Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 097
Translation · reference
High confidenceObverse completely missing One column likely completely missing (r i' 1') ... [...] dra[nk ...] wag[ons ...] ... [...] (r ii' 1') [On the site of its (original) structure, I fashioned its brickwork fifty courses of brick (high)]. I fi[lled in (its) t]errace. [In a favorable month, (on) an auspicious day, I laid its foundation(s) o]n tha[t] terrace (and thereby) [secured] its [bri]ckwork. [I mix]ed [its kalakku-mortar with beer (and) wine]; I blended its šallaru-plaster. (rev. ii´ 5´) [Its brick maker(s and)] hod [carrie]r(s) [spent their days in rejoicing (and) singing. While there were] joyous celebrations,
Source: Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q003796/
Why it matters
Describes the ritual reconstruction of a temple — mortar mixed with beer and wine, workers singing — preserving the ceremonial language Sargonid kings used to legitimise sacred building projects.
Transliteration
x x [...] / iš-⸢tu⸣-[ú ...] / GIŠ.⸢ṣu?-um?⸣-[bi?.MEŠ? ...] / x x (x) [...] / [pi-ti-iq-tú ap-ti-iq] ⸢tam-la*-a ú-mal⸣-[li]1 / [ina ITI DÙG.GA u₄-me še-me-e ṣe]-⸢er⸣ tam-le-e šu-a-[tú] / [UŠ₈-šú ad-di ú-kin lib]-na-as-su / [ina KAŠ.SAG GEŠTIN ka-lak-ka-šú ab]-⸢lu⸣-ul am-ḫa-ṣa šal-la-ar-šú / [la-bi-in SIG₄.ḪI.A-šú za-bi]-⸢lu⸣ tup-šik-ki-šú / [ina e-le-li ni-gu-tú ú-bal u₄-um-šú ina] ⸢ḪÚL.MEŠ ri-šá-a-ti⸣
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q003796.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P425134). source
Translation excerpted from Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q003796/.
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