Inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar II from Babylon

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This badly-damaged Akkadian inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II is known from a fragment of the second column of a two-column clay cylinder found at Babylon during R. Koldewey's excavations. The text, which is written in contemporary Neo-Babylonian script, was commissioned in order to commemorate Nebuchadnezzar's work on Ekitušgarza, the temple of the goddess Ištar as Bēlet-Eanna at Babylon.

Access Nebuchadnezzar II 50 [ /ribo/babylon7/Q009935/].

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Commentary

Work on Ekitušgarza, the temple of the goddess Bēlet-Eanna, is recorded/mentioned in several other inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar II. See, for example, Nbk. 2 (East India House) iv 44–48, Nbk. 31 (C33) ii 6–11, and Nbk. 32 (C36) ii 41–44. According to Tintir = Babylon Tablet IV (George, BTT pp. 57–62), this still-to-be-discovered temple was one of the three religious buildings in the Tuba district of West Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's texts state that it was located "in a corner of the city wall of Babylon" (Akk. ina tubqāt dūr bābili), on the western bank. For further information, see George, BTT pp. 330–331. Because this temple of Ištar (in her manifestation as the "Lady of Eanna") is mentioned in the prologues of Nbk. 2 (East India House), 31 (C33), 32 (C36), C32, C37, C38, NeKC, WBA, and WBC, the present text is assumed to have been composed before those inscriptions.

F. Weiershäuser examined the inscription from Babylon excavation photographs Bab ph 984 and 986. Improvements to the edition were made possible through D. Schwemer's firsthand examination of the cylinder fragment in the Eşki Şark Eserleri Müzesi (Istanbul).

Bibliography

This Akkadian inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II is known from a damaged and difficult-to-read three-column cylinder found at Babylon; the first column is completely broken away. A second exemplar of that same text might be preserved on a small cylinder fragment that also comes from Babylon. The script in both cases is contemporary Neo-Babylonian. The text is not sufficiently preserved to be able to determine which construction project of the king at Babylon the text's main building report describes.

Access the composite text [/ribo/babylon7/Q009936/] or the score [/ribo/bab7scores/Q009936/score] of Nebuchadnezzar II 51.

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Commentary

G. Frame collated ex. 1 (EŞ 96x6) in the Eşki Şark Eserleri Müzesi (Istanbul) and D. Schwemer examined ex. 1* (B 55) in that same collection. F. Weiershäuser made improvements on Frame's provisional transliteration from photographs provided by R. Da Riva. Because little of ex. 1* remains, it is uncertain if it is a duplicate of ex. 1 or if it is an inscription whose concluding lines are identical to the text preserved on that damaged cylinder. Rather than edit B 55 as a separate text, the authors have tentatively decided to edit it together with the better-preserved EŞ 96x6. Because it cannot be proven that ex. 1* is an actual duplicate of ex. 1, it is catalogued here as an uncertain exemplar. Despite its poor condition, ex. 1 is the master text, even in the lines paralleled by ex. 1*. A partial score (iii 33–42) is presented on Oracc and the minor (orthographic) variants are given in the critical apparatus at the back of the book.

Bibliography

The beginning of an Akkadian inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II is preserved on a small fragment of a two-column clay cylinder discovered at Babylon. As is often in this period, the script is contemporary Neo-Babylonian. The extant text contains only the king's titulary. The precise arrangement of the titles and epithets is not otherwise attested in other inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar.

Access Nebuchadnezzar II 52 [ /ribo/babylon7/Q009937/].

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This small and badly damaged fragment of a multi-column clay cylinder preserves a small part of an Akkadian inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II that is written in contemporary Neo-Babylonian script. The text, which has not been previously published, is not sufficiently preserved to know which building activity of the king the inscription commemorated. The text was collated by D. Schwemer.

Access Nebuchadnezzar II 53 [ /ribo/babylon7/Q009938/].

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Bibliography

A fragment of a multi-column clay cylinder preserves a small portion of an Akkadian inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II that is written in contemporary Neo-Babylonian script. The preserved text commemorates this king's work on Esagil at Babylon and Ezida at Borsippa, together with the ziggurats Etemenanki and Eurmeiminanki. Based on other inscriptions, it is clear that this passage comes from the text's prologue.

Access Nebuchadnezzar II 54 [ /ribo/babylon7/Q009939/].

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Commentary

F. Weiershäuser collated the inscription from the excavation photograph (Bab ph 558). Improvements were made from N. Heeßel's firsthand examination of the original in the Eşki Şark Eserleri Müzesi (Istanbul). The inscription, as far as it is preserved, duplicates three inscriptions from Babylon: col. i 1´–10´ duplicate Nbk. 12 (C27) i 19–ii 2 and Nbk. 21 (C013/C016/C025) i 11–16, while col. i 11´–15´ parallel Nbk. 23 (C35) i 38–43. Based on these parallels, it is assumed that the inscription preserved on the multi-column cylinder (perhaps one with two columns) from which B 21 originates was composed after Nbk. 12 and 21 and before Nbk. 23. Although the main building report is no longer preserved, it might have commemorated the construction of one of the two new palaces at Babylon built by Nebuchadnezzar II, either the North Palace or Summer Palace. Of course, given the lack of firm evidence, this is mere speculation.

Bibliography

This inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II is known from a small clay cylinder fragment discovered at Babylon. Like many other texts of his, the script is contemporary Neo-Babylonian. The preserved text appears to come from the prologue and it seems to describe work on Eumuša, the god Marduk's cella in Esagil at Babylon, as well as the completion of Ezida, the temple of the god Nabû at Borsippa.

Access Nebuchadnezzar II 55 [ /ribo/babylon7/Q009940/].

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A tiny fragment of a multi-column clay cylinder bears a small portion of an Akkadian inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II that is written in contemporary Neo-Babylonian script. The extant text mentions craftsmen skillfully building a structure. Unfortunately, the inscription is not sufficiently preserved to be able to identify which building is being described. N. Heeßel collated the original inscription in Istanbul.

Access Nebuchadnezzar II 56 [ /ribo/babylon7/Q009941/].

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Bibliography

Jamie Novotny & Frauke Weiershäuser

Jamie Novotny & Frauke Weiershäuser, 'Inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar II from Babylon', RIBo, Babylon 7: The Inscriptions of the Neo-Babylonian Dynasty, The RIBo Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2024 [/ribo/babylon7/Rulers/NebuchadnezzarII/Texts50-56Babylon/]