VAT 08435

Anu-aḫu-iddin/Bēlšunu (AAI) delivers (f)Nuptāya/Eanna-ibni ((f)N) to Eanna, where she is entrusted (paq^!-da-at) to Bēl-gimilanni.

(f)N’s father, Eanna-ibni, a bronzesmith and an oblate of Ištar of Uruk, wrote on her hand an inscription in Aramaic (lit., “of an Aramaic scribe (sēpiru)”) and sold her in Babylon to an Arab (or: Aramean) man. But the sartennu-official and the mayor (ḫazannu) handed her over to AAI, instructing him to give (f)N to officials (qīpānu) of Eanna.

Written in the presence of Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādinu//Dābibi, High Priest (šatammu) of Eanna, Nabû-aḫu-iddin, Royal Overseer (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna, and 3 witnesses.

Scribe: Šamaš-mukīn-apli/Nādinu//Egibi.

Decision to cancel an illegal sale and return the (sold) women to the temple.

The tablet concerns fA, daughter of B, a bronze smith (nappāh siparri) and a temple-serf (širku) of Ištar of Uruk.  B inscribed an alphabetic (sēpiru) mark on fA’s wrist and sold her for silver to an Arab in Babylon.

Inscribing fA’s wrist with the alphabetic mark was an attempt to disguise her as a private slave bearing her master’s name on her hand. Since B was a temple-serf, however, he had no right to sell his daughter as a private slave (this is probably why he tried to sell his daughter in Babylon rather than in his home town of Uruk).

Thus, the chief judge (sartennu) and the mayor (hazannu) order to give fA to C who will deliver her (back) to the commissioners (qīpānu) of Eanna.

C receives (mahāru, Stat.) fA on (behalf of) Eanna and she is entrusted* with D.

The tablet is drafted in the presence (ina ušuzzu) of E1, the temple administrator (šatammu), and E2, the courtier (ša rēš šarri) and royal supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Eanna + names of 3 witnesses and a scribe.

 * Although the hand copy shows ri rather than paq (as read by Ragen), a paqādu form (paq-dat, “entrust”) may be preferred here over redû (re-dat, “escort/ lead”), though both can fit the context.

 fA= fNuptāya/Eanna-ibni, daughter of B; B= Eanna-ibni, a bronze smith (nappāh siparri) and a temple-serf (širku) of Ištar of Uruk, father of fA; C= Anu-ahhē-iddin/Bēlšunu; D= Bēl-gimilanni; E1= Nabû-mukīn-apli, temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna; E2= Nabû-ahu-iddin, courtier (ša rēš šarri) and royal supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Eanna.