YBC 03921

Rēḫētu/Arad-Innin (R), plowman (ikkaru) and oblate of Ištar of Uruk, told Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādinu//Dābibī (NMA), High Priest (šatammu) of Eanna, and Nabû-aḫu-iddin (NAI), Royal Overseer (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna, that he fled from the plow that is under the responsibility of Šamaš-mukīn-apli/Sîn-nādin-šumi, plowman of the Lady of Uruk, his plow master (bēl epinnu), in Cyr. 08, and that in m.VI of this year Gimillu/Innin-šumu-ibni (G) saw him, brought and entrusted (paqādu) him to Sîn-ibni/Nabû-zabad (SI), commanding that Rʼs wages (idū) should be given to himself. SI confirms that R was entrusted to him by G, and adds that the deal was based on a contract (riksu) about annual wages of 5 shekels of silver, that G later sent a message (šipirtu) to Nabû-nādinu/Eribāya (NN) overseer (bēl piqitti) of (tp)Ālu-ša-Kī-Nabû, to offer him R at the same conditions, and that R has been under the responsibilty of NN until now. After SI and R gave NMA and NAI the letter that was sent to NN as evidence, it was read out. Its main content which is quoted in this text has the same wording as the deposition of SI. It is a letter in Aramaic script that was then inspected in the assembly (puḫru), tied and sealed (rakāsu kanāku) and stored in Eanna.

Neither witnesses nor scribe(s) are mentioned. 

Litigation - Statements in court.

Legal procedures against a known rent farmer for leasing the services of a temple-serf to two different men. Dated, but neither witnesses not scribe are mentioned.

This protocol presents the testimonies in a case against A, who offered the services of B, an escaped temple-serf (širku) to two different employers. A is a famous rent farmer of Eanna who was accused of corruption. This text records a small part of the legal proceedings brought against him.

The tablet first lays out the testimony of B, s ploughman (ikkaru) and a temple-serf (širku) of Ištar of Uruk, given before C1, the temple administrator (šatammu), and C2, the courtier and royal supervisor (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna.

B states that in 8 Cyr he escaped from his plough-team that was headed by D, a ploughman like him. About two years later, in Ulūl (VI) 0a Camb, he was spotted and caught by A, who then placed B (to work) with E. B’s wage (idu) was 5 shekels a year, which A took from E.

Next we have E’s testimony:

E confirms B’s words that A entrusted B with him and signed him on the contract (riksu) of 5 shekel a year for B’s wages. Then, however, A sent a letter (šipirtu) to F, the royal supervisor (bēl piqitti) of the city of Kī-Nabû, and offered that B will come to work for him. A wrote to F that if he is interested, he should send B’s wages of 5 shekel a year to A. otherwise, B will stay with E. F apparently agreed and B has been working for him since.

B and E were able to show to C1 and C2 the said letter, which was sent by an alphabetic scribe (sepīru) in the service of A to F, and this confirmed E’s testimony.*

The letter is inspected in the assembly (puhru), bound, sealed, and deposited in the Eanna (to be used later in the broader legal procedures known to have taken place against A).

* The text quotes here the relevant passage from the original letter word by word.

A= Gimillu/Innin-šumu-ibni, a known rent farmer (ša muhhi sūti) of Eanna; B= Rēhētu/Arad-Innin, the ploughman (ikkaru), a temple-serf (širku) of Ištar of Uruk; C1= Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādin/Dābibī, temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna; C2= Nabû-ahu-iddin, courtier and royal supervisor (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna; D= Šamaš-mukīn-apli/Sîn-nādin-šumi, head of a plough-team; E= Sîn-ibni/Nabû-zabādu; F= Nabû-nādin/Erība, royal supervisor (bēl piqitti) of the city of Kī-Nabû

Legacy paraphrase 2

Deposition of Rēḫêtu/Arad-Innin, temple oblate (širku) and plowman (ikkāru), to Nabû-mukīn-apli, bishop (šatammu) of Eanna, and Nabû-aḫu-iddin, royal representative (ša rēš šarri) and commissioner (bēl piqitti) of Eanna. He confesses that he has been on the run since Cyr. 08 from Šamaš-mukīn-apli/Sîn-nādin-šumi’s team, himself a temple oblate, but was found by Gimillu/Innin-šumu-ibni in Camb. V-00 and rented by the latter to Sîn-ibni/Nabû-zabad. The latter confirms the arrangement and specifies that it was for 5 shekels of silver per year. But Gimillu then proposed the same engagement to Nabû-nādin/Erībāya, administrator (bēl piqitti) of the village of Ša-kī-Nabû. The message itself is presented and stored.