Regarding silver and rations sent to temple-serfs serving in the army.

The text is phrased in the 1st person and is not addressed to any recipient. It is either a report or a memorandum but lacks the technical term tahsistu (“memorandum”). The unnamed writer narrates that after (kī) he (and his colleagues, hence: “we”) sent back (nahāsu Š Pret. + pron.  suff., wr. nu-ša-hi-is-si) the 10 mina of silver that were given (to him/them) for (ana) work (dullu) on the Ninurta temple, he took care that it be handed over (nadānu Š Perf. 1st person Sg., wr. uš-ta-din)* to 300 temple-serfs (širku) on their way (alāku Pres., wr. il-la-ku) to Aššur (wr. urubal.til). The silver is an addition (ittû) to the 2 kor of salt, 2 kor of cress, and 0;1 kor oil that were (previously) delivered (nadānu G Stat. 3rd person f. pl., + acc.! pron. suff. 3rd person m. pl., wr. na-da-na-áš-šu-nu-tu) to the temple-serfs.

The writer further records that the royal resident (qīpu)* went (alāku  Perf.) to the military camp (madaktu) on the 27th of Abu (V), and that 2 days later, on the 29th, also the 300 temple-serfs left (aṣû Perf.) for (ana) the military camp in the company (itti) of A.  Finally, he adds that B has already entered (erēbu Perf.) the king’s presence (la-pāni).

The tablet is then dated to the 29th of Abu year 12 (RN not mentioned).

*Unless we read nit-ta-din “we have given”.

Ragen follows Zadok (RGTC 8) and Joannés (2008b) that the context of this text is the battle over Aššur. Hence year 12 must be of Nabopolassar, though it should be noted that this is prior to the conquest of Aššur.

F. Joannés (2008b) suggests that the tablet may come from Nippur, while R. Zadok (1985, 33) mentiones Sippar as a possible place of origin.

* Given that the archival context of the tablet is unclear, it cannot be said which qīpu is referred to, and he is not necessarily a qīpu of a temple.

A= Zērūtu; B= Marduka