Obligation to levy temple-serfs for guard duty in the temple. Penalty in case of default.

The tablet first lists the 8 freemen (mār banê), D1–8, in whose presence (ina pāni) A1, the temple administrator (šatammu), and A2, the courtier (ša rēš šarri) and royal supervisor (rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna, spoke to B1 and B2, the officers (paqūdu)* of Uruk.

A1 and A2 order B1 and B2 that they are to levy (dekû) the temple-serfs (širku) so they may join B1 and B2 in their guard duty (maṣṣartu) of the Eanna temple.

In reply, B1 and B2 state that they will neither guard the Eanna temple nor levy the temple-serfs.

The tablet concludes that if temple-serfs will be levied to guard the city centre (qablu āli) (rather than the temple), B1 and B2 will bear (šadādu) the punishment (hīṭu) of C, the governor (pīhātu) of Babylon and Across-the-river.

Name of the scribe (the names of the witnesses, the freemen, are listed at the top).

* On the paqūdu, see Pirngruber, R. (with a contribution by T. Tost). “Police Forces in First Millennium BC Babylonia and Beyond”, KASKAL 10, 2013, 39–88.

A1= Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādin/Dābibī, temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna; A2= Nabû-ahu-iddin, courtier and royal supervisor (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna; B1= Šamaš-ahu-iddin/Šamaš-šumu-iddin//Qurdi-Anu; B2= Ea-Kurbanni/Nabû-ēṭer-napšāti//Ea-kurbanni; C= Gūbaru, governor (pīhātu) of Babylon and Across-the-river; D1= Iltameš-idri (=Śameš-ˁidrī), the royal resident (qīpu) of Larsa, a mār banê; D2= Silim-ili, the official in charge of the cashbox (ša muhhi quppi), a mār banê; D3= Arad-Marduk/Zēria/Egibi, a mār banê; D4= Marduk-šumu-uṣur/Bēl-uballiṭ//Pūṣu, a mār banê; D5= Nabû-bēlšunu/Nādin//Ahūtu, a mār banê; D6= Nabû-bēlšunu/Bēl-ahu-šubši//Amīl-Ea, a mār banê; D7= Mušēzib-Bēl/Balāssu//Amīl-Ea, a mār banê; D8= Ištar-zēru-ukīn/Bēl-iqbi//Ḫanāpu, a mār banê;