YBC 06945

Anu-šarru-uṣur/Innin-šumu-iddin (AŠU), herdsman of the Lady of Uruk, was in charge (ina pāni) a fold with sheep and goats of Ištar of Uruk, but he ran away, taking with him the Divine Staff (ḫuṭāru) without the permission of Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādinu//Dābibi (NMA), High Priest (šatammu) of Eanna, Nabû-aḫu-iddin, Royal Overseer (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna, and the scribes of Eanna. With the Divine Staff, he collected free grazing sheep and goats from freemen (mār bāni) in the steppe, but he did not deliver them to Eanna. Marduk-mukīn-apli/Addu-sir-ḫanana put AŠU in shackles and handed him over to Nabû-rē’išunu, messenger (mār šipri) of NMA, but AŠU managed to run away. AŠU was caught and put in shackles again, this time by Innin-zēru-ibni/Ina-tēšî-ēṭir (IZI), oblate of Ištar of Uruk and the feeder of royal oxen, who himself deserted his oxen and ran away. This time too, AŠU managed to set himself free: he bribed IZI with 10 shekels of silver.

Now, IZI is being interrogated in the assembly (puḫru). He confesses (eli ramni kânu D) having caught and then released AŠU after accepting a bribe from him.

5 witnesses, including Bēl-eṭēri-Nabû, royal courtier (ša rēš šarri).

Scribe: Gimillu/Innin-zēru-iddin.

Paraphrase 1

Court protocols concerning the complicated arrest(s) of a thief. Anu-šarru-uṣur/Innin-šumu-iddin, a temple shepherd and oblate (širku), ate temple sheep and fled carrying a huṭaru emblem belonging to the temple, using it to collect wandering cattle belonging to mār bānê. Marduk-mukīn-apli/Adad-siru-ḫanana captured him and gave him to Nabû-rē’ûšunu, messenger of Nabû-mukīn-apli, bishop (šatammu) of Eanna, but Anu-šarru-uṣur managed to escape from the latter. Innin-zēru-ibni/Ina-tēši-ētir, royal cattle fattener (mušākilu) and himself an oblate (širku) on the run, having released bulls of the king, caught Anu-šarru-uṣur again, but let him go in exchange for 10 shekel of silver. Innin-zēru-ibni confesses to that crime. Five witnesses and Gimillu/Innin-zēru-iddin, the scribe.

Paraphrase 2

nterrogation of a temple serf regarding the case against a herdsman of the Eanna temple.

The tablet concerns the testimony of a temple-serf (širku) regarding the case of A, a herdsman (nāqidu) of the Lady-of-Uruk. First, the tablet lays out the background of the case. The temple accuses A of three wrongdoings:

·        A consumed (akālu), by himself, a sheep from the fold, which is the property (makkūru) of the Lady-of-Uruk at his disposal (ina pāni), and escaped.

·        A carried away the Divine Staff (huṭāru)* without the consent of B1, the temple administrator (šatammu), B2, the courtier (ša rēš šarri) and royal supervisor (rēš šarri bēl piqitti), and the scribes of Eanna.

·        A took away grazing sheep and goats from the countryside, from the mār banês, and did not deliver then back to the property of Eanna.

C placed A in fetters and gave him to D, the messenger of B1, but A was able to escape from his hands.

Later, E, a temple-serf of Ištar of Uruk and an ox feeder (mušākil alpi) of the royal oxen (ša šarri), who had released the bulls of the king and escaped** caught A and placed him in fetters, but then took 10 shekel of silver from him and set him free again.

E is questioned in the assembly (puhru) and admits that he detained A and placed him in fetters, and then released him after taking the silver.

Names of 5 witnesses (the last one is presumably the scribe of the tablet, though this is not stated).

* For the huṭāru, and comments on the present text, see Beaulieu 2003, 351ff.

** The importance of these two acts in the present context is unclear. 

A= Anu-šarru-uṣur/Innin-šumu-iddin, herdsman (nāqidu) of the Lady-of-Uruk; B1= Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādin/Dābibī, temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna; B2= Nabû-ahu-iddin, royal supervisor (rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna; C= Marduk-mukīn-apli/Adad-sir-hanana; D= Nabû-rēˀûšunu, the messenger (mār šipri) of B1; E= Innin-zēru-ibni/Ina-tēšê-ēṭir, temple-serf of Ištar of Uruk and ox feeders (mušākil alpi) of the royal oxen (ša šarri)