YBC 03996

Testimony regarding the temple-serf status of a slave-woman.

Nādin/Balāṭu, (City) Governor (šākin ṭēmi) of Uruk,

Silim-ili, Keeper of the Royal Box (ša rēš šarri ša muḫḫi quppi ša Eanna),

Madānu-aḫḫē-iddin/Gimillu//Šigūa,

Nūrēa/Balāṭu//Iddin-Papsukkal,

Bēl-kāṣir/Marduk//Kiddin-Marduk,

Nabû-zēru-līšir/Bēlšunu//Kurī,

Nabû-balāssu-iqbi/Ibnāya//Ekur-zākir,

Nabû-balāssu-iqbi/Kīnāya//Ḫunzû,

Šūzubu/Kudurru//Rē’i-ginê

These are the freemen (mār banî) in whose presence Kurbanni-Marduk/Zēria//Sîn-damāqu, High Priest of the Eanna (šatammu) and Ilī-rēmannī, the Royal Overseer of Eanna (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) made the claim that Šamaš-šumu-iddin is a temple-oblate. Šamaš-šumu-iddin replies that they should turn to (f)Babūnu/Iddin-Marduk to have information about (f)Silim-Ištar his mother and (f)Ḫaršinana his grandmother (harāṣu in stat with ṭēmu).

After, (f)Babūnu was brought by the (City) Governor (šākin ṭēmi) of Uruk,  the High Priest of the Eanna (šatammu) and the royal courtier (ša rēš šarri), she swore an oath of gods and king (nīš ilī u šarri zakāru) that she had seen (amāru) a star and a arrātu-mark on the hand of (f)Ḫaršinana and that Nādin-aḫi, her uncle, owned her as a private slave (qallatu) but dedicated (zakû D) her as a oblate to the Eanna before (ina pānāt) she gave birth.

8 witnesses (the freemen listed at the beginning) and the scribe: Kīnāya/Zēria

Testimony regarding the temple-serf status of a slave-woman.

The tablet presents claims regarding the temple-serf status (širkūtu) of A, which are brought up by B1, the temple administrator (šatammu), and B2, the courtier (ša rēš šarri) and supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Eanna before 8 freemen (mār banê), G1–8.

B1 and B2 claim that A is the son of fD, the temple-serf (širkatu) of the Lady-of-Uruk (thus he is himself a temple-serf).

In reply, A claims that they should turn to fC for the facts about his mother (fD) and his grandmother (fE). The temple should determine his status (ṭēmu harāsu) on the basis of (ina qātē) her testimony.

The governor (šākin ṭēmi) of Uruk (G1), the temple administrator (B1), and the courtiers of Eanna brought forth fC to the assembly (puhru). She swore by the gods and the king that she saw (amāru) a star and a mark on the hand of (A’s grandmother) fE. She also testifies that (her uncle) F owned fE as a private slave (qallatu) but dedicated (zakû D) her as a temple-serf to the Lady-of-Uruk before (ina pānāt) she gave birth (to fD, A’s mother).

According to this testimony (A’s grandmother) fE became a temple-serf before she gave birth to fD, mother of A. This means that fD was also a temple-serf, and therefore A must be a temple-serf after all.

Name of the scribe (the witnesses are the freemen, A1–8, listed above)

A= Šamaš-šumu-iddin/fSilim-Ištar (= fD)/fḪaršinana (=*); B1= Kurbanni-Marduk/Zēria//Sîn-damāqu, temple administrator (šatammu); B2= Ilu-rēmanni, courtier and royal supervisor (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti Eanna); fD= fSilim-Ištar/fḪaršinana (= fE), female temple-serf (širkātu) of the Lady-of-Uruk, mother of A; fC= fBabūnu/Nādin-Marduk; fE= fḪaršinana, mother of fD and grandmother of A, slave of F; F= Nādin-ahu, master of fE, uncle of fC;

G1–8 are all freemen (mār banê): G1= Nādin/Balāṭu, governor (šākin ṭēmi) of Uruk; G2= Silim-Ili, courtier (ša rēš šarri) in charge of the royal cashbox (ša muhhi quppi); G3= Dayyān-ahhē-iddin/Gimillu//Šigūa; G4= Nūrēa/Balāṭu//Iddin-Papsukkal; G5= Bēl-kāṣir/Marduk//Kidin-Marduk; G6= Nabû-zēru-līšir/Bēlšunu//Kurī; G7= Nabû-balāssu-iqbi/Kīnāya//Ḫunzû; G8= Šūzubu/Kudurru//Rēˀi-ginê