BM 31494

Content

Paraphrase: Promissory note for silver, purchase price of wool from Bēl-šarru-uṣur, the crownprince. Security pledge. Interest at default.
B owes 20 minas of silver to A to be delivered in Addar (XII) of the 11^th year. The debt will bear a yearly interest of 20% at default (nemerkû). The debt results from B's purchase of wool (šīm šipāti) from C, the crownprince (mār šarri). The wool is the latter's income (makkūru) which is managed by (ša ina qāte) A, his mayor domo (rab bīti) and by his secretaries (sepīru). Considering that the price of unprocessed wool is 1 shekel for 5 minas of wool, it follows that B bought about 3000 kg wool. The month in which the present document has been written is broken off, but it was most likely soon after sheep shearing which normally took place in February/March (Wunsch 1993, 55f.). Hence, the broken month in which the tablet was drawn up can be safely reconstructed as Šabāṭ (XI). The debtor's house next to [broken off], his slaves and his entire property in and outside the city are pledged to C until the debt is fully repaid. Names of 5 witnesses and the scribe: Bēl-ahhē-iddin/Nabû-balāssu-iqbi.

A = Nabû-ṣābit-qātē, mayor domo (rab bīti) of C; B = Iddin-Marduk/Iqīšāya//Nūr-Sîn; C = Bēl-šarru-uṣur, crownprince (mār šarri)