Duplicate: BM 114552.

Instructions from Babylon (Esagil temple) for the Eanna temple in Uruk. Dated.

The tablet lays out different instructions given to Eanna by A, the royal administrator (bēl pihati)* of Esagil in Babylon. The tablet is not sealed though its duplicate (BM 114552) is.

Regarding construction works: The crossbeams (tallu) of Nanāya(’s sanctuary) shall be removed (dekû) and reworked (epēšu N) for making (ana epēšu) doors for the main gate (bāb rabî), for the law court (dīni), for the ‘reconciliation door’ (bāb salāmi), and for the long side of the New Year’s temple (bīt akīti) and its workshops (bīt qātē). (They shall also be used) for moving(?) (dekû) and rebuilding the long side of the royal storage shed (bīt šutummu) in Eanna.

Regarding the brewers: A brewer shall be given (lit. measure out, madādu) three-times (the amount) of barley for the beer they present (qarābu, D) (beck to the temple).

Regarding the bakers: The baker shall be given (lit. measure out) four-times (the amount) of barley for the takkāsû-bread he presents (beck to the temple).

Regarding the weavers: A weaver shall deliver (back) to the temple ⅓ of the wool that he receives (lit. weighs out, hâṭu) (for his work). He shall deliver back all of the dyed wool (ṣirpānu)** that he receives (lit. weigh) in the form of finished products (dullu epšu). His prebendary income (pappasu) will be ½ minas of red and purple wool for each mina of manufactured products.

(If he needs to buy the wool from another source), he shall shall draw (našû!) silver from the temple according to the following calculations (manû): 1 shekel of silver is equal to 15 shekels of red wool and 10 shekels purple wool

Regarding the oil pressers: An oil presser (ṣāhitu) shall draw (našû) half of the sesame he will measure out as his prebendary income. He shall give 0;0.0.0.65/6 kor of oil for each 0;0.1 (of sesame).

End note: This is what A, the royal administrator (bēl pihati)* of Esagil, wrote (šaṭāru) and established (šakānu) for the Eanna temple.

*     bēl pihati is usually translated as ‘governor’ (of provinces, districts, etc.). Marduk’s temple in Babylon, Esagil, is the only known case of a bēl pihati of a temple.

**    On the ṣirpānu see Payne 2007 (PhD diss.), 148 (note to line 10).

*** Duplicate: BM 114552. See Payne 2007 (PhD diss.), 148 for the variants.

A= Nabû-nādin-ahi, the royal administrator (bēl pihati)* of Esagil