| NaBuCCo ID | 1251 |
|---|---|
| Museum No. | BM 33945 |
| CDLI P-Identifier | |
| Place of issue | |
| Type and content | Court protocol |
| Archive | |
| Period | NB |
| Year BCE | 547 | Editio princeps | Nbn. 356 |
| Paraphrase | Court protocol. The tablet records an accusatory deposition in court and the royal judges' decision. The plaintiffs are fA1 and her adopted son A2; the defendant is her husband's brother B. The case primarily concerns her rights to a house that she and her husband bought with her dowry silver. The court protocol opens with a quotation of fA1's statement before the judges of Nabonidus. She recounts that she is married to A3, brought 3 1/2 minas of silver as her dowry (nudunnû) into the marriage, and bore him a daughter fD. Together they bought a built house (bītu epšu), 8 reeds (c. 90 m2) large, in the district (erṣetu) called “Small region on the other bank” (ahullā qalla) in Borsippa, for 9 minas and 20 shekels of silver. The purchase was financed a.o. with her dowry silver and with a loan (ana nishi našû) of 2 minas and 30 shekels of silver from C (cf. BM30506 = Nbn 187). In Nabonidus’ 4th regnal year, she argued with her husband (itti ragāmu) about (aššu) her dowry and he, with full consent (ina migir libbišu), gave her under seal (kanāku - dagālu Š) that built house in Borsippa, forever (ana ūmī ṣâti). In the donation document, he stated that they agreed to pay off together (itti ahameš eṭēru) the 2 1/2 minas of silver that they borrowed (našû) from B for the purchase of that house. A3 wrote down (šaṭāru) the oath that he pronounced by the great gods in the document and sealed it. In Nabonidus’ 5th regnal year, she and her husband adopted C as son (ana mārūti leqû), and they wrote (šaṭāru) an adoption tablet (ṭuppi mārūti) for him. At that time they also made known (idû Š) the content of their daughter's dowry (fD): 2 minas and 10 shekels of silver and household goods (udê bīti). Now, after A3’s death, B, his brother (= fA1's in-law, emû) has raised a claim (paqāri bašû Š) on the house and on everything else that his brother gave to fA1 in a sealed document (kanāku – dagālu Š), as well as on a slave, E, whom the couple bought (ana kaspi abāku) from F. fA1 concludes her statement by saying: I have brought (abālu) him in front of you: establish our decision (purussû šakānu)!”. The second part of the tablet records the judges’ actions and verdict. They hear the parties’ arguments (dibbu šemû), review (šasû) the tablets (ṭuppu) and contracts (riksu) that fA1 brought as evidence, and deliberate (mitluku). They deny B’s claims (la rašû Š) on the house in Borsippa, which had been given to fA1 instead of her dowry (kūm nudunnê), the slave E whom she bought (ana kaspi šâmu) together with her husband and everything else that belonged to A3. The judges establish the legal rights of fA1 and A2 on the basis of their written evidence (ina ṭuppi uzuzzu). B will have priority (penû) in recovering (šalāmu G) the silver, 2 1/2 minas, which was used to pay for the house; then, fA1 will recover the 3 1/2 minas of silver from her dowry; finally, fD will get E as her inheritance share (zittu), as established in her father’s contracts (riksu). Names of 6 witnesses, all judges of Nabonidus, and 2 scribes: Nādin//Pahāru, and Nabû-šumu-iškun//Rab-bānê. Seal impression of the judges. fA1 = fBunanītu/Hariṣāya, wife of A3; A2 = Apla-dādu-abārī, adopted son of fA1 and A3; A3 = Apla-dād-natan/Niqmadu; B = Aqab-ili, fA1's in-law (emû); C = Iddin-Marduk/Iqīšāya//Nūr-Sîn; fD = fNuptāya, daughter of fA1 and A3; E = Nabû-nūr-ilī; F = Nabû-ahhē-iddin |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | None |
| Babylonian Date (year-month-day): | Nbn. yy-VI-dd |