Position in chronology
Sennacherib 151
Translation · reference
High confidence(i' 1) I fill[ed in (and) measu]red a terrace [... 268] large aslu-cubits along the inner, shorter side, [(which is) opposite] the zamû-wall of the shrine behind (the temple of) the goddess Ištar, [443] large aslu-cubits along the [other, pa]rallel, inner shorter side, (which is) on the west [behind the zig]gurrat of the temple of the goddess Ištar, (and) [386] large [as]lu-cubits along the lower, [southern] shorter side, [(which is) beside the] Tigris [River]. (i' 8b) So that the construction of [my] pala[ce might be carried out correctly and] that my handiwork be comp[leted, at that time,…
Source: Grayson, A.K. & Novotny, J. 2012–2014. The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704–681 BC). RINAP 3. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap3/Q003956/
Why it matters
Preserves precise aslu-cubit measurements for Sennacherib's palace terrace beside the Tigris, offering rare metrological data for reconstructing the actual dimensions of a Neo-Assyrian royal building project.
Transliteration
[2 ME 68 ina] ⸢AS₄⸣.LUM GAL-ti SAG.KI MURUB₄-tim / [mé-eḫ-ret] ⸢za⸣-me-e at-man-ni ku-tal diš-tar / [4 ME 43 ina] ⸢AS₄⸣.LUM GAL-ti SAG.KI qab-li-tum / [šá-ni-tum mu]-⸢uḫ⸣-ḫur-ti šá-a-ri a-mur-ri / [ku-tal É ziq]-⸢qur⸣-rat É diš-⸢tar⸣ / [3 ME 86 ina AS₄].LUM GAL-ti SAG.KI KI.TA [IM.U₁₈.LU] / [ÚS.SA.DU ÍD].IDIGNA tam-la-a ú-mal-[li] / [am-šu-uḫ me-ši]-⸢iḫ⸣-ta áš-šú šip-ri É.⸢GAL⸣-[ia] /…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Sennacherib, edited by A. Kirk Grayson & Jamie Novotny (RINAP 3, 2012–2014). ORACC text Q003956.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P395588). source
Translation excerpted from Grayson, A.K. & Novotny, J. 2012–2014. The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704–681 BC). RINAP 3. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap3/Q003956/.
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