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Inscriptions from Abu Salabikh, 1975

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

R. D. Biggs  and
J. N. Postgate
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Extract

In this article are published the cuneiform texts found at Abu Salabikh during the excavations of 1975 by the British Archaeological Expedition to Iraq. Although few in number, they are interesting both for their content and for their archaeological contexts. A few scattered tablets came from a variety of provenances : from a pit from the surface in Area A (IAS 516), from near the surface in a room of the eastern houses of Area E (IAS 517), and from the fill of graves dug into the Southern Unit during its occupation (IAS 518 from Grave 48 in the courtyard; IAS 521 from Grave 2 and IAS 519 and 520 from Grave 27, both in Room 39). None of these tablets is quite satisfactorily stratified, since IAS 517 was very close to the surface, and all the graves in question had suffered later disturbance, so that we cannot say with confidence whether the tablets came from the original fill of the grave shafts, or from robber holes. However, this lack is offset a little by the better provenance of the remainder of the tablets, now to be discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
IRAQ , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , Autumn 1978 , pp. 101 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 1978

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References

1 These numbers, which are abo used on the plan Fig. 1, are those assigned on site at the first discovery of the tablets; subsequently Abu Salabikh catalogue numbers (AbS 1044–1068) were assigned, but since there is not a one-to-one correspondence it is desirable to record these site numbers as well. AbS numbers must be retained also to distinguish those tablets assigned an IM (for study) designation, and for the purposes of publication we have numbered the published pieces consecutively with those in Prof. Biggs' original edition of the 1963 and 1965 tablets (IAS = Inscriptions from Tell Abū Ṣalābīkh (OIP 99; Chicago, 1974)).

2 The only catalogued find from the same stratum in Room 48 was a copper fish-hook (AbS 1013 (6G65: 254); its position shown in Fig. 1). Other objects included five serrated flint blades (or fragments) (6G65: 288 and 6G65: 234), a stone pebble (6G65: 252), a shell ring, diam. 2.2 cm (6G65: 255), two fragments of copper pins (6G65: 256), a clay model wheel, diam. 4.3 cm (6G65: 261), sherds from an excised hollow stand with traces of three fenestrations and an incised diagonal cross (6G65: 278), and part of the skull with horn-core of a small sheep (6G65: 229).

3 In giving the dimensions for each number the first measurement is the width, parallel with the lines of writing, the second the height, parallel with the column rulings, and the third the thickness at the thickest point surviving. Measurements enclosed in round brackets are incomplete due to damage; if no brackets, the measurement is the complete original dimension.