AO 6795

A protocol concerning a division of temple land: Nabû-bān-aḫi/Aplāya speaks to Ibnāya/Aplāya about 1000 measure of temple land (qaqqaru) for cultivation. It is in the irrigation district (tamirtu) of (tp)Ṣēr-Antu, at the canal (tp)Ḫarru-ša-Lābāši and (tp)Til-Šulāya at the disposal (ina qāt) of Šumu-ukīn/Bēl-zēri//Basia, royal agent (bēl piqitti ša Nergal-šārru-uṣur) (also known as a rent farmer [ša muḫḫi sūti]). Details about labor and division follow. The land will be divided by casting lots (pūru nasāku).

3 witnesses, and the scribe Anu-udammiq/[...].

Division of land sub-leased from the temple between the tenant-sharecroppers.

The contract is written in the dialogue format, in which A1 speaks to his fellow sharecropper A2.

The terms of their contract follows (kī pî) the debt notes (uˀiltu) that B, the supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Neriglissar, drew against them ([ina muhhi] elû).

A1 and A2 got (ṣabātu, Pret.) three plots (qaqqaru) of “thousand”-field complexes (līmu), for cultivation on a sharecropping basis (errēšūtu), from B. They will cultivate these lands (dullu epēšu) and deliver their mandattu-payment.*

The plots are “thousand”-field complexes of the Lady-of-Uruk in Tamirtu-ša-Ṣēr-Antu, in Ḫarru-ša-Lâbāši, and in Til-Šulāya.

A1 and A2 agreed to split (zāzu Pres., wr. nu-za-i-zi-ma) the three fields amongst them (ina biri) by casting lots (pūru nasāku Prek., wr. [pu-ri lu]-u ni-is-su-uk). A2 got (ana pūri maqātu Perf.) the “thousand”-fields in Tamirtu-ša-Ṣēr-Antu and Ḫarru-ša-Lâbāši, and he will deliver [x-share to the temple/B] (broken). A1 got the “thousand”-field in Til-Šulāya, and he will deliver an ungelded bull (alpu šuklulu) to B.

Names of 3 witnesses and the scribe.

Written at līmu-land of the Lady-of-Uruk in Til-Šulāya.

* In the present context mandattu is probably a type of rent; see Janković 2013 (PhD diss.), 3921436. ** and lu-u

A1= Nabû-bān-ahi/Aplāya; A2= Ibnāya/Aplāya; B= Šumu-ukīn/Bēl-zēri (//Basia), supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Neriglissar, and a known rent farmer