NCBT 00038

Letter of Nabû-aḫu-iddin (NAI) (Royal Overseer, ša rēš šarri bēl piqitti) to the [High Priest] (of Eanna, šatammu), "his brother", complaining about fleeing workers and a lack of manpower. The workers of Šulaya/Sîn-nādin-šumi (Š) (oblate, širku, plowman and chief of the plow, rab epinni) fled despite receiving allowances (kurummatu). Š should therefore send his workers, as only a few workers of Sukkaya (/Nanaya-ēreš) (oblate, širku, plowman, chief of the plow, rab epinni), the royal cattle shed and the cattle shed of Eanna are with NAI for work. The temple is responsible for 4000 (cubits) of land, of which the oblates (širku) dug only a quarter while hired workers dug the rest. NAI also follows up on a request for corvée workers, quoting from a previous message he sent to the recipient. If none of the requested men are available for work, the High Priest should send NAI’s messengers and silver to him. NAI also requests workers of the storehouse (bīt qātē) and flour.