172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183
In addition to the "Teumman and Dunānu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 161–171), the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs focuses on Ashurbanipal's war with his older brother Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and his conflicts with the Elamites, particularly Tammarītu, during his third Elamite campaign, although the epigraphs also include information concerning the king's Arab campaigns. The study of these tablets as a corpus was first carried out by E. Weidner in AfO 8 (1932–33) pp. 191–208, but A. Leeper had already provided copies for the initial collection of epigraph tablets in CT 35 in 1920, and editions or translations of several of these tablets had appeared in Streck, Asb. in 1916 or Luckenbill, ARAB 2 in 1927. In his study, Weidner designated the nine primary tablets of this cycle as "Texts A–I" (text nos. 172–180), although R. Borger (BIWA p. 308) used the designation "Text J" for Weidner's "Text I." Like the previous collection of texts, Weidner created a composite edition for these epigraphs. Unlike that previous group, however, the tablets of the Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle are too fragmentary for a composite text to be based on a single tablet (text no. 161 in the previous case). Given this situation, Weidner used the four most complete tablets of the group that also have overlapping epigraphs (text nos. 172, 175, 178, and 180) as the basis for the numbering of the epigraphs in his composite text (see the commentaries to those texts for details). His sequence begins with no. 51 (a number subsequent to those used for the Teumman and Dunānu epigraphs) and ends with no. 83, but this consecutive numbering is a bit misleading since it is drawn from four separate tablets, all of which could have contained a different ordering of the epigraphs in the sections of those texts that are now lost. Later, Borger (BIWA pp. 308, 310, and 318) considered Weidner's epigraph no. 83 to be epigraph no. 57 instead, and he edited it under the latter number. Also, he added an epigraph no. 57* based on a new join to one of the epigraph tablets (see the commentary to text no. 173). A table that provides the location of the numbered epigraphs in each of the tablets of this collection is included below (following Borger, text no. 180 rev.? 7–15 — Weidner's epigraph no. 83 — is listed as epigraph no. 57). Three other tablets (text nos. 181–183) contain epigraphs that appear to relate to the present texts, although they were not edited as part of the main cycle. Finally, only one of the epigraphs from this collection appears on reliefs: epigraph no. 61 is text no. 38, which appears in Room M of Ashurbanipal's North palace at Nineveh.
| Epigraph No. | Text 172 (Text A) | Text 173 (Text B) | Text 174 (Text C) | Text 175 (Text D) | Text 176 (Text E) | Text 177 (Text F) | Text 178 (Text G) | Text 179 (Text H) | Text 180 (Text I/J) |
| 51 | obv. 1–8 | i 1´–13´ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 52 | obv. 9–14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 53 | obv. 15–16 | — | obv. 1´–2´ | i 1´ | — | — | — | — | — |
| 54 | obv. 17–18 | — | obv. 3´–4´ | i 2´–4´ | — | — | — | — | — |
| 55 | obv. 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 56 | obv. 20–21 | — | — | i 5´–7´ | — | — | — | — | — |
| 57 | obv. 22 | ii 1´–8´ | — | i 8´–14´ | — | — | — | — | rev.? 7–15 |
| 57* | — | ii 9´–11´ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 58 | — | — | — | ii 1´–5´ | — | — | — | — | — |
| 59 | — | — | — | ii 6´–10´ | — | — | — | — | — |
| 60 | — | — | — | ii 11´–14´ | — | — | — | — | — |
| 61 | — | — | — | ii 15´–22´ | obv. 1–6 | — | — | — | — |
| 62 | — | — | — | ii 23´–24´ | obv. 7 | — | — | — | — |
| 63 | — | — | — | ii 25´ | obv. 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 64 | — | — | — | ii 26´–28´ | obv. 9–17 | — | — | — | — |
| 65 | — | — | — | iii 1´–9´ | — | 2´–9´ | obv. 1´–7´ | — | — |
| 66 | — | — | — | iii 10´–14´ | — | 10´ | obv. 8´–14´ | — | — |
| 67 | — | iv 1´–4´ | — | — | — | — | obv. 15´–21´ | — | — |
| 68 | — | (iii 1´–5´)? | — | — | — | — | obv. 22´–29´ | obv.? 1´–3´ | — |
| 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — | obv. 30´–35´ | obv.? 4´–10´ | — |
| 70 | — | — | — | — | — | — | rev. 1–5 | obv.? 11´–14´ | — |
| 71 | — | — | rev. 2´–6´ | — | — | — | rev. 6–10 | — | — |
| 72 | — | — | rev. 7´–9´ | — | — | — | rev. 11–17 | — | — |
| 73 | — | iv 5´ | — | — | — | — | rev. 18 | — | — |
| 74 | — | iv 6´ | — | — | — | — | rev. 19 | — | — |
| 75 | — | iv 7´–8´ | — | — | — | — | rev. 20–21 | — | — |
| 76 | — | iv 9´ | — | — | — | — | rev. 22 | — | — |
| 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | obv.? 1´ |
| 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | obv.? 2´–7´ |
| 79 | rev. 1´–2´ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | obv.? 8´–11´ |
| 80 | rev. 3´–5´ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | rev.? 1–5 |
| 81 | rev. 6´–7´ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 82 | rev. 8´–9´ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
This clay tablet (K 3096) is one of nine that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). In his edition, E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text A" of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007580/] of Ashurbanipal 172.
K 3096 is a fragment that preserves the upper left portions of both faces of a clay tablet, including parts of the left and top edges. This text includes epigraph nos. 51–57 and 79–82 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to these epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 173, 175, and 180.
Furthermore, this tablet was used by Weidner to establish the numbering for some of the epigraphs in the collection. Epigraph nos. 51–57 are the first epigraphs of the collection taken from the beginning of this text, while epigraph nos. 79–82 represent the final epigraphs of the collection taken from the end of the tablet. Weidner established the numbering for the latter in conjunction with text no. 180; since epigraph nos. 79–80 appear as the last two epigraphs before the colophon in text no. 180 and as the first two epigraphs on the reverse of K 3096, the numbers 81–82 are a continuation of that sequence that are assigned to the final few epigraphs on the present tablet.
K 2642 + K 16025 is one of nine clay tablets that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text B" in his edition of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007581/] of Ashurbanipal 173.
K 2642+ is a fragment that comes from the middle of a two-column clay tablet that preserves parts of two columns on both the obverse and reverse. The join with K 16025 was identified by R. Borger (BIWA p. 308 and LoBl p. 59). K 2642 initially included nos. 51, 67, 73–76, and possibly 68 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner. However, the join of K 16025 with col. ii of K 2642 revealed that the epigraph in ii 1´–8´ duplicated text no. 180 rev.? 7–15 (with minor variation). Weidner had numbered the latter as epigraph no. 83, but Borger considered it and the near duplicate epigraph on the present tablet to belong to epigraph no. 57 instead. Based on this, Borger designated the poorly preserved epigraph appearing in ii 9´–11´ after no. 57 (ii 1´–8´) as epigraph no. 57* (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183). Restorations to the epigraphs on K 2642+ are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 172, 175, 178, and 180.
This clay tablet (K 13652) is one of nine that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text C" in his edition of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007582/] of Ashurbanipal 174.
K 13652 is a small fragment that preserves part of the left edge and portions of the left side of both faces of a clay tablet. This text includes nos. 53–54 and 71–72 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to these epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 172, 175, and 178.
K 4453 + K 4515 (+) Bu 89-4-26,116 is one of nine clay tablets that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). This tablet was designated as "Text D" by E. Weidner in his edition of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007583/] of Ashurbanipal 175.
K 4453+ is a fragment that preserves part of the right edge, as well as portions of two columns on the obverse and one column on the reverse of a two-column tablet. The lower right edge of Bu 89-4-26,116 is probably just under half a centimeter away from being a physical join with the left edge of K 4515 at ii 20´–21´. This text includes epigraph nos. 53–54 and 56–66 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to the epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 172–173, 176, 178, and 180.
K 4453+ was one of the tablets used by Weidner to establish the numbering for some of the epigraphs in the collection. Since epigraph nos. 56–57 appear as the last two epigraphs before the lacuna in text no. 172 and as two of the first epigraphs in K 4453+, the numbers 58–66 are a continuation of that sequence that are assigned to the rest of the epigraphs on the present tablet. However, one should note that the consecutive numbering of epigraph nos. 57 and 58 and nos. 64 and 65 is somewhat misleading as there is a lacuna of indeterminate length between them that would have contained additional epigraphs.
The present clay tablet (Rm 40) is one of nine that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text E" of that collection in his edition.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007584/] of Ashurbanipal 176.
Rm 40 is a fragment that preserves both faces from the upper half of a single-column clay tablet. The obverse includes E. Weidner's epigraph nos. 61–64 (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183). However, after these epigraphs, the tablet contains incantation material ending with a subscript that reads ina IGI NU.MEŠ ABGAL.MEŠ, "Before the statues of the sages." (The incantation material is not edited in this volume; see Bauer, Asb. pp. 92–93, and compare Borger, BIWA p. 313 for the text from the obverse that appears on the tablet's right edge.) Weidner (AfO 8 [1932–33] p. 175 n. 3 and p. 192 n. 65) did not consider the incantation on the reverse to be pertinent to the epigraphs and so did not edit that material in his publication. Following this understanding, T. Bauer (Asb. p. 93) specifically stated, "Ein Zusammenhang zwischen Vs. und Rs. besteht nicht; unsere Tafel enthält disparate Entwürfe," although he does provide an edition of the incantation. In contrast to this position, both J.E. Reade (Bagh. Mitt. 10 [1979] p. 38 n. 127) and F.A.M. Wiggermann (Mesopotamian Protective Spirits pp. 38–39) suggested that all the contents of the tablet are related and that the incantation material would have also been carved as captions on palace sculptures next to the apotropaic figures (see Wiggermann, ibid. p. 36 note to 4´a). Their suggestion is supported by the fact that there is not a clear division between the obverse and reverse as Weidner and Bauer believed. The obverse of Rm 40 is completely broken away after obv. 17, but immediately following this line the ends of three lines of text appear on the right edge of the tablet that were not treated by Weidner (AfO 8 [1932–33] p. 196 n. a) and were read incorrectly in part by Bauer (Asb. p. 92). As pointed out by R. Borger (BIWA p. 313), the first of these lines reads [dasal]-lú-ḫi, "[the god Asal]luḫi" (god of incantations and magic). That deity is mentioned with the god Ea in the incantation on the reverse of the tablet, suggesting that these three lines of text and thus the remainder of the obverse were likely connected in some way with the incantation material of the reverse.
The fragment K 13653 belongs to one of nine clay tablets that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). This tablet was designated as "Text F" in E. Weidner's edition of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007585/] of Ashurbanipal 177.
K 13653 is a small fragment that preserves part of one face of a clay tablet. This text only includes nos. 65–66 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to these epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 175 and 178.
This clay tablet (K 4457 + Rm 2,305 + 80-7-19,133 + Rm 926) is one of nine that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). In his edition, E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text G" of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007586/] of Ashurbanipal 178.
K 4457+ is a fragment that preserves both faces from the lower half of a single-column clay tablet. The join with Rm 926 was recently identified by E. Jiménez, and the authors would like to thank him for bringing this join to their attention. This text includes epigraph nos. 65–76 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to these epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 174–175 and 179. The new join with Rm 926 adds the first part of the lines for epigraph no. 65 and also the beginning of the first two lines of epigraph no. 66, of which the latter now supplies the correct reading for the name at the beginning of that epigraph (see the on-page note to obv. 8´).
In addition, this tablet was used by Weidner to establish the numbering for some of the epigraphs in the collection. Since epigraph nos. 65–66 appear as the last two epigraphs in text no. 175 and as the first two epigraphs in K 4457+, the numbers 67–76 are a continuation of that sequence that are assigned to the rest of the epigraphs on the present tablet.
One of the difficulties in working with this tablet pertains to its condition. The fragment K 4457, which comprises the lower half of the tablet (see Figure 15), was heavily effaced before it was joined with the other pieces of the tablet. The uppermost layer of clay on much of that fragment is lost, often resulting in only vague impressions of the original signs being preserved on the sublayer of the tablet. Given its state, most of the signs of obv. 19´–35´ and some of the signs at the beginning of rev. 5–9 deserve half brackets, although such brackets are reserved for signs that have physical damage in addition to the effacement. Due to the nature of the damage, any edition of the affected lines on the obverse of the tablet is by necessity heavily dependent on G. Smith's copy in 3 R pl. 37 and his edition in Assurbanipal pp. 191–193 (including even A. Leeper's copy in CT 35), but even then it is unclear what the condition of K 4457 was when Smith originally examined it. Presumably the tablet was in better condition than it is now since Smith was able to make out many of the now-barely recognizable signs (see Borger, BIWA p. 308).
The clay tablet Sm 713 (+) BM 123400 is one of nine that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). In his edition, E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text H" of that collection.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007587/] of Ashurbanipal 179.
Sm 713+ is a fragment that preserves parts of the left edge and one face of a clay tablet, as well as traces of a handful of signs along the left edge of its other face. This text only includes nos. 68–70 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to these epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text no. 178. With so little of the tablet preserved, it is unclear which face is the obverse and which is the reverse, but since epigraph nos. 68–69 appear on the obv. of text no. 178, the face containing those epigraphs here is tentatively treated as the obverse.
Rm 2,120 is another one of the nine clay tablets that preserve a collection of epigraphs belonging to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183). E. Weidner designated this tablet as "Text I" in his edition of that collection, although Borger gave it the designation "Text J," without having a "Text I."
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007588/] of Ashurbanipal 180.
Rm 2,120 preserves both faces from the top half of a single-column clay tablet, although a portion of its upper right corner is now missing. This text includes epigraph nos. 77–80 and 83 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner, but R. Borger treated the latter as epigraph no. 57 (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183 and the table of epigraph correspondences). Restorations to the epigraphs are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 172–173 and 175.
Rm 2,120 was one of the tablets used by Weidner to establish the numbering for some of the epigraphs. Since the last epigraph in text no. 178 was no. 76, Weidner continued the sequence by assigning the numbers 77–80 to the epigraphs of the present tablet. However, Weidner's consecutive numbering of epigraph nos. 76 and 77 is misleading. Rm 2,120 is the only tablet in the collection that contains epigraph nos. 77 and 78, but there is probably a gap of unknown length before them. While text no. 178 ends with epigraph no. 76 and the present tablet begins with no. 77, there are no tablets that preserve nos. 76 and 77 together as a sequence. Additionally, epigraph no. 77 as labeled by Weidner is itself uncertain; there are traces of a single sign preserved at the end of the epigraph making it impossible to know if this is a unique epigraph or if it is one that is already represented in the collection.
A unique feature of this tablet compared to the other epigraph texts is the placement of its subscript. This scribal note appears after epigraph no. 80, but it is not separated from the epigraph by a horizontal ruling, nor does it represent the end of the inscription. After this subscript, the scribe placed a horizontal ruling and then resumed inscribing the tablet with epigraph no. 57 (Weidner's epigraph no. 83). Both Weidner (AfO 8 [1932–33] p. 198) and Borger (BIWA pp. 310 and 317–318) labeled the face that contained this scribal note as the "Rs.!" and the opposite face as the "Vs.!." In contrast, A. Leeper's copy (CT 35 pl. 23) and T. Bauer's edition (Asb. pp. 97–98) presented the face with the subscript and also epigraph no. 57 as the obverse and the opposite face as the reverse without an exclamation point or a question mark. The present edition tentatively follows the former understanding since epigraph nos. 77–79 presumably appear on the face of the tablet that is before the face containing epigraph no. 80.
A clay tablet fragment now housed in the Vorderasiatisches Museum (Berlin) contains parts of two epigraphs of Ashurbanipal. The contents of these epigraphs show that they are connected to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs, although they are not a part of the main cycle that was edited by E. Weidner (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183).
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007589/] of Ashurbanipal 181.
The fragment preserves small portions of both faces of a tablet. The epigraph in rev.? 2´–9´ is similar to no. 61 of the epigraphs as numbered by E. Weidner (see the table of epigraph correspondences in the introduction to text nos. 172–183); restorations to this epigraph are based on the parallel lines in text nos. 175–176, while the restorations to the unnumbered epigraph on the obv.? are based on text no. 6 (Prism C) viii 2´–10´; compare also text no. 3 (Prism B) vii 6–13.
A second poorly preserved clay tablet fragment now housed in the Vorderasiatisches Museum (Berlin) contains parts of four damaged epigraphs of Ashurbanipal, although only three of these have any decipherable content. What little remains of these epigraphs might suggest that they relate to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs, but this is not certain; they are not a part of the main cycle of epigraphs that was edited by E. Weidner (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183).
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007590/] of Ashurbanipal 182.
VAT 10269 preserves small portions of both faces of a tablet. The first epigraph in obv.? 1´–7´ mentions the land Elam and envoys sent from there, but it does not preserve the name of the subject of the epigraph. All three of the epigraphs with decipherable content include a reference to the god Aššur and the goddess Mullissu, the latter of whom is so far only mentioned in the "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu" epigraphs; see, for example, text no. 176 obv. 10 and text no. 181 rev.? 3´.
A small fragment from Nineveh preserves parts of seven lines of text from one face of a clay tablet. The few extant contents appear to be epigraphs of Ashurbanipal, one of which mentions Šamaš-šuma-ukīn. Thus, these epigraphs might relate to the so-called "Šamaš-šuma-ukīn and Tammarītu cycle" of epigraphs (see the introduction to text nos. 172–183), but this is not certain.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007591/] of Ashurbanipal 183.
Too little of K 13444 is preserved to determine what type of text is inscribed on it. However, the presence of horizontal rulings after both lines 1´ and 2´ suggests that the tablet contains epigraphs. Also, R. Borger (BIWA p. 337) treated the first preserved signs of lines 3´–5´ as being at tablet's left edge, stating that they are likely the beginning of those lines, but this is not certain.
Joshua Jeffers & Jamie Novotny
Joshua Jeffers & Jamie Novotny, 'Šamaš-šuma-ukīn-Tammarītu Epigraphs (text nos. 172-183)', RINAP 5: The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal, Aššur-etel-ilāni, and Sîn-šarra-iškun, The RINAP/RINAP 5 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2022 [http://oracc.org/rinap/rinap5/rinap52textintroductions/tabletspart4texts161184/shamashshumaukintammarituepigraphstexts172183/]