Ashurbanipal 022 (Q003721)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | Ashurbanipal 022 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q003721 |
| Collection | Hearst Museum of Anthropology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA; Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, Germany; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, USA |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Kuyunjik (Nineveh) |
| Coordinates | 36.3587, 43.1519 |
English translation
By ORACC project rinap/rinap5 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse Column i [0:1] i 1'1'–i 1'1' | [(...) I placed (the bed) in Kaḫilisu, the residence of the goddess Zarpanītu, which] is lad[en with sexual cha]rm. |
| Obverse Column i [1:2] i 2'2'–i 2'2' | [I presented the] god [Mard]uk, the one who loves [my] reign, [with a bed of ebony, a durable wood, (and) which is clad with reddish gold]. |
| Obverse Column i [2:4] i 3'3'–i 4'4' | [...] pure [san]ctuary, [his] prince[ly] abode. [I constructed ...] ... ane[w] for the god Marduk, my lord. |
| Obverse Column i [4:6] i 5'5'–i 6'6' | [(...) in ...] ... and gateways, [I made] the foundations of [two shiny silver pirkus, wh]os[e] weight is [s]ix talents [each], as firm as a m[o]untain. |
| Obverse Column i [6:8] i 7'7'–i 8'8' | [(...)] I s[tationed six fierce wild bulls of silver, pr]otectors of [my] royal path, [in ..., in the gate]way(s) of Ezida, which is inside Borsippa. |
| Obverse Column i [8:10] i 9'9'–i 10'10' | [...] I cast [Kizalaga, the seat of the god Nūru, with eighty-three ta]lents of shiny zaḫalû-metal an[d] made [... of] his great [divin]ity spread o[ut] before him. |
| Obverse Column i [10:12] i 11'11'–i 12'12' | [I ... a ... of musukkannu-wood, a dura]ble [wood], that is clad with fifty minas of reddish gold, [and (...)] I secured (it) [... the s]eat of his high rank, in the inner sanctum of the god Nabû, my lord. |
| Obverse Column i [12:13] i 13'13'–i 13'13' | I inlaid with silver (and) gold [the ... that is] inside Nineveh [(...)]. |
| Obverse Column i [13:17] i 14'14'–i 17'17' | [(As for) Emeslam, the temple of the god Nergal that is inside Cutha], which had become dilapidated and old, [I renovated its collapsed section(s and) removed the portion(s) of it that had collapsed. In] brick mold(s) of ebony (and) musukkannu-wood, [I made its bricks with crushed pieces of aromatics. I made (people)] take up [hoe(s)] and had its foundation(s) put (back) into alignment. [In an auspicious month, (on) a propitious day, I lai]d its foundation(s) [with perfumed oil, good quality oil, silver, (and) gold]. Moreover, I secured its door bolt(s). |
| Obverse Column i [17:21] i 18'18'–i 21'21' | [I ador]ned the structure of the temple [with musukkannu-wood, KA-wood, ebony, boxwood, ḫilēpu-wood, and UMBIN-wood] and [built (and) completed (it) from its foundation(s) to its crenellations with the craft of the god Kulla. I rais]ed its superstructure. [... I roo]fed it [with long beams of cedar. ...] its [...]. |
| Obverse Column ii [0:7] ii 1'1'–ii 7'7' | (No translation possible) |
| Obverse Column i [0:8] i' 1'1'–i' 8'8' | [...] ... they (my troops) [con]stantly passed saf[ely ... from Nineveh, the city love]d by the goddess Ištar, the lady of Nineve[h, ... Uait]eʾ, the king of the land of the Arab[s, ... next] to wat[er] cisterns. [... My troops] dre[w water to (fill)] their drinking vessel(s), [and (then) ... a land of] par[ching thirs]t (lit. “[a land of thirs]t (and) a place of par[ching]”) [...] |
| Obverse Column i [8:10] i' 1''1''–i' 2''2'' | [...] ... [... I made] their [feet take the road to Damascus]. |
| Obverse Column i [10:13] i' 3''3''–i' 5''5'' | [(As for) Abī-Yateʾ (and) Aya-ammu, b]y the command of [(the god) Aššur and] the goddess Ištar, my lords, I cap[tu]red them [aliv]e [in the thick of battle. I placed (their) hands and feet in iron fetters (and)] t[ook the]m to Assyria, together with plunder from their land. |
| Obverse Column i [13:17] i' 6''6''–i' 9''9'' | [The fugitives who] had fled [from the weapons of (the god) A]ššur took to [Mount Ḫukkuruna, a] rugged [mountai]n. [Where(ever there was) a spring (or) a source o]f water, as many as there were, [I had] g[uar]ds [stationed] over it [and (thus) I] withheld (from them) [the water (which) sustains] their live(s). [I made drink scarce for the]ir [mouths] (and) they laid down (their) live(s) from parching thirst. |
| Obverse Column i [17:21] i' 10''10''–i' 13''13'' | [They (lit. “I”) carried off people — male and female — donkeys], cam[el]s, oxen, and sheep and goat[s (without number). I divided (them) among the people of] Assyria (so that) within [my] land they (the Assyrians) could purchase [camels for one shekel (or even) a half shek]el of silver at the [market] ga[te. The female tavern keeper for a serving, the beer brewer for a j]ug (of beer), (and) the gardener for [his] bag [of vegetables were regularly receiving c]amels (and) sl[aves]. |
| Obverse Column i [21:25] i' 14''14''–i' 17''17'' | [(...) Uaiteʾ [..., who] had fle[d into the presence of Natnu, ...] who(m) to [...] ... [...] |
| Obverse Column ii [0:7] ii' 1'1'–ii' 7'7' | O Ištar, [...] look with pleasure upon me — As[hurbanipal, ...] the gods [...] the preservation of [my] li[fe] ...] scepte[r ...] |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| i | ||
| 1' | [(...) ina ka₂-ḫi-li-su₃ maš-tak {d}zar-pa-ni-tum ša ku-uz]-⸢bu⸣ sa-⸢al⸣-[ḫu ad-di] | |
| 2' | {[giš}NA₂ {giš}ESI iṣ-ṣi da₃-re-e ša₂ KU₃.GI ḪUŠ.A lit-bu-šat] ⸢a-na {d⸣}[AMAR].UTU ra-im BALA.⸢MEŠ⸣-[ia a-qiš] | |
| 3' | [... a-a]-ak-ku KU₃ ⸢šu⸣-bat ru-bu-[ti-šu₂ x x] | |
| 4' | [...]-⸢uk⸣-tu₂ a-na {d}⸢AMAR.UTU⸣ EN-ia eš-⸢šiš⸣ [ar-ṣip] | |
| 5' | [(...) 2 per-ku KU₃.BABBAR eb-ba ša] ⸢AŠ₄⸣ GUN.[TA.AM₃] KI.LA₂-⸢šu₂⸣-[nu] | |
| 6' | [...]-⸢a⸣-ni u KA₂.MEŠ-ni u₂-⸢ḫum⸣-meš SUḪUŠ.MEŠ-šu₂-nu [u₂-kin] | |
| 7' | [(...) 6 AM.MEŠ KU₃.BABBAR ek-du-ti] ⸢na⸣-ṣi-ru ki-bi-is LUGAL-u-ti-[ia] | |
| 8' | [... ina] ⸢KA₂⸣ e₂-zi-da ša₂ qe₂-reb bar₂-sipa{ki} ⸢ul⸣-[ziz] | |
| 9' | [... ki-zalag₂-ga šu-bat {d}IZI.GAR 83 ⸢GUN⸣ za-ḫa-lu-u₂ eb-bu ap-tiq-⸢ma⸣ | |
| 10' | [... DINGIR]-ti-šu₂ GAL-ti ma-ḫar-šu₂ u₂-šat-ri-⸢iṣ⸣ | |
| 11' | [... {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.NA iṣ-ṣi da₃]-⸢re⸣-e ša₂ 50 MA.NA KU₃.GI ḪUŠ.A lit-bu-⸢šat⸣ | |
| 12' | [...] ⸢šu⸣-bat {d}a-nu-ti-šu₂ ina at-man {d}AG EN-ia₂ u₂-šar-šid | |
| 13' | [... ša₂] qe₂-reb NINA{ki} KU₃.BABBAR KU₃.GI lu uḫ-ḫi-iz | |
| 14' | [(...) e₂-mes-lam E₂ {d}U.GUR ša₂ qe₂-reb GU₂.DU₈.A]{⸢ki⸣} ša₂ e-na-ḫu-ma il-li-ku la-ba-riš | |
| 15' | [an-ḫu-us-su ud-diš mi-qit-ta-šu₂ ad-ke ina] {⸢giš⸣}U₃.ŠUB {giš}ESI {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.NA | |
| 16' | [ḫi-biš-ti ŠIM.ḪI.A SIG₅.ḪI.A-šu₂ al-bi-in al-lu u₂]-⸢šat⸣-rik-ma uš-te-eš-še-ra UŠ₈-šu₂ | |
| 17' | [ina ITI DUG₃.GA u₄-me še-mi₃-i ina i₃-gu-la-a I₃ DUG₃.GA KU₃.BABBAR KU₃.GI ad]-⸢di⸣ tem-me-en-šu₂ u₂ ad-da-a SI.GAR-šu₂ | |
| 18' | [ina {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.NA {giš}KA {giš}ESI {giš}TUG₂ {giš}KIM₃ u {giš}UMBIN us]-⸢si⸣-ma ši-kit-ti E₂ | |
| 19' | [ul-tu UŠ₈-šu₂ a-di gaba-dib-bi-šu₂ ina ši-pir {d}kulla ar-ṣip u₂-šak-lil ul]-⸢la⸣-a ⸢re⸣-ši-šu₂ | |
| 20' | [... GIŠ.UR₃.MEŠ {giš}EREN MAH.MEŠ u₂-šat]-⸢ri-ṣa⸣ UGU-šu₂ | |
| 21' | [...].⸢MEŠ⸣-šu₂ | |
| ii | ||
| 1' | ⸢UM⸣-[...] | |
| 2' | {m}x [...] | |
| 3' | x [...] | |
| 4' | IGI [...] | |
| 5' | x [...] | |
| 6' | {m}[...] | |
| 7' | x [...] | |
| i' | ||
| 1' | [...]-x x (x) [...] | |
| 2' | [... e]-⸢te⸣-et-ti-qu šal-[mi₃-iš ...] | |
| 3' | [... TA NINA{ki} URU na]-⸢ram⸣ {d}iš-tar GAŠAN ⸢NINA⸣{[ki} ...] | |
| 4' | [... {m}u₂-a-a-te]-eʾ LUGAL {kur}a-ri-⸢bi⸣ [...] | |
| 5' | [... ina] ⸢UGU⸣ gu-ub-ba-ni ša₂ A.[MEŠ ...] | |
| 6' | [... ERIM.ḪI.A-ia A.MEŠ a-na] maš-ti-ti-šu₂-nu iḫ-⸢bu⸣-[ma ...] | |
| 7' | [... qaq-qar ṣu-um-me]-e a-⸢šar lap⸣-[lap-ti ...] | |
| 8' | [...] x [...] | |
| 1'' | [...] x x | |
| 2'' | [... ḫar-ra-an {kur}di-maš-qa u₂-ša₂-aš₂-ki-na še-pu]-⸢uš⸣-šu₂-un | |
| 3'' | {[m}a-bi-ia-te-eʾ {m}a-a-am-mu i]-⸢na qi₂-bit⸣ [AN.ŠAR₂ u] {d}15 EN.MEŠ-ia | |
| 4'' | [ina MURUB₄ tam-ḫa-ri bal-ṭu]-⸢us-su⸣-nu uṣ-ṣab-⸢bit⸣ ina qa-ti | |
| 5'' | [ŠU.II u GIR₃.II bi-re-tu₂ AN.BAR ad-di-šu₂-nu]-ti it-ti šal-lat KUR-šu₂-nu ⸢al⸣-[qa-aš₂-šu₂-nu]-⸢ti⸣ ana KUR AN.ŠAR₂{ki} | |
| 6'' | [mun-nab-ti ša₂ la-pa-an {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ] ⸢AN⸣.ŠAR₂ in-nab-tu₂ iṣ-ba-tu {[kur}ḫu-uk-ku-ru-na KUR]-u₂ mar-ṣu | |
| 7'' | [a-šar kup-pi nam-ba-ʾi] ⸢ša₂⸣ A.MEŠ ma-la ba-šu-u₂ ⸢EN.NUN⸣.MEŠ UGU-šu₂ | |
| 8'' | [u₂-ša₂-an-ṣir-ma A.MEŠ TI.LA] na-⸢piš-ti⸣-šu-nu ⸢ak⸣-la | |
| 9'' | [maš-ti-tu u₂-ša₂-qir a-na pi-i-šu₂]-nu ina ṣu-⸢um-me⸣-e lap-lap-ti iš-⸢ku⸣-nu na-⸢piš⸣-tu₂ | |
| 10'' | [UN.MEŠ NITA u MUNUS ANŠE.MEŠ] ANŠE.⸢A.AB⸣.[BA].MEŠ GU₄.MEŠ u ⸢US₅⸣.UDU.[ḪI.A] | |
| 11'' | [(ina la mi₃-ni) aš₂-lu-la u₂-za-ʾi-iz a-na UN.MEŠ] ⸢KUR⸣ AN.ŠAR₂{ki} ina qa-bal-ti KUR-[ia] | |
| 12'' | [ANŠE.A.AB.BA.MEŠ ina 1 GIN₂ 1/2 ⸢GIN₂⸣ kas-pi i-šam-mu ina ⸢KA₂⸣ [ma-ḫi-ri] | |
| 13'' | {[munus}aš₂-tam-mu ina ni-id-ni {lu₂}LUNGA₂ ina] ⸢ḫa⸣-be₂-e {lu₂}NU.{giš}KIRI₆ ina ki-⸢ši⸣-[šu₂ ša₂ U₂.SAR] | |
| 14'' | [im-da-na-ḫa-ru ANŠE.A].⸢AB⸣.BA.MEŠ u₃ a-⸢me⸣-[lu-tu (...)] | |
| 15'' | {[m}u₂-a-a-te-eʾ ...] x [(x)] in-nab-⸢tu⸣ [ma-ḫar {m}na-at-na] | |
| 16'' | [...] ša₂ a-na [...] | |
| 17'' | [...] x x [...] | |
| ii' | ||
| 1' | {⸢d}15 x (x) [...] | |
| 2' | ia-a-ti {m}AN.[ŠAR₂-DU₃-A ...] | |
| 3' | ḫa-diš nap-⸢lis⸣-[in-ni ...] | |
| 4' | DINGIR.MEŠ ⸢su⸣-[...] | |
| 5' | TI.LA ⸢ZI⸣.[MEŠ-ia ...] | |
| 6' | {giš}⸢GIDRU⸣ [...] | |
| 7' | ⸢A⸣ [...] | |
Sources & licences
- 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.