Ploughing contract.

The tablet lays out the organisation and responsibilities of ten plough-teams and their chiefs. This is the only known ploughing contract, and it is not comparable to any of the land lease contracts known so far.

The tablet is divided into 5 sections. Each section deals with 2 individuals and outlines their obligations toward the temple. All ten individuals are designated as ploughmen, temple-serfs of Ištar of Uruk, and (except for the last pair) the unclear title bēl gimil*. The five sections are more or less parallel to each other. In the following, sections 1 and 5 are paraphrased in full, while only the localities of sections 2–4 are noted.

Entry 1: A1 and A2, the ploughmen (ikkaru), temple-serfs (širku) of Ištar of Uruk, bēl gimils (have at their disposal): * the arable land (zēru) in Bīt-Nabû, ÁŠ-DA (uncl.), and Ḫuṣṣētu-ša-Dadia, the plough-team of A1 in Šingu and the rest (rēhtu) of A1's plough-teams in Bīt-urubānu and Angillu.

They will go together with A2. They will till (dullu epēšu) (the land) together (itti ahāmeš). They will give the fixed rent (sūtu) to the Lady-of-Uruk according (akī) to the standard rent (sūtu) that the king imposed on (ina muhhi šakānu) the plough-teams. Each is responsible for the other (ištēn pūtu šanû našû).
Entry 2: B1 and B2; GNs: Šingu, hūpu (uncl.) of Šakillat, Ḫuṣṣētu-ša-Ḫahhuru.

Entry 3: C1 and C2; GNs: ÁŠ-DA (uncl.), Tabīnu-ša-Šumu-ukīn, watchtowers (dimtu) in Angillu.

Entry 4: D1 and D2; GNs: Rudāya, Rāṭu.

Entry 5: E1 and E2, the ploughmen, temple-serfs of Ištar of Uruk: the arable land in Sumandar is at their disposal (ina pāni). They will till (the land) together. They will give the fixed rent to the Lady-of-Uruk according to the sūtu that the king imposed on the plough-teams. Each is responsible for the other. They will employ sharecroppers (errēšu), collect (esēru) (payment for) the transportation costs(?) (gimru) and deliver the present (nāmurtu) of the king together.

The tablet is drafted in the presence (ina ušuzzu) of F1, the temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna, and F2, the royal supervisor (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna.

Names of 3 witnesses and a scribe.

* The title bēl gimil (lit. the one who owes a favour) is unclear. For a short discussion see Janković 2013 (PhD diss.), 102.

** A1–D2 are all ploughmen (ikkaru), temple-serfs (širku) of Ištar of Uruk, and bēl gimils

*** E1–E2 are ploughmen (ikkaru) and temple-serfs (širku) of Ištar of Uruk

A1= Etellu/Zēria**; A2= Mukkēa/Innin-zēru-šubši**; B1= Agria/Nabû-dalā**; B2= Šadûnu/Libluṭ**; C1= Innin-ahhē-iddin/Innin-šumu-uṣur**; C2= Nanāya-ēreš/Mukkēa**; D1= Šulāya/Sîn-nādin-šumi**; D2= Nāˀid-Ištar/Arad-Innin**; E1= Nādin/Innin-zēru-ibni***; E2= Nikkāya/Nabû-šarru-uṣur***; F1= Nabû-mukīn-apli/Nādin/Dābibī, temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna; F2= Nabû-ahu-iddin, royal supervisor (ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) of Eanna