Several texts currently in the Kuyunjik Collections of the British Museum (London), and presumably discovered at Nineveh, bear dedicatory inscriptions to the goddess Ištar of Arbela. These texts report on the commemoration of objects that were likely to be displayed in Egašankalama ("House of the Lady of the Land"), the temple of Ištar at Arbela. Unfortunately, only a handful of these inscriptions now preserve the mention of the object that was to be dedicated, which included a bow (text nos. 200 and 203) and one or more emblems (text no. 201).
Fragments of four clay tablets preserve parts of archival copies or drafts of an inscription of Ashurbanipal that was written on a bow and possibly other objects dedicated to the goddess Ištar in her temple in Arbela, Egašankalama ("House of the Lady of the Land"). The historical portion of the text reports on Ashurbanipal's defeat of the Elamite king Teumman, in which Arbela's tutelary deity is said to have played a vital role. As a gift for her divine support, the Assyrian king commissioned several inscribed objects, including a bow, and had them prominently displayed near Ištar in Egašankalama (see also text no. 201 and compare text no. 202).
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007608/] or the score [/rinap/scores/Q007608/] of Ashurbanipal 200.
Among the exemplars of this inscription, ex. 1 is by far the best preserved, containing the left side of a single-column horizontal tablet written in a small script. Parts of both the obverse and reverse, as well as the left and parts of the top and bottom edges, are preserved. About one-quarter of the right side is missing from the upper part of the obverse, while at most half of the right side is missing from the rest of the tablet. Ex. 2 is a small flake from a tablet, and the text is clearly written in a hand different from that of the other tablets. However, this fragment probably originally belonged to a single-column horizontal tablet like ex. 1 since the lines preserved on it appear to be just as long as those of the latter, with possibly even the same lineation. Ex. 4 comes from the top left corner of the second column of a multi-column tablet and not the upper left corner of a tablet as T. Bauer's copy (Asb. pl. 47) makes it appear. This is confirmed by the fact that the lines of the text are much shorter than those of exs. 1 and 2 and that the fragment begins with obv. 13 of the master text, which is too early in the inscription for such contents to have been the first line of the tablet's reverse. Moreover, it appears that the fragment still preserves both vertical rulings on its left side that delineate the margin space between the two columns. Finally, it is unclear to what type of object ex. 3 belongs, although, like ex. 4, the lines it preserves are much shorter than those of the other two exemplars. As pointed out by R. Borger (BIWA p. 101), this piece could indirectly join ex. 4. If this is correct, ex. 4 would be the top left corner of the column and ex. 3 would preserve the rest of said column.
Although the text is not dated, it is certain that the terminus post quem for the inscription is the defeat of the Elamite king Teumman during Ashurbanipal's second Elamite campaign in 653. Like other texts composed for objects displayed in the Egašankalama temple after Teumman's defeat at Tīl-Tūba, the inscription may have been written in the year 652 or shortly thereafter. Most of the historical narration (obv. 7–rev. 14) was later incorporated into Ashurbanipal's prism inscriptions, first appearing in text nos. 3 (Prism B) and 4 (Prism D) that were composed in 649–648. For the report of the campaign against the Elamite king Teumman, compare text no. 3 (Prism B) v 16–17 and 24b–72, text no. 6 (Prism C) vi 1´–12´´, and text no. 7 (Prism Kh) v 83–84 and 93–vi 9. Restorations to the inscription are based upon text no. 3 (Prism B).
Ex. 1 is the basis for the lineation of the master text. As mentioned in the introduction, this exemplar contains either an archival copy or draft of a text written on a bow that was dedicated to Ištar of Arbela, in her temple Egašankalama. Another bow was dedicated to this goddess not too long after this one, but it was written for the occasion of the removal of the Elamite king Tammarītu from power and his subsequent flight to Nineveh in ca. 651–650; see text no. 203 for details. Too little of exs. 2–4 is preserved to determine on what type of object(s) their texts would have been inscribed. Due to their fragmentary state, it is also uncertain how much of their accounts followed the one preserved in ex. 1 (see the on-page notes to obv. 17 and 19), with the obvious variation being the content of the sections describing the fashioning of the objects that were to be dedicated. Furthermore, because Ashurbanipal's multi-column tablets generally do not contain dedicatory inscriptions but texts that were to be written on clay prisms or cylinders that were deposited in various structures, it is possible that exs. 3 and 4 contained copies of annalistic (or display) texts, rather than dedicatory inscriptions. If so, since the description of the war against the Elamite king Teumman in the present text is unique in the extant Ashurbanipal corpus, and since ex. 1 connects this specific account with the presentation of an object to Ištar of Arbela, presumably exs. 3 and 4 would have contained texts concerning restoration work on that Ištar's temple, although such inscriptions are not yet attested (see pp. 21–22 of the Introduction to the present volume). However, it should be pointed out that because the first-preserved column of ex. 4 — which is the beginning of that column on the tablet — starts with obv. 13 of the master text, this is the correct placement of the text on the tablet if the scribe was writing out the same dedicatory text of ex. 1 on a two-column tablet instead of a single-column tablet. Additional joins might elucidate the current situation further, but given that exs. 1–3 preserve a distinct account, exs. 3 and 4 are tentatively edited together with exs. 1 and 2 of the present inscription, rather than individually, as unique texts.
Only a score of the overlapping lines of obv. 13–25 is presented on Oracc, and the minor orthographic variants are given at the back of the book.
A fragment of a clay tablet preserves part of an archival copy or draft of an inscription of Ashurbanipal that was written on an emblem or emblems dedicated to the goddess Ištar in Egašankalama ("House of the Lady of the Land"), her temple in Arbela. The extant historical portion of the text reports on Ashurbanipal's defeat of the arrogant and hostile Teumman of Elam, in which Ištar of Arbela is reported to have played an essential role. As a gift for her divine support, the Assyrian king commissioned several inscribed objects and had them prominently displayed near the statue/image of Ištar in her cella in Egašankalama (see also text no. 200 and compare text no. 202).
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007609/] of Ashurbanipal 201.
Sm 254 preserves parts of both faces of a single-column clay tablet, including a small portion of the tablet's right edge. Although the text is not dated and is not well preserved, the terminus post quem for the inscription is the defeat of the Elamite king Teumman during Ashurbanipal's second Elamite campaign in 653. The inscription, like other texts composed for objects displayed in the Egašankalama temple after Teumman's defeat at Tīl-Tūba, may have been written in the year 652 or shortly thereafter (see also the commentary of text no. 200). For the contents of the obverse, compare text no. 3 (Prism B) v 16 and 24b–33a, text no. 6 (Prism C) vi 1´–9´, and text no. 7 (Prism Kh) v 83 and 93–105. This text probably originally consisted of an opening dedication to the goddess Ištar of Arbela, a report of the second Elamite campaign, a short report describing the fashioning of the dedicatory object(s) upon which this text was written, and advice to future rulers.
A fragment of a clay tablet probably contains part of an archival copy or draft of a dedicatory inscription of Ashurbanipal that was to be written on an object displayed in Egašankalama, the temple of Ištar at Arbela (compare text nos. 200–201). The historical narrative of the text, as far as it is preserved, presents a unique account of Ashurbanipal's campaign against the Elamite king Teumman that only appears in this inscription.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007610/] of Ashurbanipal 202.
K 5234A preserves the middle section of one face (possibly the reverse) of a single-column clay tablet; none of the edges are preserved. The contents of lines 16´–17´ correspond to those of text no. 200 rev. 11–12, which suggests that the present inscription was likely to be inscribed on one of the objects that were commissioned by Ashurbanipal to be dedicated to the goddess Ištar in honor of her divine support in the king's defeat of Teumman during his second Elamite campaign in 653 (see the introduction and commentary of text nos. 200 and 201).
This clay tablet from Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik) bears an archival copy or draft of a thirty-line dedicatory inscription of Ashurbanipal written on a gold-plated bow that was displayed in Egašankalama ("House of the Lady of the Land"), Ištar's temple in Arbela. The inscription includes an account of the removal of the Elamite king Tammarītu from power and his subsequent flight to Nineveh to seek refuge. This text and the two following inscriptions (text nos. 204–205) provide the most detailed information about the various members of the Elamite royal family who came to Assyria with Tammarītu when he was deposed by his servant Indabibi. The change of power in Elam is attributed this manifestation of Ištar.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007611/] of Ashurbanipal 203.
K 1609+ is a single-column horizontal clay tablet that preserves both faces from the left portion of the tablet, including all of the left, most of the bottom, and part of the top edges. Obv. 14–16 are written on the bottom edge. When possible, the historical narrative of the inscription is restored from text nos. 204–205 and text no. 3 (Prism B) vii 36, 39–40, and 48–56.
Although the exact date of composition cannot be determined, the terminus post quem can be established as the flight of Tammarītu with his family and eighty-eight (eighty-five in most of the sources; see, for example, text no. 3 [Prism B] vii 48) Elamite nobles to Nineveh ca. 651–650. Because the information concerning the members of the Elamite royal family is more detailed than in the account that first appears in text nos. 3 (Prism B) vii 47–48 and 4 (Prism D) vii 52–53 that were composed in 649–648, this tablet was likely inscribed shortly after Tammarītu fled to Nineveh and before the prisms' account of that event. The texts written on K 1609+ and text nos. 204 and 205 were probably composed at about the same time.
The tablet, as mentioned in the introduction, is either an archival copy or draft of a text written on a gold-plated bow that was dedicated to Ištar of Arbela, in her temple Egašankalama. Another bow was dedicated to this goddess not too long before this one in commemoration of Ashurbanipal's defeat of the Elamite king Teumman in 653; see text no. 200 for details.
This single-column clay tablet, presumably from the citadel mound of Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), likely contains an archival copy or draft of a dedicatory inscription of Ashurbanipal written on an object that was displayed in a temple, probably Egašankalama ("House of the Lady of the Land") in Arbela. The inscription contains a report on the removal of Tammarītu of Elam from power and his subsequent flight to Nineveh to seek refuge. This text and text nos. 203 and 205 have the most explicit information about the members of the Elamite royal family who fled Elam with Tammarītu when Indabibi removed him from the Elamite throne.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007612/] of Ashurbanipal 204.
K 4464 preserves portions of both faces from the bottom left corner of a single-column tablet, including parts of its left and bottom edges. When possible, the inscription is restored from text no. 203, text no. 205, and text no. 3 (Prism B) vii 36, 39–40, and 48–56.
The exact date of composition cannot be determined since the inscription is not well preserved. Its terminus post quem, however, probably can be established as the flight of Tammarītu with his family and eighty-eight (eighty-five in most of the sources) Elamite nobles to Nineveh ca. 651–650. Because the information concerning the members of the Elamite royal family is more detailed than in the account that first appears in text nos. 3 (Prism B) vii 47–48 and 4 (Prism D) vii 52–53, which were composed in 649–648, this tablet was likely inscribed shortly after Tammarītu fled to Nineveh and before the prisms' account of that event. Even though the texts written on K 4464 and text nos. 203 and 205 were likely composed at about the same time, the additional material in obv. 7´ (see the on-page note) and rev. 3–6 might suggest that the present tablet dates slightly later than the latter.
Due to the tablet's present condition, one cannot be certain, but K 4464 may have been an archival copy or a draft of an inscription that was inscribed on an object displayed in the Egašankalama temple, Ištar's temple in Arbela, similar to text no. 203. Thus, this text probably originally consisted of an opening dedication to the goddess Ištar of Arbela, a report of the third Elamite campaign, a short report describing the fashioning of the dedicatory object upon which this text was inscribed, and advice to future rulers.
K 2825, a fragment from a single-column clay tablet discovered at Nineveh, likely contains an archival copy or draft of a dedicatory inscription of Ashurbanipal written on an object that might have been displayed in a temple, probably the Ištar temple Egašankalama ("House of the Lady of the Land") in Arbela. The preserved historical narrative of the text recounts Indabibi's removal of Tammarītu as king of Elam. Like the two previous inscriptions (text nos. 203–204), this text provides a wealth of information about numerous members of the Elamite royal family who fled to the Assyrian capital Nineveh when Tammarītu was deposed by one of his servants.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007613/] of Ashurbanipal 205.
K 2825 is a fragment from the bottom left corner of a single-column tablet that preserves part of the obverse, while the reverse is missing. The extant text is a near duplicate of text no. 203; for obv. 5´–11´, see text no. 203 obv. 16–rev. 7, but for obv. 2´–4´, compare text no. 203 obv. 14–15 as these lines appear to deviate. Restorations to the inscription are taken from text nos. 203–204 and text no. 3 (Prism B) vii 39–40 and 48–54. The exact date of composition cannot be determined due to the tablet's poor state of preservation, but the inscription written on K 2825 was probably composed at about the same time as text nos. 203 and 204. See the commentaries of those two texts for further details.
Although one cannot be certain due to the tablet's present condition, its similarities to text no. 203 suggest that it may have also been an archival copy or draft of an inscription that was inscribed on an object displayed in the Egašankalama temple, Ištar's temple in Arbela. This suggestion could be buttressed by the presence of a winkelhaken in the left margin of the tablet next to obv. 8´. This notation indicates that the scribe was counting every tenth line of the inscription. (For this scribal notation, see also text no. 197 [ex. 1] and text no. 207 [ex. 1].) The contents of obv. 8´ correspond to those of rev. 4 in text no. 203, which has sixteen lines on its obverse. This would make rev. 4 of that tablet the twentieth line of the inscription, thus possibly indicating that obv. 8´ of K 2825 was the twentieth line of that inscription as well, and so K 2825 might have contained much of the same material from the obverse of text no. 203. If this is correct, the present text probably originally consisted of an opening dedication to the goddess Ištar of Arbela, a report of the third Elamite campaign, a short report describing the fashioning of the dedicatory object upon which this text was written, and advice to future rulers.
The right half of a small, single-column horizontal clay tablet from Nineveh contains an archival copy or draft of a dedicatory inscription most likely from Ashurbanipal to the goddess Ištar. The text was to be inscribed on a silver-plated, wooden object (although the mention of what type of object it was is no longer extant) that was probably to be displayed in the Egašankalama temple in Arbela.
Access the composite text [/rinap/rinap5/Q007614/] of Ashurbanipal 206.
Joshua Jeffers & Jamie Novotny
Joshua Jeffers & Jamie Novotny, 'Tablets Related to Arbela (text nos. 200-206)', 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/tabletspart6texts194218/tabletsrelatedtoarbelatexts200206/]