kudurru
- Museum number
- 104408
- Description
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Fragment of grey schist boundary-stone (kudurru): with remains of cuneiform inscription recording a series of purchases of building-land by Nabu-shum-lishir son of Arkat-il-damkati in one corner.
- Dimensions
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Length: 8.375 inches
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Width: 7.75 inches
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
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Of the two sections of text, parts of which are preserved upon 1880,1112.1896 (BM 104408), only that in the left-hand column gives a few connected phrases. The text records a purchase, probably of land, from Nabu-shum-ibni, by [ . . . . . ], who appears to be described as "[the son of A]rkat-ili-damkati," i.e., Nabu-shumdishir. Payment, as usual, was not made in silver, the articles of exchange including weights of light-coloured gold and of red gold. Reference is possibly made to Borsippa, but the reading of the name is not quite certain.
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See also1880,1112.529.B (BM 38646) and 1881,0428.135 (BM 40590). These three kudurru-fragments, two of which possibly formed parts of the same stone (1880,1112.529.B (BM 38646) and 1881,0428.135 (BM 40590)), record a series of purchases of building-land, of which portions of nine sections are preserved. It may be inferred with some probability that the transactions were part of a connected series, and that the texts engraved upon the stones recorded the purchase of a number of plots of ground, which formed a group, either from their situation, or by reason of their ownership. The fact that Nabu-shum-lishir, the son of Arkat-ili-damkati, is apparently referred to as the purchaser on all three fragments, suggests that the kudurrus were engraved by his order, to commemorate his acquisition by purchase of a considerable area of town property.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Incomplete (both object and inscription).
- Acquisition date
- 1880
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 104408
- Registration number
- 1880,1112.1896