1,720,988 research outputs found
Exploratory Analysis of Cuneiform Archives: a Network Approach to Ebla texts
No full textThe article investigates the possibilities offered by network analysis applied to the field of cuneiform studies. Focusing on the archive of Ebla, dated to the middle of the third millennium BC, the author tries to examine the usability of this new technique in terms of establishing the relative chronology of the documents unearthed there, as well as finding joins via network connections of fragmentary texts. In doing so, the paper stresses the necessity of expanding current methodologies in Assyriological research, as to include scripting for processing large datasets – a technique rarely seen in Ancient Near Eastern studies, but with a great potential for the future of this field
Review of Weiss H. 2012 (ed.), Seven Generations Since the Fall of Akkad. Studia Chaburensia 3, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag
No full textThe book is concerned with the Akkadian collapse of the Khabur plains in the last centuries of the third millennium BCE. The contributions touch upon several topics, including, quantitative analysis of settlement distribution, administration, household archaeology, glyptic, ceramics, archaeobotany and food production. The evidence belongs to a large sample of sites, among which Tell Arbid, Tell Barri, Tell Brak, Hamoukar, Tell Leilan, Tell Mohammed Diyab and Tell Mozan. In evaluating the book, the author provides some further insights on the evidence provided there, which is extremely valuable for the reconstruction of urbanization in early upper Mesopotamia
SUL VALORE PONDERALE DEL SICLO "DILMUN" NEI TESTI DI EBLA
No full textA comparative approach to the occurrences of gín DILMUN in the economic documents from Ebla may spread new light in the interpretation of the Ebla metrological standards. The registers concerning bracelets (gú-li-lum) show a widespread standardization according to factor 10, the complete series being 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 shekels (higher values rarely occur). The bracelets allotted to the main temples do not conform to this rule, their weight being 6 2/3 (=2 NI) DILMUN shekels each. The interpretation of gín DILMUN in terms of the so-called “Anatolian” standard of 11.75 g would solve this anomaly. Archaeological finds suggest in fact the use of multiple weight systems at Tell Mardikh, where “Eblaic”, “Syrian”, and “Anatolian” standards are all attested in the third millennium, while the presence of the Dilmun standard is debated. This new interpretation would therefore put in agreement archaeological and textual evidence
Decorative Parts and Precious Artefacts at Ebla
No full textThe article provides a study on the modes of circulation of precious items (ingots, ceremonial weapons, bracelets) within and outside of the royal court of Ebla, roughly in the middle of third millennium BCE. The focus is on the patterns of redistribution of precious metal, also hidden in the form of decorations attached to movable items, and on the standardization of artefacts as a mean to hoard silver and gold
Legal Regulations at Ebla – Part II: Abduction of an Unmarried Girl (ARET XVI 1 obv. VII 9-IX 13)
No full textThe article offers a new interpretation of a difficult textual section of a remarkable cuneiform tablet from Ebla (modern Tell Mardikh, Syria, ca. 2400 a.C.), which was previously interpreted as a list of administrative episodes. The analysis reveals close parallels with legal materials from later historical periods, such as the laws of Hammurapi, the Middle Assyrian laws, as well as the Deuteronomy. The contribution significantly expands our knowledge on the developmental trajectories of early legislation, as well as on social condition of women in the ancient Near East
A Hurrian Administrative Tablet from Third Millennium Urkesh
No full textThe article provides the edition of a unique administrative text from third millennium BCE Syria, written in Hurrian. The study focuses on the historical relevance of the document, also in terms of cultural identity and scribal education
Review of E. Cripps, Sargonic and Presargonic Texts in the World Museum Liverpool, BAR International Series 2135, Oxford 2010
No full textThe review offers an overall scholarly evaluation on a volume devoted to the edition of a dossier of cuneiform texts from Umma and Girsu, dated to the second half of the third millennium BCE. The texts are important in that they shed light on local administrative practices, in between the end of Early Dynastic and beginning of the Sargonic periods. The reviewer offers notes and commentaries to the individual chapters of the book, cuneiform texts, and hand copies
A Collation to the Early Dynastic Manuscript of the Instructions of Shuruppak
Full text linkThe article provides a new reading for a difficult passage of the so-called "Instructions of Shuruppak", an remarkable composition belonging in the corpus of wisdom literature, dating back to the third millennium BCE. The text is historically very important for our understanding of society and culture in early Mesopotamia, as emerging from popular sayings quoted in it
The Old Akkadian Letter Corpus: New Interpretations and a Possible Addition
No full textThe corpus of Old Akkadian letter-orders is rather small, but very significant in terms of both linguistic and historical reconstructions. The present article offers a re-examination of two Sargonic letter-orders from Southern Mesopotamia (Adab and Girsu), whose understanding can be improved on the basis of new restorations and philological analysis. In addition, this contribution draws attention on a hitherto neglected fragment from northern Syria (Tell Leilan), which may also be framed in the same text corpus. These new interpretations provide further insights on the administrative issues that the Akkadian empire was to face toward the second half of Naram-Suen’s reign. The management of specialized workforce by the central institutions appears to be problematic, because of local priorities on task assignments, and lack of prompt communication with the central agencies. The bureaucratic apparatus seems equally inadequate for dealing with urgent matters, such as travel provisions to be assigned to a messenger for the delivery of news. The unfriendly, imperative tone attested in these letters fits well in the scenario of an administration still under development, and sometimes incapable of dealing with the social, economic and political complexity brought about by the first world empire
Classical Sargonic Tablets Chiefly from Adab in the Cornell University Collections
No full textThe book offers an in-depth treatment, edition and comment to a group of cuneiform texts from Southern Mesopotamia, dated to the Sargonic period. These texts add significantly to our understanding of local history, socio-economics, lexicography and language. Chapter 1 deals with the possible provenance of the tablets, their dating, and a discussion on some remarkable aspects of the data provided (e.g., archives, calendar, cultic activities). Chapters 2, 3 and 4 include transliterations, translations, handcopies, and commentaries to the texts. Chapter 5 provides a sign list and syllabary
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