Long term (sub-)lease for tending the date palms in an orchard belonging to the temple, in part on a sharecropping basis. Dialogue document.

A approaches (ana pāni alāku) B1 and asks (qabû) him to be installed (ušuzzu, Prec.) in the orchard (kirû) of B1 (and probably his father’s, i.e. B2, too*), for the purpose of orchard-tending (nukaribbūtu). The orchard is in the estate (šīhu) of the Lady-of-Uruk on the bank of Nār-šarri, from the intake (bābu) of the upper Nāru-eššu to the intake of Nāru-ša-Bīt-ili. B1 agrees (šemû, lit. listens).

A will bring along (abāku) his 2 brothers to work with him in the orchard of B2* (probably B1’s father). They will work up (dekû) the newly reclaimed land (mayyāru), break (petû D, wr. ú-pat-tu-ú) the unploughed land (taptû), remove the shrubbery (abattu nasāku)**, protect the fronds and shoots (of the date palms), and plant (šakānu) there (ina libbi) willows (hilēpu, wr. gišhe-el-pi) along (ina muhhi) the canal banks. A guarantees (pūtu našû) for the performance of (the necessary) work together with his brothers.

All the previously uncultivated land (apītu), which A and his brothers will work up (epēšu), clear of shrubbery and cultivate (erēšu), will be at their disposal (pānu dagālu) for 5 years. For the rest of the land, i.e. what is in between and under the date palms, they will receive 1/6 of the date yield for their work.

B1 will give to A and his brothers: 6 kor of barley, 0;0.2 kor of cress, 0;0.2 kor of sesame, 0;0.2 kor of salt, 5 minas of wool, 3 iron spades, 1 iron hoe, and 1 iron sickle.

Whoever transgresses the agreement will pay 1 mina of silver.

Names of 10 witnesses and the scribe.

* In his request, A refers to “your (Pl.) orchard (kirûkunu)”, although only B1 is noted as the second party in the contract. B2 is mentioned only later.

** For abattu being organic material rather than limestone, see Jursa 1995, 123.

A= Nabû-zēru-iddin/Ṣillāya; B1= Innin-šarru-uṣur/Nergal-ušallim; B2= Nergal-ušallim