Tablet BM 31959+

NaBuCCo ID 1110
Museum No. BM 31959+
CDLI P-Identifier
Place of issue
Type and content Inheritance
Archive
Period Each
Year BCE None
Editio princeps Wunsch 2000 10A
Paraphrase Inheritance division: allocation of shares.
In its opening lines, the text mentions a previous document issued by A1, A2 und A3 (B’s sons), according to which they divided their shares (zâzu), by mutual agreement (mitgurtu). They agreed that the property of the business partnership (harrānu) established by their father and C would remain undivided (karû). Afterwards, in Cambyses’ 3rd regnal year, A1 allocated (uzzuzu, lit. “registered in the account”) to C a share in [x] kor of land planted with trees and grain (zēru zaqpu u mērešu), as well as 2 female slaves, fD1 and fD2. In Tašrīt (VII) of a year which cannot be determined since the numeral is lost in a lacuna, A1 and A3 settled their accounts (nikkassu qatû) […] (short launa) A3 did not allocate a share in the 37 1/2 shekels of silver to A1, his older brother. A3 sold (lit. “gave”, nadānu) to A1 his entire share in (the property located in) Bit[...]. In Cambyses’ 7th regnal year, the same 2 brothers agreed on the allocation of their shares (uzzuzu, lit. “registered in the account”) in the land located on the New Canal, which their father B assigned to their mother fE by means of a sealed document (kanāku - dagālu Š), providing that she would enjoy a lifelong usufruct of it (akalu akālu), and that after her death the land would become part of her sons’ assets. A2 transferred the property of his share (in this land) to his brother A3, writing the agreement in a sealed document (kanāku-dagālu Š); then, A3 sold (lit. “gave”, nadānu) the land that was A2’s share to his nephew F (the eldest son of A1), for 3 1/2 minas of silver. He received (eṭēru) this entire sum from F. As for the land located in Dilbat, this remains at A3’s disposal. As for the house located near G’s property, which A3 pledged (maškanu šakānu) for 2 1/2 minas to A1: he will pay this sum of silver to F, and F will give him the house back (muššuru). The 2 1/2 minas cannot be counted (manû) among the 3 1/2 minas of silver (which F owes for the purchase of A2’s share). F will release (zakû D) his father’s (A1) promissory note (u’iltu) related to 2 minas and 37 1/2 shekels of silver owed by A3, and he will give it to the debtor. A3 confirms that he did not (? The text is broken and its interpretation must be considered as speculative) sell the arable land (zēru) in Dilbat nor the one located at the opening (bitqu) of the Ile’’i-Bēl canal, whose surface amounts to 0;0.0.4 1/2 sq. kor (c. 337,5 m2) and that corresponds to A2’s fourth share, to F. The end of the tablet is fragmentary, but one can infer that the parties to this agreement take an oath to seal their accord. Names of 4 witnesses and the scribe: [Itti-Nabû-balāṭu/Marduk]/Bāni-zēri//Bēl-ēṭiru.
 
A1 = Itti-Marduk-balāṭu; A2 = Iddin-Nabû; A3 = Nergal-ēṭir; B = Nabû-ahhē-iddin/Šulāya//Egibi, father of A1, A2 and A3; C = Bēlšunu; fD1 = fNanāya-bēlu-uṣur; fD2 = fAna-bītišu; fE = fQudāšu, mother of A1, A2 and A3; F = Marduk-nāṣir-apli/Itti-Marduk-balāṭu//Egibi; G = Bēl-iddin/Rēmūtu//Dēkû
Transliteration None
Babylonian Date (year-month-day): Dar. yy---dd