CT 53, 046 (P313461)
Letter, Neo-Assyrian, Nineveh · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | CT 53, 046 |
|---|---|
| ID | P313461 |
| Museum no. | BM — |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Letter |
| Find spot | Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) |
| Coordinates | 36.3582, 43.1621 |
English translation
By ORACC project saao/saa16 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:6] o 1o 1–o 66 | [Concer]ning the six men (and) one woman about whom [I wrote] to the king, [my lord] — Kutî the scribe, Tutî [the scribe], Adad-killanni the priest, Qurdî the ch[ariot driver], Niri-Ia'u the chief of accounts, Palṭi-Ia'u the [depu]ty, (and) Zazâ, the wife of Tarṣî, (all) servants of the governor — as to the matter of Guzana, they know if there is (such a thing), and if there isn't, they know it, too. |
| Obverse [6:9] o 77–o 99 | The king, my lord, should speak with them, but (first) let me tell the king, my lord, about their other crimes. |
| Obverse [9:11] o 1010–o 1111 | The first crime of Kutî and Tutî: When my son commanded them, "Bring me the horses, so that I can bring (them) to the king!," they refused. |
| Obverse [11:20] o 1212–o 2020 | Their other crime: (In the reign of) the father of the king, my lord, they wrote the silver quota of the shepherds on an Assyrian document (and) on an Aramaic document and sealed the amount of silver with the neck seals of the treasurer Nabû-qati-ṣabat, the village manager, (and) the scribe, with their neck seals (and) with the (royal) stamp seal, saying: "If they don't pay this year, they will die!" (But) when a bribe was made, they cut off the [stam]p seals (and) their neck-seals, (and) threw them away. Did they not cut (them) off arbitrarily? |
| Obverse [20:25] o 2121–o 2525 | [Qurd]î, the chariot driver of the treasury horses, is treading on (the authority of) the [Pa]lace. He has laid his hands on the cone [of Ištar], saying: "Strike (f. sg.) me! Let's see (what happens)! Bring me an iron knife, (so) I can cut it off and stick it in the [gov]ernor's ass!" I am unable to tell [what else] he has said about everybody. |
| Obverse [25:26] o 2626–o 2626 | The priest (Adad-killanni) has encouraged him; [I] am powerless. |
| Obverse [26:33] o 2727– | Šamaš-emuranni, the governor, took counsel with Palṭi-Ia'u (the deputy) [and] Niri-Ia'u (the chief of accounts), saying: "Who(se feet) should we grasp?" They told the governor: "The one who dressed [you] in purple garments (and) gave you the golden [br]acelet (and) the golden dagger [......]." The governor said: "Go out and gather the elders of the city [of Guzana in] front of the crown prince's palace! [...] no bracelets, n[o ...]." |
| Bottom [1:9] b.e. 3333– | I am being told that he asked them (= the elders): "To whom are you [devoted]?" Adda-sakâ, a chari[ot] owner, answered: "Tell us, why do you ask u[s]? Ask our sons!" He said: "It is you I have aske[d], so tell me!" They answered of one [accord]: "We have eaten the slice of our sons and daughters, and [that of] Aššur-zeru-ibni too, but we keep the t[reaty of the king], we are devoted to Esarhaddon." |
| Reverse [4:8] r 55–r 88 | [The governor] threw [the sceptre] from his hands, place[d] h[is] arms [on] his [chest], and said: "[You are] his [servant]s! [W]hat are you saying? You [...] yo[ur dynastic house! I [......] your [cit]y." |
| Reverse [8:11] r 99–r 1111 | Halbišu the Samarian, [a servant of] the king, my lord, (and) Bar-uri, the eunuch (and) maqaltānu-official [of] Ba'al-rakkab of Sam'al, told me this matter: |
| Reverse [11:17] r 1212–r 1717 | Tarṣî, the scribe of Guzana, has given his son to the household of Aššur-zeru-ibni. When Aššur-zeru-ibni is with the son[s of the ki]ng, the son of Tarṣî is the chief of accounts. During these ten days when Aššur-zeru-ibni is lingering in Nineveh, the son of Tarṣî is the chief tailor, taking care of the golden bracelet, the golden dagger and the parasol of Aššur-zeru-ibni. |
| Reverse [17:21] r 1818–r 2121 | This Tarṣî, O king, my lord, is a powerful (and) influential man. He has taken away the servants of the queen, of the crown prince, of the household of the magnates (and) the exempts, (and) given them to the household of Aššur-zeru-ibni. |
| Reverse [21:26] r 2222–r 2626 | Moreover, the messengers whom the king, my lord, sends to Guzana — who hears (all) the slighting remarks that Tarṣî and his wife make (about them)? Zazâ, the wife of Tarṣî, and her sons should not be kept alive. O king, my lord! The priest is a brother-in-law of Tarṣî. Their wives bring down the moon from the sky! |
| Reverse [26:33] r 2727– | O king, my lord, concerning (this), in all the letters which I have sent to the king, my lord, there is just this one matter. I have been shamed. On account of the words that I have spoken [...], instead of Aššur-zeru-[ibni ...], I have butted Marduk-išmanni [...]. |
| Right [2:5] r.e. 3333– | The king, my lord, is the sun! [I am] a servant of the ki[ng, my lord], (but) I do not see [...]. |
| Edge [0:2] e. 1e. 1–e. 22 | [And] the words spoken [by] Milki-nuri, O king, my lord, are not accurate. I will tell [the king], my lord, the very first [day when I enter before the king]. His words are within my ears. Let me see [the face of the king, m]y [lord, ...]. Should the king, my lord, say: "[Why did you not wri]te what you heard?" — [...]. |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618)
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| o | ||
| 1 | [ina] ⸢UGU⸣ 06 {lu₂v}ERIM-MEŠ 01 MI₂ ša a-na LUGAL [EN-ia₂ aš₂-pur-an-ni] | |
| 2 | {1}ku-ti-i {lu₂v}A.BA {1}tu-ti-i {lu₂v}[x x x x] | |
| 3 | {1}10—ki-la-an-ni {lu₂v}SANGA {1}qur-di-i {lu₂v}⸢mu⸣-[kil—{kuš}a-pa-a-ni] {lu₂v}⸢mu⸣-[kil—{kuš}a-pa-a-ni] {lu₂v}⸢mu⸣-[kil—{kuš}a-pa-a-ni] | |
| 4 | {1}ni-ri—ia-u {lu₂v}GAL—NIG₂.ŠID-MEŠ {lu₂v}GAL—NIG₂.ŠID-MEŠ {lu₂v}GAL—NIG₂.ŠID-MEŠ {1}pal-ṭi₂—ia-u {⸢lu₂v⸣}02-u | |
| 5 | {mi₂}za-za-a MI₂-šu₂ ša {1}tar-ṣi-i ARAD-MEŠ ša {lu₂v}EN.NAM | |
| 6 | ina UGU a-bi-te ša {uru}gu-za-na šum₂-ma i-ba-aš₂-ši an-nu-te | |
| 7 | u₂-du-u šum₂-ma la-aš₂-šu₂ šu-nu-ma u₂-du-u i-si-šu₂-nu | |
| 8 | LUGAL be-li₂ lid-bu-bu hi-ṭa-ni-šu₂-nu ša₂-ni-iu-u-te | |
| 9 | a-na LUGAL EN-ia la-qa-bi ša {1}ku-ti-i ša {1}tu-ti-i | |
| 10 | 01-en hi-iṭ-ṭa-šu₂-nu ša DUMU-a.a iq-ba-aš₂-ša₂-nu-u-ni ma-a | |
| 11 | {anše}KUR.RA-MEŠ bi-la-a-ni ina ir-ti LUGAL lu-bil₂ | |
| 12 | la i-ma-ga-ru-u-ni ša₂-ni-u₂ hi-ṭa-šu₂-nu AD-šu₂ ša MAN | |
| 13 | EN-ia₂ KUG.UD EŠ₂.QAR ša {lu₂v}SIPA-MEŠ ina ŠA₃-bi ni-ib-zi aš-šur-a.a | |
| 14 | ina ŠA₃-bi ni-ib-zi ar₂-ma-a.a i-sa-ṭa-ru ina ŠA₃-bi {uzu}GU₂ | |
| 15 | ša₂ {1}{d}PA—ŠU.2—ṣa-bat {lu₂v}IGI.DUB ša {lu₂v}GAL—URU-MEŠ-te {lu₂v}GAL—URU-MEŠ-te {lu₂v}GAL—URU-MEŠ-te ša {lu₂v}A.BA | |
| 16 | ni-bu ša KUG.UD ina ŠA₃-bi {uzu}GU₂-šu₂-nu ina ŠA₃-bi un-qi | |
| 17 | ik-ta-an-ku ma-a šum-ma MU.AN.NA an-ni-tu₂ la i-di-nu | |
| 18 | ma-a i-mu-tu₂ ki-i ṭa-aʾ-tu₂ ta-ne₂-pi-šu-u-ni | |
| 19 | [un]-⸢qa⸣-a-te TA@v {uzu}GU₂-šu₂-nu ub-ta-ti-qu ik-ter-ru | |
| 20 | [šu]-nu-um-ma la ina ha-du-te-e šu-u u₂-ba-at-ti-qu | |
| 21 | {1}qur]-⸢di⸣-i {lu₂v}mu-kil—{kuš}a-pa-a-ni {lu₂v}mu-kil—{kuš}a-pa-a-ni {lu₂v}mu-kil—{kuš}a-pa-a-ni {anše}KUR.RA-MEŠ na-kam-te | |
| 22 | [o E₂].GAL u₂-ka-ba-as ina UGU bu-un-bu-ul-li | |
| 23 | [ša {d}15 A₂.2-šu₂ i-sa-kan ma-a mah-ṣi-ni ne₂-mur | |
| 24 | [ma-a] ⸢GIR₂⸣.TUR AN.BAR bi-la-a-ni la-ab-tu-qu ina qi-in-ni-te | |
| 25 | [ša {lu₂v]}⸢EN⸣.NAM la-aš₂-kun la mu-qa-a.a la-qa-bi | |
| 26 | [mi-nu] ša man-ni iq-bu-u-ni {lu₂v}SANGA uq-ṭa-ri-da-aš₂-šu₂ | |
| 27 | [ana]-⸢ku⸣ a-sa-me {1}{d}UTU—IGI.LAL-ni {lu₂v}EN.NAM TA@v {1}pal-ṭi₂—ia₂-u | |
| 28 | [TA@v] {1}ni-ri—ia-u i-ta-ma-lik ma-a a.a-e-ša₂ ni-ṣi-bat | |
| 29 | ma-a šu-nu a-na {lu₂v}EN.NAM ma-a ša SIG₂.SA₅ SIG₂.SA₅ u₂-lab-bi-⸢iš-u₂⸣-[ka-ni] | |
| 30 | [ša] ⸢HAR⸣ KUG.GI GIR₂ KUG.GI i-di-nak-kan-ni ma-a [x x x] | |
| 31 | [x x]+⸢x⸣ {lu₂v}EN.NAM ma-a ṣi-a {lu₂v}AB.BA-MEŠ URU [x x x] | |
| b.e. | ||
| 32 | [ina] IGI E₂.GAL ša DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN pa-hi-ra-a-ni la HAR-MEŠ ⸢la⸣ [x x] | |
| 33 | ⸢i⸣-qa-bu-ni-ni ma-a i-sa-al-šu₂-nu ma-a a-na a.a-⸢e⸣-[ša₂ o] | |
| 34 | [pa]-⸢ni⸣-ku-nu ma-a e-ta-pal {1}10—sa-ka-a {lu₂v}EN—{giš}⸢GIGIR⸣ {lu₂v}EN—{giš}⸢GIGIR⸣ {lu₂v}EN—{giš}⸢GIGIR⸣ [o] | |
| 35 | [ma-a] ⸢qi⸣-ba-na-ši a-na mi-i-ni ta-ša₂-al-an-na-[ši] | |
| r | ||
| 1 | [ma]-a DUMU-MEŠ-ni ša₂-ʾa-la ma-a a-na ka-ša₂-nu-⸢u⸣-ma a-sa-⸢al⸣-[ku-nu] | |
| 2 | ma-a qi-ba-a-ni ma-a e-tap-lu-u-ni ki-i a-[ha-iš] | |
| 3 | ma-a hi-ir-ṣu ša DUMU-MEŠ-ni ša DUMU.MI₂-MEŠ-ni ma-a [x x x x] | |
| 4 | {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—ib-i-ni ne₂-ta-kal ma-a EN—⸢a⸣-[de-e EN—⸢a⸣-[de-e EN—⸢a⸣-[de-e ša LUGAL] | |
| 5 | a-ne₂-e-nu ma-a ina UGU {1}aš-šur—PAB—AŠ pa-ni-ni ⸢šak-nu⸣ [ma-a {lu₂v}EN.NAM {giš}PA] | |
| 6 | TA@v ŠU.2-šu₂ ik-ta-ra-ra A₂.2-⸢šu₂ ina⸣ [x x]-šu₂ i-sa-⸢kan⸣ [ma-a] | |
| 7 | ⸢ARAD⸣-MEŠ-šu ma-a at-⸢tu⸣-[nu mi]-⸢i⸣-nu ta-dab₂-⸢bu⸣-ba | |
| 8 | ⸢ma⸣-a E₂—AD-⸢ku⸣-[nu E₂—AD-⸢ku⸣-[nu E₂—AD-⸢ku⸣-[nu x x x]+⸢x-ka⸣-ni ma-a a-na-ku | |
| 9 | ⸢URU⸣-ku-nu [x x x x] {1}hal-bi-šu₂ {uru}sa-mir-i-na-a.a | |
| 10 | [x x]+⸢x x LUGAL EN-ia₂⸣ {1}bar—ur-ri {lu₂v}SAG ma-qa-al-ta-a-nu | |
| 11 | [ša {d]}bi-iʾ-li—ra-kab-bi ša {uru}sa-ma-al-la | |
| 12 | a-⸢bu⸣-tu₂ an-ni-tu₂ iq-ṭi₂-bu-u-ni {1}ta-ra-ṣi-i | |
| 13 | {lu₂v}A.BA ša {uru}gu-za-na DUMU-šu₂ E₂ {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—DU₃ i-ti-din | |
| 14 | {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—DU₃ ki-i TA@v DUMU-⸢MEŠ—LUGAL⸣ DUMU-⸢MEŠ—LUGAL⸣ DUMU-⸢MEŠ—LUGAL⸣ šu-tu-u-ni DUMU-šu₂ ša {1}tar-ṣi-i | |
| 15 | {lu₂v}GAL—NIG₂.ŠID-MEŠ {lu₂v}GAL—NIG₂.ŠID-MEŠ {lu₂v}GAL—NIG₂.ŠID-MEŠ šu-u ki-i 10 UD-MEŠ an-na-te ša {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—DU₃ | |
| 16 | ina {uru}ni-nu-u-a i-du-lu-u-ni DUMU {1}tar-ṣi-i GAL—ka-ṣir GAL—ka-ṣir GAL—ka-ṣir | |
| 17 | šu-u HAR KUG.GI GIR₂ KUG.GI {tug₂}ša₂—ṣi-il-li | |
| 18 | SAG {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—DU₃ u₂-ka-la {1}tar-ṣi-i an-ni-u₂ | |
| 19 | LUGAL be-li₂ da-an-na-ta-a-nu ma-ṣa-ta-a-nu šu-u | |
| 20 | ARAD-MEŠ ša MI₂—E₂.GAL MI₂—E₂.GAL MI₂—E₂.GAL ša DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN ša E₂ {lu₂v}GAL-MEŠ | |
| 21 | {lu₂v}za-ku-u₂ up-te-ii-ṣi a-na E₂ {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—DU₃ i-ti-din | |
| 22 | u₃ DUMU—šip-ri-MEŠ DUMU—šip-ri-MEŠ DUMU—šip-ri-MEŠ ša LUGAL be-li₂ <$x$> a-na {uru}gu-za-na | |
| 23 | i-ša₂-par-an-ni {1}ta-ra-ṣi-i MI₂-šu₂ qu-la-a-li | |
| 24 | ša i-ša₂-ka-nu-u-ni man-nu i-šam-me {mi₂}za-za-a MI₂-šu₂ ša {1}LAL-i | |
| 25 | DUMU-MEŠ-ša₂ la ša bal-lu-ṭi šu-nu LUGAL be-li₂ {lu₂v}SANGA | |
| 26 | {lu₂v}i-ki-i-su ša {1}tar-ṣi-i šu-u MI₂-MEŠ-šu₂-nu | |
| 27 | {d}30 TA@v AN-e u₂-še-ra-da-a-ni LUGAL be-li₂ ina UGU | |
| 28 | ina ŠA₃-bi e-gir₂-a-te-ia gab-bu ša ina UGU LUGAL EN-ia₂ | |
| 29 | aš₂-pur-an-ni 01-te ši-i a-bu-tu₂ ina ŠA₃-bi | |
| 30 | al-tu-u-da ina UGU da-ba-bi ša ⸢x x⸣ | |
| r.e. | ||
| 31 | a-qa-bu-u-ni ku-um {1}aš-šur—NUMUN—[DU₃ x x x] | |
| 32 | {1}{d}AMAR.UTU—HAL-ni a-ti-kip a-[x x x x x] | |
| 33 | LUGAL be-li₂ {d}UTU ARAD ša ⸢LUGAL⸣ [EN-ia₂ a-na-ku] | |
| 34 | ⸢x⸣-ba la e-mar [x x x] | |
| e. | ||
| 1 | [u₃ ša] {1}mil-ki—ZALAG₂ LUGAL be-li₂ da-ba-ab-šu₂ la har-ṣa 01-en [UD-mu ša ina IGI LUGAL e-ra-bu-u]-ni a-⸢na⸣ [o] | |
| 2 | [LUGAL] EN-ia₂ a-qa-bi da-ba-ab-šu₂ ina ŠA₃-bi uz-ni-ia šu-u ⸢a⸣-[na-ku pa-ni ša LUGAL EN]-⸢ia⸣ la-a-mur [o] | |
| 3 | [x x x]+⸢x⸣ šum₂-ma LUGAL be-li₂ i-qa-bi ma-a ša taš-mu-u-ni [a-ta-a la taš]-⸢pu⸣-ra [x x x] | |
Sources & licences
- Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched) · Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI), https://cdli.earth/ ; cite CDLI and the P-number
- Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618) · ORACC project editions, https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ ; cite the individual project (see texts.extra_json.project)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.