
3
subjected the men of [the country] of SU-EDIN in its
plenitude to the sword, and
Sargon caused their seats to be occupied, and
smote their forces their destruction he accomplished
;
5.
6.
7.
8.
their
he cut
9.
mighty army
and
off,
his troops
ACCAD he brought
10.
[When
side
it
It
he collected
into the city of
(them) back.
moon] had two fingers and on the right

was of the colour of a sword and on the left
the
it
was
visible
could not be measured.
The Seven
Evil Spirits
who were supposed
to cause eclipses of the
moon.
3
"
The
Babylonia.
plain of the
Suti,"
or
nomad
tribes
on the eastern side of

1
1.
41
[and against its face] the Seven advanced ; (its) appear

ance was of the colour of gall the moon was favour
;
able for Naram-Sin

1
2.
3.
season marched against the city of APIRAK.
[who at]
and
this
[utterly]
destroyed
it
Ris-Rimmon the king of APIRAK

APIRAK his hand con
14.
[he overthrew], and the city of

quered.
15.
[When
6.
7.
19.
the
right
it
was of the
marched
[against the country of
MAJGANNA
the country of MAGANNA, and

the king of MAGANNA his
[When
against the
behind
20
on the
moon]
colour of a sword, and on the left it was visible ;

the moon
[and against its face the Seven advanced ?]
was favourable for Naram-Sin who at this season
moon]
may
The
and seized
hand captured.
the Seven were banded, [and]
it
never
there be a son
Sinaitic Peninsula.
(?)
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF TELLOH

BY M. ARTHUR AMIAUD
THE names
of Telloh and of the French Consul M. de
Sarzec are no longer strange to the Orientalist of
The situation of the mounds, which have

hidden and preserved to our day the ruins of one of
the most ancient centres of civilisation, is well known.
to-day.
The
history of the excavations has been often written,
and
shall not
dwell upon
it.
Nor
shall
discuss
the results of these excavations from the point of view

of art or archaeology.
This work has been undertaken
by
a master hand in the Decouvertes en C/ialdce. 1
present
At
shall only essay to follow in the steps of
Dr. Oppert by making the monuments of stone and

brick tell their own tale, and by questioning them
summarily on the geography, history,

2
religion of their age and country.
I.
The
first
politics,
and
question one thinks of asking is what

flourishing city of ancient
was the name of that
Chaldaea which the Bedouin

1
See also M.
L<5on
Heuzey
Un
now knows only
Palais ChahUen (Paris,
as
Lcroux,
1888).
2
On
all
these
points,
Assyricns (Berlin, 1885-87).
see
Hommel s
Geschichte
Babyloniens
und
43
Telloh
?
Considering that all the princes whose
names occur on the monuments are entitled
or patesis" of Sliirpurla-ki, it was generally answered
at first
This city was Shirpurla.
As often hap
"kings"
"
pens, the
I
first
was wrong
article
in
impression has proved to be correct.

in questioning the identification in an
the
ZcitscJirift
fur Keilschriftforschung
had remarked that except in the title

of the kings and patesis the name of Shirpurla -ki
(i.
p. 151).
appeared very rarely in the inscriptions of Telloh,

and that whenever a prince mentioned the site where
a temple was erected he gave
another
it
Girsu-ki, Uru-azagga, Nina-ki, Gishgalla-ki.
name
I
now
and
shall attempt to prove, that Telloh really

represents the ruins of Shirpurla that it was the
general name of a great centre of population, of which
believe,
Girsu-ki, Uru-azagga, Nina-ki,
and Gishgalla-ki were
only divisions or quarters.

Let us first remove a hypothesis which could pre
sent itself to the mind.
Might not Shirpurla be the
name
other
of a country, of which Girsu-ki and the three

cities
mentioned above were the chief places
This supposition
the statue
Shirpurla
Gatumdug
is
forbidden by the inscription of
of Gudea, which states formally that

was the beloved
of the goddess
"city"
(col.
i.,
cases 15, 16).
It is also
forbidden
1
According to Mr. Pinches (Guide to the Kouyunjik Gallery, London,
1885, p. 7, note 2), Shir-pur-la-ki would be an ideographic mode of
should then perhaps have to compare
writing the word Lagash.
W. A. I., ii. 52, a 60, which seems to connect a city Lagashu-ki with Urama
or "Ur" (?).
We
RECORDS OF THE PAST
44
by W. A.
I., ii.
The
61, 2, 37,
unknown was
otherwise
list
where we learn that a temple

situated in Shirpurla-ki.
of temples given in this passage might
open the door

removed in its
to another hypothesis,
turn, for
it
which must be
would be inconsistent with
the relations existing between Shirpurla and the four

other towns.
In lines 34 and 35 two temples are
named
as temples of Girsu-ki.
If Girsu-ki
had been
only a quarter of Shirpurla, would there not be some

inconsistency on the part of the Assyrian scribe in
saying Such and such temples belong to Girsu-ki,
such another to Shirpurla-ki ? Might one not con
:
clude that Shirpurla and the four other towns were

separate
Now
cities
it
inscription
temple of
is
certain
that
Gudea
tells
us
(in
the
on statue C) that he has constructed the

for the goddess Ninni or Istar in
E-anna
We
Girsu-ki (col. 3, cases n, 12).

further know that
the same Istar, the presiding deity of Erech, had a
celebrated temple in that city which also bore the

name of E-anna. Moreover, certain texts of Gudea
and Dungi, which mention the construction of temples

in Girsu-ki, come, it is believed, from other sites
than Telloh, some from Warka or Erech, others from
Babylon, from Zerghul and from Tel-Eed. But this
proves nothing
in
favour of Erech, and
still less
against
the fact that Istar had a temple named
E-anna at Erech, we cannot infer that the same god
Telloh.
From
dess had not a temple of the same name in another

know that Nebo had a temple called
city.
We
45
Borsippa, and there were at least two

others of the same name at Babylon and Calah.
E-Zida
in
We
ki,
cannot look for Nina-ki, any more than Girsuoutside Telloh, or identify it with the Assyrian
Nineveh. 1
As
for the inscription cited
support of the contrary view, the
in
by Dr. Hommel
Museum of the
Louvre possesses several similar ones discovered by

M. de Sarzec at Telloh. If the text translated by
Dr. Hommel does not come from Telloh, it must have
been moved from
its
black stone, with
original place, like the tablet of
Semitic inscription of Dungi,

believed to have been found at Nineveh, and accord
ingly quoted
by
of the kings of
Dr.
Hommel
Ur extended
show
to
that the empire
The
as far as that city.
text itself of the inscription, imperfectly copied
by
Lenormant, proves that its primitive resting-place was

Cutha. 2 But yet more. Two princes of Shirpurla,
Uru-Kagina
cylinder- inscription A,
upon a
believe
state that they
canal, Nina-ki-tum-a,
the goddess
it
and Gudea
in his barrel-inscription,
Nina."
will
"the
in
the
have worked
favourite river of
In order to find this canal
be useless to ascend as
Khausser, the river of Nineveh,
if
the
we compare with
the context these lines of M. de Sarzec
from the Shatt-el-Hai to the
far as
"
In going
500 metres
from the enceinte of Telloh we meet with the bed of
ruins, at
an immense canal, still visible, though filled with

It is possibly the
sand, running from N.W. to S.E.
1
The pronunciation
called after her

2
is still
of the
name
of the goddess Nina, and of the city
problematical.
See the Zeitschrift fiir Assyriologie,
iii.,
p. 94.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
46
channel of the Shatt-el-HaT, possibly also

that great artery, and intended
original
some canal derived from

to supply the city with
water."
Uru-azagga and Gishgalla-ki still remain. The

first must be sought near Telloh, if not in Telloh
itself,
since
M. de Sarzec has found
in
the ruins
(i)
one brick commemorating the erection by
at least
Gudea
of a temple of the goddess Gatumdug situated

2
Uru-azagga
(2) the forepart of a lion or griffon
of calcareous stone, which bears the same inscription
in
as the brick of Gudea,
some
insignificant variants
excepted
(3) a doorstep of the patesi Nammaghani,
intended for the temple of the goddess Bau, which the
;
inscriptions
4
on several statues of Gudea place in Urua buttress of the patesi Entena intended for
azagga; (4)
the temple of the goddess
As
for Gishgalla-ki,
passages
in
the inscription on the statue of Ur-Bau,

calls the patesi
servant of the divine
one of which
king of
Gatumdug in Uru-azagga.
which is known only from two
"
Gishgalla-ki,"
and the other places
in
Gish
galla-ki a temple of the goddess Ninni, its name even

remains an obscure problem. It must have been
some
locality in
Telloh or
its
immediate
vicinity.
Otherwise the inscription of Ur-Bau would offer us

the only example in our texts of a foreign temple
constructed
by the
princes of Shirpurla, and the sole
Dicouvertes en Chalctte, p. 12.

Not yet published.
3
I owe my knowledge of this fact, as well as of several others, to the
kindness of M. Heuzey.
4 Dtcouvertes en
Chaldfe, pi. 27, i.
2
Not
yet published.

example also of the title of
god assumed by one of them.
now be easy
It will
for
me
"servant"
to
47
of a foreign
show that the
four
centres, Girsu-ki, Uru-azagga, Nina-ki, and Gishgallaki, were only quarters. of a large city, which bore the
name
have
Whenever the
of Shirpurla-ki.
reigned at Telloh
princes
who
wished to indicate the whole
we shall see that they

when
Shirpurla-ki.
Only
they preferred to
mark the extent of their domain by means of its
extreme or most important points, or when they
of their capital or their domain,

called
it
wanted
to indicate a particular spot, they
names
the
Girsu-ki, Uru-azagga, Nina-ki,
employed
and Gish-
galla-ki.
It
thus that
is
left
"king
themselves
"kings"
or
of Shirpurla-ki.
and only
us
call
There is but one excep

one of the three inscriptions he has
Uru-Kagina entitles himself on his cylinder
"patesis"
tion,
all
of
in
Girsu-ki."
This exception can be easily

was without doubt the most
explained, since Girsu-ki
It is thus again that

important quarter of Shirpurla.
Gudea, wishing to inform us what were the distant
countries from which he derived the materials neces
sary for the buildings of his capital, expresses himself

as follows
By the power of Nina and Nin-girsu, to
"
Gudea who holds
from Nin-Girsu, the

countries of Magan, Melughgha, Gubi, and Nituk, rich
in trees of every species, have sent him at Shirpurla-ki
ships laden with
Thus, too,
if
his sceptre
all sorts of trees" (statue D, col. 4).

understand the passage rightly, after
RECORDS OF THE PAST

having enumerated the reforms which followed his
accession to the throne, he describes the peace result
On the territory of
ing therefrom to his country
"
Shirpurla-ki no one has sued him who has right

on his side a brigand has entered the house of no
;
one"
(statue B, col.
But
if
the
which he has given

part of his city
us:
5)-
same Gudea wants

his country,
to insist on the peace
and to prove that no
was excluded from
his care,
he
tells
patesi of Shirpurla-ki, has proclaimed
"Gudea,
peace from Girsu-ki to
Uru-azagga"
(statue G, col.
2).
position of a temple, the

princes of Telloh never say that it was situated in
So, too, in describing the
more
Shirpurla, but
precisely in Girsu-ki,
in
Uru-
azagga, in Nina-ki, or in Gishgalla-ki.

It
is
very
approximate
quarters.
difficult
situation
I will,
at present to
in
however,
determine the
Telloh of these different
make some
suggestions in
regard to them.
The
four
tels
or
mounds on the west
side of Telloh
perhaps represent the site of Nina-ki. From one of

them M. de Sarzec has recovered the beautiful bull
and the tablet of black stone which bear the name of

Dungi, and mention the erection of the temple of the
goddess Nina. All the other tels, including the great

tel on which stood the palace, appear to have formed
part of Girsu-ki.
and votive
It is in
tablets
this
region that bronzes
have been discovered with the
names of the god Nin-Girsu and of his sons Gal-alim

and Dun-shagana now we cannot doubt, though we
;
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF TELLOII

are not directly assured of
49
that the temples of
it,
these three gods were situated in Girsu-ki.
As
for
Uru-azagga, it is not certain that it lay in the part of

Telloh excavated by M. de Sarzec. With the exception
of some statues, which have certainly not been found
in
their original
position, the
according to their
monuments
inscriptions, for
this
intended,
quarter
of
and some, if not

little numerous
have
been
appear
displaced, and, to use the
of
M.
expression
Heuzey, to have been replaced by
the successive occupants of Telloh, which was still in
Shirpurla-ki are
to
all,
habited in the Parthian epoch.
concerning Gishgalla-ki, which
is
Nothing can be said

mentioned only on
the statue of Ur-Bau.

II.
We now possess the names of twelve or thirteen
princes of Shirpurla, four or five of
whom
bear the
and eight the title of patesi." M.

king,"
has
shown by arguments derived from the
Heuzey
more archaic character of their monuments and writ
title
of
"
"
ing that the most ancient of these princes were the

He has also established that among the
kings.
patesis the
tumma was
patesis
is
group comprising Entena and En-annathe oldest.

The script used by these
still
yet cuneiform
course
refer
linear like that of the kings,

like
that of the later
only to the inscriptions
and not
princes.
Of
engraved on
For we possess a
clay cylinder
king Uru-Kagina, where the
wedge already appears as distinctly as on the bricks
and cylinders of Gudea. We know that it is just by
VOL. I
E
hard materials, bronze or stone.
of the
RECORDS OF THE PAST
50
by the scribes when

writing upon soft clay that the wedge which charac
terises the cuneiform script is explained.
It is by
the form of the stylus employed
imitation only that

to writing
it
has passed from writing on clay
on stone.
The
dynasties of Telloh were the following

(1) Kings of Shirpurla-ki
The
man
earliest
of
Nina,"
king known is perhaps Ur-Nina, the

of whom we have three inscriptions.
"
This prince was the son of a personage called NiniIt is
ghal-gin (the reading Ghal-gin being uncertain).
doubtful whether Nini-ghal-gin had himself been king,

since his son never gives him the title of sovereign.
After Ur-Nina, according to the Stele of the Vul

the son of Bel ?) reigned.
tures," his son, A-Kurgal
Another passage in the Stele of the Vultures
"
"
("
appears to mention a certain Igi-ginna

before
")
("
he who goes
as king of Shirpurla.
we can judge from the writing, it was

monarchs that Uru-kagina reigned, 1 whose
Two of
three inscriptions have come down to us.
So
far as
after these
them
call
him
"
clay cylinder, he bears, as was
Oppert, the
title
of
"
first series
See Ileuzey
"
Un
first
in a third,
recognised
on a
by
Dr.
king of
Girsu-ki."
(2) Patesis of Shirpurla-ki
The
"
king of Shirpurla
comprises three patesis, whose sucnouvcau
roi
dc
Tello,"
in the
Rei ue Archtologiqite
of 1884.
-
It would seem that a prince more ancient than Uru-Kagina and per
and not of king."
patesi
haps as ancient as Ur-Nina bore the title of
But his name still remains unknown.
See below, p. 67.
"
"
"
cannot at present be exactly determined.
cession
The museum
of the
Louvre possesses a portion of a
buttress inscribed with the
who docs
not record
the
another block bearing the

t um ma,
son of a patesi
Museum
by a patesi
En-anna-tumma, we have a
Entena, son of a patesi
Entena of the Louvre,
is
in
be: En-anna-tumma
tumma
II
name of a patesi Entena,

name of his father, and
name of a patesi En-annaAs the British
Entena.
block
possesses
choice of two hypotheses.

of the British Museum
will
51
or else the
inscribed
Either the patesi Entena

the same as the patesi
is
which case the succession

I,
Entena, and En-anna-
Entena of the
British
Museum
the grandson of that of the Louvre, the order of the
Entena
En-anna-tumma, Entena II.

date than this family of princes comes
patesis being
Later
man
Bau
whose statue is in
Louvre, together with a number of monuments
the patesi
the
in
I,
Ur-Bau
("
of
")
of less importance.
short time after
Ur-Bau comes Gudea
("
the
followed by his son and probable successor

1
It is of Gudea
Ur-Nin-girsu ("man of Nin-girsu
elect"),
").
that the larger and
more important part
ments of Telloh preserve the memory
of the
monu
eight statues,
two large cylinders of clay, and hundreds of frag

ments or small texts. Of his successor we have a
few bricks and a small object of uncertain use.
Here must be placed, I believe, the patesi
1
Lcdrain
Cf.
Lettra,
Communication a V Acadfmie
2th July 1882.
Nam-
des Inscriptions et Bellcs-
His
maghani
Dr.
by
("
supremacy")
Hommel
whose reign
is
assigned
But
to a period before Ur-Bau.
monuments are too few (only a door-step and

some bricks) to allow us to determine with certainty
his
his relative date.
M. Heuzey has
also
made
us acquainted with an
a
His glory
His son Ghalaother patesi, Luka-ni
lamma, who does not, like his father, take the title of
").
("
patesi, offers
homage
an inscription on the fragment
in
of a statue to Dungi, king of Ur. 2

It
is
difficult to
determine, even approximately, to
what remote epoch the dynasties of Telloh must be

referred.
We gather but little from the fact that the
son of one of the last patesis of Shirpurla was the con
For we cannot yet fix the age of

the early kings of Ur. Let me, however, hazard a
hypothesis, in consideration of any light it may throw
temporary of Dungi.
on the dark problem of Chaldean chronology.

I have already had occasion to cite an inscription
Gudea
of
(on statue
D)
that he received from
lughgha, Gubi, and

of trees.
The
the Isle of
which
in
"the
Nituk,"
in
countries of
Magan, Me-
vessels laden with all sorts
situation of
Tilmun
this patesi tells us
Nituk
is
It
was
It is
not
known.
the Persian Gulf.
Le Roi Dounghi in the Revue Archtologique, April 1886.

omit a patesi of Shirpurla, En-anna, made known to us by George
Smith in his Early History of Babylonia, and two other patesis whose
names are quoted by Dr. Hommel from some seals (Geschichte Bab. und
The text translated by George Smith has not yet
Ass. pp. 290, 293).
been published, and the reading of the inscriptions on the seals does not
1
"
"
seem absolutely
certain.
[Identified with the Tylos of classical geography by Dr. Oppert, and
with the modern Bahrein by Sir H. Rawlinson, though Professor Delitzsch
3

possible, in
my
opinion, to look for

else than in
lughgha anywhere
Sinaitic Peninsula.
Dr.
Hommel would
Phoenicia, the
in
Magan and Me-
the vicinity of the
Gubi, sometimes written Gubin,
alone remains, which
with Byblos
53
Gapuna
identify
of the hiero
I should, however, prefer to see in

glyphic texts.
Gubi a name of Egypt, and more precisely the name
of Coptos, the ancient Qubti.
Gudea would thus in
names have followed the route of his

vessels, starting from the most distant points to the
north of the Red Sea, coasting along Egypt and
his
list
of
If the identification of Gubi

turning round Arabia.
Gubin with Oubti meets with the approval
of Egyptologists and Assyriologists, the reign of
or
Gudea might
between
the
monuments
perhaps
sixth
of Pepi
be
placed
in
the
interval
Egyptian dynasty, when the

seem already to testify to the
commercial importance of Coptos, 2 and the eleventh,
when
the cities of
Upper Egypt obtained political

will dream of bringing
supremacy.
the reign of Gudea down to a later date.
How must we explain the fact that the last princes
No
one of course
of Shirpurla contented themselves with the

"
patesi,"
while the most ancient took that of
believe that
it is
difficult
indication of the loss of
its
title
of
"
"
king
not to see in this fact an

earlier
independence on
considers it to form part of the delta which has accumulated at the mouth
of the Euphrates.
Ed. ]
1
This is the opinion long ago maintained by Messrs. Lenormant,
M. Delattre has ably defended it in the memoir
Oppert, and Sayce.
L Asie occidental dans les Inscriptions Assyriennes, pp. 149 seq,
2
See Maspero Histoire ancienne (4th edit.), p. 81.
:
RECORDS OF THE PAST
54
the part of Shirpurla and of its subjection to

All the other instances
city, probably Ur.
the use of the

tenant"
of
title
before the
"
patesi,"
name
We
a divine name. 1
lend
it
some other
we have of
the sense of
of a country, of
"vicar"
"lieu
before
possess inscriptions in which the
patesis of Nipur and. of Ishkun-Sin acknowledge their
dependency on the kings of Ur.
Nebuchadnezzar
II
himself the patesi of the god Merodach, Sargon

the patesi of the god Assur. The title of the earliest
calls
sovereigns
of Assyria,
defines their
dom
power
"
patesi of the
god
Assur,"
as being that either of a king
predominantly
religious,
or
of a viceroyalty
under a suzerain, who was without doubt Babylonian.

always implies the idea of lieutenant or dependant.
Why should we admit an exception in the case of
It
Shirpurla ? It is true that Gudea comes before us as

In one of his inscriptions (statue
a powerful prince.
he
boasts
of
having overthrown the city of Anshan
B)
the land of Elam.
in
may have made

his suzerain.
and
grees,
has
it
known
But
for
aught we know he
expedition in the company of

Dependence, moreover, admits of de
this
can even be purely nominal.

powerful
vassals
who have
France
resisted
royalty.
fact of
The campaign of Gudea in Elam, in the course

Anshan was captured, is the only
We have
military history of which we know.
better information, thanks to two inscriptions
III.
of which the city of
little
1
[I should rather render it "High-Priest."
Religion of the Ancient Babylonians, pp. 59-60.
See
/u/.]
my
Lectures on the
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF TELL OH
55
patesi (those of statue B and cylinder A),

the
commercial relations of his country.
concerning
of the
same
Unfortunately
it is
always very
geographical names recorded
From
difficult to identify
the
in the texts.
a passage cited above
appears that Shirpurla enjoyed commercial intercourse with the coun

it
Nituk, Gubi or Gubin, Magan, and Melughgha.

These four countries furnished Chaldrta with wood for
tries of
But Melughgha also furnished gold, and
building.
Magan
a hard stone, diorite, which was
the sculptors.
Chalda:a was also
country of Martu, that

Syria.
From
Amanus,
it
is
in
employed by
connection with the
to say, with Phoenicia
and
a mountain which seems to have been
derived cedars and other trees
other mountains of Martu
Susalla and
from two
Tidanum
two species of stones. It is stones again that were

imported from a mountain of Barsip, which I should
look for in the neighbourhood of the Syrian city of
For I believe that it is the same country
Til-Barsip.
that which appears in
as
W.
A.
I.,
ii.
53,
3,
under
the varying forms of Barsip-ki and Bursip-ki.

\Ye
know that the name of Til-Barsip was also written
tells
The
inscription of statue
B, moreover,
from
coming
Barsip were con
vessels which, according to my view, would
Til-Bursip.
us that the stones
veyed in
have had only to descend the Euphrates. I am greatly
tempted to ascend still farther to the north, towards
the sources of this
1
anum
river, in
order to find two other coun-
Susalla
uncertain.
Dr. Hommel has compared Tid
with Tidnu, the Sumerian equivalent of Akharru (the Semitic term
The reading
for Syria).
is
RECORDS OF THE PAST
56
the city of Ursu-ki, in the mountains of Ibla (or

1
rather, Tilla ), which furnished wood, and Shamalum,
tries
or
Shamanum,
in the
But
nished stones.
mountains of Menua, which fur

can suggest nothing
to three other geographical
names which
in
regard
con
shall
myself to mentioning the mountain of Ghaghum,

from whence Gudea procured gold the city of Abullat
the great gate of his fathers
or Abulla-Abishu
fine
"),
("
situated in the mountains of Ki-mash,
whence he
procured copper and the country or city of Madga,

3
in the mountains of the river Gurruda (?), from whence
;
he procured a product whose precise nature

unable to determine.
Certain
texts.
cities
am
of Babylonia are mentioned in our
are the three ancient cities of Eridu
They
(Nnn-ki), Larrak (Barbar-ki), and the unknown city
of Kinunir-ki.
sacred
cities,
name
of
They always appear
and the
to
figure
as
last of
goddess,
the three only after the

Duzi-abzu, "the mistress of
Kinunir."
The names of the Euphrates and Tigris frequently

I believe I
occur on the two cylinders of Gudea.
have also found in them the names of Shumer and
Accad
1
Dr.
"
"
Kiengi
Hommel
and
"
Ki-burbur."
But
it
is
not
has proposed to read Dalla.
[Ki-mash seems to be "the country of Mas," or Arabia Petrcea

comp. the Mash of Genesis x. 23. The Babylonians derived a name for
Ed. ]
"copper," kemassu, from its Sumerian appellation.
3
Can the river Gurruda have been the Dead Sea, and can the product
derived from the neighbouring district have been bitumen, as Dr. Hommel
has conjectured? It is not probable that all the bitumen required for the
buildings of Babylonia was exclusively provided by the little river of Hit.
;
(See Hdt.
i.
179.)
me
yet possible for

they are found.
The
to translate the passages
where
B mentions two
of statue
inscription
57
seas.
he had caused the temple of Nin-girsu to be

Nin-girsu, the lord beloved by him, has forcibly
"After
built,
opened
for
him the roads from the sea of the high
lands to the lower

is
sea."
The
"
"sea
evidently the Persian Gulf, and
doubt that by the
"
lower sea
"
is
of the highlands
it is
impossible to
intended the Medi
terranean.
IV. For a knowledge of the pantheon of Shirpurlawe possess a document of a very great value.
This is the list of divinities at the commencement of
ki
the imprecatory formula in the inscription on statue
The
of Gudea.
nities,
which
names of the
following are the
it
evidently sacred,
is
divi
important to give in the order,

which they are enumerated in
in
the inscription:
Anna, the Sky-god, the Ami of the Semites

the lord of the mountain of the world,"
Ellilla or Bel,
"
where the seat of the gods was placed, as well as the

habitation of the dead, also called
gods;"
Nin-gharsag or Belit,
mountain,"
the wife of
En-ki or Ea,
"
"the
the
same
Moon-god, the eldest son of
Ellilla; Nin-girsu or Ninib, the
mistress of the
and mother of the gods

earth" and the waters
Ellilla,
the son and warrior of Ellilla
who has
the father of the
the lord of the
En-zu, or Sin, the
Ea,
"
titles
In an abbreviated form,
"
Chaldean Hercules,
Nina, the daughter of

as
Nin-dara, and
the lord of the
world."
may
RECORDS OF THE PAST
58
therefore be regarded as the consort of this
Nin-dara,
who
the god Ninib
is
god
under another name
Gatumdug, the daughter of Anna, who is the goddess

Bau under another name Bau, daughter of Anna
and wife of Nin-girsu Ninni or Nana, the Ishtar of
;
Anna Shamash,
Ea Pasagga, the
the Semites, another daughter of

the Sun-god, the son of En-ki or
Ishum
of the Semites,
who
is
undoubtedly only an
other form of Gibil, the Fire-god, the son of En-ki or
Ea;
Gal-alim,
son of
the
another son of
Nin-girsu
daughter of Nina
Duzi-abzu,
Nin-girsu
;
Dun-shagana,
Nin-mar-ki, the eldest
"lady
of Kinunir-ki
"
Nin-gish-zida,
the god of Gudea.

It
will
be observed that
divinities in three generations.
this
list
In the
arranges the
come the
first
four great gods, including a goddess, distinguished

also
by the
later
Assyro-Babylonian religious systems,
whom
Next
all the other gods proceed.
are placed the sons and daughters of these deities.
and from
Lastly come the grandchildren. I have been obliged

to put Duzi-abzu and Nin-gish-zida by themselves,
since no text has as yet given us
any information con

But we may believe that one of them
cerning them.
must be mentioned at the end of the
Nin-gish-zida
2
Ed.}
[Or Uras.
and her title of "lady of Kinunir-ki
If our Duzi-abzu is a goddess
does not allow us to doubt it it is clear that we cannot identify her with
the god Duzi-abzu who is named in W. A. I., ii. 56, 33-38, as one of the
six sons of Ea.
It is necessary to understand six sons in this passage, and
a daughter" of Ea.
not six children, since the following line names
2
"
"

list,
whatever
may have been
his
rank
59
in the divine-
we shall see, he was the special deity

Gudea and his intercessor with the other gods.
The preceding list does not give all the gods
mentioned in the texts of Telloh some even are
family, since, as
of
absent who had
their
temples
pretending to be complete,
who
in Shirpurla.
may
Without
enumerate
further
only another form of En-ki

the god Shidlamta-ena, another name of Nin-girsu,
and the Nergal of the Semites the god Nin-sar, yet
the god Nin-agal,
is
another
name
of Nergal
the goddess Nin-tn, another
designation of Nin-gharsag the god Uru-ki or Sin

the god Nirba perhaps the god Nin-shagh, Pap-sukal
;
a O
god called the
"king"
of Gishgalla-ki
C)
"
a O
goddess
Ku-anna; a god Dun-sir (?)-anna seven sons of

Bau, who are termed Zazaru (or Zazauru), Im-ghud;
ena, Ur-un-ta-ena (or Gim-nun-ta-ena), Ghi-gir-nunna,
Ghi-shaga, Gurmu, and Zarmu.

In a learned article in the ZcitscJirift fur Assyriologie (ii. pp. 179 scq,\ Prof. Tiele has shown that at
Babylon, by the side of the local god Bel-Merodach

in his temple of E-shagil, his wife and son
and even
that at BorZarpanit and Nebo were also adored

and in
of
Nebo
the
side
the
sippa, by
supreme god
was
wor
his temple of L-Zida, his consort Nan a
;
we remember that other temples existed

dedicated
to various other deities, we shall
Babylon
readily admit that the cult rendered to these gods
shipped.
If
at
was
offered
by reason
of their being the mother, the
brothers, or the sisters of the principal divinity.
We
RECORDS OF THE PAST
60
may
remark, moreover, that the supreme god of the

was hardly ever one of the
national or local pantheon
The latter, indeed, appear to me

have been born after their sons, in consequence of
the need experienced by the mind of man to establish
primordial deities.
to
god a family analogous to his own, with

The two exceptions
parents, wife, and children.
which may be instanced from Nipur and Eridu are
for
his
not certain.
at all events
Dr. Hommel has remarked

names Ninib and not Bel
As
divinity of Nipur.
for Eridu,
that one text

as the chief
do not
sure
feel
that the principal deity there was really Ea.
god had certainly a temple

at Shirpurla-ki,
but
in
both
in Eridu, just as
cities
it
This
he had
was under the
of the divine father that he was adored.
title
The very
interesting inscription on a brick of a patesi of Eridu,
named Idadu, which
is
unfortunately still unpublished,

would lead us to suppose that the chief god of the
place was Nin-Eridu, possibly a
The supreme god
name
of Merodach. 1
was Nin-girsu,
whose consort was the goddess Bau.
Both were
of Shirpurla
worshipped under different titles. Besides the temples

in which he was invoked as Nin-girsu, he had others
in
Girsu-ki,
where he was known as Nin-dara and
Shidlamta-ena.
Similarly the goddess was not only
adored as Bau, but she was also worshipped

azagga as Gatumdug and in Nina-ki as Nina.
at least of the parent
1
See George Smith
Archeology,
i.
p.
32.
in
gods had sanctuaries
the
in
Uru-
Three
in Shir-
Transactions of the Society of Biblical

Ellilla (called
purla,
girsu"),
En-ki, and
specially
"the
father of Nin-
mother of the
"the
61
gods,"
Nin-
gharsag.
Temples were even dedicated to En-ki
under his two titles of En-ki and Nin-agal. We may
question whether it was in virtue of her being his wife

or his sister that Ninni possessed a temple in Girsuki and another in Gishgalla-ki
and also whether Nin;
gish-zida, in his special
temple at Girsu-ki, was wor
shipped as being a brother of the god or as being the

god himself under a fourth manifestation. It is cer
on the other hand, that Gal-alim and Dun-shagana

had each a temple because they were the sons of
Nin-girsu, and that Nin-mar-ki had one because she
tain,
was the daughter of Nina. \Ye clo not know at pre

sent what were the grounds of relationship which
caused temples to be erected in Girsu-ki to the god
desses Ku-anna 1 and Duzi-abzu.
It is possible that
some
of these
numerous temples were only chapels
situated in E-ninnu, the favourite sanctuary of Ningirsu
those, for example,
which belonged to the sons
of the god.
While regarding Nin-girsu

of his cult, as
"his
king,"
as the
supreme object
to use the stereotyped ex
pression, each prince of Shirpurla-ki selected also a
special deity from
among
the divine family,
as his intercessor with Nin-girsu.-
with the deities of five of these princes.

1
114.
-
who
acted
We are acquainted
That of Uru-
Consort of the god Martu, according to the Collection de Clcrcq,

Cf.
W.
A.
I.,
iii.
See more especially the
last lines
of inscription No. i of King Uruto the lines, which have been
M. Hcuzey has drawn my attention

translated for the first time by Dr. Oppert.
Kagina.
cyl.
67, b 35.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
62
Kagina was perhaps Nin-shagh or Pap-sukal though

the reading is doubtful
that of Entena and Enanna- tumma was Dun-sir(?)-anna that of Ur-Bau
;
was Nin-agal
We
that of Gudea, Nin-gish-zida.
have not yet succeeded
in
ascertaining the
exact sense of the various appellations of Nin-girsu
and
his wife
Bau
is
it
consequently impossible to
define with precision the character and personality
of these divinities.
Nin-girsu was a
ticularly the sun
We may
admit, however, that
solar deity, personifying
when
veiled in clouds
more par
hence the
Like
combative and military aspect of the god.
with
whom
he
more
would
be
Apollo,
fitly compared
than with Hercules, he was at once an avenger and
a
As
huntsman, and perhaps a shepherd.

the mother par ex
Bau, who was termed
and to whom were given the titles of good
saviour,
"
for
"
"
cellence,
"
lady,"
Mistress of
Abundance,"
divinity, resembling in
many
she was a terrestrial
points the
Demeter of
even possible that like Demeter

she presided also over Hades, and not only over the
Two of our texts mention
living and fertile earth.
the Greeks.
It
is
a festival of Bau, which occurred,
if I
understand the
passage aright, at the commencement of the year

and it appears to result from another inscription that
;
the chief festival of Nin-girsu took place at the same

time.
Indeed it is probable that it was at the be
ginning of the year, at the vernal equinox, that the

cities of Babylonia and Assyria alike celebrated the
festivals of their gods.

The
63
comprise almost all

from
Tclloh, with the
brought
of
the
on
the
so-called Stele of
exception
inscription
the Vultures and those on the two large cylinders of
the
following
texts
translations
hitherto
Gudea.
Restorations of the text arc indicated by brackets
Words
have been
( )
placed in parentheses
order to render the sense more intelligible.
Certain of the inscriptions have been published
[ ]
added
in
in
Dccouvcrtcs en Chaldcc, par E. dc Sarzcc, edited by
L. Ileuzcy, of
in
which the
884 and 1887.
first
two parts have appeared
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF TEL-LOH

I.
THE
INSCRIPTIONS OF KING UR-NINA

No.
1.
Nina-ur
2.
king
3.
4.
COLUMN
i.
of SHIRPURLA,
son of Nini-ghal-gin,
6.
the temple of the god NIN-GIRSU

has erected.
5.
7.
The
8.
he has erected.
9.
The temple
10.
Ib-gal
(?)
of the goddess
COLUMN
1.
The
Sig-nir
4.
5.
The temple
6.
he has erected.
7.
The temple
3.
II
(?)
he has erected.
His tower in stages
he has erected.
2.
NINA
he has erected.
of
(?)
E ...
^
8.
9.
10.
of
E-GHUD
he has erected.
His observatory
he has erected.
(?)
1
Decouvertes en Chaldfe, pi. 2, No. i.
Translated by Dr. Oppert in
a Communication to Hie Acadtmie des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres, 2d
March 1883.
COLUMN
?
of the Ti-ash-ra
2.
he has erected.
3.
The temple
4.
he has erected.
5.
The
7.
8.
9.
10.
III
[The palace]
1.
6.
(?)
of the goddess
?
.
After that the temple of NIN-GIRSU

he has caused to be erected
seventy great measures

house of fruits
(?)
of corn
in his
IV
[he has stored up.]
From MAG AN
2.
the mountain
3.
all sorts
4.
The
of
castle
5.
he has
6.
The
7.
GATUMDUG
great apzu
he has constructed.
COLUMN
65
wood he has imported.

of SHIRPURLA
built.
small apzu
he has constructed
COLUMN v
?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[in the
temple]
of the goddess NINA, lady of destinies

he has placed it.
Two
statues
(?),
(?)
he has set up (?);

these two statues (?)...
Lacuna.
1
[The apzu, or "deep," was the basin for purification attached to a
sea" of Solomon.
Ed. ]
Babylonian temple, corresponding to the
2
The Sinaitic Peninsula, perhaps including Midian.
"
Or
"
VOL.
the
I
4
country."
Or
wall."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
66
No.
2.
1.
Nina-ur
2.
the king
of SHIRPURLA,
3.
4.
5.
COLUMN
son of Nini-ghal-gin,
of GIRSU
(?)
the habitation
COLUMN
1.
2.
II
has constructed.
The bricks of the foundation
The inscription breaks
No.
3.2
1.
Nina-ur
2.
the king
of SHIRPURLA,
3.
COLUMN
COLUMN
i.
(?)
off here.
II
the son of Nini-ghal-g[in].
Translated by Dr. Hommel, Geschichte

Dtcouvertes, pi. 2, No. 2.
Babyloniens und Assyriens, p. 285.
2
L. Heuzcy,
Les Rois cle Tello," in the Revue Archdolo$ique, Nov.
"
1882.
II.
INSCRIPTION OF AN
I
UNKNOWN PRINCE ON
.OULDER OF STONE
COLUMN
67
Lacuna.
1.
2.
[patejsi
[of
SHIRPUR]LA
COLUMN
1.
[of the god]
2.
[the
3.
4.
5.
6.
II
NIN-GIRSU
dun
has constructed.
palace of Ti-ra-ash-di
The
he has built,
and he has
(?)
7.
8.
E-an-[na]-du
covered with renown
COLUMN
III
1.
by the god NIN-GIRSU,
2.
for the countries
3.
by the power of the god NIN-OIRSU

The
last lines arc destroyed.
The \\riting used in this inscription

Ddcouvertes, pi. 2, Xo. 3.
resembles that of the inscriptions of Ur-nina and the Stele of the Vultures
more than any other. However, the little that remains of the first column
seems to indicate that it belongs to a patesi and not to a king, perhaps to
an E-anna-du.
2
This proper name is mutilated, but I believe my reading very prob
1
able.
Cf. the Stele of the Vultures,
Obv.
i.
i.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
68
III.
INSCRIPTIONS OF URU-KAGINA
No.
i.
COLUMN
1.
For the god NIN-GIRSU
2.
the warrior of the god ELLILLA,
3.
4.
5.
Uru-Kagina,
the king
of SHIRPURLA-KI,
8.
his temple
has constructed.
His palace of Ti-ra-ash
9.
he has constructed.
6.
7.
COLUMN
1.
The
2.
he has constructed.
II
an-ta-shur-ra
3.
The
4.
in order to [be] the E-ne-bi of the countries
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
E-gish-me-ra
he has constructed.
The house of fruits which produces abundance
in the country
he has constructed.
For the god DUN-SHAGANA
his habitation of
1.
2.
3.
4.
(?)
AKKIL
COLUMN
III
he has constructed.
For the god GAL-ALIMMA
the temple of E-ME-GAL-GHUSH-AN-KI
he has constructed.
From a squeeze
Communication
to the
in
the Louvre.
Acadtmie
Translated by Dr. Oppert in a
des Inscriptions, 2Qth February 1884.

The temple
of the goddess
he has constructed.
5.
6.
7.
For the god ELLILLA
8.
the temple of E-ADDA, 2
9.
his im-sag-ga,
COLUMN
1.
he has constructed.
2.
The
3.
his
4.
he has constructed.
BAU
69
IV
itr(?}-sag,
temple which
rises to the
entrance of heaven
(?),
Of Uru-Kagina,
5.
7.
the king
of SHIRPURLA-KI,
8.
who
6.
the temple of E-NINNU

has constructed,
9.
10.
his
god
COLUMN v
the god NIN-SHAGH. S

For the life of the king
is
during the long days to
come
before the god NIN-GIRSU
may he (NIN-SHAGH) bow down

No. 2
his face
ON A BUTTRESS
For the god NIN-GIRSU],
i.
the] warrior
[of the god EL]LILLA,
2.
3-
4-
Uru-]Ka[g]ina,
5-
the] king
6.
SHIRPUR]LA-KI,
probably the Baau of Phoenician mythology, whose name was

and who was supposed along with her husband
night,"
The
the wind," to have produced the first generation of men.
Kolpia,
word has been compared with the Hebrew bohu, translated void in Gen.
1
[Bau
is
interpreted
"the
"
"
"
i.
2.
2
Ed.}
["The
temple of the
Or Nin-dun.
father."
Ed.}
RECORDS OF THE PAST

7-
9-
"the
Antd\-Shttrra
the house] of abundance of his country,

has] constructed.
lo.
His [palace] of Ti-[ra-ash]
n.
[he] has constructed.
Lines
14.
and
3 are destroyed.
[For the god] GAL-ALIMMA

Lines 15-21 are destroyed.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
[he has] constructed.

[For the god] NIN-SAR,
the bearer [of the sword
[of the god] NIN-GIRSU,
?]
his temple
he has constructed.
[For the god
.]
GIR
(?)
the well-beloved
[of the god]
NIN-GIRSU
his
temple
32. he has constructed.
31.
33.
The
J3ur(?}-sag,
temple which rises to the entrance

34.
his
36.
For the god ELLILLA
37.
the temple of E-ADDA, 1
of
heaven
(?),
38. his im-sag-gci)

40.
the sanctuary (?)

2
42. of E-melam-kurra
41.
45.
The temple wherein dwells

he has constructed.
46.
Of Uru-Kagina,
44.
(?)
the god NIN-GIRSU
The temple of the father." Ed.~\

temple of the brilliance of the (eastern) mountain."
["
["The
Ed.]
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF 7ELLOH

47.
who
71
the temple
48. of the
god Nin-ciRSU
....
The inscription breaks off here, having never been finished.
NO.
ON A CYLINDER
3.
COLUMN
The first
1.
2.
3.
4.
lines are lost.
Uru-Kagina,
the king
of GIRSU-KI,
the Anta-shurra,
6.
the house of abundance of his country,

his palace of TI-RA-ASH,
7.
has constructed.
5.
8.
The temple
9.
[he has] constructed.
of the goddess
BAU
Lacuna.
COLUMN
The first
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
II
lines are lost.
he has [constructed].
For the god [DUN-SHA]GA[NA]
his habitation of [AKKIL]
he has [constructed].
For the god ....
2
his tablet-like amulets (?)
has
his
he
made.
temple
(and)
In the middle (of this temple)
9.
for the
10.
for the
11.
for
god ZA-ZA-URU,
god IM-GHUD-EN,
the god GIM-XUN-TA-EN-A
Dtcouvertes, pi. 32.

Possibly the small tablets of white or black stone buried under the
foundations of the temples. These tablets were sometimes of metal
those,
It seems that some consisted also
for example, discovered at Khorsabad.
see W. A. I., i. 49, col. 4, 12.
of ivory and precious wood
2
RECORDS OF THE PAST
72
12.
temples he has built for them.
13.
For the god NIN-SAR

Lacuna.
COLUMN
The first
1.
2.
3.
III
lines are lost.
[For the god ELLIL]LA

[the temple of E-JADDA, his
he has constructed.
4.
For the goddess NINA,
5.
her favourite
6.
the canal NINA-KI-TUM-A
7.
8.
\_im-~\sagga,
river,
he has excavated (?).

At the mouth (of the canal), an
edifice.
Fragments offour other columns remain.
IV.
INSCRIPTION OF ENTENA ON A BUTTRESS
1.
To
2.
the mother of SHIRPURLA-KI,
the goddess
3.
Entena,
4.
the patesi
5.
6.
7.
8.
GATUMDUG,
of SHIRPURLA-KI,
who has built the temple of the goddess
His god
is the
god DUN-SIR(?)-ANNA.
GATUMDUG.
73
74
V. INSCRIPTION OF
EN-ANNA-TUMMA ON A BUTTRESS
1.
For the god NiN-Gmsu,
2.
the warrior of the god ELLILLA,
3.
En-anna-tumma,
4.
5.
the patesi
of SHIRPURLA-KI,
6.
the chosen of the heart
7.
8.
9.
10.
of the goddess NINA,

the great patesi
of the god NIN-GIRSU,
the son of Entena
u.
the patesi
12.
of SHIRPURLA-KI.
13.
14.
15.
1 6.
17.
1
8.

house of fruits
he has restored.
his
Of En-anna-tumma,
who the house of fruits
god NIN-GIRSU
of the
has restored,
19.
20.
his
21.
is
god
the god DUN-SIR(?)-ANNA.

1
Dtcouvertes,
pi. 6,
No.
4.
THE- INSCRIPTIONS OF TELLOH
VI. INSCRIPTIONS OF
No.
UR-BAU AND
ON
I.
1.
To
the
3.
4.
Ur-Bau
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1 1.
12.
the patesi
of SHIRPURLA-KI,
the offspring begotten

by the god NIN-AGAL,
chosen by the immutable will of the goddess NiNA,

endowed with power by the god NIN-GIRSU,
named with a favourable name by the goddess BAIT,
endowed with intelligence by the god EN-Ki, 2
COLUMN
1.
2.
3.
4.
god NIN-GIRSU
the powerful warrior

of the god ELULLA,
5.
II
covered with renown by the goddess NINNI,

the favourite servant of the god who is king of GISHGALLA-KI,
the favourite of the goddess DUZI-ABZU.
I
am UR-BAU
6.
the god NIN-GIRSU is my king.

The site of ... 3 he has excavated.
7.
The
5.
earth thence extracted, like precious stones, he has
measured
8.
HIS REIGN
A STATUE 1
COLUMN
2.
75
(?)
like a precious
metal he has weighed
(?)
it.
1
Translated by Dr. Oppert in a
Dtcouvertes, pll. 7 and 8.
cation to the Acadtmie des Inscriptions, 3151 March 1882.
Communi
Ed. ]
[Also called Ea, the god of the deep.
Perhaps some edifice previously dedicated to the goddess Bau.
characters are destroyed.
3
The
RECORDS OF THE PAST
76
COLUMN
1.
2.
According
to the plan
large space ;
into the middle (of
III
adopted he has marked out a
he has carried
mundus. 1
it)
this earth,
3.
and he has made
4.
Above, a substructure 6 cubits high, he has
5.
Above
6.
7.
8.
its
built.
this substructure
the temple E-NiNNU, which illumines the darkness

30 cubits in height,
he has built.
For the goddess NiN-GHARSAG, 2 the
(?),
mother of the
gods,
COLUMN
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
her temple of GIRSU-KI

he has constructed.
For the goddess BAU,
the good lady,
the daughter of ANNA,
her temple of URU-AZAGGA
he has constructed.
For the goddess NINNI, the
reign
9.
10.
11.
12.
IV
lady august,
the sove
(?),
her temple of GISHGALLA-KI

he has constructed.
For the god EN-KI, the king of ERIDU,
his temple of GIRSU-KI
COLUMN v
1.
2.
3.
4.
he has constructed.
For the god NIN-DARA, S the lord of
his temple he has constructed.
For the god NIN-AGAL,
This translation of these
compare the ceremonies

2
["The
lady of the
Ed.}
[OrUras.
six lines is given
destinies (?),
under
reserve.
Should we
at the foundation of cities in classical antiquity?

mountain."
Ed. ]

5-
his g d
6.
his
>
temple
8.
he has constructed.
For the goddess NiN-MAR-Ki 1
9.
the good lady,
7.
77
the eldest daughter of the goddess NINA,

11. the Esh-gu-tiir (?), the temple of her constant choice,
10.
COLUMN
1.
For the god
2.
the shepherd
3.
his
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1
1.
2.
temple
VI
....
.
[of] GIR-[SU-KI],
he has constructed.
For the goddess Ku-AxNA, 2
the lady of the cloudy sky
(?),
he has constructed.
For the goddess DUZI-ABZU,
the lady of KINUNIR-KI,
he has constructed.
The remaining inscriptions of Telloh will
in
tJie
be translated
next volume.
lady of the city of Mar."

EJ.~\
1
consort of the god Martu [or Rimmon
["The
The
belonging to M. de Clercq (Xo. 114);
cf.
W.
A.
according to a cylinder
I.,
iii.
67,
b.
35.
SIN-GASHID S
ENDOWMENT OF THE
TEMPLE E-ANA
TRANSLATED BY THEO. G. PINCHES
Tins
short inscription of twenty-seven lines
of peculiar interest.
It
is
is
one
record, written in the
Akkadian language, of an endowment, made by an

early Mesopotamia!! king with a Semitic Babylonian
T
name, to the great temple at Erech called E-ana
and it is not an original, but a copy in clay, written by
;
man named
Nabu-baladhsu-iqbi, of a stone tablet

the great temple known as
kept, in ancient times, in
E-zida,
now
the ruin called the Birs-i-Nimroud
the
Great care has been taken
supposed tower of Babel.
by the copyist in inscribing the tablet; and the forms

of the characters, as he has given them, probably
reproduce fairly well the archaic style of the original.
The
text itself covers the greater part of the two
which
sides of the clay tablet,
documents of
Assyria,
flat
this
Written
ever, generally
like
most of the
in Babylonia and
on the obverse, and
found
kind
or nearly
curved on the reverse.
is,
so
The
three lines, which
last
-an-na in the inscriptions.

The end-syllable -na is, how
regarded as a kind of phonetic complement, and the n is
therefore not really double.
The name means
"
House
of
heaven."
SIN-GASHWS ENDOWMENT OF TEMPLE E-ANA
79
are separate from the others, are written smaller, and
Unlike
are in the later Babylonian style of writing.
the rest, also, they are written in the Semitic-Baby

lonian language.
The
size of the tablet
is
4^- inches
| inches, the thickness in the thickest part being

The colour is a very light yellow ochre.
i^
As the word-order in Akkadian differs consider
by
inch.
ably from English, no attempt is made to preserve

the divisions of the lines of the original
by this
arrangement translations from these ancient tongues
are much more easily understood.
;
TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION OF

SIN-GASHID
2
ERECH, king of AMNANUM, and
LUGAL-BANDA
his god and NIN-GUL
patron
When he built E-ANA he erected E-KANKAL,
his goddess.
Dur
the house which is the seat of the joy of his heart. 4
5
ing his dominion he will endow it with 30 gur of wheat,
1
king of
of E-ANA, to
Sin-gashid,
3
mana
ing to
of wool,
the
tariff,
mana
and
of produce, 1 8 qa of oil accord

shekel of gold.
May his years be
years of plenty.
COLOPHON
Copy
IN SEMITIC-BABYLONIAN
of the tablet of ?^//-stone, the property
which Nabu-baladhsu-iqbi, son of Mitsiraa, 8 has
of E-ZIDA,
written.
not be without interest to give here a

transcription of the original text into Roman charIt
may
This
name
probably for Sin-kashid,
is
the
Moon-god has made
captive."
2
3
The Akkadian form

Literally
is
Unuga.
"nourisher"
(ua,
equivalent to the Semitic -Babylonian
zaninti).
4
The Akkadians
"
Literally,
here use the
measure out to
(i
Or, perhaps,
The
original
"according to
"
Mitsiraa,
"
sha-ghulla,
the tariff of the
the Egyptian.
"
heartjoy."
time."
has the Akkadian word nigga
mimmii.
8
compound
it."
Semitic-Babylonian
SIA T-GASHID S
acters,
ENDOWMENT OF TEMPLE
omitting the
determinative
were probably not pronounced
Lugal-banda,
dingiranir,
E-ANA
prefixes,
si
which
Nin-gul
Sin-
amanir,
lugal Unuga, lugal Amnanum, ua E-ana.

E-ana mu-dua, E-kankal, e ki-tur shaghulakane,
munen-du. Bala nam-lugalakani ba she-gur-ta, ghu-
gashid,
Ud
min mana
ghu mana um-ta (ghu-ussa-qa
kilama dana-ka, guskin
gish-ta,
Mua-ni
sig-ta,
mu
ge
sal-
ghipdazig.
ghigala ghia.
narua sha
Gabri
gi
Cishi,
nigga
E-zida, Nabu-bal-
adhsu-iqbi, abil Mitsiraa, isdhur.
The
begins with an invocation to Lugalbanda and his consort Nin-gul, who seem to have
text
He then
s patron god and goddess.
of
Erech
of
of
one
the
E-ana,
great temples
speaks
been Sin-gashid
(which was, perhaps, Sin-gashid
capital),
and E-kan
kal, probably one of the shrines in E-ana.

Judging
from the wording, Sin-gashid seems to claim to be
the founder of both those fanes, though
it is
probable
then
gives a
Sin-gashid
of the amounts of produce, etc., with which he
that he only rebuilt them.

list
had endowed the
shrine,
and ends with a pious wish
The date of the original of this in

The
scription may be set down at about. 2600 B.C.
which
come
to
has
down
us, however, probably
copy
for his country.
dates from the time of the antiquarian revival in

Babylonia during the reign of Nabonidus, father of
Belshazzar.
1
This is represented on the tablet by a single character formed with
four wedges (three horizontal and one upright) of the same form as the
character as.
This character is equivalent to 3x6 (
18) qa.
VOL.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
82
It is to
be noted that the inscription
god and a goddess whose names
to a
transcribe as Lugal-banda
("powerful
is
dedicated
provisionally
king,"
or
"
king
of youthful strength
and Nin-gul, his consort (as
we learn from the second volume of the Cuneiform
")
Inscriptions of Western Asia,
pi.
59,
11.
24 and 25
).
This identification of Ningul as the consort of Lugalis important, as it shows that Sin-gashid, who
her his mother, and himself her son, 2 did not
banda
calls
mean to imply that she was his real earthly parent,

but that he simply traced his descent from her, thus
The
asserting his divine origin.

"
double-queried
name
(as
the earliest
"
Nin-gul),
Euphrates
list
Belat-sunat
"
valley,"
late
George Smith
he transcribed the
known queen
in
the
must therefore be erased from the
of historical rulers in Erech.
The temple E-ana was probably the principal

fane in the city of Erech, and E-kankal 3 was prob
It is not improb
ably one of the shrines within it.
able that the E-kankal mentioned here
is
the same
as, or the fellow-shrine to, the E-ghili-ana mentioned

by Assur-bani-pal as the sanctuary, apparently in or
connected with
E-ana,
to
which he
restored
the
image of the goddess Nana, which was carried off

by the king of Elam, Kudur-nankhundi, about 2280
1
From a comparison of the other names in the text there published, it
would seem that other possible readings of these two names are Uviunbanda or Un-banda and Un-gul or -gul.
Fresh excavations in the East
can alone determine these points.
2
Cun. Ins. of W. Asia, vol. i. pi. 3, No. viii. (Brick from the sum
mit of the Bowarieh ruin at Warka).
The house
of the sanctuary
"
(?).
SIN-GASHIDS
ENDOWMENT OF TEMPLE E-ANA

As
years before Christ.
the date of Sin-gashid
is
with
to
is
83
say
impossible
certainty
whether the capture of the image of Nana by the
Elamites took place before or after his reign, but
it
doubtful,
it
was probably
The
after.
inscription
here translated and explained
is
a duplicate of one published in the fourth volume of

the Cuneiform Ins. of
t\vo
cones
W. Asia, pi.
Of this
35, No. 3, from
from Warka. 3
which
text,
is
rather roughly written, and which gives a few inter

esting
variants
from the text translated above, a
tentative translation
Smith
in
his
"
was given by the
Early History of
late
George
Babylonia,"
pub
lished in the Transactions of the Society of Biblical
Archeology, vol. i., and in

Records of the Past, vol. iii.
1
He may
The
the
first
be regarded as having reigned about 2600
text of Assur-bani-pal s description
is
of the
series
B.C.
as follows
"
For 1635
years had the goddess N ana been angry, had gone, and had dwelt within
Elam, which was not her proper place and in those days she and the
She
gods her fathers proclaimed my name to the dominion of the world.
intrusted to me the return of her divinity thus
Assur-bani-pal shall bring
;
out of the midst of wicked Elam, and shall cause me to enter within
The words of the command of her divinity, which she had
E-ana.
I
spoken from remote days, she again revealed to the later people.
grasped the hand of her great divinity, and she took the straight road,
In the month Kisleu, on the first day, I
with joy of heart, to E-ana.
caused her to enter Erech, and in E-ghili-ana, which she loves, I caused
an everlasting shrine to be founded for her."
3
The ancient Erech, in which the temple E-ana was situated.
me
AN ERECHITE S LAMENT
TRANSLATED BY THEO. G. PINCHES
IN connection with the text
referring to
E-ana
in
Erech, the following, a kind of penitential psalm

written in the Sumerian dialect, with a translation
into Semitic-Babylonian,
Erechite
which
have entitled
lament over the desolation of
his
"
The
father
may be here very appropriately appended.

This interesting composition, if not actually written
land,"
and sung
after the carrying
away of the
statue of the
goddess Nana by the Elamities, might well have

been chanted by the sorrowing Erechites on that
occasion.
The fragment
iv.
19,
No.
3)
W. Asia,
begins with the reverse of the text, and
as published (Cun. Ins. of
breaks off when rather less than half-way through
Of
the obverse, which
is
it.
as yet unpublished, the re
mains only of about sixteen lines at the bottom are

What remains of the obverse refers to the
left.
devastation wrought
by an enemy
in
the
city
of
Erech, and the subject is continued on the reverse,

which ends in a kind of litany.
The following is a
free rendering of the inscription on the reverse.
AN ERECHITE S LAMENT
85
TRANSLATION OF THE LAMENT
How
There
Blood
Lady, shall the strong enemy hold thy sanc
my
long,
tuary
want
in ERECH, thy principal city ;

flowing like water in E-ulbar, the house of thy
oracle ;
He
My
My
is
is
has kindled and poured out fire like hailstones on all

thy lands.
Lady, sorely am I fettered by misfortune
Lady, thou hast surrounded me, and brought me to
;
grief.
The mighty enemy
me down
has smitten
Not wise myself, I cannot take counsel

I mourn day and night like the fields. 2
like a single reed.
l
;
thy servant, pray to thee.

Let thy heart take rest, let thy disposition be softened.
weeping, let thy heart take rest.
let thy heart take rest.
save (?) thou.
I,
Translations of this text have been given by G.
Smith, Lenormant, Halevy,
Hommel, and Zimmern,
and a drawing of the reverse of the fragment, accom

panied with a transcription and translation, was given
by me
in
the Babylonian
and Oriental Record
for
December 1886.
1
Literally,
do not take counsel, myself
Dimmu nu-mundib, ni-munu-m usktugmen ;
am
Assyrian
not wise (Sumerian

Dheme ul tsabtaku
:
ramani
-
lit
khasakit).
Better, perhaps,
"
Like the marshland, day and night
I groan."
KING OF ASSYRIA
TRANSLATED BY THE EDITOR
THIS
inscription of Tiglath-Pileser
I.
is
the longest
and most important of the early Assyrian records

The genealogical
that have come down to us.
details given in
it
are of great value for determining
the chronology and succession of the earlier monarchs
of Assyria, while the description of the campaigns of

the king throws a brilliant and unexpected light on
the ancient geography of Western
geographer,
indeed,
the
care
Asia.
with which
Pileser enumerates the countries he overran
he sacked
cities
is
To
the
Tiglath-
and the
of inestimable importance.
new chapter has been added to the history of ancient

geography, and we now possess a fairly complete
map
of the districts north and north-west of Assyria
before the overthrow of the Hittite power had brought
with
it
revolution and change.
names of
We
find geographical
similar form stretching westwards from the
neighbourhood of Lake Van to the confines of Asia

Minor, together with evidence that tribes like those
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLATH-PILESER I
87
Moskhi and Tibareni, whose scanty
of the
relics
days found a refuge on the shores of the

Black Sea, once inhabited extensive tracts on the
in
later
slopes of the Taurus Mountains.
new world
has,
been opened up to the geographer.

Equally new is the world that has been opened
in fact,
up
to the
The
historian.
date of Tiglath-Pileser
can be approximately fixed by the help of an inscrip

On the rock of Bavian (\V. A. I.
tion of Sennacherib.
iii.
14,
48-50) Sennacherib
refers to
Rimmon and
"
Sala, the gods of the City of Palaces (Ekallati^,

which Merodach-nadin-akhi, King of Accad, had
taken and carried away to Babylon in the time of
Tiglath-Pileser,
to
King of
say that he himself
Babylon 4 1 8 years
and he goes on
brought them out of
Assyria";
had
"
afterwards."
As
the
restora
images took place after Sennacherib s

destruction of Babylon in B.C. 688, the date of their
tion
of the
capture by Merodach-nadin-akhi would be B.C. I 1 06.

The conquests and campaigns described in Tiglath-
must therefore be placed before
Pileser s inscription
this year.
The
expeditions of Tiglath-Pileser, however, bore

but little fruit.
They were not much more than
raids,
whose
the king
effects passed away

who conducted them.
inscription of his son
mention
is
made
of
after the
death of
In a fragmentary
and successor, Assur-bil-kala,

"
the
land
of
the
west,"
or
it
doubtful whether any further
campaigns were carried on in this direction. Assyria
Phoenicia, but
is
RECORDS OF THE PAST

into a state of
fell
decay its frontier cities passed

and for nearly two hundred years
It was not until
hidden altogether from sight.
;
into other hands,

it is
the ninth century before our era that under the

like Assur-natsir-pal
and
Shalmaneser
his son
war
II
it
once more became a name of terror to Western Asia.
remained the central figure of the

empire, towering above his fellows on the
Tiglath-Pileser
older
became
When
the ancient line of princes

extinct, and the crown was seized by the
Assyrian throne.
usurper Pul, the new king knew of no better way in

which to legitimise his claim to sovereignty than by
assuming the time-honoured name of Tukulti-pal-
Esar or Tiglath-Pileser,
divine son of
Though
"
the servant of (Uras) the
Esarra."
was
Tiglath-Pileser
direct relations with Palestine,
wars, followed as they were
not
it is
brought
into
probable that his
by the temporary decay
of Assyria, had much to do with the rise of the em

pire of David. The wars of Tiglath-Pileser weakened
the power of the Hittites in the north, and allowed
the small states of Syria to make head against them.
For more than a century the latter had no powerful
neighbours to fear or court

Egypt had passed
under eclipse, and was divided between rival dynasties
of kings, while Assyria had equally ceased to be
formidable.
When David and Joab built up the
empire of Israel, there was no strong enemy to

Hadadezer of Zobah
oppose and attack them.
"
might
go
to
recover
his
border at
the
"
river
89
Euphrates; there was no Hittite or Assyrian monarch

to stand in his
The
way.
of Tiglath-Pilcser
inscription
is
inscribed
on four large octagonal cylinders of clay, origin

ally buried under the foundations of the four corners
of the great temple of Kileh Sherghat, the ancient
city of Assur,
and now
in
the British
Museum
and
has been published in the Cuneiform Inscriptions of

Western Asia, i. pi. ix.-xvi. In 1857 the inscription
it
was selected
the
for testing the substantial correctness of
method employed by the
Assyriologists, and of
On the proposal of
the Royal Asiatic Society, four translations of it,
the results obtained by them.
made independently by
Mr.
Fox
Talbot, Dr. Hincks,
Henry Rawlinson,
and Dr. Oppert, and submitted under seal to the
more
or less complete, were
Sir
When opened and com

was
found
that they exhibited a remarkable
pared,
resemblance to one another as regards both the
secretary of the Society.
it
names and the rendering of

The resemblance, in fact, was
of proper
transliteration
individual passages.
greater than could be accounted

that
assumption
working on a
advances have
now
except on the
been
made
in
our
knowledge of
Characters whose values were then un
Assyrian.
are
for,
method employed by the
was a sound one, and that they were

solid basis.
Since 1857 immense
decipherers
known,
the
and
words
familiar to
inscription
like
that
meaning was obscure,

and a historical
the student
whose
of
Tiglath-Pilcser
presents
RECORDS OF THE PAST
90
but
few
the
to
difficulties
Assyriologist
of
to
day.
In 1880 the inscription was re-edited and trans
and glossary by Dr. W. Lotz under
lated with notes
the auspices of his teacher, Prof. Fr. Delitzsch. The

translation embodied all the stores of increased
knowledge which the incessant labour of twenty-three

years had accumulated, and it is only in a compara
tively few passages that
English reader
The
can be improved.
consider that he has before
it
may now
him the actual words of the old Assyrian king, and can
use them for historical and geographical purposes
The
without fear or reservation.
found to contain
all
foot-notes will be
the geographical information at
present attainable relative to the localities mentioned

in the text.
word or two must be added on the name of
the divinity to
by
his parents.
whom
Tiglath-Pileser was dedicated
This deity represented the Sun-god
primitively worshipped
Babylonia,
sort of
of the
who
at
afterwards
Chaldean Herakles.
first
rank whose
(now
Nipur
came
He
name
Niffer)
in
to be regarded as a
is
is
the only deity

a matter of
still
It is generally given as Adar Jn default of

anything better, but the reading is certainly false.
According to the monuments he was called Uras in
dispute.
Accadian, and also

"
the god of
light."
in
Semitic,
when regarded
But he was further known
as
in
the revealer," though we learn

from a Babylonian text recently discovered in Upper
Assyrian as
Baru
"
that
Egypt
hero,"
his
more usual
a word which
letter
is,
for
was Masu,
letter,
the
"
the
same
Hebrew Mosheh, Moses." Masu is defined

being the Sun-god who rises from the divine
as the
as
title
91
"
"
day."
As such he was
one of the primaeval

of
Accadian
and
so became
the
gods
cosmology,
son of E-sarra," or
the house of the firmament."
identified with
"
"
See
my
Lectures on
lonians, pp.
tJte
151-153.
Religion of
tJie
Ancient Baby
THE BEGINNING
1.
ASUR
the great lord, the director of the hosts of the
gods,
2.
the giver of the sceptre and the crown, the establisher

of the kingdom ;
3.
BEL, the lord (*/&), the king of
4.
earth,
the father of the gods, the lord of the
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1 1.
the spirits of the
all
world
SIN (the Moon-god), the sentient one, the lord of the
crown,
the exalted one, the god of the storm j 1
SAMAS (the Sun-god), the judge of heaven and earth,
who beholds
the plots of the enemy,
RIMMON
(the
who
Air-god),
the
feeds the flock
the inundator of
prince,
hostile shores,
of countries (and) houses; 2
URAS, the hero, the destroyer of evil
men and
foes,
12.
who
13.
14.
ISTAR, the eldest of the gods, the lady of girdles,

the strengthener of battles.
15.
Ye
6.
17.
1
8.
1
discloses all that
is
in the heart
great gods, guiders of heaven (and) earth,
whose onset
(is)
opposition and combat,

the kingdom
who have magnified
of Tiglath-Pileser, the prince, the chosen

Identified with
Ea
in
W.
A.
I.,
ii.
60, 21.
Or
"hollows."
93
19.
20.
of the desire of your hearts, the exalted shepherd,

whom you have conjured in the steadfastness of your
21.
with a crown supreme you have clothed him ; to rule

over the land of BEL mightily you have established
hearts,
22.
him
supremacy (and) heroism

have you given him the destiny of his lordship
25. for his increase and supremacy,
23.
priority of birth,
24.
26.
to inhabit Bit-kharsag-kurkurra
27.
for
28.
Tiglath-Pileser, the powerful king,

the king of hosts who has no rival, the king of the
four zones,
29.
30.
31.
ever have you
summoned.
the king of all kinglets, the lord of lords, the shepherdprince, the king of kings,
the exalted prophet, 2 to
whom
by the proclamation of
SAMAS
32.
the illustrious sceptre has been given as a

the men
BEL he
33.
who
34.
in (their) entirety; the faithful shepherd,
35.
proclaimed (lord) over kinglets,
are subject to
gift,
so that
has ruled
the supreme governor whose weapons ASUR

37. has predestined, and for the government of the four
36.
38.
zones
has proclaimed his
39.
of the distant divisions
name
3
for ever
the capturer
of the frontiers
Temple of the Mountain of the World," the name of an old

the city of Assur, which had been restored by Shalmaneser I
In early Babylonian mythology "the Mountain of the
(B.C. 1300).
World was the Olympos on which the gods dwelt, and which was iden
tified with Mount Rowandiz.
It is referred to in Isaiah xiv. 13, where the
"The
in
temple
"
Babylonian king is made to say

throne above the stars of Elohim
:
will
"I
ascend into heaven,
will exalt
on the mount of the

I will ascend above
assembly (of the gods) in the extremities of the north.
the heights of the clouds
I will be like the most High."
diviner," which was borrowed by the
hippu, related to asipu,
Book of Daniel under the form ashshaph, and may have the same origin as
my
will sit also
"a
the
3
name
of Joseph.
Pulugi, the Hebrew Peleg, in whose days the earth was
"
divided."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
94
above and below ; the illustrious prince

whose glory has overwhelmed (all) regions;
40.
41.
the mighty destroyer, 1
42.
who
like the
rush
made
strong against the hostile land

44. by the proclamation of BEL he has no rival ;
45. he has destroyed the foeman of ASUR.
43.
of a flood
46.
May ASUR
my
is
(and) the great gods
who have magnified
kingdom,
who have
given increase and strength to my fetters,

(who) have ordered the boundary of their land
49. to be enlarged, cause my hand to hold
50. their mighty weapons, even the deluge of battle.
47.
48.
51.
Countries, mountains,
52.
fortresses
53.
and kinglets, the enemies of ASSUR,

have conquered, and their territories
have made submit.
With sixty kings,
have contended furiously, 2 and
54.
55.
56.
power (and)
57.
I displayed.
58.
a confronter in the battle have I not.
To
59.
60.
rivalry over them

rival in the combat,
(I
I
1.
the land of ASSYRIA I have added land, to its men

have added) men ; the boundary of my own land
have enlarged, and all their lands I have conquered.
63.
At the beginning of my reign twenty thousand men

of the MusKAYA 3 and their five kings,
64.
who
62.
vi.
for fifty years
from the lands of ALZi 4
Naplu, probably the same word as the Ncphilim or
4 and
Numb.
his palace, says
"
giants of Gen.
Sennacherib, in describing the construction of
"A
railing of three bronze cords and the divine Napallu
where "the divine Napallu" probably refers to the
xiii.
33.
erected above
image of a protecting deity.
I
it,"
Literally,
"in
drunken
fashion"
(sutkuris).
The Meshech of the Old Testament, the Moschi of the classical

writers, who in Assyrian times occupied the country to the north of Malatiyeh.
In the later Assyrian
inscriptions they are associated
with
the
Tubal or Tibareni, as in the Old Testament.

4
Alzi lay on the southern bank of the Euphrates, between Palu and
Khini, and included Enzite, the AnzitenO of classical geography (at the
95
and Purukuzzi had taken the tribute

and gifts owing to ASUR my lord,
67. no king at all in battle
68. had subdued their opposition
to their strength
1
69. trusted and came down; the land of KuMMUKH
65.
66.
70.
they seized.
71.
72.
Thereupon
assembled
YARA,
Trusting in
I
ASUR my
lord
and armies.
2
The mountain of KASIdelayed not
my
chariots
a difficult region, I crossed,

with their twenty thousand fighting men
75. and their five kings in the land of KUMMUKH
destruction of them
76. I contended.
73.
74.
The
made.
bodies of their warriors

78. in destructive battle like the inundator (RIMMON)
79. I overthrew; their corpses I spread
So. over the valleys and the high places of the mountains.
8 1. Their heads I cut off; at the sides
77.
82.
of their cities
83.
Their
84.
to a countless
heaped (them)
like
spoil, their property, their
number
brought
mounds.
goods,
forth.
Six thousand
(men),
the relics of their armies, which before
85.
86.
87.
88.
my weapons had fled, took

my feet. I laid hold upon them and
counted them among the men of my own
89.
In those days, against
KUMMUKH,
country.
the disobedient,
90. which had withheld the tribute and
gifts for
ASUR my
lord,
The
91.
marched.
92.
conquered throughout
land of
KUMMUKH
its circuit.
Sebbcnch Su). Alzi was invaded by the Vannic king

Menuas, who says that it formed part of the territory of the Khatc or
sources of the
Hittites.
1
Kummukh, the classical Komagene, extended in the Assyrian age on
either side of the Euphrates, from Malatiyeh in the north to Birejik in the
south, Merash probably being one of its cities.
I awaited not the future."

Masius, the modern Tur Abdin.
"
Literally,
3
Mons
RECORDS OF THE PAST
96
Their
I
spoil, their property, their
brought forth
COLUMN
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
goods
their cities with fire
II
I burned, I threw down, I dug up.

The rest
of (the men of) KUMMUKH, who before my weapons
had fled, to the city of SERESSE 1
on the further bank of the TIGRIS

passed over; the city for their stronghold
they made.
My chariots and warriors
I
took.
The
difficult
mountains and their inaccess
ible
paths with picks of bronze

I split.
A pontoon for the passage
10. of my chariots and army I contrived.
8.
9.
The TIGRIS
13.
I crossed.
The city of SERISE,
their strong city, I captured.
Their fighting men, in the midst of the mountains,
14.
I flung to
1 1.
12.
the ground like sling-stones
2
(?).
15. Their corpses over the TIGRIS and the high places of
the mountains
1 6.
I spread.
In those days the armies
3
which for the preserva
17. of the land of QuRKHE,
tion
1
8.
9.
20.
and help of the land of KUMMUKH

had come, along with the armies
of KUMMUKH, like a moon-stone I
laid low.
corpses of their fighting men into heaps

22. in the ravines of the mountains I heaped up ;
21.
The
23.
the bodies of their soldiers the river
NAME
1
This must have been in the neighbourhood of Amid or Diarbekir.
The
Vannic king Menuas mentions a Hittite city, Surisidas, in the vicinity of
Alzi.
Delitzsch compares the Sareisa of Strabo.
22 sa sammasi is interpreted
Sutmasi.
In R. 204.
slinger,"
and in W. A. I., iv. 13, 5, samsA is
a sling-stone."
3 The land of
Qurkhi extended eastward of Diarbekir, along the
northern bank of the Tigris.
The name is preserved in that of Kurkh,
20 miles S. E. of Diarbekir, where there are ruins, and where a stelS of Shalmaneser II has been discovered.
i.
"a
"
IXSCRIPTIO.V OF TIGLATH-PILESER
97
into the TIGRIS.
24.
carried
25.
26.
Kili-anteru the son of Kali-anteru,
away
1
(the descendant) of Saru-pin- siusuni,
27. their king in the midst of battle my hand
his wives (and) children
28. captured
:
the offspring of his heart, his troops, iSo

30. bronze plates, 5 bowls of copper,
31. along with their gods, gold (and) silver.
32. the choicest of their property. I removed.
29.
33.
Their spoil (and) their goods
34.
The
35.
36.
burned,
As
and
carried away.
palace with fire

pulled down, (and) di:g v.p.
city itself
for the city
its
of URRAKHINA?. their stronghold,
37. which was situated on the mountain of PANAKI.

f ASSUR my lord
38. fear that avoided the glory
To save
39. overwhelmed them.
40.
41.
42.
43.
their lives they removed their gods

to the ravines of the lofty mountains
:
My char;
they tied like a bird.
and armies I took I crossed the TIGRIS.
;
Sadi-anteru, the son of Khattukhi.- the king

45. of URRAK.HIXA-, that he might not be conquered,
46. in that country took my feet.
44.
47.
The
48.
52.
(and) sheep, as tribute and offering
children, the offspring of his heart, and his family

took as host.
49. Sixty bronze plates, a bowl of copper.
50. and a tray of heavy copper,
51. along with 120 men, oxen,
[
1
Sarpina was the name of one of the Hittite cities, whose god was in
voked in the treaty between Ramses II and the Hittite king.
With the
termination we may compare that of Abar- siuni in iv. 82.
*
The first part of the name Sadi-anteru, which reminds us of the
Lydian Sady-attes, may contain the name of the god Snnda or Sandon.
A Hittite prince mentioned by the Vannic king Menuas was called SadaKhattu-khi means "the Hittite," the suffix -khi, as in Vannic,
hadas.
Urra-khi-nas is similarly
denoting a patronymic or gentilic adjective.
derived from Urra, the termination -thi-nas, in Vannic, denoting "the place
of the people
VOL.
of."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
98
(which) he brought,
53.
him
I
54.
I received.
had compassion on
granted his
life.
The heavy yoke
my lordship I laid upon him for future days.

The broad land of KUMMUKH throughout its circuit
55. of
56.
I conquered; under my feet I subdued.

In those days a tray of copper (and) a bowl
59. of copper, from the spoil and tribute
60. of KUMMUKH I dedicated to ASUR my lord.
6 1. The sixty bronze plates along with their gods
62. I presented to RIMMON who loves me.
57.
58.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
Through the violence of my powerful weapons, which

ASSUR the lord
gave for strength and heroism,
in thirty of
my
who
my
chariots that go at
steeds
are strong
fleet
my
side
(and) my soldiers,
in destructive fight,
took; against the country of MILDIS, the powerful,

the
disobedient, I marched.
69.
Mighty mountains,
70. an inaccessible district,
7 1
(where
on
72.
was) good in
it
my
my
chariots (where
was) bad
At the mountain of ARUMA,
I crossed.
a difficult district, which for the passage of

74. was not suited, I left the chariots,
75.1 took the lead of my soldiers.
73.
76.
it
feet,
Like a lion
(?)
the obstacles
(?)
my
chariots
in the ravines of the
inaccessible mountains
77.
victoriously I crossed.
78.
The land
of MILDIS like the flood
of the deluge I
overwhelmed.
79. Their fighting men in the midst of battle
80. like a moon-stone I laid low.
Their spoil
8 1. their goods (and) their property I carried away.
1
"
Literally
"
complete horses.
3
Literally
"mound"
or
tel."
Lie,
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLATH-HLESER I
All their cities I burned with
82.
99
fire.
Hostages, tribute and offering

84. I imposed upon them.
83.
85. Tiglath-pileser, the hero, the warrior,

86. who opens the path of the mountains,
87. who subdues the disobedient, who sweeps
all
89.
The
I
90.
91.
92.
away
the overweening.
88.
land of SuBARi, 1 the powerful, the disobedient,

subdued.
As for the countries of ALZI
and PURUKUZZI, which had withheld

their tribute and their offering,
93.
the heavy yoke of
94.
I laid, (saying),
my
lordship
upon them
each year tribute and offering
95. to my city of ASUR, to my presence,

In accordance with my valour,
96. let them bring.
97. since ASUR the lord has caused my hand to hold
mighty weapon which subdues the disobedient,
the
98.
and
99. to enlarge the frontier of his country
100. has commanded (me), 4000 men of the K.VSKA
i
or.
and
02.
disobedient ones,
of
the
UuuMA,
soldiers
of
the
HITTITES
(KHATTI),
Subari,
in their strength
called Subarti a few lines farther on,
Rimmon-nirari
natsir-pal,
who
who
I.
(B.C.
describes
plain of Diarbekir.
As
had been overrun by
1330), and was afti;r\vards conquered by Assurit as situated between Qurkhi

and Xirib, or the
Qurkhi lay "opposite the land of the Hittites,
"
Subari would have adjoined the territory of the latter people, in the im
mediate vicinity of Alzi and Purukuzzi.
This seems to be the same word as the Kolkhians of classical geo
graphy, though the seat of the Kolkhians was far to the north of that of
In the classical period, however, we find that the Moschi
the Kaska.
and Tibareni (Meshech and Tubal) had also shifted far to the north of
their habitat in Assyrian times, and like the Kolkhians had settled on
A town of Kolkhis, now represented by the
the shores of the Black Sea.
name of Lake Goldshik, lay to the S. W. of Palu.
3
Uruma may be the Urima of classical geography, the modern Urum.
It is called Urume of Bitanu by Assur-natsir-pal, Bitanu being the district
south of Lake Van.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
COLUMN
1.
had seized the
2.
the face
of
III
of SUBARTI which looked to
cities
ASUR my
lord,
5.
my march against the land of SUBARTI

the glory of my valour overwhelmed them
they avoided battle
my feet
6.
they took.
3.
4.
7.
8.
9.
i o.
heard of
Together with their property and 120

chariots (and the horses) harnessed to their yokes
I
took them
of
my own
men
as the
country
counted them.
my valour for the second time

KUMMUKH I marched. All
11.
In the fierceness of
12.
13.
to the country of
their cities I captured.
14.
their
15.
Their cities with fire I burned,

I threw down
(and) dug up, and the
6.
1 7.
1
8.
1 9.
20.
Their spoil
their property I carried away.
goods and
of their armies,
who
before
relics
my
powerful weapons
were terror-stricken and the onset of my mighty battle
avoided, to save
their lives sought the
mighty summits
of the mountains, an inaccessible region.

2 2. To the fastnesses of the lofty ranges
23. and the ravines of the inaccessible mountains
24. which were unsuited for the tread of men
21.
25.
26.
ascended
and
after
them.
Trial of weapons,
combat
me.
The bodies
27. A destruction of them I made.
28. of their warriors in the ravines of the mountains
Their
29. like the inundator (RIMMON) I overthrew.
battle they essayed with
corpses
over the valleys and high places of the mountains
Their spoil, their goods
31. I spread.
32. and their property from the mighty
30.
That
is,
were subject
to.
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLATH-PILESEK
33.
summits of the mountains
34.
The land
of
KUMMUKH
jugated, and
35. added to the territory of
36.
37.
to
my
101
brought down.
its whole extent
sub
country.
Tiglath-pileser the powerful king,

the mighty ovenvhelmer of the disobedient,
he who
sweeps away
38. the opposition of the wicked.
39.
40.
In the supreme power of ASUR my lord

the land of KiiARiA 1 and the
armies
against
41. of the land of
QURKHI,
lofty
widespread
mountain-ranges
whose site no king at all

ASUR the lord commanded (me)
43. had sought out
44. to march.
My chariots and armies
The neighbourhood- of the mountains
45. I assembled.
42.
of IDNI
46.
47.
and AYA, an inaccessible district, I reached,

lofty mountains, which like the point of a sword
were formed, which for the passage of my chariots

were unsuited.
The chariots in idleness
The precipitous mountains
50. I left there.
48.
49.
All the land of
51.
I crossed.
52.
had collected
its
QURKHI
widespread armies, and
make
trial of arms, combat and battle

mountain of AZUTABGIS S was stationed, and
55. in the mountain, an inaccessible spot, with them
56. I fought, a destruction of them I made.
53.
to
54.
in the
1
It is clear that Kharia was a district of Qurkhi which lay eastward of
Diarbekir and the Supnat or Sebeneh Su, in the direction of Bitlis.
It is
perhaps the Arua of Assur-natsir-pal which adjoined the western frontier of
Ararat, a kingdom at that time confined to Lake Van and the district
south of the Lake.
The name reminds us of the classical Korra, now
Karia, a little to the south-east of Kolkhis (on Lake Goldshik), and to the
north-west of Diarbekir.
2
3
from baru "to see."

Perhaps to be read Azues.
Birfi,
RECORDS OF THE PAST

57.
The
bodies of their warriors on the high places of the
mountains
58.
59.
into heaps I heaped.

The corpses of their warriors over the valleys
and high
places
60. of the mountains I spread.
Against the cities
6 1. which were situated in the ravines of the mountains
fiercely
62.
63.
which
pierced (my way).

of KHARIA
Twenty-five
cities
of the land
the foot of the mountains of AYA, SUIRA,
lie at
IDNI,
64.
Sizu, SELGU, ARZANIBIU,
65. I captured.
66. their goods
Their
and
URU SU,
and ANITKU,
spoil,
their property I carried
off.
67. Their cities with fire I burned,

68. I threw down (and) dug up.
69.
The country
ADAUS
of
feared the onset of
my
mighty
battle,
70.
and
71.
To
72.
like birds
73.
75.
overwhelmed them, and

they descended and took my feet.
Tribute and offering I imposed upon them.
76.
The
77.
which from days immemorial had not known
74.
78.
their dwelling-place (the inhabitants) abandoned.

the ravines of the lofty mountains
they
lands of
fled.
The
glory of
ASSUR my
lord
SARAUS and AMMAUS
subjection, like the flood of the deluge

With their armies
79.1 overwhelmed.
80.
8
1.
82.
1
on the mountain of ARUMA S I fought, and

a destruction of them I made.
The bodies
of their fighting-men like sling-stones
Aznig, not a snig.
As, according to ii. 78,
(?)
Aruma lay on the frontier of Mildis, Adaus,

and Ammaus must have been Kurdish districts to the eastward
of Kummukh.
The country of Adaus is mentioned by Assur-natsir-pal
in connection with Kirruri, which lay between Nimme and Qurkhi.
"Saraus,
INSCRIPTION OF TIG LA TII-TILESER
I flung to the ground.

Their cities I captured.
Their gods I removed.
Their spoil,
85. their goods (and) their property I carried away.
86. Their cities with fire I burned,
to mounds and ruins
87. I threw down (and) dug up
83.
84.
88.
89.
90.
The heavy yoke

laid upon them.
The face
made them behold. 1
reduced.
of
my
of
ASSUR my
lordship
lord
The powerful countries of I SUA- and DARIA

which were disobedient I conquered.
Tribute
93. and offering I imposed upon them.
94. The face of ASSUR my lord I caused them to behold.
91.
92.
my supremacy when my enemies

had conquered, my chariots and armies
I took.
The lower Zab
I crossed.
The countries of MURATTAS and SARADAUS
which are in the midst of the mountains of A SAXIU
and ADHUMA
an inaccessible region, I conquered.
Their armies like lambs
I cut down.
The city of MURATTAS,
In
95.
96.
:J
97.
98.
99.
100.
101.
1
02.
103. their stronghold, in the third part of a day

104. from sunrise I captured.
105. Their gods, their goods, (and) their property,
1 06.
60 plates of bronze,
COLUMN
i.
iv
4
30 talents of bronze in fragments,
furniture
reduced them to subjection to Assur."

Shalmaneser II, adjoined Enzite or AnzitCne (on
the Sebbeneh Su) and lay on the southern bank of the Arsanias between
Palu and Mush.
It is probably the U su of Assur-natsir-pal, on the
western frontier of Arua (see note on iii. 40).
3
The lower Zab falls into the Tigris a little below Kalah Sherghat
It rises in the Kurdish mountains, flowing past Arbela, and was
(Assur).
called Kapros by the classical geographers in contradistinction to the
Lykos or Upper Zab.
4
This seems to be the meaning of sabartum in K 1999, i. 15.
1
That
(and) the smaller
is,
"I
sua, according to
RECORDS OF THE PAST
104
3.
of their palace, their spoil

The city itself with
I carried away.
4.
2.
fire
5.
burned, I threw down (and) dug up.

In those days that bronze
6.
dedicated to
RIMMON
the great lord
7.
In the mightiness of the power of
8.
against the lands of Suoi
9.
to
o.
of their troops from the lands of
who
ASUR my
loves me.
lord
and QURKHI, which had not
submitted
1
ASUR my
lord, I
11.
ARIRGI, ALAMUN,
12.
NIMNI and
13.
14.
15.
1 6.
17.
1 8.
19.
20.
1.
2 2.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
all
marched.
the land of
With 6000
KHIME, LUKHI,
QURKHI
far-extending, on the mountain of KHIRIKHI,

an inaccessible district, which like the point of a
sword
was formed, with all those countries
on my feet I fought.
A destruction of them I made.
Their fighting-men in the ravines of the mountains
into heaps I heaped.
With the blood of

KHIRIKHI
like wool (?) I dyed.
their
warriors
the mountain
of
The
land of Suez throughout its circuit I conquered

Their 25 gods, their spoil,
their goods (and) their property I carried away.
All their cities with fire
I burnt, I threw down
(and) dug up.
Those who were left of their armies took my feet ;
I showed favour towards them.
Tribute and offering upon them
I imposed; along with those who behold the face
of ASUR my lord I counted them.
In those days the 25 gods of those lands,

my hands,
34. which I had taken, to gratify (?) the temple of BELTIS
32.
33.
the acquisitions of
35.
the great wife, the favourite of
ASUR my
lord,
38.
ANU, RIMMON (and) ISTAR of ASSUR,

as well as the palaces of my city ASSUR
and the goddesses of my country
39.
I gave.
36.
37.
105
Tiglath-pileser the powerful king,

the conqueror of hostile regions, the rival
42. of the company of all kings.
40.
41.
43.
44.
In those days through the supreme power

of ASUR my lord, through the everlasting grace
SAMAS the
warrior, through the ministry
45.
of
46.
of the great gods,
who
in
the four zones
47. rule in righteousness, and have no vanquisher

48. in the combat, no rival in the battle,
49. to the lands of distant kings
1
50. on the shore of the upper sea,
5
r.
52.
who knew not subjection,

ASUR the lord urged me and
went.
54.
Difficult paths and trackless passes

whose interior in former days
55.
no king
53.
had known,
at all
56. steep roads, ways

57. unopened, I traversed.
58.
59.
60.
6
I.
62.
63.
64.
65.
The mountains of ELAMA, A.MADANA, 2 ELKHIS,

SIRABELI, TARKHUNA,
TlRKA-KHULI, KlZRA,
3
TARKHA-NABE, ELULA,
KHASTARAE, SAKHISARA,
UBERA, MILI-ADRUNI,
SULIANZI, NUBANASI,
and SESI, 16 mighty mountains,
That
Amndana was
is,
Lake Van.
the district about Amida or Diarbekir.

Assur-natsir-pal
reached Arnadana after leaving Adana, a district of Qurkhi.
3
Compare the names of the Gamgumian and Melitenian princes Tarkhulara and Tarkhu-nazi, and of the
by the Vannic king Menuas.
Hittite city
Tarkhi-gamas mentioned
RECORDS OF THE PAST
106
66. where the
was
ground was good
in
my
chariots,
where
it
difficult
67. with picks of bronze, I penetrated.

68. I cut down the urum-trees which grow in the mountains.
Bridges for the passage

my troops I constructed well.
The king of the land of
71. I crossed the EUPHRATES.
69.
70.
of
NlMME,
2
72. the king of TuNUBU, the king of TUALI,
the
of
the
73.
king
QIDARI,
king of UZULA,
74. the king of UNZAMUNI, the king of ANDIABE,
the king of PILAQINI, the king of ADHURGINI,

the king of KuLi-BARZiNi, 3 the king of SINIBIRNI,
4
77. the king of KHIMUA, the king of PAiTERi,
the
of
the
of
UIRAM,
SURURIA,
78.
king
king
75.
76.
79.
80.
1.
the king of ABAENi, 5 the king of ADAENI,

the king of KIRINI, the king of ALBAYA,
the king of UGINA, the king of NAZABIA,
the king of ABAR- SIUNI, (and) the king of DAYAENI, G

the 23 kings of the countries of NAiRi, 7
83.
84. in the midst of their lands assembled
82.
all
85.
86.
their chariots
to
make
and their armies, and

and battle
conflict
Nimme, according to Assur-natsir-pal, adjoined Alzi and Dayaeni in

the neighbourhood of Mush.
2
This must be the Dhunibun of Shalmaneser II, eastward of the sources
of the Tigris, on the river of Mush (the modern Kara Su).
3
In the Vannic language the termination ni(s) denoted "belonging to,"
and barzini or barzani signified
a chapel."
4 The
Vannic king calls the district in which Palu stands
the land of
"
"
Puterias.
5
Perhaps the Abunis of the Vannic inscriptions.

Dayaeni was on the northern bank of the Arsanias, to the north of
Mush.
It is called the kingdom of
the son of Diaus in the Vannic
texts, which define it more closely as situated on the Murad Chai, near
6
"
"
Melazgherd.
7 The land
of Nairi or
"
the rivers
denoted in the age of Tiglaththe districts at the sources of the Tigris and the Euphrates.
In
the time of Assur-natsir-pal and his successors, on the other hand, it was
the country between Lake Van and the northern frontier of Assyria, and
Pileser
I.
consequently lay to the south-west of the Nairi of the time of TiglathPileser I.

It will be noticed that there was as yet no kingdom of Ararat
or Van.
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLATH PILESER I

came
107
With the violence of my powerful

pierced them.
overthrow of their widespread armies
on.
87.
88.
weapons
89.
An
90.
like the
91.
92.
in the plains, the high places of the

walls
93.
94.
of their cities like sling-stones (?)

I flung to the ground.
One hundred and twenty of
95.
in the
96.
made.
inundation of RIMMON
The bodies of their warriors
mountain, and the
their yoke-chariots
midst of the combat
97.
acquired.
Sixty kings
of the lands of NAIRI in addition to those
98.
had gone
99.
with
my mace
100. as far as the

1
01.
who
to their assistance
I
pursued
Upper
Sea.
Their great fortresses
captured.
COLUMN v
1.
Their
2.
spoil, their
goods (and) their property

Their cities with fire
threw down (and) dug up,
carried away.
3.
burned,
4.
reduced to mounds and
5.
Large troops of horses,
ruins.
7.
mules, calves, and the possessions

of their homesteads to a countless
8.
6.
9.
All the kings

of the countries of NAIRI alive
number
brought back.
To
my hand
those kings
10.
captured.
11.
extended mercy, and

Their captivity
lives.
and their bondage in the presence of SAMAS my lord
I liberated, and an oath by my great
l
unto future days for ever
gods
and ever that they should be (my) servants I made
1 2.
13.
14.
1
5.
6.
spared their
them
17.
The
swear.
children, the offspring of their
"
Literally
the
bann"
(mamit] of
my
kingdom,
great
gods."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
io8
1 8.
as hostages I took.
19.
20.
Twelve hundred horses (and) 2000 oxen

I imposed upon them as tribute.
21.
In their countries
22.
23.
Sieni king of
who
I left
DAYAENI,
did not submit to
24. captive
them.
and bound
to
ASUR my
my
25. of ASUR I brought; mercy

26. I extended to him, and from
27.
28.
lord,
city
my
city of
ASUR,
as the exalter of the great gods

unto exaltation, alive
30.
I let him depart.

The lands of NAIRI,
far-extending, I subdued throughout their whole extent,
31.
and
32.
29.
33.
34.
all their
kings
reduced beneath
my
feet.
In the course of the same campaign

1
against the city of MiLiDiA, of the country of
the great,
KHANI 2
35. violent (and) unsubmissive, I marched.

36.
The mighty
37.
My
38.
The
onset of
my battle they feared.

took ; I had mercy on them.
city itself I did not capture ; their hostages
feet they
I accepted.
homer by way of tax of lead
40. as an annual tribute
41. not to be intermitted I imposed upon them.
39.
42. Tiglath-pileser, the destroyer, the quick-moving,

43. the implacable, the deluge of battle.
44.
In the service of
45.
and warriors
The
This
ASUR my
I took.
classical Melitene:,
now
lord,
my
chariots
In the desert
Malatiyeh, on the Euphrates.
Khani the Great," to dis

Kappadokia is called
from another Khani near Babylon, whose king Tukulti-mer,
tinguish
son of Ilu-saba, dedicated a bronze ram s head, now in the British Museum,
to the temple of the Sun-god at Sippara.
it
district
of
"
INSCRIPTION OF TIG LATH- PILES ER I

made (my
46. I
47.
way).
To
the
109
bank of the waters
of the land of the ARMAYANS, 1 the enemies of
my
ASUR
lord,
From
marched.
2
opposite to the land of SuKHi,
3
GARGAMis, of the land of the
48.
49.
as far as the city of
HITTITES (Khatti\
one day I plundered.
Their spoil,
51. Their soldiers I slew.
52. their goods and their possessions
50.
in
55.
to a countless number I carried back.

The remains of their armies,
who before the powerful (weapons) of ASUR my
56.
had
57.
after
58.
59.
six
53.
54.
fled
them
60.
1.
in vessels of inflated (?) skins
crossed the
EUPHRATES;
of their cities which (were) at the foot of
BlSRI
lord
and had crossed the EUPHRATES,
Mount
with fire I burned,

captured
threw down (and) dug up.
Their
;
62.
and
63.
their possessions to
my
city of
spoil, their
goods
ASUR
brought.
Tiglath-pileser, the trampler upon the mighty,

65. the slaughterer of the unsubmissive, who weakens
66. utterly the strong.
64.
67.
1
To conquer
the land of
MU SRI
ASUR
the lord
The Arame.ins.
The Shuhitcs of
~
the Old Testament, who extended along the western
banks of the Euphrates from the mouth of the Kliabour to above that of
the Belikh.
Bildad the Shuhite" (Job ii. n) would be Bel-Dadda, Dadda,
as we learn from the cuneiform inscriptions, being a form of Hadad, the
"
Syrian
3
name
of the
god
of heaven.
Carchemish, the Hittite capital on the Euphrates, between the mouth
of the Sajur and Birejik,

*
Sugiise,
now
represented by the
borrowed from the Accadian
su,
mounds
"skin,"
of Jerablus.
and gavsia (whence
the Semitic gabsu).

5
Now Tel-Basher.
6
Musarbibu,
"subduer,"
word as an example
p.
according to M. Amiaud,
of a parel conjugation (Revue
who
regards the
Assyriologie,
ii.
i,
12).
7
Mu sri
or Muzri lay to the north-east of Khorsabad, in the mountain

ous district now inhabited by the Missouri Kurds.
The tribute of a
RECORDS OF THE PAST

urged me, and between the mountains of ELAMUNI
TALA and KHARU SA I made (my way).
70. I conquered the land of MU SRI throughout its
68.
69.
circuit,
massacred their warriors.

72. The cities I burned with fire,
71.
I threw down,
armies of the land of QUMANI
SRI
74. to the help of the land of
On a mountain with them
75. had gone.
73.
76.
I fought.
77.
To
dug
up.
The
MU
a single
destruction of
city,
them
made.
ARINI, at the foot of mount AI
SA,
feet
78. I drove and shut them up.
I
The
itself
took.
city
spared.
79. they
80. Hostages, tribute and offering
My
1.
82.
83.
I laid
upon them.
In those days all the land of QUMANI,

which had prepared to help MU SRI,
84. gathered together all those countries,

85. to make conflict and battle
and
With the violence of
86. were determined.
my
powerful
weapons,
87. with 20,000 of their numerous troops
88. on
mount TALA
I fought.
89.
90.
Their strong forces
91.
As
far
them
I made.
broke through.
as mount KHARU SA, which (is)
destruction of
land of
in front
of the
MU SRI,
The bodies
pursued their fugitives.
of their warriors in the ravines of the mountain
94. like a moon-stone I flung to the ground.
95. Their corpses over the valleys and the high places of
the mountains
92.
93.
Their great fortresses

fire I burned,
96.
spread.
97.
captured, with
and apes, brought by its inhabitants to Shalmaneser II, must be explained on the supposition that the caravan road
from the east passed through it.
rhinoceros, yak, elephant,
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLA TH-PILESER

98.
threw down
mounds and
so
(and) dug up,
that
in
they became
ruins.
99. KHUNU SA their fortified city

100. like the flood of the deluge I overwhelmed.
COLUMN
1.
With
their
VI
mighty armies
4.
and the mountains I contended furiously.

them I made.
Their fighting men in the midst of the mountains
5.
like a
6.
like (that) of a
2.
3.
7.
in the city
destruction of
moon-stone
I flung
sheep
down.
cut
Their heads
off.
Their corpses over the valleys and high places of the

mountains
The
8.
9.
Their gods
spread.
city itself I captured.
Their goods (and) their
carried away.
property
i
o.
1 1.
out.
The city with fire I burned.
their great fortresses, which of brickwork
constructed, and the circuit of the city itself
brought
Three of
were
I threw down (and) dug up; to mounds and ruins
14.1 reduced (them), and salt (?) on the top of them
A plate of bronxe I made;
15. I sowed.
1 2.
13.
6.
the conquest of the lands, which through

god (and) my lord
7.
8.
9.
(again) be taken,
nor its wall be constructed,
I wrote.
house of brick
had conquered,
that the site of this city should not
20.
I built
21.
in the
midst (of
it)
it
placed.
ASUR my lord my chariots

The city of KIPSUNA
The QUMANIANS
besieged.
In the service of
23.
and
24.
their royal city I
25.
26.
feared the mighty onset of
27.
Its great wall
soldiers
feet
upon (it)
on the top of
these plates of bronxe
22.
my
ASUR my
took.
they took
and
my
battle
their lives I spared.
its
gate-posts
RECOKDS OF THE PAST

of bricks I ordered to be destroyed, and
29. from their foundations to their coping
28.
30.
they were thrown
31.
and 300
32.
who
down and turned
(were) within
my
I
34.
mound
it,
who were
not submissive to
ASUR
received them.
Their
lord,
were removed (out of
33.
into a
families of evil-doers
it).
hostages
Tribute and offering
took.
35. above what was previously paid upon them

36. I imposed, and the widespread land of QUMANI
37. throughout its circuit under my feet
38. I subdued.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
5
52.
53.
54.
In all, 42 countries and their kings

from the fords of the lower ZAB
of the distant mountains
(and) the border
to the fords of the EUPHRATES,
the land of the HITTITES (Khatte) and the Upper Sea
1
of the setting sun, from the beginning of my sovereignty
until my fifth year my hand has conquered.
One word in unison have I made them utter.
Tribute
Their hostages have I taken.
and offering have I imposed upon them.
I left the
numerous roads of
foreign peoples
which were not attached to my empire

where the ground was favourable in my
where it was difficult
on my feet,- after them
The feet of the enemy
I marched.
I kept from my land.
:
chariots,
Tiglath-pileser the valiant hero,

56. the holder of the sceptre unrivalled
57. who completes the mission of the supreme (gods).
55.
That
is,
Lake Van.
and
URAS and NERGAL have
58.
113
given their forceful
59. weapons and their supreme bow

60. to the hands of my lordship.
Under
1.
the protection of
URAS who
62.
from young wild
63.
in the desert in the
64.
and
65.
66.
of the land of the HITTITES, with

a lasso of iron and my pointed
67.
68.
spear, their lives I ended

their hides (and) their horns
69.
to
loves
me
powerful (and) large,

land of MITANI
bulls,
ARAZIGI, which
in the city of
(is)
my
in front
mighty bow,
my
city of
ASUR
brought.
Ten
powerful male-elephants
71. in the land of HARRAN (Kharrani] and (on) the bank
of the KHABUR
70.
Four elephants
72.
I slew.
73.
74.
(and) their teeth along with the live
75.
elephants
captured.
I
alive
Their hides
brought to
my
city
ASUR.
the protection of URAS who loves

with my stout heart,
in the conflict of my heroism
Under
76.
77.
78.
20
me
lions,
on my feet I slew
and Soo lions in my chariot
79.
80.
1. with javelins
(?) I slaughtered.
82. All the cattle of the field and the birds of heaven
83. that
fly,
among my
rarities
84.
85.
After that the enemies of
placed.
ASUR throughout
their terri
tories
1
is the Eragiza of Ptolemy, on the Euphrates, to the north of

and the south of Carchemish.
Mitani seems to be the Matcnau of
the Egyptians mentioned by Ramses III immediately before Carchemish.
Arazig
Balis
2
3
follow Lotz in this rendering.

the Sumerian nin-sig,
Ni siggi, borrowed from
VOL.
"secret."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
ii 4
86.
had conquered, the temple of ISTAR of
(the city)
ASSUR
1
temple of RiMMON, (and) the temple of
2
BEL,
3
88. the temple of the Divinities, the temples of the gods
which
were
of
decayed, I built,
89.
my city ASUR,
The
entrances
of their temples
I
completed.
90.
87.
my
lady, the
the
The
my
91.
constructed.
92.
introduced within
93.
94.
The
rejoiced the heart of their great divinity.

palaces, the seat of sovereignty
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
1
OLDER
01.
102.
103.
great gods,
lords,
belonging to the great fortresses

on the borders of my country, which from
the time of my fathers through long
years had been deserted and ruined and
were destroyed, I built (and) completed.
The castles of my country that were overthrown
I enclosed.
The conduits 4 throughout all the land
of ASSYRIA
I fastened together wholly, and an accumulation
of grain in addition to that (collected) by my fathers
brought back (and) heaped up.

105. Troops of horses, oxen (and) asses
104.
COLUMN
1.
which
2.
in the countries
in the service of
which
VII
ASUR my
lord
4.
had conquered,
as the acquisition of my hands
which I took, I collected together, and troops
5.
of goats, fallow-deer, wild sheep,
3.
6.
7.
8.
(and) antelopes which ASUR and URAS

the gods who love me have given
for hunting, in the midst of the lofty
Here
called Matu,
the god of the tempest."
Bel of Xipur, called Mul-lil,
the lord of the ghost-world," by the Accadians, and distinguished from Bel Merodach, the younger Bel of Babylon.
3
This apparently means that the images of several deities were collected
together in the temple of the Older Bel.
"
Literally
"sewers."
INSCRIPTION OF TIGLATH-TILESER I
9.
10.
1 1.
mountains
have taken
counted
12.
of sheep
13.
young lambs, the
14.
15.
1 6.
17.
1
8.
their herds I enclosed,

their number like that of a flock
I
offspring
of their heart, according to the desire of
along with my pure sacrifices

annually I sacrificed to ASUR
my
The
cedar, the likkarin tree

(and) the aUakan tree from the countries
22.
23.
in the plantations of
21.
24.
25.
26.
27.
heart,
lord.
which I had conquered, these trees

which among the kings
my fathers who (were) before (me) none
had planted, I took and
19.
20.
my
my
country
planted, and the costly fruit

of the plantation, which did not exist in
I
The
took.
established.
plantations of
my
country,
ASSYRIA
Chariots (and horses) bound to the yoke,

for the mightiness of my country, more than before
30. I introduced (and) harnessed.
31. To the land of ASUR (I added) land,
28.
29.
32.
to
33.
The
34.
35.
36.
37.
its
people
added people.
health of
my
people
improved.
peaceable habitation
caused them to inhabit.
Tiglath-pileser, the great, the supreme,

whom ASUR and URAS according to the desire
38. of his heart conduct, so that

39. after the enemies of ASUR
40. he has overrun
all
their territories,
and
41. has utterly slaughtered the overweening.
115
RECORDS OF THE PAST
ii6
42.
The son
of Asur-ris-ilim, 1 the powerful king, the con
queror
of hostile lands, the subjugator
44. of all the mighty.
43.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
5
1.
2.
sku, whom
great lord
in the conjuration of his steadfast heart
The] grandson of Mutaggil-Nu
ASUR
the
had required, and to the shepherding

of the land of Asur had raised securely.
The
true son of Asur-da an,
the upraiser of the illustrious sceptre, who ruled

the people of BEL, 2 who the work of his hands
and the
gift
of his sacrifice
53.
commended
55.
The descendant
56.
the guardian
to the great gods, so that

54. he arrived at gray hairs and old age.
(?)
of Uras-pileser,
king, the favourite of
ASUR,
whose might like a sling

58. was spread over his country, and
59. the armies of ASUR he shepherded
57.
60.
In those days the temple of
the great gods,
1.
my
faithfully.
ANU and RIMMON
lords,
1
Sir H. Rawlinson has suggested that Asur-ris-ilim is the Chushan-rishathaim of Judges iii. 8, a name which certainly seems to be corrupt.
Chushan-rish-athaim is called king of Aram Naharaim or
Aram of the two
rivers," which represents Mesopotamia in the Old Testament, though the
Naharaina of the Egyptian monuments was the region about the Orontes,
while the Assyrian Nahri or Nairi was primarily the district to the north
west of Lake Van, and afterwards the country to the south of it.
Assurris-ilim claims to have
subdued Lullumi and all Quti (or Kurdistan) with
the entrance to its mountain-ranges" (W. A. I., iii. 3, 18) but these dis
tricts lay to the east of Assyria, and no allusion is made to any campaign
in the west.
2
That is, the Babylonians.
3
Literally "fulness" (nubalu, akin to tiabli, in the Cuthean Legend of
the Creation, iv. 20).
;
62.
which
in
117
former times Samas-Rimmon, the high-priest
of ASUR,
son of Isme-Dagon, the high-priest also of ASUR,
the
63.
64.
65.
66.
built, for 641 years

went on decaying,
Asur-da an the king of ASUR,
67. the son of Uras-pileser, the king also of ASUR,

68. pulled down this temple (but) did not rebuild (it)
60 years its foundations

70. were not laid.
69.
71.
72.
for
At the beginning of my reign, Axu

and RIMMON the great gods, my lords,
75.
who love my priesthood ^saiiguti),

commanded the rebuilding
of their habitation.
I made bricks;
76.
77.
78.
73.
74.
purified
its site
2
reconstruction; its foundations
laid upon the mass of a huge mound.
undertook
its
This place throughout

80. I piled up with bricks
8 1. Fifty tibki z below
82. I sunk (it); upon it
79.
83.
its
circuit
like a double fold
the foundations of the temple of
Axu
(?).
and RIMMON
4
84. I laid with /w/a-stone.
85.
86.
From
I
its
built
reared
87.
88.
Two
foundations to
(the temple)
its
roof
greater than
Pate
their great divinities
si.
Literally
The
was) before
great towers
which for the glorification of

89. were adapted, I constructed.
1
(it
(it).
"I
took
its strength"
(read dannat-sn, not libnat-sit}.
was a measure of length which is explained in the Talmud

as the longer cubit of 7 palms mentioned in 2 Chr. iii. 3.
4
Prof. D. H. Miiller believes the /w/w-stone to have been brought from
Armenia, and to have derived its name from the Vannic fulu- si,
It is also called //// -stone.
It was a species of white
"engraved."
marble.
tibkit
RECORDS OF THE PAST
ii8
The illustrious temple, a building with cornices,

91. the seat of their rejoicing,
92. the habitation of their pleasure,
90.
which has been beautified
93.
like the star(s) of
and by the art of the workmen

has been richly carved,
I have worked at, have toiled over, have
94.
95.
96.
97. (and) have completed.

98.
99.
its
compacted together
built
Its interior
like the heart of
heaven
walls like the resplendence
100. of the rising of the stars

or.
heaven,
adorned,
strengthened its buttresses,

102. and its towers to heaven
103. I lifted; and its roof
104. I fastened together with brickwork.
105. The divining rod,

1 06. the oracle of their
great
107. divinities within it
1
08.
I placed.
109.
ANU and RLMMON,
no.
112.
the great gods

introduced within (it);
111. on their thrones supreme
seated them
113. and the heart of their great divinities

114. I gladdened.
COLUMN
VIII
1.
BIT-KHAMRI
2.
which Samas-Rimmon the high-priest of ASSUR
Qusuda.
Aramaic
2
In
W.
(the temple) of
A.
I.,
v.
28, 4,
RIMMON,
gasdu
is
the
synonym of allum,
the
eld.
Elalla.
It
seems
to
have been a stem of papyrus covered with
writing.
3
The Pate sis, or high-priests of Assur, preceded the kings of Assyria,

of whom the first is stated to have been Bel-kapkapu. As Samas-Rimmon,
the high-priest, flourished 701 years before Tiglath-Pileser, his date would
In Babylonia the high-priests were subject to a suze
be about B.C. 1830.
rain king
it is therefore probable that the high-priests of Assur also ad
mitted the supremacy of a supreme monarch who may have ruled in
Bricks have been found on the site of Ur in Babylonia bear
Babylonia.
ing the name of Isme-Dagon, "king of Sumer and Accad," but he must
;
INSCRIPTION OP T1GLATH-PILESER
3.
the son of
4.
had
5.
6.
to
7.
8.
9.
10.
built,
purified
its
Ismc-Dagon the high-priest of ASUR

had fallen into decay and was ruined.
its site
from
its
foundations
(it)
More than
together.
adorned, I established
In its midst pure victims
RIMMON my
lord
before
(it).
I sacrificed.
stone, the khalta stone
11.
In those days the ivory
12.
14.
and the mountain stone from the mountains

of N.-MRi, 1 which through ASUR my lord
I had conquered, I carried away;
15.
in
13.
(?)
RIMMON my
(the temple) of
BIT-KHAMRI,
come
6.
for
days to
7.
As
8.
for the habitation of
119
roof with brick
bonded
to
I set
lord
(them).
the illustrious temple, the building supreme,

ANU and RIMMON the great gods
lords, have laboured at and have not desisted

19.
20. (and) have not rested from the work, 2
21. (but) have quickly completed (it), and
my
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
have gladdened the heart of
and RIMMON
divinity, (so)
turn (to me) for ever and
love the lifting up of my hands
;
may
they hearken to the earnestness of
27.
28.
abundant
29.
30.
may
may
31.
all
32.
33.
their great
may ANU
of
fertility
my
prayer
rains, years
and
they give
fatness to
;
in battle
my
and
reign
conflict
they conduct (me) in safety

the countries of my enemies, countries
;
and kings that are

subdue
beneath
may they
my feet
that are powerful,
hostile to
me,
have lived at a much
earlier period
than Samas-Rimmon, whose Babylonian
contemporary was Gul-kisar.

1
Another mode of spelling Nahri.
2
have not laid down my side
Literally
"
at the
work."
RECORDS OF THE PAST

34. to myself
and
my
supremacy
they approach in goodness, and

priesthood in the presence of ASUR and their great
35.
may
36.
my
37.
divinities
38.
may
unto future days
they establish like a mountain for ever.
39. The power of my heroism, the might

40. of my battle, the subjection of enemies,
41. even the foes of ASUR, whom ANU and
42.
have given
RIMMON
for a spoil,
44.
on my monuments and my cylinder

have I described ; in the temple of ANU and
45.
the great gods
46.
43.
my
have deposited (them)
49.
50.
51.
my
(fore)father I
I have sacrificed
days to come
Samas-Rimmon,
for
47. the monumental-stones of

48.
RIMMON
lords
;
have anointed with oil ; x a victim

to their place I have restored (them).
In future days, in the days to come,

any time whatever, may a future prince,
at
ANU and RIMMON the great

and
these towers
53. gods, my
54. shall grow old and
55. shall decay, renew their ruins
56. my monumental-stones and my cylinder
52.
when
the temple of
lords,
57.
may he
58.
to their place may he restore (them),

and may he write his name along with mine.
59.
60.
anoint with
Like myself
oil
a victim
may he
sacrifice
may ANU and RIMMON
62.
the great gods in goodness of heart

and the acquisition of power kindly conduct
63.
Whoever my monumental-stones and my
64.
shall shatter, shall
1.
Thereby turning them
xxviii.
18.
him
cylinder
sweep away,
into Befth-els or consecrated stones.
Cf.
Gen.
65.
66.
67.
68.
shall
shall
shall
121
throw into the water,

burn with fire,
conceal in the dust in the holy house of the god
;
(in)
place
ments
invisible
shall
store (them)
up
in
frag
69. shall obliterate the name that is written, and

70. shall write his own name, and something
and
monumental-stones
71.
evil shall devise,
72.
against
73.
shall
74.
may ANU and RIMMON
my
work injury;
the great gods,
76.
him and
him with
curse
may they
77.
May
78.
may
75.
my
lords,
fiercely regard
a withering curse.
they overthrow his kingdom;
they remove the foundation of the throne of his
majesty
they annihilate the fruit of his lordship;
they break his weapons ;
8 1.
they cause destruction to his army;
82. in the presence of his enemies in chains
;
79.
80.
may
may
may
83.
may
they seat him.
May RIMMON
84. destructive smite his land
with lightning
85. want, hunger, famine

86. (and) corpses may he lay
upon his country ;

not bid him live for one clay;
root out his name (and) his seed in the land
87.
88.
may he
may he
89.
(Written) in the
month Kuzallu, 1
the 29th day, in the
eponymy
90.
1
v.
of Ina-ili-ya-allak the chief of the body-guard. 2

"
Of
sheep-breeding,"
name
of Sivan or
May, according
to \V. A.
I.
43. 142
ment
Literally "the mighty men," like the Gibborim of the Old Testa
cf. 2 Sam. xxiii. 8.
Assyrian chronology was reckoned according
eponyms, officers who gave their name to each year of the king s
;
to the
As
the inscription of Rimmon-nirari I, who preceded Tiglathby about two hundred years, is dated in the eponymy of Shalman-garradu ("the god Solomon is a hero"), accurate chronology in
Assyria went back to an early period.
reign.
Pileser
THE ASSYRIAN STORY OF THE

CREATION
FRAGMENTS
of a
long epic
poem, describing the
creation of the world in a series of tablets or books,
were discovered by Mr. George Smith among the

cuneiform treasures of the British Museum which
had come from the royal library of Kouyunjik or
The tablets appear to be seven in num

and since the creation was described as consist
Nineveh.
ber,
ing of a series
curious
similarity
recorded in the
acts, it presented a
account of the creation
of successive
to
the
chapter of Genesis.
The epic embodied certain of the ideas and be
liefs current in Assyria and Babylonia regarding the
creation
ideas
first
of the universe.
and legends
is
That there were other
evident from the existence of
another story of the creation, which came originally

from the library of Cutha, and differed entirely from
that of the epic.
The epic, as I have pointed out
in
my
lonians
Lectures on the Religion of

(p.
tJie
Ancient Baby
385), clearly belongs to a late date.
gods of the
popular religion
not
The
only have their
THE ASSYRIAN STORY OF THE CREATION
123
places in the universe fixed, but even the period and
manner of
their origin
ary
of the
spirits
into the great
old
is
The element
described.
Accadian
gods of Semitic
have passed
and been finally
faith
belief,
resolved into mere symbolical representatives of the
Under a thin
primordial elements of the world.
of
the
nomenclature,
disguise
theological
Babylonian
theory of the universe has become a philosophic
materialism.
mortal
like
lasting
that
The gods themselves come and go

men they are the offspring of the ever
;
elements of the heaven and earth, and of
watery abyss
out
of
which
mythology had
demon of evil, but which the philosopher

knew to be the mother and source of all things.
created a
The Tiamat
of the
different being
first
tablet of the epic
is
a very
from the Tiamat of the fourth.
much
doubt, therefore, whether the epic in its

present form is older than the time of Assur-baniIt sums up under a poetical garb the teachings
pal.
I
of mythology and
things.
philosophy about the origin of
The Babylonians had always
believed that
the world had been created out of water, and that

the present creation had been preceded by an earlier
creation, an imperfect and chaotic prototype of that
which followed.
This
earlier creation,
in
fact,
had
been the work of chaos, and the destruction of it by

the younger gods of light and order ushered in the
new
Light and dark

ness, chaos and order, are ever struggling one against
the other but the victory of light and order was
creation of the visible world.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
124
assured ever since Merodach, the Sun-god, overthrew

the dragon Tiamat,
the wicked serpent
as she is
"
"
also
darkness had
2,
and
chaos
upon whose
the deep/
tekoni,
i.
represented
the Assyrian equivalent of the
is
"
Gen.
who
called,
Tiamat
rested
face,
anarchy.
Hebrew
according to
before the universe
was made.
The
cosmological system of the

into the pages of a
way
who lived
its
125,
Princip.
ians,"
in the sixth
he
p.
Greek
first
tablet found
writer,
Damaskios,
century of our era (De Prim.
"The
384, ed. Kopp).
Babylon
like the rest of the barbarians,
"
tells
us,
pass over in silence the one principle of the universe,
and they constitute two, Tavthe and Apason, mak

ing Apason the husband of Tavthe, and denominat
ing her
And
the mother of the gods.
from these
proceeds an only-begotten son Mumis, which, I con

ceive, is no other than the intelligible world pro
From them also
ceeding from the two principles.
another progeny is derived, Lakhe and Lakhos

and
Kissare
and
a
from
which
last
Assoros,
third,
again
;
three
And
proceed, Anos and Illinos and Aos.

Aos and Davke is born a son called Belos,
others
of
who, they say,
Tavthe
is
is
the fabricator of the
world."
Tiamat or Tiavat, Apason

and Mumis
is
a/su,
Mummu, who, however,

with Tiamat in the epic, Kissare and
the lower
and
Assoros being Ki-sar and An-sar,
"
is
the
abyss,"
is
identified
"
"
the upper
to say,
Lakhe and Lakhos, that is

Lakhvu and Lakhamu or La-
firmament."
Lakhmu
or
"
125
Dakhe and Dakhos
khavu, must be read instead of the

of the
Belos is Bel-Merodach,
the
manuscripts.
in
contradistinction
the
older
to
younger Bel,"
"
"
Bel
"
whose Accadian
of the city of Nipur, one of
names was
the
Illil,
name
probable that the
of Damaskios.
Illinos
It
is
of Lakhamti was carried to
Canaan along with those of other Babylonian gods

Rimmon, Nebo, and Sin. At all events
such as
Lakhmi seems
Chron. xx.
"the
5,
house of
house of
to
be the name of a Philistine
and Beth-lehem
Lekhem,"
Dagon,"
or
like
is
in
best explained as
Beth-Dagon,
"
Beth-Anoth,
the
"the
house of
Anat."
Only the commencement of the
tablet
first
(num
5419) has been recovered, but the tablet

was of no great length, as the larger part of the
bered
reverse appears to have been occupied
by the colo
has been published by Mr. George Smith

phon.
in the Transactions of tJie Society of Biblical Arcluzology, iv. 2 (1876), and by Professor Fr. Delitzsch
It
in
his AssyriscJic Lcscstiickc
has been
translated
Genesis.
Translations
(ist edition, 1878),
by Mr. Smith
of
it
by
in
his
Dr.
and
CJialdcan
Oppert,
Dr.
Schrader, and myself have subsequently appeared.

A small fragment of the second tablet has been
found by Professor Delitzsch, containing the colo

the second tablet (of the series beginning)
phon,
"
when
above.
"
The
third tablet
was partly repre
sented by the fragments numbered

Lines 17-42 of the obverse
615.
3473, Rm.
have been
RECORDS OF THE PAST
126
published by Professor Delitzsch
Wb rterbnch,
in
his Assyrisches
p. 100, and portions of the text are

A fragment
translated in Smith s Chaldean Genesis.
of the fourth tablet from the Library of Kouyunjik,
i.
numbered K 3437, has been published by George

Smith (Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch., iv. 2), and Delitzsch
and translated by Smith,
Oppert, Lenormant, and others but nearly the whole
of the text has now been recovered from a tablet
(Ass. Leses., pp. 82, 83),
brought from Babylonia by Mr. Rassam (numbered

82-9-18, 3737), and published by Mr. Budge in the
Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology for
6th December 1887.
translation of it has been
given by myself
my Lectures on the Religion of
the Ancient Babylonians, pp. 379 seq. (1887), which I
The fifth
can now improve in several particulars.
in
tablet
(K 3567) was published by Smith (Trans.
Soc.
2), and Delitzsch (Ass. Leses., p. 78),

and translated by Smith, Oppert, and Lenormant.
Bib. Arch.,
iv.
About one- third of
it
is
Of
lost.
the seventh
(?)
tablet only three small fragments remain (345, 248,
147), published
by Delitzsch
and translated by Smith
in
(Ass. Leses., p.
his
79),
Chaldean Genesis.
To
the third tablet probably belongs an unpublished

fragment (K 3449), describing the preparation of
the
will
bow
of
Merodach
be found
No
in
an attempt at its translation

Smith s Chaldean Genesis.
;
fragments of the sixth tablet have as yet been
According to Professor Delitzsch the frag

ment belonging- to the second tablet concludes with
noticed.

prayer of Meroclach
the
the
avenge
gods,
to
Tiamat and
capture
Aim and Ea had
after
127
already
declined to undertake the task(Assyrisc/ies WorterbucJi,

i.
The
p. 65).
to
"
be,
mouth."
of the next tablet
first line
stated
is
An-sar (the upper firmament) opened his

From this point onwards the ends of the
preserved on the fragment numbered K

and
from line 9 onwards the beginnings of
3473,
the lines on fragment K 3938.
They run as
lines
are
follows
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
"An-sar opened his mouth, and

unto him (Merodach) he speaks the word
O lord, I) am yearning 1 in my liver;
(
(against Tiamat) let me send thee, even thee
(with the snare?) thou shall ensnare (Tiamat), thou
shall be exalted (?)
:
thy
8
9.
10.
...
to thy presence.
their divine porter.
let
them dwell
in feasting.
The god went (saying),

Humbly the god has
let
.
them make
.
them;
the wine.
let
them hear the
report.
He
1 1.
has established and has fixed their

thus
Do
2.
ihou
....
(saying)
ihy (word) repeat to them.

.
thus:
Tiamat
has seen us;
she has convened (sitkunat) an assembly, and
enraged.
15.
1
.,
has urged me on
An-sar, moreover,
4. the law of (his) heart has made me,, even me, to ponder
13.
1
6.
is
violently
"
Here follows the passage translated further on.

last two lines of the tablet, as we learn from a
The
Khummulu, from
khamalii,
"
to
be
pitiful."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
128
small fragment, concluded with the words,
"
(Merothe
midst
ascended
their
great
(and
dach)
(from)
gods) determined (for him his) destiny."
be seen that a good deal of the poem

consists of the words put into the mouth of the god
It will
Merodach, derived possibly from older
lays.
The
book, however, expresses the cosmoIt opens

logical doctrines of the author s own day.
that
before the beginning of time, the expression
first
tablet or
"at
time"
the beginning"
answering to the expression
The heavens and earth had not yet
"in
of Genesis.
been created, and since the name was supposed to

be the same as the thing named, their names had
not as yet been pronounced.
existed,
Out
Mummu
of the
"
Tiamat,
bosom
watery chaos alone

the chaos of the deep."
of this chaos proceeded the gods
as well as the created world.
First
came
the prim
divinities Lakhmu and Lakhamu, words of

unknown meaning, and then An-sar and Ki-sar, the
aeval
"
upper"
and
"
lower
firmament."
Last of
all
were
born the three supreme gods of the Babylonian faith,

Anu the sky-god, Bel or Illil the lord of the ghost-
Ea the god of the river and sea.

But before the younger gods could find a suitable
habitation for themselves and their creation it was
world, and
necessary to destroy the

her monstrous offspring.
"
dragon"
The
of chaos with
all
task was undertaken
by the Babylonian sun-god Merodach, the son of Ea,

An-sar promising him victory, and the other gods
The second tablet was
providing for him his arms.
129
occupied with an account of the preparations made

to ensure the victory of light over darkness and
order over anarchy.
The
third tablet described the success of the
god
of light over the allies of Tiamat.

Light was intro
duced into the world, and it only remained to
The combat is described

destroy Tiamat herself.
in the fourth tablet, which takes the form of a poem
in
honour of Merodach, and
poem
is
incorporated into his text
Tiamat was
epic.
age, while the
slain
probably an earlier
by the author of the
and her
allies
put
in
bond
books of destiny which had hitherto
been possessed by the older race of gods were now
younger deities of the new world.

heaven was formed out of the skin of
transferred to the
The
visible
Tiamat, and became the outward symbol of An-sar
and the habitation of Anu,

chaotic waters of the dragon
Bel, and Ea, while the

became the law-bound
sea ruled over by Ea.
The heavens having been thus made, the fifth

how they were furnished with mansions
for the sun and moon and stars, and how the
heavenly bodies were bound down by fixed laws
tablet tells us
that they might regulate the calendar and determine
the year.
The
sixth tablet probably described the
creation of the earth, as well as of vegetables, birds,
and
fish.
In the
seventh tablet
the
creation
of
animals and reptiles was narrated, and doubtless also

that of mankind.
It will
VOL
I.
be seen from
this that in its
main outlines
RECORDS OF THE PAST
130
the Assyrian epic of the creation bears a striking

resemblance to the account of it given in the first
In each case the history of the
chapter of Genesis.
in
creation is divided into seven successive acts
;
each case the present world has been preceded by a

In fact the self-same word is used of
watery chaos.
chaos in both the Biblical and Assyrian accounts
this
tehoin,
Tiatnat
the only difference being that in
the Assyrian story
"
the deep
logical personage, the
The
"
has become a mytho
mother of a chaotic brood.
order of the creation, moreover, agrees in the

first the light, then the creation of
two accounts
the firmament of heaven, subsequently the appoint
ment of the
seasons and
celestial
bodies
"
for
signs
and
for
days and years," and next, the

creation of beasts and "creeping things."
But the
for
two accounts also
differ
some important par
in
In the Assyrian epic the earth seems not

have been made until after the appointment of
ticulars.
to
the
heavenly bodies, instead of before it as in

Genesis, and the seventh day is a day of work
instead of rest, while there
is
nothing corresponding
to the statement of Genesis that
moved upon the
face of the
"
the Spirit of God

But the most
waters."
important difference consists in the interpolation of

the struggle between Merodach and the powers of
evil, as a consequence of which light was introduced
into the universe and the firmament of the heavens
was formed.
It
has long since been noted that the conception
131
of this struggle stands in curious parallelism to the

verses
of the
there
was war
Apocalypse (Rev. xii. 7-9): "And

in heaven
Michael and his angels
and the dragon fought
fought against the dragon
and his angels, and prevailed not neither was their
:
And the great

place found any more in heaven.
dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."
are also reminded of the words of Isaiah xxiv.
Devil,
We
21, 22
"The
Lord
shall visit the host of the high
ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth

upon the earth. And they shall be gathered to
gether, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and
shall
be shut up
in
prison."
It
may
be added that
an Assyrian bas-relief now in the British

represents Tiamat with horns and claws,
Museum
tail
and
wings.
There
is
no need of drawing attention to the pro
found difference of spiritual conception that exists

between the Assyrian epic and the first chapter of
The one
mythological and polytheistic,

with an introduction savouring of the later material
Genesis.
ism of the schools
is
the other
is
sternly monotheistic.
Between Bel-Merodach and the Hebrew God there

is
an impassable
gulf.
unfortunate that the last lines of the epic in

which the creation of man would have been recorded
It is
have not yet been recovered.
passage
in
one of
the early magical texts of Babylonia, however, goes

to show that the Babylonians believed that the
RECORDS OF THE PAST
132
woman was produced

to the statement in
from the man, conformably

Gen. ii. 22, 23.
We there read
of the seven evil spirits (VV. A.

that
"
forth."
the
woman
from
the
I.,
iv.
man do
I.
i.
36, 37)
they bring
THE ASSYRIAN
THE CREATION
EPIC OF
FIRST TABLET OF THE STORY OF
THE CREATION
OliVERSE
1
At that time the heaven above had not yet announced,
4.
or the earth beneath recorded, a name ;

the unopened 1 deep was their generator,
Mu.MMU-TiAMAT (the chaos of the sea) was the mother
5.
Their waters were
2.
3.
of
them
all.
6.
the corn-field
7.
At
8.
embosomed
as one, 2
and
was unharvested, the pasture was un-
grown.
that time the gods had not appeared, any of them
by no name were they recorded, no destiny (had they
;
fixed).
9.
Then
the (great) gods were created,

issued forth (the
10.
LAKHMU and LAKH AMU
1 1
until they
12.
13.
14.
15.
The
1
first),
grew up (when)
AN-SAR and KI-SAR were created.
Long were the days, extended (was the time,
the gods ANU, (BEL and EA were born),
AN-SAR and KI-SAR (gave them birth).
Or
"first-born,"
if
rest
of the tablet
we adopt
until)
is lost.
Delitzsch s reading ristu instead of la
patii.
-
This
is
Gipara
shown
see
to
W.
isienis by S 1140, 8.
Nirba kan yusakhnapu giparu
be the signification of
A.
I.
V.
i.
48-50.
sipp&ti summukha inbu, "the corn-god continuously caused the corn

to grow, the papyri were gladdened with fruit;" S 799, 2.
Ana
to the
glpari eltu erubbi (Accadian mi-para-ki azagga imma-dan-tutu],
field
"
holy cornfield
"clouds"
or
he went
down."
"darkness."
The word has nothing
to
do with
RECORDS OF THE PAST
134
THIRD TABLET OF THE STORY OF THE CREATION

OBVERSE
1
17.
gods have marched round her, all of them;
1 8.
at her side I
whom
thou
hast
created
to
those
up
have gone."
1
9. When they were gathered (?) beside her, TIAMAT they
"The
approached.
strong one (MERODACH), the glorious, who desists
not night or day,
21. the exciter to battle, was disturbed in heart.
20.
The
22.
Then
they marshalled (their) forces
they create dark
ness.
mother of KnuBUR, 2 the creatress of them all,

pursued with (my) weapons unsurpassed; (then) did
23.
"The
24.
25.
26.
With my teeth sharpened unsparingly did I bite.

With poisoned breath like blood their bodies I filled.
the great snake(s) bite. 3
27.
28.
The
4
raging vampires I clothed with terror.
the
up
lightning-flash, on high I launched
I lifted
Their messenger SAR-BABA

30. Their bodies were struck, but
5
(it).
29.
it
pierced
not their
breasts.
31. I
made ready
the dragon, the mighty serpent and the
god LAKHA(MA),
1
I skhuru-si.
Khubur is identified with Su-edin on the eastern side of the Baby

lonian plain in W. A. I., ii. 50, 51.
Professor Delitzsch suggests that
the expression ummu Khubur may be the origin of the name Omoroka
assigned by Berossos to Tiamat.
3
In Hebrew the verb is used especially of
Ittaqiir from naqarti.
piercing the eyes.
4
The usumgalli or "solitary monsters" were fabulous beasts who
were supposed to devour the corpses of the dead, and were therefore not
exactly vampires which devoured the living, but corresponded rather with
one of the creatures mentioned in Is. xiii. 21, 22; xxxiv. 14.
5
Umtas\sir\.
and the scorpion-
the great reptile, the deadly beast
32.
man,
1
2
33. the devouring
reptiles, the fish-man
god,
34.
and the
gazelle-
up (my) weapons
lifting
135
that
spare
fearless
not,
of
battle,
35. strong through the law which (yields?) not before the
foe.
The
36.
eleven-fold (offspring), like
were
37.
Among
38.
(overthrown
the gods her forces
utterly
humbled
sort
?),
the
god Kixou
him
(their messenger),
?).
in the sight (of his
con
the queen.
39.
They who went
40.
lifting
in front
up (my) weapons,
before the
army
smote?),
(I
a snare for TI(AMAT).
the scorpionAccording to the gth tablet of the Epic of Gisdhubar,

the twin mountains" through which the
guard the gate between
The fish-man was Cannes, after
sun passes at its rising and setting.
wards identified with Ea, who brought wisdom and culture to Chaldrta
"
"
men"
out of the Persian Gulf.

Daprnti (see \V. A.
a flame."
I.,
v.
16,
80) from the
same
root as diparalu,
"
The
gazelle -god was identified by the later mythology of Baby

sometimes with Ea the god of Eridu, sometimes with Bel the god
see my Lectures on the Religion of the Ancient Babylonians,
of Nipur
lonia,
pp. 283 j,y.

4
Kingu was
the
husband of Tiamat.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
136
FOURTH TABLET OF THE STORY OF THE CREATION

OBVERSE
So he established
1.
of the mighty
him
for
3.
before (?) his fathers for a kingdom did

Yea, thou art glorious among the great
4.
thy destiny
2.
he found
gods
2
is
the shrine
MERODACH)
(i.e.
unrivalled;
is
thy gift-day
(it).
(that
of)
ANU.
O MERODACH,
5.
thou
art
among
glorious
the
great
gods;
6.
unrivalled
is
destiny
thy
thy gift-day
is
(that
of)
ANU.
7.
8.
Since that day unchanged is thy

High and low entreat thy hand
command.
that goes forth from thy mouth be

untroubled is thy gift-day.
10. None among the gods has surpassed thy power
11. at the time when (thy hand) founded the shrine of the
3
god of the sky.
9.
word
the
may
established
12.
May
"
13.
14.
the place of their gathering (?)
O MERODACH,
we
thou
art
become thy home
he who avenges us
give thee the sovereignty, (we) the hosts of

universe
all
the
15.
Thou
possessest
mayest thou
1
6.
(it),
and
exalt thy
in the assembly (of the gods)
word
4
;
may thine ene
mies tremble
lord, be gracious to the soul of him who putteth
Never may thy weapons be broken

!
17.
his trust in thee,

1
These are the
Sigar.
the sigar or
3
In
"
last
W.
two
A.
lines of the
Third Tablet.
we read
that the i2th of lyyar

of the goddess Gula.
the covering of heaven
(nalbas same).
may they open.
I.,
v.
i,
12,
festival"
"
"
Literally
Literally
was

1
8.
and destroy
who has hold
of the god
the soul
137
of
evil."
9.
Then
they set in their midst his saying unique
MERODACH
20.
to
21.
"May
thy
heaven
22.
their first-born they
that
23.
Set thy
24.
turn,
spake
before
go
lord,
the
god of
he confirm
may
destiny,
2
;
(?)
the destruction
and creation of
all
said.
is
mouth
let it
speak unto
destroy his word
it,
and
him
let
his
up
lift
word
3
(again)."
He spake and with his mouth destroyed his word;

he turned, he spake unto it and his word was re-created.
27. Like (the word) that issues from his mouth the gods
his fathers saw it
25.
26.
they rejoiced, they approached MERODACH the king.

29. They bestowed upon him the sceptre (and) throne and
28.
reign
they gave him a
;
30.
weapon unsurpassed, consuming
the
hostile.
Go
and cut off the life of TIAMAT ;

(they said),
the
winds
her
blood to secret places."
32.
carry
33. The gods his fathers also hear the report of EA
34.
path of peace and obedience is the road I have
"
31.
"
"
let
"
caused (him) to
take."
35.
There was too the bow,
36.
he
37.
and he
38.
The bow and
as
his
weapon he prepared
(it);
made
the club swing, he fixed its seat

i
up the sacred weapon which he bade
;
lifted
his right
hold.
the quiver he
hung
at his side
"
Literally
-
hand
The
pour
out."
or
is regarded as having a real existence

"\Vord,"
which could be created, destroyed, and re-created by Merodach.
The
"
Word
3
"saying,"
"
is
similarly personified in Zech.
ix.
i.
"burden"
of the Hebrew
prophets, the Assyrian verb "to lift up
being nasu, the Hebrew nasd,
whence massd,
a burden or "oracle."
4
The badhdhu was the name of the weapon sacred to Merodach. From
the sculptures it would appear to have been a kind of boomerang.
\Ve have here the same idea as
in
"
"
"
the
RECORDS OF THE PAST
138
39. he set the lightning before him ;

40. with a glance of swiftness he filled his body.
41. He made also a snare to enclose the .dragon of the
sea.
42.
He
44.
His hand brought the snare near the bow
the four winds that they might not issue

forth, any one of them,
43. the south wind, the north wind, the east wind (and)
the west wind.
seized
of his father
ANU.
45.
He
created the evil wind, the hostile wind, the storm,
the tempest,
46. the four winds, the
seven winds, the whirlwind, the
unending wind
47. and he caused the winds which he had created
;
to
issue forth, the seven of them,

48. confounding the dragon TIAMAT, as they swept after
him.
49.
Then
50.
He
the lord lifted up the deluge, his mighty weapon.

rode in the chariot of destiny that retreats without
rival.
He
stood firm and hung the four reins at its side.

52. (He held the weapon?) unsparing, that overfloods her
panoply.
their teeth carry poison.
53
51.
they sweep away the learned.
54
might and
55
56.
On
the
left
battle.
they open their

fear
57
58.
With the
lightning-flash
and
....
he crowned
his
head.
59.
He
directed also (his way), he
made
his
path descend,
and
60.
6
1.
62.
1
humbly he set the .... before him.

By (his) command he kept back the ....
His finger holds the
Here we have a curiously weakened form, kisti instead of qasti.
that fears not
if we correct the text and read makhri la
galidta,
Or
rival."
"

63.
On
64.
the gods
65.
Then
that
139
day they exalted him, the gods exalted him,

his fathers exalted him, the gods exalted
him.
the lord approached; he catches
waist
66.
TIAMAT by her
she seeks the huge bulk
(?)
KINGU
of
her husband,
67. she looks also for his counsel.

68. Then the rebellious one (TIAMAT) appointed
overthrower of the command of BEL.
him the
But the gods his helpers who marched beside him

beheld (how MERODACH) the first-born held their yoke.
71. He laid judgment on TIAMAT (but) she turned not her
69.
70.
neck.
With her
74.
hostile lip(s) she announced opposition.

to the help of the lord, sweep
ing after thee
they gathered their (forces) together to where thou wast.
75.
(And)
76.
weapon
(against) TIAMAT, whom he
72.
73.
(Then) the gods (came)

:
the
lord
(launched)
the
deluge,
his
mighty
these words
77.
78.
requited, he sent
it
with
on high thou hast excited.

(Strengthen ?) thy heart and muster (thy troops) against
"(War)
the god(s).
their fathers beside (thee).
79
80
thou hast opposed
to (thy) husband.
82
lordship^)
thou seekest.
83
REVERSE
1.
(Against) the gods
2.
Thou
my
fathers thou
has directed thy
hostility.
harnesser of thy companions,

reach their bodie(s).
3.
Stand up, and
4.
When TIAMAT
heard
and thou
1
will fight
this,
Read
ip-qid.
may
thy weapons
together."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
140
5.
she uttered her former
spells,
she repeated her
com
mand.
6.
7.
8.
9.
TIAMAT also cried out vehemently with a loud voice.

From its roots she strengthened (her) seat completely.
She recites an incantation, she casts a spell,
and the gods of battle demand for themselves
their
arms.
10.
Then TIAMAT
of the gods
attacked
MERODACH
combat they joined; they met
11.
in
12.
And
13.
He
the chief prophet
in battle.
the lord outspread his snare (and) enclosed her.

sent before him the evil wind to seize (her) from
behind.
1
4.
And TIAMAT opened
He made
her
mouth
to swallow
it.
the evil wind enter so that she could not
close her
lips.
The
violence of the winds tortured her stomach, and

17. her heart was prostrated and her mouth was twisted.
1 8.
He swung the club, he shattered her stomach;
1
6.
he cut out her entrails; he overmastered (her) heart;

he bound her and ended her life.
21. He threw down her corpse; he stood upon it.
22. When TIAMAT who marched before (them) was con
19.
20.
quered,
he dispersed her forces, her host was overthrown,

24. and the gods her allies who marched beside her
25. trembled (and) feared (and) turned their backs.
26. They escaped and saved their lives.
27. They clung to one another fleeing helplessly.
2 3.
28.
29.
He
He
followed them and shattered their weapons.

cast his snare and they are caught in his net.
regions they are filled with grief.

they are kept in bondage,
32. and the elevenfold offspring are troubled through fear.
33. The spirits as they march perceived (?) the glory (of
30.
31.
Knowing (?) the

They bear their
sin,
MERODACH).
His hand lays blindness (on their eyes).
35. At the same time their opposition (is broken) from
under them
34.

36.
and
the
god
KINGU who had
(marshalled)
141
their
(forces)
37.
he bound him also along with the god of the tablets
38.
And
(of destiny in) his right hand.

he took from him the tablets of destiny (that were)
upon him.
With the string of the
stylus he sealed (them) and

held the ... of the tablet.
40. From the time when he had bound (and) laid the yoke
39.
on
his foes
41. he led the illustrious enemy captive like an ox,

:
over the
42. he established fully the victory of AN-SAR
foe
43.
MERODACH overcame
the lamentation of
(A)
the lord
of the world.
44.
45.
Over the gods

and
in
bondage he strengthened
his watch,
TIAMAT whom he had bound he turned head back

wards
46. then the lord trampled on the underpart of TIAMAT.

47.
With
50.
Then
unbound he smote (her) skull;

and caused her blood to flow;
wind bore (it) away to secret places. 2
his club
48. he broke
49. the north
(it)
father
his
savour
(EA) beheld (and) rejoiced
51. he caused the spirits

himself.
1
at
the
to bring a peace-offering to
(?)
The primaeval god of the Firmament.

The meaning of the blood of Tiamat
is
shown by
the two contradic
tory Babylonian legends of the creation which Berossos, the Chaldean

Belos (Merodach) came and cut
historian, has amalgamated together
the woman (Tiamat) asunder, and of one half of her he formed the earth,
"
and of the other half the heavens, and
at the same time destroyed the

animals within her (in the abyss).
All this was an allegorical description
of nature.
For, the whole universe consisting of moisture, and animals
being continually generated therein, the deity above mentioned (Belos) cut
off his own head
upon which the other gods mixed the blood, as it
gushed out, with the earth, and from thence men were formed. On this
account it is that they are rational and partake of divine knowledge."
Similarly, according to Philon Byblios, Phoenician cosmology declared that
the blood of Uranos or Baal-samaim, when mutilated by his son Kronos
near the rivers and fountains, flowed into them and fertilised the earth.
;
RECORDS OF THE PAST
142
body he feeds.
mind (?), he forms a
52.
So the lord rested;
53.
He
54.
and he stripped her of
strengthens (his)
to his plan
his
clever plan,
a fish, according
(her) skin like
55. he described her likeness
the heavens
and (with
it)
overshadowed
56. he stretched out the skin, he kept a watch,

57. he urged on her waters that were not issuing forth
58.
he
up the sky; the sanctuary

and
lit
(of heaven) rejoiced,
59. he presented himself before the deep, the seat of EA.

60. Then the lord measured (TIAMAT) the offspring of the
deep;
made of her l image the house of the

Firmament. 2
62. E-SARRA which he had created (to be) the heavens
63. the chief prophet caused ANU, BEL and EA to inhabit
6
1.
the chief prophet
as their stronghold
64.
\First line of the next tablet

sions of the great gods.
.]
He
prepared the
man
One hundred and forty-six lines of the

4th tablet (of the series beginning:) ".When on
high unproclaimed."
66. According to the papyri of the tablet whose writing had
65.
[COLOPHON.]
67.
Copied
been injured.
for
NEBO
his lord
by Nahid-Merodach, the son
of the irrigator, for the preservation of his life

68. and the life of all his house. He wrote and placed
E-ZiDA.
in
1
"
Its"
(it)
in the original.
-Sarra.
fe-Zida, "the constituted house," was the great temple of Nebo in

The copy of the text
Borsippa, now represented by the Birs-i-Nimrud.
deposited in it by Nahid-Merodach was probably made in the Persian age.
3
143
FIFTH TABLET OF THE STORY OF THE CREATION

OliVERSE
He
He
5.
prepared the twin mansions of the great gods.

fixed the stars, even the twin-stars, 1 to correspond
with them.
He ordained the year, appointing the signs of the
Zodiac 2 over (it).
For each of the twelve months he fixed three stars,
from the day when the year issues forth to the close.
6.
He
7.
the ferry-boat, that they might know their bonds,

that they might not err, that they might not go astray
8.
He
1.
2.
3.
4.
founded the mansion of (the Sun-god) the god of
in
any way.
established the mansion of
BEL and EA along
with
himself.
9.
10.
1 1
Moreover he opened the great gates on either side,

he strengthened the bolts on the left hand and on the
right,
in the
and
midst of
it
he made a
12.
He
13.
and ordained
14.
day may be known,

(saying:) "Month by
watch in thy disk.
15.
1
6.
7.
1 8.
1
9.
20.
1
illuminated the
of the night,
for
Moon-god
staircase.
that he might be porter
him the ending of the night

month,
without
that the
break,
keep
At the beginning of the month light up the night,

announcing thy horns that the heaven may know,
On
the seventh day, (filling thy) disk

thou shalt open indeed (its) narrow contraction.
At that time the sun (will be) on the horizon of heaven
at thy (rising).
shalt cut off its
Thou
....
the twin oxen," of which seven were reckoned.

Lu-masi, literally
Mizrata, which is the same word as the mazzaroth of Job xxxviii. 32.
"
RECORDS OF THE PAST
44
21.
(Thereafter) towards the path of the sun thou
shalt
approach.
22. (Then) the contracted size of the sun shall indeed
change
23
24
(P)
seeking
its
path.
descend and pronounce judgment.
The
rest
of the obverse and the first three
lines
of the reverse
are destroyed.
REVERSE
4.
[First line of the next tablet
.-]
When
the assembly of the
gods had heard him.

5.
6.
Fifth tablet of the (series beginning) "When on high."

property of Assur-bani-pal the king of hosts, the
The
king of Assyria.
1
The
mutilated condition of the tablet makes the translation of this

There may be a reference in it to the star Al-tar
line extremely doubtful.
or Dapinu.
THE SEVENTH TABLET
145
OF THE STORY OF THE CREATION
OBVERSE
1.
At that time the gods
in their
assembly created (the
beasts).
2.
3.
They made perfect the mighty (monsters).

They caused the living creatures (of the field)
to
come
forth,
the cattle of the field, (the wild beasts) of the field

the creeping things (of the field).
5.
(They
and
fixed their habitations) for the living creatures
(of the field).

6.
7.
distributed
They
(in their
dwelling-places) the cattle
and the creeping things of the city.

(They made strong) the multitude of creeping
all
8
9
10
the multitude of creeping things did I

strong.
the seed of
ii
LAKHAMA
The
1
VOL.
things,
the offspring (of the earth).

in the assembly of my family.
EA the god of the illustrious face.
did
rest is lost.
Yusahi(zu).
I destroy,
make
RECORDS OF THE PAST
146
THE FOLLOWING FRAGMENT (K

STORY OF THE CREATION, BUT
3449) BELONGS TO THE
ITS POSITION is
UNCERTAIN
OBVERSE
3.
The snare which they had made the gods beheld.

They beheld also the bow, how it had been stored
The work they had wrought they lay down,
4.
and
5.
He
1.
2.
ANU
lifted (it)
kissed the
bow
up
;
in the
it
assembly of the gods.
....
7.
and he addressed the arch of the bow, (saying) thus

The wood I stretch once l and yet again.
8.
The
6.
up.
"
third time
is
the
...
of the star of the
heaven.
9.
10.
have established also the position of ...
Since the fates
"
....
1
Istcnumma.
bow
in
THE BABYLONIAN STORY OF THE CREA

TION ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION
OF CUTHA
TRANSLATED
i;v
THE EDITOR
BKSIDES the story of the Creation in a

successive acts, Mr. George Smith brought
two
series
to
of
light
containing
o another
legend of the Creation which varied very consider
ably from it. The tablets belonged to the library of
the fragments
o
of
tablets
Assur-bani-pal at Nineveh, but the colophon informs

us that they had been copied from older
documents
which came from the library of Cutha, now Tel

The text has never been
Ibrahim, in Babylonia.
published, but a translation was given of it by Mr.
Smith in his Chaldean Genesis, and a revised version
by myself
in
the Records of
tJie
Past, vol.
xi.
As
progress has been made in cuneiform studies

during the ten years which have elapsed since the
latter was published, I now give another translation
much
embodying the improvements

which our increased knowledge of the Assyrian
of
the
inscription,
language has enabled me to make.

The Cuthaean legend, it will be observed, knows
RECORDS OF THE PAST
48
nothing of a creation
period when
in successive acts.
as yet writing
Chaos
was unknown.
is
But the
already existed, and was inhabited by the

chaotic brood of Tiamat, imperfect first attempts, as
earth
it
were, of nature,
They were
who
lived in a city underground.
destroyed, not
by Merodach, the god
of
Babylon, but by Nergal, the patron-deity of Cutha,

who is identified with Nerra, the god of pestilence,
and Ner, the mythical monarch of Babylonia who

The words of the poem
reigned before the Deluge.
are put into the
was written
mouth of Nergal, and the poem
for his great
The legend
of
itself
temple at Cutha.
Cutha agrees better with that
reported by Berossos than does the legend of the

In both alike we have a first creation of
Epic.
and these beings are of a composite

In both
nature, the offspring of Tiamat or Chaos.
alike the whole brood is exterminated by the gods
living
beings,
of light.
The
date to which the legend in its present form

is difficult to determine.
The in
be assigned
may
scription
is
written in Semitic only, like the other
creation-tablets,
and consequently cannot belong
the pre-Semitic age.
epoch when
It
to
belongs, moreover, to an
the unification of the deities of
Baby
had already taken place, and the circle of the

Ea, Istar, Zamama,
great gods was complete.
even
Nebo
and
Anunit,
Samas, are all referred to in
lonia
it.
Possibly
muragas
it
may
(cir. B.C.
be dated
2350).
in the
age of
Kham-
THE CUTHÊAN LEGEND OF THE CREATION

COLUMN
Many
2.
3.
lines arc lost at the
commencement.
His word (is) the command of the gods

His glancing-white instrument (is) the glancing-white
.
5.
instrument (of the gods).

of that which is above and that which
is) lord
below, the lord of the spirits of earth,
who drinks turbid waters and drinks not clear waters
6.
in
4.
(He
whose
field
warrior
that
weapon
all
t/iat
is
rests
there (?)
7.
8.
9.
has captured (and) destroyed.

On a tablet he wrote not, he opened not (the mouth),
and bodies and produce
he caused not to come forth in the land, and I
approached him
not.
Warriors with the body of a bird of the valley,

11. with the faces of ravens,
1 2.
did the great gods create.
13. In the ground the gods created his city.
10.
14.
15.
1
6.
TIAMAT gave them
men
suck.
Their progeny 1 the mistress of the gods created.

In the midst of the mountains they grew up and became
heroes and
increased in number.
Seven kings, brethren, appeared as begetters ;
1
9. six thousand (in number were) their armies.
20. The god BA-XINI their father (was) king; their mother
21. the queen (was) MELILI
17.
8.
Sasur.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
150
their eldest brother
22.
(was) his
who went
before them,
ME-MANGAB 1
name;
ME-DUDU 2
second brother,
(was) his
name;
23.
(their)
24.
(their) third brother, [ME-MAN]PAKH (was) his name

(their) fourth brother, [ME-DA]DA (was) his name;
25.
26.
27.
28.
[ME-MAN]TAKH (was) his name;

3
[ME-RUJRU (was) his name;
seventh brother, ME-RARA was) his name.
(their) fifth brother,
(their) sixth brother,
(their
COLUMN
Many
1.
...
4.
5.
In
...
3.
...
II
the evil curse

turned his word
He
On
On
2.
arranged
a tablet the evil curse he wrote
.
(?)...
7.
urged the augurs on.

Seven against seven in breadth I arranged (them).
I set up the holy reeds (?).
8.
9.
ISTAR,
10.
NEBO,
11.
the son (of the Moon-god, the
6.
to (?) the great gods,
prayed
.
.,
.
ZAMAMA, ANUNIT,
(and) SAMAS the warrior,
.
of the gods
my
couriers.
12
he did not
13.
thus
14.
saying
15.
never
never
1 6.
May
17.
1
spake to
:
I
I
it is
go when the son

my heart
I renew the iron, may I assume the black
.
and may
8.
garment.
1
and
I, and
go ... beneath the dust
go ... the prayer.
Verily
may
may
my
give,
heart
or "thunder strikes."
The Accadian proper names
legend indicate that although in its present form it is of
Semitic origin it must be based on older pre-Semitic materials.
Moreover,
the expression "his name" is written in Accadian (mu-ni) which shows
that it has been quoted from an Accadian text.
"The
found
voice"
in the
"
"
The
The
voice goes up and

voice creates.
"
down."
Ati
lutsbat.
THE BABYLONIAN STORY OF THE CREATION
151
The
first year as it passed

one hundred and twenty thousand warriors I caused to
go forth, and among them
21. not one returned alive.
22. The second year as it passed I caused 90,000 soldiers
to go forth and none returned alive.
23. The third year as it passed I caused 60,700 to go forth,
and none returned.
24. They were carried away, they were smitten with sick
1
9.
20.
ness.
25.
26.
I ate,
1
lamented, I rested.
Thus did I speak to
I
my
heart saying,
"
Verily
it
is
I,
and
27.
28.
what have
(yet)
I
am
a king
to reign over?
not his country whole,
I left
who makes
COLUMN
1.
2.
3.
III
and a shepherd who makes not his people whole,

I have produced corpses and have left a desert."
With terror of men, 3 night, death (and) plague have
Since
cursed
4.
With
5.
(I
6
7
it.
destruction (and) famine
fear, violence,
have effected) the overthrow of

there descended.
(I) caused a deluge.
all
that exist.
that deluge.
all
9
10.
the foundations (of the earth were shaken?)
12.
The gods
Thou didst command me, and
and
1 1.
3.
they are created
14.
Thou
15.
6.
17.
protectest
(?)
memorial of drinking and
in supplication to Ea
holy memorial sacrifices
.
....
"
Buti.
ASUS.
Salummat
"brilliance,"
This passage shows that salummat cannot signify

as Jensen supposes.
nisi.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
152
holy laws ....

19. I called the sons of the augurs
20. seven against seven in breadth
1 8.
arranged (them).
placed the holy reeds (?)...

the (great) gods,
(?)
21.
2 2.
24.
NEBO,
25.
the son (of the Moon-god, the
implored
23. ISTAR,
.
.,
.
(ZAMAMA, ANUNIT),
(and SAMAS the warrior)
...
of the gods
my
couriers)
COLUMN
Many
8.
....
the men ....
the city NAK
a city which ....
to ....
powerful king ....
the gods ....
my hand ....
9.
Thou,
10.
whom
11.
this tablet I
1.
2.
IV
lines are lost.
With
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2
king, high priest, shepherd, or any one else,
the god shall call (to) rule the kingdom,
have made
have in
for thee, (this) stele I
scribed for thee

1
2.
3.
14.
15.
1
6.
17.
in the city of CUTHA in the temple of SULIM ;

in the ark 4 of NERGAL I have left it for thee.
Hearken to the voice 5 of this

remove it not, forget 6 it not
and
stele,
fear not, tremble not

May he establish thy seat
!
!
"
1 8.
Mayest thou achieve success

Perhaps nak(ru]
in thy
works
2
"foreign."
The name
Pate
si.
of the great temple of Nergal in Cutha.

For the reading
see my Lectures on the Religion of the Ancient Babylonians.
4
the ark
in which the image of the god was carried, and
Papakh,
which stood in the inner shrine or
holy of holies
(parakku}.
5
6
1
"mouth."
Tensi for temsi.
Literally
Sipar.
"
"
"
"
THE BABYLONIAN STORY OF THE CREATION

1
9.
Build up
2
thy fortresses
thy canals with water
!
20.
Fill
21.
May
22.
thy goods, thy property,
23.
24.
25
153
thy papyri,
thy corn, thy
silver,
(and) thy furniture, (all) of them

for (thy) hands
strengthen the
make perfect the stores of thine increase
(be multiplied)
26.
27.
(As for the evil one) thou shalt cause him to go forth.
(As for the harmful one) thou shalt enchain him.
1
Urrim, whence arammu,
Nabli; coinp. nubalu, \Y. A.
I.,
i.
15,
"a
vii.
wall."
57.
Pi sannati.
BABYLONIAN LAWSUITS AND

JUDGMENTS
TRANSLATED BY DR. OPPERT
HAVING worked
more than five-and-twenty years

at the Babylonian and Assyrian deeds of contract and
legal decisions, and having explained the documents
for
relating to these subjects

in
Mesopotamia,
which have been discovered
am now
able
meaning of these
difficult texts
well understood
us.
that which
by
to state that
is
the
at length fairly
The
simplest explanation is
the most difficult to obtain, and I have
is
no doubt that the translations and interpretations I

offer will appear to many scholars so easy and con
clusive as to
make them assume
that any one might
have discovered them at the outset.
Fortunately,
however, not only the translations of other scholars,

but my own imperfect ones as well, have been pub
and
will thus
convince younger students of the

immense difficulty there is in arriving at results which
lished,
seem so
The
evident.
first
texts which
tain contracts
to captive
and
have selected contain cer
legal decisions relating indubitably
Jews who had been
carried to
Babylon
after
BABYLONIAN LAWSUITS AND JUDGMENTS
155
the destruction of Jerusalem.

One of the most inter
esting of them is a lawsuit commenced by a Jewish
slave
named
status.
Barachiel in order to recover his original
copy of the text has been published by
Father Strassmaier
Congress at
My
of
translation
been amended
by
of
tJic
Oriental
Lcyden, No. 42.

it,
which
will
in
appear
the
Oriental Congress at Vienna, has

in one or two points. The translations
Transactions of
offered
in the Transactions
tJic
Dr. V. Revillout and a
young
Assyriologist,
Dr. Peiser, are very imperfect, Dr. Revillout having

entirely misunderstood the nature of the suit referred
and having
O
to,
fallen into several
while Dr. Peiser
The
the
Job
(xxxii.
person
rendering
is
case was as follows
same name
of the
grammatical
C)
as the father of Elihu in the
2, 6),
had
errors,
not less unacceptable.

Barachiel, who bears
Book
of
been the property of a wealth}
named Akhi-nuri, who had sold him to a widow

name of Gaga, about 570 li.C. He remained in
the house of this lady as a slave, with the power of

liberating himself
by paying a sum equal to his pccnhad been allowed
linin, or private property which he
to acquire, like a slave in ancient
that he was never fortunate
the
sum
of
money
required.
Rome
but
it
seems
to be able to afford
enough
lie remained with Gaga
twenty-one years, and was considered the res or pro

perty of the house, and as such was handed over in
pledge, was restored, and finally became the dowry of
Nubta ("Bee"), the daughter of Gaga.
Nubta gave
him
to her son
and husband
in
exchange
for a
house
RECORDS OF THE PAST
156
and some
After the death of the two ladies
slaves.
he was sold to the wealthy publican Itti-Mardukbaladh, from whose house he escaped twice. Taken
the second time, he instituted an action in order that
he might be recognised as a free-born
family of Bel-rimanni
and
citizen,
to prove that
of the
he was of
noble origin he pretended that he had performed the

matrimonial solemnities at the marriage of his master s
1
daughter Qudasu with a certain Samas-mudammiq.
Such a performance, doubtless, implied that the officiat

ing priest was of free birth, and that no slave or freedman was qualified to take part in it. He declared, I
"
am
mar-bant,"
"generator,"
heroes
or
Babylon.
family of
"descendant
"ancestor,"
who gave
2
or
their
names
"
I belong,"
Bel-rimanni,"
The
high-priest.
of
zbanfi"
literally a
one of those semi-mythical

to the noble families of
he went on to say,
who
"
to the
in other texts is called a
case was brought before a court of
and the royal judges asked Barachiel to prove

that he was of free birth.
This actio prcejudicialis de
justice,
was urged
Barachiel was obliged
ingenuitate
for
and
against,
and eventually
to retract his former statements.
He was
unable to rebut the evidence alleged against

and
him,
though it is probable that the two married
persons whose "hands he had joined" were dead,
other witnesses came forward who proved that he
The
of Akhi-nuri was Nabu - nadin - akh ( Nebo gives a

and the father of the son-in-law bears the same name. But it
by no means certain that the uncle married his niece, since the two
1
brother
is
persons
2
It
father
"),
may have been
different.
would be a useful work
ancestors,
men
to collect the
names of all the ban

and others.
of noble birth, like Egibi, Nur-Sin,
or
BAB YLONIAN LA WSUITS AND JUDGMENTS

was a
slave
with
the
of
power
157
his
purchasing
freedom.
The exact date
which the judgment was delivered
at
not quite certain, but it must be later than the

seventh year of Nabonidus, when the father Ittiis
Marduk-baladh was
I
will
on the
to
make some
details of the case, as
some
offers
still alive.
now proceed
it is
further remarks
very interesting, and
useful hints as to the legal procedure of
the Babylonians.
The name
of
that of a Jew.
is
Bariki-ili or Barachiel
He
is
to say, not a slave
freedom, since
called
"
a slave of
is
evidently
ransom," that
who has already purchased
in that case
he would have been
his
free,
but a slave who was allowed by special laws to employ

his private fortune in the
He
professes to
work
of liberating himself.
have been the avil
taslisu or
of the hands of bride and bridegroom

at a
o
"joiner"
wedding
o
which must have taken place before the thirty-fifth

year of Nebuchadnezzar s reign, when he still belonged
house of Akhi-nuri, the seller of the
called at the end of the text.
to the
he
is
"
slave,"
After the declaration of the slave, the document
as
is
comparatively easy to understand. The judges, after

perusing all the evidence, do not find any proofs that
man of free birth, and accordingly say

Prove to us that you are the descendant of
Barachiel was a
to
him
"
a (noble) ancestor." Thereupon Barachiel confesses

that he is not free-born, but has twice run away from
the house of his master
as,
however, the act was seen
RECORDS OF THE PAST
158
by many people he was

son of a (noble)
afraid,
"
ancestor."
and
But
"
said,
am
not
am
the
free-born,"
he continues, and then gives an account of the events

of his
life.
The words mar-banut

of being a free-born
in line 16 signify
citizen,"
and not
as Dr. Peiser supposes.
"
"
condition
letter of client-
The
"
expression letter
of citizenship (dippi mar-bamit] occurs several times,
and signifies the warrant given by a master to his
ship,"
"
Non-citizenship was the fourth

the seller of a slave to the pur
"
emancipated
fact
slave.
guaranteed by
"
the other three being: (i) that the slave

should not rebel or run away if he returned to his
former master he was to be sent back (2) that no
chaser,
against the validity of the sale on

account of technical or other errors and (3) that the
claim should
lie
purchaser should be secured against any claim

upon the services of a slave by a royal officer.
made
Barachiel adds that after the death of the two

ladies
Gaga and Nubta, he was
sold for
money
to
Itti-Marduk-baladh, of the Egibi family, thus becom

ing a scrvus redimendus argento, a slave who could be
ransomed with money, and that he awaits the sentence

of the court.
The judges decided
that
restored to his original status,

in
the uznz (or nsuz] of the
Barachiel
should
and added
that
it
be
was
two married persons
Samas-mudammiq and Oudasu that the judgment

was pronounced.
This may signify
absence," the
"
two having died during the interval of more than
BAB YL ONIAN LA WSUITS AND JUDGMENTS
59
twenty years which had elapsed since the marriage.

It is probable that Barachiel had invented the story of
his taking part in the
wedding because he thought
If, however, the

falsity could not be detected.
word is equivalent to the expression ina dti-rjii, the
that
its
texts from Sippara
mean
It
"
"in
would go
the presence
may
a deed of
to
show
be remarked that not a word

slavery,"
that
it
must
of."
is
said about
which was certainly not given to
a slave in order to prove his own servile condition as

a I indcx libertatis, as Dr. Revillout seems to imagine.
The only penalty imposed upon

restoration to his ancient condition
the slave
is
his
penalties were
decreed against those who wished to annul a contract,

not against those who pretended to be free citizens.
In this respect the
than the Roman.

it
Babylonian law was more humane

This is the more surprising, since
cannot be denied that severe penalties were at times
inflicted.
The Micheaux-stones,
for
example,
in
scribed in the twelfth century before our era, threaten
the transgressors of a contract and those
who annul
their covenants with the curses of the gods, each of
whom would
inflict a special
punishment.
The
old
the failure of his attempt to recover

his undeserved loss of liberty perhaps the court took
Jew escaped with
into serious consideration his fidelity to his
master,
who had esteemed him
house but other slaves as
well.
to be
former
worth not only a
TRANSLATION OF A BABYLONIAN LAWSUIT

RELATING TO A JEW
i.
Barachiel
is
a slave of
ransom
belonging to Gaga the
daughter of
whom
in the
35th year of Nebuchadnezzar,
2
king Of BABYLON,
3.
4.
[from Akhi-]nuri, the son of Nabu-nadin-akh, for the

third of a mina and 8 shekels
3
he has instituted an
she had bought.
Recently
I am the son of a (noble)
action, saying thus
4
ancestor, of the family of Bel-rimanni,
who have joined the hands (in matrimony) of Samas:
5.
6.
mudammiq the son of Nabu-nadin-akh

and the woman Qusadu the daughter of Akhi-nuri,
even
7.
8.
9.
I.
In the presence of
the high-priest, 5 the nobles

nidus king of BABYLON
and the judges of Nabo-
they pleaded the case and listened to their arguments

in regard to the obligation of servitude
From the 35th year of Nebuchadnezzar
of Barachiel.
king of BABYLON
7th year of Nabonidus king of BABYLON, he
had been sold for money, had been put
11. in pledge, (and) as the dowry of Nubta the daughter
12. of Gaga had been given.
Afterwards Nubta had alien
ated him by a sealed contract ; 7
10.
to the
For the meaning of
B.C. 570.
Ana
Read
among
5
7
this expression see above, p. 158.
eninni, not a proper name as Dr. Revillout supposes

lu sir.
Several distinguished persons were called Bel-rimanni,
others a priest of the Sun-god.
!
Sangu.
The
text
does not seem to
me
to
B.C. 549.
have been correctly copied here.
BABYLONIAN LA WSUITS AND JUDGMENTS

for a
house and slaves to Zamama-nadin
13.
in
14.
her son and Idina her husband had given him.

read (the evidence) and
15.
said thus to Barachiel:
exchange
and
am
said
161
The son
Thou
They
hast brought an action
of a (noble) ancestor
Prove to us thy (noble) ancestry.

Barachiel
former statement
17. retracted, saying: Twice have I run away from the
house of my master, but many people (were pre
1
6.
I.
his
sent),
1
and
8.
I was afraid and said

(accordingly)
the son of a (noble) ancestor.
citizenship exists not ; I am the slave of ransom of
I
was seen.
that I
1
My
9.
am
Gaga.
Nubta,
20.
her
received
daughter
me
as
(her)
dowry;
Nubta
alienated
21.
me by
a sealed contract,
nadin her son and
Idina.
and
to
Zamama-
her husband
me
in exchange; and after the death of Gaga

Nubta,
(and)
23. to Itti-Marduk-baladh the son of Nabu-akhe-iddin of
22.
gave
24.
25.
[The
the family of Egibi, for silver

I am a slave.
[was sold].
sentence] about me.
high-priest], the nobles
Go
now, [pronounce
and the judges heard the
evidence
26.
[and] restored [Barachiel] to his condition as slave of

ransom, notwithstanding the absence of Samas-
2 7.
[the son of Nabu-nadin-akh]

of Akhi-nuri, the seller 3
28.
[of the slave].
mudammiq
Musezib the
1
Not
Such names are
For the
and Qudasu the daughter
registration of this [decision]
[priest]
ka.
"
Idina, "give
all, I think, emphatic imperatives
Basa, "exist!" Iriba, "multiply!"
Considering the Aramaic transcrip
tion of the last name, we ought perhaps to pronounce Idinai, Basai.
3
Nadinan, a singular noun with the same termination as makhiranu,
the buyer
the measurer
the plaintiff
masikhanu,
paqiranu,
the defendant.
napalkattanu,
:
"
"
"
;"
;"
;"
"
"
VOL.
RECORDS OF THE PAST
62
29.
Nergal-akhe-iddin the judges

of the family of Epis-el, in the city of the palace
of the king of BABYLON, the ryth day of
[and]
30
31.
the
month Marchesvan l
[the 7th? year] of
king of BABYLON.
1
October.
Nabonidus
INSCRIPTION OF MENUAS, KING OF
ARARAT, IN THE VANNIC LANGUAGE

SINCE the publication of

form Inscriptions of
the Journal of
in
my Memoir
on
Van Deciphered and

tJie
Royal Asiatic
"
The Cunei
Translated
"
Society, xiv. 4,
1882, we have begun to learn something about a

who ruled on the shores of Lake Van
race of kings
in
Armenia, from the ninth
before our era.

duris
I,
to the seventh centuries
The founder of the dynasty, Sarwho reigned in B.C. 833,
the son of Lutipris,
introduced the cuneiform system of writing as well

as other elements of Assyrian culture into the country
over which he was king.
The inscriptions he has
left
us are in the Assyrian language
but his suc
cessors discontinued the use of a foreign tongue,
the language of their texts

one.
It
is
is
and
invariably their native
semi-flectional in character,
and possibly
same family of speech as that of

belongs
For
which Georgian is the modern representative.
The
want of a better name it is known as Vannic.
story of its decipherment will be found in the Memoir
to
above
cited.
the
RECORDS OF THE PAST
64
The grandson of Sarduris I was Menuas, a prince

who carried his arms far and wide, and has bequeathed
to us
numerous records of
his
wars and buildings.
Far away from his capital of Dhuspas or Tosp, near

the mountain of Rowandiz and the Lake of Urumiyeh,
on the summit of the pass of Keli-shin, I 2,000 feet
above the level of the sea, is a monument of his cam
paigns, which
is wrapt during the greater part of the

a
year
coating of ice in the north he engraved
his inscriptions beside the banks of the Araxes, while
in
the record of his campaign against the land of the

is inscribed on the cliff of the Euphrates
Hittites
"
"
at Palu,
The
about midway between Malatiyeh and Van.
here was copied by

Schulz and Sir A. H. Layard from a stone built into
the wall of a vault under the church of Sts. Peter and
translated
inscription
Paul at Van, and a squeeze of
The
by Captain Clayton.
analysis will
be found in
my
it
has been taken
transliterated text
and
Memoir, xxxii. p. 555-
The text is mutilated in parts, and at the time my

Memoir was published I was unable to restore some
of the passages in it.
The progress that has since
been made, however,
scriptions, enables
and
in
the study of the Vannic in
me now
also to correct
to supply their deficiencies,
and supplement the translation
then gave.
For the sake of Vannic scholars I append
here a transliterated text of the inscription as it
should read
characters
after
the
restoration
of the
missing
INSCRIPTION OF
1.
\_god Khal-di-]ni-ni
MENUAS, KING OF ARARAT

us-ma-si-ni
man
Me-nu-a-s
man
165
Is-
pu-u-i-ni-[khi-ni-s]
2.
3.
4.
i-u tu-su-kha-a-ni land Ma-a-na-a-i-di us-ta-a-di

land e-ba-]a-ni-a tu-u-bi a-ma-as-tu-u-bi i-ku-u-ka-a-ni
[sail si-su-kha-ni-]e person Khu-ra-di-ni-li plural kid-da[a-li-e]
nu-u-li kha-a-i-tu-u
5.
\tnan Sa-da-ha-li-]e-khi-ni-ni
city
6.
[city
land-m-m
city Su-ri-si-li-ni
Tar-khi-ga-ma-a-ni
.
man
]-dhu-ra-a-ni
Sa-da-ha-li-e-khi-ni-da-a-ni
ap-ti-ni
7.
[city
]-li-e-i
land Kha-ti-na-as-ta-a-ni
stone gar-bi-e
ap-ti-ni
u-e
land
Al-zi-i-ni-ni
IIAICXIII person
ta-ar-su-a-ni
9.
[sa-li-]c a-li-ke za-as-gu-u-bi a-li-ke alive a-gu-u-bi
10.
\god Khal-di-]e a-li-ma-a-nu a-ru-u-bi person Khu-ra-dina-u-e plural
We
learn from the inscription that the land
of the
KJiate or Hittites extended as far north as Alzi, the

situation
of
which
is
64
Tiglath-Pileser
(i.
given
;
in
the
see above,,
inscription
p.
of
94, note 4),
and that Sada-hadas, whose name was perhaps pro

nounced Sanda-hadas, was the king of that portion
Menuas was brought

name of the Khate
and other Vannic monuments
of the Hittite nation with which

into contact.
or
Hittites
The mention
on
this
of the
shows that the name was not confined to the Hittites

of the south.
INSCRIPTION OF THE VANNIC KING MENUAS

1.
1
(To the KnALDis-gods), the
2.
of Ispuinis 2
In the spring
(speaks) thus
the land of MINNI 3
3.
I carried
fruits (?)
when
(that
the son
had approached
distant country), I
The same
partitioned (them).
5.
(?),
away the people of
(year), after collecting the
4.
Menuas
gracious,
(baggage) of the army, the
of the country of the son of Sada-halis, the cities of

5
SURISILIS, TARKHI-GAMAS,
of Van was Khaldis, but as each tribe or district

god of the same name, there were many Khaldis-gods
who are invoked by the Vannic kings along with the supreme Khaldis of
Van.
It was from the worship of Khaldis that the population of a part of
Armenia became known to the Greeks as Khaldaei, a name naturally con
1
The supreme god
also worshipped a
founded with that of the Chaldeans of Babylonia.

2
The Vannic kings usually call themselves kings of Biainas or Bianas,
a name which has passed through the Byana of Ptolemy into the modern
Van.
Van is now, however, the name of the city which the Vannic kings
called Dhuspas or Tosp, instead of denoting a district as it did in their
Biainas was known to the
time, Tosp being now the name of the district.
Assyrians under the name of Urardhu, the Ararat of the Old Testament.
Mount Ararat, it may be noted, is a modern designation, the name of
Ararat not being applied to the country north of the Araxes in the Biblical
the mountains of Ararat
of Genesis viii. 4 signifying, as in the
age, and
Assyrian inscriptions, the Kurdish mountains to the south of Lake Van.
3
The Mana of the Vannic texts are the Manna of the Assyrians, the
Minni of the Old Testament, whose position is shown by the inscriptions to
have been immediately to the west of the kingdom of Van, from which they
were separated by the Kotur range.
4
Khai-tti maybe connected with khai-di-a-ni, "fruits" (from khai,
to grow
but it may also be a compound of tu and kha,
to possess,"
like sui-du,
to set for a possession," or abili-du,
to set on
5
Tarkhi-gamas seems to be compounded with the name of the Hittite
god Tarkhu, like Tarkhu-lara, king of the Gamguma, and Tarkhu-nazi,
king of Malatiyeh, mentioned on the Assyrian monuments.
"
"
"
"),
"
"
fire."
INSCRIPTION OF MENUAS, KING OF ARARAT

which
DHURAS,
(and)
of Sada-halis,
the stones of (the city of)
seat of the HITTITES,
6.
7.
8.
(I captured),
and 2113
is
167
called the seat of the son
...
Us,
which
called the
is
soldiers of (the year),
belonging
to the country of ALZIS,

I took alive.
partly I killed, partly
9.
(To KHALDIS)
10.
longed
i
This expression
literal translation
brought
all
and each of those who
to the army.
is
is
texts and its

of frequent occurrence in the Vannic
but what it means is doubtful.
certified
by ideographs
THE
oldest
Hebrew
inscription yet discovered
is
en
graved on the rocky wall of the subterranean channel

which conveys the water of the Virgin s Spring at
The history of
Jerusalem into the Pool of Siloam.
its
discovery
is
curious.
In the
summer of 1880 one

German architect
of the native pupils of Dr. Schick, a
long resident in Jerusalem, was playing with some

other lads in the Pool, and while wading up the sub
terranean channel slipped and fell into the water.
On
rising to the
surface,
he noticed,
in
spite of the
darkness, what looked like letters on the rock which

formed the southern wall of the channel. Dr. Schick,
on being told of them, visited the spot, and found

that an ancient inscription, concealed for the most
by the
The first
part
water, actually existed there.

thing to be done was to lower the level of
the water, so as to expose the inscription to view.

But his efforts to copy the text were not successful.
He was
not a palaeographer and as the letters of the

inscription, as well as every crack and flaw in the stone,
;
ANCIENT HEBREW INSCRIPTION OF

had been
filled
SILOAM
by the water with a deposit
169
of lime,
it
was impossible for him to distinguish between char

acters and accidental markings on the rock, or to
make
out the exact forms of the
my
however,
visit to
had
to
Jerusalem in February iSSi. As,

hours in the mud and water,
sit for
working by the dim

of Dr.
facsimile
Guthe
six
was obtained.
posit of lime
by
my copy required
was not until the
light of a candle,
correction in several points, and

arrival
first
copy was accordingly made by myself
intelligible
during
The
letters.
weeks
Dr.
it
later that
an exact
Guthe removed the de
the application of an acid, and so
revealed the original appearance of the tablet.

cast
of it was taken, and squeezes made from the cast
which could be studied at
The
and
in a
good light.
o
o
engraved on the lower part of an

tablet cut in the wall of rock about 19 feet
inscription
artificial
leisure
is
from the place where the subterranean conduit opens

out upon the Pool of Siloam, and on the right hand
side of one
about 16
until
in
feet
who
high
enters
;
one place
it.
The conduit
is
at first
but the height gradually lessens

is not quite 2 feet above the
it
According to Captain Conder s

measurements, the tunnel is 1708 yards in length from
the point where it leaves the Spring of the Virgin to
floor of the passage.
the point where it enters the Pool of Siloam.

It does
not run, however, in a straight line, and towards the
centre there are two culs de sac, the origin of which
is
We there learn that

explained by the inscription.
the workmen began the conduit simultaneously at
RECORDS OF THE PAST
170
both ends, like the engineers of the Mont Cenis tunnel,

intending to meet in the middle. But they did not
succeed in doing so, though the two excavations had
approached one another sufficiently near for the work
men
by
in
the
the one to hear the sound of the pickaxes used

in the other.
How such a feat of
workmen
engineering was possible in the age
was
excavated
it
difficult
is
to
when
the tunnel
understand, more
when we remember that the channel slopes

downward through the rock, and winds very consider
especially
ably.
It
may
be added that the
floor of the conduit
has been rounded to allow the water to pass through

it
more
easily.
The Pool
of Siloam
is
of comparatively
construction, but
it
older reservoir.
It is situated
modern
encloses the remains of a
much
on the south-eastern
extremity of the hill, sometimes, but erroneously,

which lies to the south of the Temple-
called Ophel,
hill,
now
represented
by the Mosque of Omar, but
separated from the latter by the remains of a valley,

which was first perceived by Dr. Guthe and Dr.
The
Virgin s Spring is on the opposite side

but
more to the north, overlooking the
hill,
As it is the only natural
valley of the Kidron.
or
as
the
gihon,"
spring,
Jews would have called it,
Schick.
of the
"
neighbourhood of Jerusalem, the command of

supply of water was of primary importance to the
in the
its
inhabitants of the Jewish capital.

It was, however,
outside the walls of the city, and hence the necessity
of cutting a conduit through the hill which should
ANCIENT HEBRE W INSCRIPTION OF

convey
its
told
SILOA.If
water to a reservoir within the town.

Chron.
xxxii.
that
We
when
the
4
all
invaded
Hezekiah
the
Assyrians
Judah
"stopped
fountains," that is to say, he concealed them under
are
in
masonry or earth. The Virgin s Spring or Gihon

must have been similarly sealed up, while its water
was conducted into the city through a subterranean
channel.
The date
of the inscription has occasioned a good
some scholars assigning it to the

of Hezekiah, and others to an earlier period.
deal of controversy,
reign
The
chief reason
work of Hezekiah
stated that
he
water
brought
xxxii.
"
for
is
believing
into
the
30 we read that
to have
been a
Kings xx. 20 it is
and
a conduit, and
pool
that in
made
it
city,"
he
while
in
"stopped
Chron.
the
upper
watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down

to the west side of the city of David."
But a more
he
rendering of the latter passage would be,
of
of
the
the
exit
the
waters
Upper
stopped
(inotsfi)
"
literal
Gihon, and he directed them downwards on the west

Here it is evident that
David."
side of the city of
by the Upper Gihon is meant the Spring of the

is em
Virgin, for which the word vwtsa or
"exit"
ployed
in
the inscription.
Besides the
there must have been another or
Upper Gihon
Lower Gihon,
whicli
can have been none other than the Pool of Siloam.
This had become a second source of water-supply,

and might therefore with propriety be named
"a
spring."
RECORDS OF THE PAST
172
It would consequently appear from the chronicler s

words that the Pool of Siloam already existed in the
time of Hezekiah, and that what the Jewish monarch
did was to excavate a second conduit, running from

the Pool, not in a winding direction like the tunnel
but in a straight direction along the

Now such a
western side of the city of David.
conduit has actually been discovered cut in the rock
of Siloam,
and leading from the Pool of Siloam to another

reservoir which once existed below.
There
is,
moreover, evidence in the
that the tunnel
of Siloam was in
Hezekiah came to the throne.

prophecy
is
reigning, in
In Isaiah
recorded, uttered while
which allusion
is
Book of
made
Isaiah
existence before
viii.
Ahaz was
to
"
6 a
still
the waters
This can hardly refer

softly."
the
than
gently-flowing stream
of Shiloah that go
to
anything else
which still runs through the tunnel of Siloam.
inference
the
The
name Shiloah
itself,
supported by
the tunnel," and would
which probably signifies
have been given to the locality in consequence of
is
"
the channel which was here excavated through the

rock.
The
characters of the inscription exhibit to us
the alphabet which was used by the prophets before

the Exile.
They belong to what may be termed
the southern or Jewish branch of the old Phoenician
alphabet, a
Moab, and
parallel
is
branch to which was used
found on the Moabite Stone.
forms of some of the
letters
are
in
The
more archaic than
ANCIENT HEBREW INSCRIPTION OF
SILOAM
173
those on the Moabite Stone, the forms of others less

Similar forms are met with on early Israelitish
seals, which go back to a period preced
so.
and Jewish
They are characterised by a

not only that writing was
which
shows
peculiarity
the
ing
Captivity.
common, but
that the
also
usual writing material
was papyrus or parchment, and not stone or metal.
The
"
tails"
as on the
attached to certain letters are not straight

in Phoenician inscriptions,
Moabite Stone or
The
but rounded.
words,
always end with the
The language
Hebrew.
It
it
may
be added, do not
line.
of
the
presents us with only one
zadaJi in line
3,
is
inscription
which seems to mean
the purest
unknown word,
"excess"
or
"ob
Why should have been engraved on the

lower part of a carefully-prepared tablet, where the
it
stacle."
water of the conduit would necessarily conceal
it,
it
The upper part of the

have
been
intended
contain a
may perhaps
the
of
the
name
king under
royal inscription giving
whom the work was executed.
is
impossible to conjecture.
tablet
"to
One
fact,
however,
Whether
text.
it
is
made very
clear
were the Siloam tunnel
the second tunnel leading from
it
by the
itself,
or
to a lower reservoir,
was constructed by Hezekiah, in either case the

Pool of Siloam would lie
on the west side of the
that
"
city of
"
David."
The
city of
David"
must, accord
ingly, have stood on the southern hill, the so-called

Ophel and since the city of David was identical
;
with Zion, according to 2 Samuel
v. 7, this hill
must
RECORDS OF THE PAST
174
represent the original
mount
the valley of the Sons of
which was known
of Zion.
Consequently
Hinnom must be
the valley
time of Josephus as the

or
Cheesemakers
It once divided both
Tyropceon
the Temple hill and the southern hill from the
in
the
mountains on the west, though it is now choked

with the rubbish which the numerous destroyers of
In some places the
Jerusalem have thrown into it.
rubbish is more than 70 feet deep, and under it, if
anywhere, we must look for the tombs of the kings

that were cut in the rocky cliff of the city of David.
Here, too,
if
anywhere,
will
be found the
relics
of the
temple and palace that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed,

overlaid with the accumulations of more than two
thousand years.
cast of the Siloam inscription
may be
seen in
the rooms of the Palestine Exploration Fund, and

facsimiles
Alphabet^
in
i.
Monuments,
1.
3.
p.
the
the
101.
Now this is the history of

(Behold the) excavation!
the excavation.
While the excavators were still
lifting
2.
Canon Isaac Taylor s History of

p. 234, and in FrcsJi Light from
up
the pick, 1 each towards his neighbour, and while there

were yet three cubits to (excavate, there was heard)
the voice of one man
was an excess (?) in

hand (and on the left ?). And
calling to his neighbour, for there
the rock on the right

after that on the day
1
in i Kings vi. 7, where it is used of the
Garzen, translated
instrument with which the stones of Solomon s temple were quarried.
"ax"
ANCIENT HEBREW INSCRIPTION OF SILO AM

4.
5.
6.
175
of excavating the excavators had struck pick against

pick, one against another,
the waters flowed from the spring l to the pool 2 for
a distance of 1200 cubits.

And (part) 3
of a cubit was the height of the rock over the head of
the excavators.
.l/ /jiz, literally

which is used of the Upper Gihon or Virgin s
Spring in 2 Chron. xxxii. 30.
Berechah, rendered "pool" in 2 Sam. ii. 13, Isaiah xxii. 9, n, etc.
We learn from the latter passage (Isaiah xxii. 9, n) that there were at
least three "pools" or reservoirs in
Jerusalem in the time of Hezekiah,
and yet our inscription shows that there must have been a period when
the
only one such reservoir existed, since it terms the Pool of Siloam
1
"exit,"
pool."
makes this word doubtful.

and appears to consist of three letters.
flaw in the rock
ends with
/,
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BAGSTER
COMPREHENSIVE TEACHER S
Professor
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England and
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and teachers are most comprehensive and
(Chairman of
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the helps for students
It is
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Rev.
CLIFFORD,
J.
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"It
sup
and should have.
"
plies the precise information the teacher asks for
MACKENNAL,
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admirably done ; for fulness, accuracy, and presentday intelligence, I do not know any compendium equal to
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Society of Christian Endeavour}.
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MARIANNE FARNINGHAM.
Miss
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"
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BOOKSELLER.
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"
lie
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Nothing short of an exhaustive apparatus

hands of the instructor."
CHRISTIAN AGE.
the
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criticus
The most comprehensive and complete work
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METHODIST TIMES
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(Rev. Hugh Price Hughes].
of information of the greatest value to Bible students."
SUNDAY SCHOOL TIMES.

best
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The
present."
FAMILY CHURCHMAN." More

cordance.
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In Eleven Editions, prices from Four Shillings
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THE ARCHAIC CLASSICS.

Assyrian Grammar. An Elementary Grammar and Reading-Book of
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the most complete Syllabary yet extant, and which will serve also
as a Vocabulary of both Accadian and Assyrian.
Second Edition,
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the Rev. A.
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"
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Cloth extra,
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75.
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who have already mastered the ele
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ments of Assyrian grammar.
The texts have been selected and edited with great
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by the beginner. Type and paper leave nothing to be desired. We hope that this
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Its close relationship to Hebrew cannot but clear up many

philology, since words which occur but once or twice in the
Testament are not unfrequently of common occurrence in the Assyrian texts.
to the study of Assyrian.
obscure points
Old
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at least of Assyrian.
But what has already been achieved in the
field of Assyrian decipherment is but an earnest of what may yet be achieved in it.
The harvest is abundant the labourers alone are wanted. Let us hope that
Mr. P.udge s book will be, amongst others, the means of gathering them
The
In
fact,
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it is
some knowledge
to deal
.
in."
Guardian, August
18, 1880.
Assyrian Language and Syllabary, Lectures upon the, delivered to

the Students of the Archaic Classes.
By the Rev. A. II. SAYCE,
M.A., Deputy Professor of Comparative Philology, Oxford. 410.
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Text, Trans
Part II.
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literation, and Translation.
Determina
Part IV.
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planations of the Ideographs by Extracts from the Bi-Lingual

By ERNEST A. BUDGE,
Syllabaries, and Lists of Eponyms, etc.
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of the Society of Biblical Archaeology. 8vo. Cloth, IDS. 6d.
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Studies on the Times of Abraham.
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4to.
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texts of Genesis scattered throughout the twelve volumes of the Talmud
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RECORDS OF THE PAST

RECORDS OF THE PAST

ANCIENT MONUMENTS OF EGYPT AND

Multa; terricolis lingua;, coelestibus una

lay before the public

of the ancient Oriental world.

During the ten years

Assyrian research may be said to have entered upon

examined with increased industry and exactness,

The decipherment of the

labourers in the field of research, has

ledge of the Assyrian

made our know

Inscriptions which were

ten years ago can

of the translations proposed

Indeed there are certain cases

knowledge has shown the

revised translations in the series

translations will be provided with fuller

upon the history, geography, and theology of the

In one point, however, a difference will be noticed

language known only to a few scholars depends

The writer who

text for historical or controversial

doubtful character, and the translator

ought to provide proofs of any new renderings he

In the present series of volumes, accord

doubtful words and expressions will be

word being put

where necessary other

whether of words hitherto uncle-

ciphered or of words to which a different signification

by being printed in Roman type, whereas

thanks mainly to the

and discovery have been

Egypt during the last decade,

the enterprise of Professor Maspero, the results have

have attended the progress of the younger study of

translations, previously published, of

Egyptian documents, nor has any large number of

of publishing alternately translations from the

Assyrian and Egyptian monuments, Assyrian and

doubtless happen that the Assyrian

Egyptian and Assyrian,

monuments; comparatively few though they may be,

of Records to the approval of the public, the Editor

eminent scholars belonging to

having consented to take

name appears somewhat

a fault which shall not occur

THE DYNASTIC TABLETS AND CHRONICLES

THE ASSYRIAN STORY OF THE CREATION.

ENDOWMENT OF THE TEMPLE

Assistant-Curator in the British

THE INSCRIPTIONS OF TELLOH.

THE BABYLONIAN STORY

ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF CUTHA.

OPPERT, Member of the

INSCRIPTION OF MENUAS, KING OF ARARAT,

THE ANCIENT HEBREW

EQUIVALENTS OF THE HEBREW LETTERS

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