Boundary stone (kudurru)

Kassite dynasty, about 1100-1050 BC
From Mesopotamia

A legal statement about the ownership of a piece of land

Most kudurru have a cuneiform inscription giving details of the transfer of land, usually from the king or a high official to another official. It was protected by curses and the names and symbols of gods. However, on this example, it appears that the text has been deliberately erased. This laborious process, here done very neatly, might imply that this was undertaken with the approval of the authorities and so presumably the gods.

The gods are represented by the symbols carved in relief on the top. Although some of these have been damaged, it is probably not because of a deliberate act, as it would have been considered impious to damage them. The crescent of the moon-god Sin, three horned helmets of the supreme gods, and several divine animals survive.

British Museum, A guide to the Babylonian and, 3rd ed. (London, British Museum, 1922)