Akkadian Sources Research Articles

Nathan Wasserman, The Flood: The Akkadian Sources, A New Edition, Commentary, and a Literary Discussion, Leuven: Peeters, 2020, 187 s.

Nathan Wasserman, The Flood: The Akkadian Sources, A New Edition, Commentary, and a Literary Discussion, Leuven: Peeters, 2020, 187 s.

Nathan Wasserman, The Flood: The Akkadian Sources. A New Edition, Commentary, and a Literary Discussion

Le present ouvrage traite des sources akkadiennes relatives au deluge. Ce dernier est defini comme recit plutot que motif ou mytheme. Selon l’auteur, les textes anciens eux-memes justifient cette decision de limiter la portee de l’ouvrage aux seuls recits du deluge. En effet, ils ont ete composes et copies dans l’Antiquite comme une œuvre aux contours definis. Trois textes en temoignent plus particulierement : l’inscription d’Ipiq-Istar de Malgium a l’epoque paleo-babylonienne ; l’insertion d...

Аккадские источники саргоновской (староаккадской) династии. III. Надпись Маништушу. Вступительная статья, перевод с аккадского и комментарии Е.В. Маркиной

Аккадские источники саргоновской (староаккадской) династии. III. Надпись Маништушу. Вступительная статья, перевод с аккадского и комментарии Е.В. Маркиной

The Old Akkadian Presence in Nineveh: Fact or Fiction

The goal of this article is to investigate the enigma of the Old Akkadian presence at Nineveh. After reviewing the written and archaeological evidence for such a presence, the lack of evidence at Nineveh will be compared with the comparatively richer testimony of the Old Akkadian occupation at Assur. The thesis of this paper is that Šamši-Adad's claim that Maništušu was the original builder of the temple of Ištar of Nineveh should be regarded as suspect in the absence of any other data to back up his claim. I would like to make it clear that I am not insisting that Nineveh was a desolate site with no inhabitants during the Old Akkadian period. On the contrary, I do believe that it was inhabited at this time, although the evidence is meagre. However, who these inhabitants were is a question that needs to be answered. An official residence or presence of the Old Akkadians at the site seems unlikely, and I hope that I can prove this thesis to you.The previously cited proof of an Old Akkadian presence in Nineveh rests on primary and secondary evidence. The primary evidence said to reflect such a presence implies Old Akkadian texts and objects. However, the Old Akkadian texts consist of a few fragments of two broken stone inscriptions bearing royal dedications of the Old Akkadian king Naram-Sin. The fragments were found in the area of the first-millennium Nabû temple. These dedications apparently recorded Naram-Sin's rebuilding of the Ekur in Nippur and were not concerned with any northern site. Consequently, the original inscriptions, of which these fragments are remnants, were probably brought to Nineveh in the seventh century from Nippur. They were carried there presumably at the same time as the Šulgi foundation document from Kutha and the Warad-Sin inscription from Ur, so they can hardly be used as evidence of an official Old Akkadian residence in Nineveh. Moreover, there is not one reference to the town of Nineveh in Old Akkadian sources.

The Old Akkadian presence in Nineveh: Fact or fiction

The goal of this article is to investigate the enigma of the Old Akkadian presence at Nineveh. After reviewing the written and archaeological evidence for such a presence, the lack of evidence at Nineveh will be compared with the comparatively richer testimony of the Old Akkadian occupation at Assur. The thesis of this paper is that Šamši-Adad's claim that Maništušu was the original builder of the temple of Ištar of Nineveh should be regarded as suspect in the absence of any other data to back up his claim. I would like to make it clear that I am not insisting that Nineveh was a desolate site with no inhabitants during the Old Akkadian period. On the contrary, I do believe that it was inhabited at this time, although the evidence is meagre. However, who these inhabitants were is a question that needs to be answered. An official residence or presence of the Old Akkadians at the site seems unlikely, and I hope that I can prove this thesis to you.The previously cited proof of an Old Akkadian presence in Nineveh rests on primary and secondary evidence. The primary evidence said to reflect such a presence implies Old Akkadian texts and objects. However, the Old Akkadian texts consist of a few fragments of two broken stone inscriptions bearing royal dedications of the Old Akkadian king Naram-Sin. The fragments were found in the area of the first-millennium Nabû temple. These dedications apparently recorded Naram-Sin's rebuilding of the Ekur in Nippur and were not concerned with any northern site. Consequently, the original inscriptions, of which these fragments are remnants, were probably brought to Nineveh in the seventh century from Nippur. They were carried there presumably at the same time as the Šulgi foundation document from Kutha and the Warad-Sin inscription from Ur, so they can hardly be used as evidence of an official Old Akkadian residence in Nineveh. Moreover, there is not one reference to the town of Nineveh in Old Akkadian sources.

Nineveh, Babylon and the Hanging Gardens: cuneiform and classical sources reconciled

Classical sources describing the Hanging Gardens give a wealth of detail which has never matched up with information from cuneiform sources or archaeological finds. This study reconciles them. In doing so it shows how some confusions in Classical accounts may have their origin in Akkadian sources, and are not due simply to misunderstanding and error.The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the world in Classical tradition, were marvellous not merely for being raised upon vaults, but also for an innovative system for watering them. Popularly attributed to Nebuchadnezzar II, of the 6th century B.C., they are not mentioned in any of the copious and remarkably complete written sources for that king's reign, nor have they come to light in extensive excavation of his palaces in Babylon, carried out by a large German team over more than a quarter of a century.

"His Master Shall Pierce His Ear with an Awl" (Exodus 21.6): Marking Slaves in the Bible in Light of Akkadian Sources

"His Master Shall Pierce His Ear with an Awl" (Exodus 21.6): Marking Slaves in the Bible in Light of Akkadian Sources

Judges XVI 21 in the Light of the Akkadian Sources

Judges XVI 21 in the Light of the Akkadian Sources

Judges Xvi 21 in the Light of the Akkadian Sources'

Judges Xvi 21 in the Light of the Akkadian Sources'