Inscriptions, texts nos. 40-62

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Statue from Ashur of Shalmaneser III (no. 40)

Clay cones from Ashur and Tell Hawa (nos. 41-46)

Various inscriptions from Ashur (nos. 47-55)

Fort Shalmaneser's Throne Base (Room T1) - Epigraphs (nos. 57, 59-62)

40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59-62   60   61   62  

40

A statue of Shalmaneser III was found broken in pieces at the entrance to a Parthian building at Ashur, during the German expedition in 1903. Afterwards, the monument had been repaired and displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul. Its high must have been about 250 cm and its original location was most probably the Tabira Gate, as stated in the inscription engraved on it.

Ist EŞEM 04650. Elaboration with KAH 1, 30

Statue and inscription were created to commemorate the restoration of the inner and outer walls of Ashur (ll. iii 9-11). It has a nine-lines introduction that includes the kiong's name, his epithets and a general overview of conquests. The text continues with a non-chronological record of several campaigns. The maned years of reign are: the fourth (855 BC; ll. i 10-13), the sixth (853; ll- i 14-24), the eighteenth (841; ll. i 25-ii 1), an unknown year (ll. ii 2-6), the twenty-fourth (835; ll. iii 1), the twenty-second (837; ll. iii 2-4), and the twenty-sixth (833; ll. 5-8; dating the inscription). No concluding blessing or curses are present.

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Bibliography

41

IM - (HW 0044). Elaboration from Black, Iraq 51 pp. 44-46 and pl. III

For an overview of the clay cones belonging to Shalmaneser III's reign, and their "Types," see the Introduction to this king.
Eleven clay cone fragments (representing at least five clay cone exemplars) were discovered at Tell al-Hawa, a large mound northwest of Nineveh. The reconstructed text records the works performed at the temple of Adad, also mentioning that a forefather (giving no name) originally built it.
For other clay cone fragments from this site see textx nos. 1005-1006.

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Bibliography

42

Ist EŞEM 06750. KAH 1 no. 28

For an overview of the clay cones belonging to Shalmaneser III's reign, and their "Types," see the Introduction to this king.
The present text belong to the Type A, concerning the work on wall and gates of the city of Ashur. After the concluding blessing, the text gives the eponym date of Iaḫalu (833 BC).

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Bibliography

43

Ist A 03359, Ist A 03349?, Ass 01378. KAH 1 no. 26

For an overview of the clay cones belonging to Shalmaneser III's reign, and their "Types," see the Introduction to this king.
The present text is of the type "B," and describes the restoration works on walls and inner and outer gates of the city Ashur. After the concluding blessings, the text is dated with the eponym of Nergal-mudammiq (834 BC).

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44

For an overview of the clay cones belonging to Shalmaneser III's reign, and their "Types," see the Introduction to this king.
The type of the present text is "C," and records the works for the restoration of the city walls and city gates of Ashur. As shown below, this text has many exemplars and many more other fragments could belong to the same inscription model. Two of such exemplars (exs. 6 and 27) are dated to the twenty-third regnal year (836 BC); of the remaining twenty-five exemplars, eight (exs. 1, 3-5, 8-10, 12) have clearly no date, whereas the others are too broken to guess.

VA 08444. KAH 2 no. 97

Notable in this inscription is the use of Assyrian dialect forms: išdu/ušdu for ištu (l. 8); ussešu for uššešu (l. 8); rubāu urkû for rubû arkû (l. 10); ennuḫūma for ennaḫūma (l. 12); išammeū for išemmû(l. 14).

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Bibliography

1. Certain Exemplar

2. Uncertain Fragments

45

From RIMA 3, p. 126: "This is a senselessly garbled version of A.0.102.44 (text no. 44) and not really a different text. It was obviously copied by a scribe who either did not understand what he was doing or did not care. In either case, the fact that there are three exemplars with exactly the same major blunders indicates that a royal scribe did not always copy from a master text. In this instance probably the same scribe copied all of these exemplars, repeating his errors over and over again while adding numerous minor mistakes."

This text is not edited here.

Bibliography

46

For an overview of the clay cones belonging to Shalmaneser III's reign, and their "Types," see the Introduction to this king.
A few clay cones and a clay hand from Ashur (see text no. 42). The text describes the Tabira Gate's restoration, and mentions that Aššur-dān II [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria1114884bc/ashurdanii/index.html] had previously restored this gate (see introductions to Aššur-dān II [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria1114884bc/ashurdanii/index.html] texts no. 3 and 5 and cf. below no. 47). The text is dated to Shalmaneser [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/theassyrianempire883745bc/shalmaneseriii/index.html]'s seventeenth regnal year (842 BC). The inscription on the clay hand (ex. 3) contains an abridged version of the text, where Adad-nārāri II [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria1114884bc/adadnarariii/index.html]'s name has been omitted from the genealogy, and the inscription was shortened.

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47

Two pairs of door sockets bear the following short inscription. They are made of stone and were discovered at the Tabira Gate in Ashur. The four exemplars are exact replicas of each other. The text mentions Aššur-dān II [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria1114884bc/ashurdanii/index.html]'s work on the gate (see text no. 46). The placement of Nergal's name directly after that of Aššur indicates Nergal was the protective deity of the gate (see text no. 94).

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48

A pair of door sockets bear the following short inscription. They are made of stone and were discovered at the Tabira Gate in Ashur. The two inscriptions are exact duplicates.

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49

A large stone block found in the vicinity of the Ištar temple at Ashur bears this brief inscription. The text discusses the rebuilding of the Širrat-nipḫi temple. As stated here, this temple was build earlier by Tukultī-Ninurta I [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria13631115bc/tukultininurtai/index.html] (see texts no. 50 and 51).

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Bibliography

50

Ass 13745. KAH 2 no. 98

A brick from Ashur (present location unknown). The text commemorates the restoration of the temple of Šarrat-nipḫi. Another text on Ashur bricks (no. 51) is a duplicate except for the royal titles. Regarding the goddess Šarrat-nipḫi and Tukultī-Ninurta I [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria13631115bc/tukultininurtai/index.html], who is mentioned to have been an earlier builder see text no. 49.

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Bibliography

51

Another text (see text no. 50), on bricks from Ashur, which concerns the reconstruction of Šarrat-nipḫi's temple which had been previously built by Tukultī-Ninurta I [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria13631115bc/tukultininurtai/index.html] (see text no. 49).

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52

A fragment of clay cone from Ashur (A 3476 = Ass 10012). The text concerns work on the Šarrat-niphi's temple (see text no. 49) and is similar to text no. 51. The inscription has been collated.

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53

Two brick fragments from Ashur. The text concerns work on the forecourt of the temple of Aššur. It is identical with brick inscriptions of Adad-nārāri I [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria13631115bc/adadnararii/index.html] (RIMA 1 p. 167), save for royal name and genealogy, which have been of course changed. This seems to show that Shalmaneser had discovered Adad-nārāri [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/thekingdomofassyria13631115bc/adadnararii/index.html]'s bricks in the course of his reconstruction works.

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54

This text is engraved on two pairs of stone thresholds discovered at each side of the doorways to two different rooms in the Anu-Adad temple at Ashur.

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55

Ass 18544. KAH 2 no. 103

Two inscribed bricks from Ashur. The text indicates the making of the god Armada's gold statue, presumably the patron deity of the city Arwad (see the bibliography given by Michel).

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56

Two inscribed bricks from Nimrud. The text concerns the building of Ninurta's ziggurat. Shalmaneser claims to have built this ziggurat for the first time.

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Bibliography

57, Fort Shalmaneser's Throne Base (Room T1) - inscription under East Block

One of a few texts written on the throne base of Shalmaneser, found at Fort Shalmaneser. For full details about the throne base, including bibliography, see text no. 28. This text was inscribed under surface of the east block, and is aduplicate of lines 1-6 of text no. 28, and the attestation that the mounment is a donation of Šamaš-bēla-uṣur, governor of Kalḫu, like in text no. 62, belonging to the same monument.

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58

A fragmentary text from Shibaniba (Tell Billa), mentions the goddess Ištar. The brick is in the University Museum, Philadelphia (UM 84-26-30) and the inscription has been collated. Regarding a brick discovered at Shibaniba by Layard see text no. 104.

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Bibliography

59–62, Fort Shalmaneser's Throne Base (Room T1) - Epigraphs

IM 065574. Elaboration from Hulin 1963 and Iraq Museum's Photo
(Note that the image in teh photo, with Marduk-zākir-šumi (on the left) shaking hands with Shalmaneser, and the present text are not displayed together on the throne base, but one on the very front of it and the other on the rear (in green in the image).

59

One of a few texts written on the throne base of Shalmaneser, found at Fort Shalmaneser. This text is a label to a scene carved on the base's front in which Shalmaneser and Marduk-zākir-šumi are portrayed shaking hands. The text describes Shalmaneser's intervention on Marduk-zākir-šumi's behalf when rebellion had threatened the latter's reign. For full details about the throne base, including bibliography, see text no. 28. The lines are numbered 45-47 as explained there. The abrupt change from third to first person in the text should be noted.

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60

IM 065574. Oates and Oates 2001 fig. 110

An epigraph written on Shalmaneser's throne base, found at Fort Shalmaneser. It describes the scene carved below in which Qalparunda is portrayed bringing tribute to Shalmaneser. For full details about the throne base, including bibliography, see text no. 28 (called "line 48" there).

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Bibliography

61

IM 065574. Oates and Oates 2001 fig. 110

An epigraph written on Shalmaneser's throne base, found at Fort Shalmaneser. It describes the scene carved below in which Mušallim-Marduk and Adinu are portrayed bringing tribute to Shalmaneser (see text no. 5 vi 6-7 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q004610/]). For full details about the throne base, including bibliography, see text no. 28 (called "line 49" there).

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62

An epigraph written on Shalmaneser's throne base, found at Fort Shalmaneser. This text indicates the material from which the throne base was made, and also mentions Šamaš-bē1a-uṣur, the official who had installed this throne base. For full details about this object, including bibliography, see text no. 28 (called "line 50" there). Regarding other inscribed objects made by Šamaš-bēla-uṣur see text no. 30.

Access the composite text [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q004667/] of Shalmaneser III 62.

Bibliography

Nathan Morello, Yehonatan Hershkovitz & Poppy Tushingham

Nathan Morello, Yehonatan Hershkovitz & Poppy Tushingham, 'Inscriptions, texts nos. 40-62', The Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo) Project, The RIAo Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2020 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/TheAssyrianEmpire883-745BC/ShalmaneserIII/Texts40-62/]