VAT 08439

Aḫḫē-iddin/Bēl-ēṭir (AI) voluntarily (ina ḫūd libbi) sold his slave (f)Ḫadûmāya, her elder son Ana-Nabû-būnia, her younger son Bēl-eṭē(ri)-Šamaš, and her suckling baby (f)Nanāya-ḫitninni for 110 shekels to Šumu-ukīn/Bēl-zēri//Basia (ŠU). These 110 shekels account for the purchase price (šīmu) for 100;0 barley, the outstanding dues (rēḫu) to the king, that AI owed to Nabû-zēru-līšir (NZL), Royal Overseer (bēl piqitti) of the irrigation district (tamirtu) (tp)Angillu, and that ŠU paid in lieu of AI.

Nabû-zēru-ukīn/Manna-damū (NZU) and Aplāya/Iddināya guarantee towards ŠU against contestants (sēḫû) and claimants (pāqirānu) with regard to the slavesʼ status of freemen (mār banûtu) or status of royal slave (arad šarrūti). Additionally, AI and NZU swear by Bēl, Nabû and the majesty (adê) of Nabonidus that there is no nīdu-claim regarding these slaves.

5 witnesses.

Scribe: Balāṭu/Mušēzib-Bēl.

Sale of 4 slaves. 

The tablet lays out a (fictitious) sale of 4 slaves, which were actually given in exchange for the buyer taking over a barley debt of the seller to a third party. 

A sold to B, of his own free will (ina hūd libbišu), 4 slaves for the full price of 15/6 minas of silver. The slaves are: C1, A’s slave-woman, her elder son C2, her younger son C3, and her suckling daughter C4.

The 15/6 minas of silver is the equivalent of 100 kor of barley, which A owes (ina muhhi) to D, the supervisor (bēl piqitti) of the Angillu-district, for the remainders (rēhu) of the king. Thus the selling of the slaves is in fact a legal fiction by which B takes over A’s debt.

E1 and E2 guarantee (pūtu našû) against (suits brought by) a person acting unlawfully (sēhû) or a person having claims (pāqirānu) in respect (ina muhhi) to the status of free citizen (mār banūtu) or the status of royal slave (arad šarrūtu) of C1–4. A and E1 swear (tamû) by Bēl, Nabû, and by the adê-oath of Nabonidus that there are no claims (nīdu) concerning the slave they just gave to B.

Names of 5 witnesses and the scribe.

A= Ahhē-iddin/Bēl-ēṭer; B= Šumu-ukīn/Bēl-zēri//Basia, known as a royal supervisor and a rent farmer; C1= fḪadūbāya, slave-woman of A, mother of C2–4; C2= Ana-Nabû-būnia/fḪadūbāya, brother of C3+4; C3= Bēl-eṭēri-Šamaš/fḪadūbāya, brother of C2+4 (for the unusual orthography if that name see Janković 2013 (PhD diss.), 3891424); C4= fNanāya-hitnīnni/fḪadūbāya, suckling baby, sister of C2+3; D= Nabû-zēru-līšir, supervisor (bēl piqitti) of the Angillu-district; E1= Nabû-zēru-ukīn/Manna-damū; E2= Aplāya/Iddināya//Ekur-zakir