Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T06:31:56.818Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sargonic dinner at Kaneš: The Old Assyrian Sargon legend

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Bendt Alster  and
Takayoshi Oshima
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

A very unusual literary tablet, Kt. j/k 97 from Kültepe, was published by C. Günbattı in 1997. It is inscribed with what already the first editor described as an Old Assyrian version of legends about Sargon. Since then the tablet has caused a good deal of discussion. Translations or editions have been made by M. Van De Mieroop (2000), K. Hecker (2001), B. Foster (2002, 2005), A. Cavigneaux (2005), and J. G. Dercksen (2005). These studies represent extremely different approaches: Hecker takes the text at face value and reads it as a laudatory royal inscription, whereas others see it as a kind of parody of inscriptions or legends about Sargon (Van De Mieroop 2000; Foster 2002, 2005), inspired by Mario Liverani. Dercksen (2005: 108) goes to the opposite extreme, stating that the “supposedly literary character of the text can be ignored, as this modern concept was alien to OA society”. He sees the text as “not a parody”, but instead as having “functioned to extol Sargon of Akkad during kispum celebrations that were part of the official cult of Assur”. Cavigneaux's study suggests a middle way between these extremes.

The tablet was found — and probably written — in Anatolia within the community of Assyrian merchants living abroad in Kaneš, on a tablet that looks very much like a normal business letter. It was excavated in 1958 in the house of Aḫ-šalim, an ordinary merchant, from whose house a number of other texts have been published. It alludes to the legend Sargon King of Battle, in which, following M. Liverani (1993: 52–6), Cavigneaux understands an expedition of Sargon to Anatolia, aided by the merchants of Purušḫaddum, as in fact referring to the Old Assyrian colonization in Anatolia. Cavigneaux further suggests what kind of situation lies behind our text (2005: 596): “Le nouveau texte … suggère de manière très concrète que les marchands assyriens berçaient leurs soirées au coin de la cheminée, au long des hivers anatoliens, d'histoires dont les rois d'Akkad étaient les héros”. He sees the text as an unicum, with hardly any chances of ever finding a duplicate (p. 597).

Type
Research Article
Information
IRAQ , Volume 69 , 2007 , pp. 1 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature

Afanas'eva, V. 1987: “Das sumerische Sargon-Epos. Versuch einer Interpretation”, in: Altorientalische Forschungen 14: 237–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akurgal, E. 1961: Der Kunst der Hetither, Munich.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 1987: “A Note on the Uriah Letter in the Sumerian Sargon Legend”, in: Zeitschrift für Assyriologie 11: 169–73.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 1992: “Interaction of Oral and Written Poetry in Early Mesopotamian Literature”, in: Vogelzang, (1992): 23–69.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 1995: “Sumerian Epic Tales: Enmerkar, Lugalbanda, and Other Cunning Heroes”, in: Sasson, J. M.et al. (eds.), Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, iv, Scribner World History Series, New York: 2315–26.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 2004: “Gudam and the Bull of Heaven”, in: Larsen Vol.: 21–45.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 2005a: Wisdom of Ancient Sumer, Bethesda, Md.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 2005b: “Text and Images on the Stele of the Vultures”, in: Archiv für Orientforschung 50: 1–10.Google Scholar
Alster, B. 2005c: “Demons in the Conclusion of Lugalbanda in Hurrumkurra”, in: Iraq 67/2: 61–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alster, B. 2007: Sumerian Proverbs in the Schoyen Collection. Occasional Publications of the Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Program of Jewish Studies Cornell University, 8.Google Scholar
Alster, B. and Oshima, T. 2006: “A Proverb Tablet in Geneva with Some Thoughts about Sumerian Proverb Collections”, in: Orientalia 75: 31–72 with pl. III.Google Scholar
Alster, B. and Vanstiphout, H. 1987: “Lahar and Ašnan”, in: Acta Sumerologica 9: 1–43.Google Scholar
Attinger, P. 1994: “La duplicité de Sargon, 3 N-T 296: 14–45”, in: NABU 1994: 89–91.Google Scholar
Barjamovic, G. [2006]: A Historical Geography of Ancient Anatolia in the Assyrian Colony Period, unpublished Ph.D.-thesis, University of Copenhagen 2006.Google Scholar
Bonechi, M. and Conti, G. 1992: ʾasaryānum éblaite, šariyanni ḫurrite”, in: NABU 1992/1: 7–8 (no. 10).Google Scholar
Cavigneaux, A. 2005: “Les soirées sargoniques des marchands assyriens”, in: κοϱυφαίῳ ἀνδϱί. Mélanges offerts à André Hurst. Textes réunis par Antje Kolde et al. (eds.), Recherches et rencontres, Genève: 595–602.Google Scholar
Charpin, D. 2001: “La rébellion du Mutiabal contre Samsu-iluna”, in: NABU 2001: 52.Google Scholar
Civil, M. 1987: “Sumerian Riddles: A Corpus”, in: Aula Orientalis 5: 17–37.Google Scholar
Cooper, J. S. 1992: “Babbling on: The Recovery of Mesopotamian Orality”, in: Vogelzang (1992): 103–22.Google Scholar
Cooper, J. S. and Heimpel, W. 1983: “The Sumerian Sargon Legend”, in: JAOS 103: 67–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Demsky, A. 2005: “Shulgi the Runner: Sumerian-Talmudic Affinities”, in: Klein Vol.: 85–97.Google Scholar
Dercksen, J. G. 2001: “The King that Walked in Darkness”, in: NABU 2001/1.Google Scholar
Dercksen, J. G. 2005: “Adad is King! The Sargon Text from Kültepe (with an Appendix on MARV 4, 138 and 140)”, in: Jaarhericht van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch Genootschap Ex Oriente Lux. Annuaire de la Société Orientale “Ex Oriente Lux” (JEOL) 39 (publ. 2006): 107–29.Google Scholar
Dijk, J. J. A. van 1965: “Une insurrection générale au pays de Larsha avant l'avènement de Nuradad”, in: Journal of Cuneiform Studies 19: 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Donbaz, V. 1990: “An Old Assyrian Inventory List”, in: NABU 1990/4: 107–8 (no. 130).Google Scholar
Durand, J.-M. 2006: “Dictons et proverbes à l'époque amorite”, in: Journal asiatique 295: 3–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farber, W. 1989: Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf! Mesopotamische Baby-Beschwörungen und -Rituale, Mesopotamian Civilizations 2, Winona Lake, Ind.Google Scholar
Farber, W. 1987: “Tamarisken — Fibeln — Skolopender; zur philologischen Deutung der ‘Reiseszene’ auf neuassyrischen Lamaštu-Amuletten”, in: Rochberg-Halton, Francesca (ed.), Language, Literature, and History: Philological and Historical Studies Presented to Erica Reiner, American Oriental Society, New Haven: 85–105.Google Scholar
Finet, A. 1974: “Citations litéraires dans la correspondance de Mari”, in: Revue d'assyriologie 68: 35–47.Google Scholar
Foster, B. 2002: “The Sargon Parody”, in: NABU 2002: 82.Google Scholar
Foster, B. 2005: “The Lord of the Lies”, sec. 1.6 in Before the Muses, 3rd ed. Bethesda, Md: 71–5.Google Scholar
George, A. R. 1990: “The Day the Earth Divided: A Geological Aetiology in the Babylonian Gilgameš Epic”, in: Zeitschrift für Assyriologie 80: 214–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
George, A. R. 2003: The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Goetze, A. 1947: “Historical allusions in Old Babylonian omen texts”, in: JCS 1: 253–65.Google Scholar
Goodnick Westenholz, Joan 1992: “Oral Traditions and written Texts in the Cycle of Akkad”, in: Vogelzang, and Vanstiphout, (1992): 123–54.Google Scholar
Goodnick Westenholz, J. 1997: Legends of the Kings of Akkade, Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake.Google Scholar
Goodnick Westenholz, J. 1998: “Relations between Mesopotamia and Anatolia in the Age of the Sargonic Kings”, in: Erkanal, H., Donbaz, V., Uguroğlu, A. (eds.), XXXIVème Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale — XXXIV. Uluslararasi Assiriyoloji Kongresi — Türk Tarih Kurumu Yaymlan XXVI. Dizi — Sa. 3, Ankara (Türk Tarih Kurumu Bası.mevi): 5–22.Google Scholar
Goodnick Westenholz, J. and Sigrist, M. 2006: “The Brain, the Marrow and the Seat of Cognition in Mesopotamian Tradition”, in: Journal des médecines cunéiformes 1: 1–10.Google Scholar
Günbattı, Cahit 1997: “Kültepe'den akadlı Sargon'a ait bir tablet”, in: Archivum Anatolicum 3: 131–5.Google Scholar
Hallo, W. W. 2005: “Sumerian History in Pictures: A New Look at the ‘Stele of the Flying Angels’”, in: Klein Vol.: 142–62.Google Scholar
Harsberg, Erling 1987: Alexanderromanen, oversat med indledning og oplysninger … Museum Tusculanums Forlag/Selskabet til Historiske Kildeskrifters Oversættelse, Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Hecker, , 1996: “Schultexte aus Kültepe: ein Nachtrag”, in: NABU 1996/1: 20–1 (no. 30).Google Scholar
Hecker, K. 2001: “Akkadische Texte”, in: Kaiser, O.et al. (eds.), Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments, Erganzungslieferung, Gütersloh: 58–60.Google Scholar
Horowitz, W. 1997: “The Great Wall of Sargon of Akkad”, in: NABU 1997/3: 98 (no. 104). (Addition to Horowitz (1988)).Google Scholar
Horowitz, W. 1988: “The Babylonian Map of the World”, in: Iraq 50: 147–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, Jørgen 2001: Danmarks Oldtid, I Stenalder 13.000–2.000 f.Kr., Gyldendal, Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Klein, Harald 1983: “Tudittum”, in: Zeitschrift für Assyriologie 73: 255–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kramarz-Bein, Susanne 2002: Die Piðreks Saga im Kontext der altnorwegischen Literatur. Beiträge zur Nordischen Literatur 44, A. Franke Verlag, Tübingen und Basel. (Detailed bibliography pp. 361–86).Google Scholar
Liverani, M. 1993: “Models and Actualizations. The Kings of Akkad in the Historical Tradition”, in: Liverani, M. (ed.), Akkad. The First World Empire. Structure, Ideology, Traditions, Padua: 41–67.Google Scholar
Liverani, M. 2001–2002: Review of Sallaberger and Westenholz, Mesopotamien, in: Archiv für Orientforschung 48/49: 179–81.Google Scholar
Lukman, N. 1941: Didreks Saga og Theoderics Historie — Fra Historie til Saga og Folkevise, Studier fra Sprog- og Oldtidsforskning 187, Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Mayer, W. R. 2003: “Akkadische Lexikographie: CAD R”, in: Orientalia 12: 231–42.Google Scholar
Mayer, W. R. 2006: “Sargons Märchen-Gürtel”, in: Orientalia 75: 182–3.Google Scholar
Metzler, K. A. 2002: Tempora in altbabylonischen Texten und literarischen Texten, Alter Orient und Altes Testament 279, Münster, Ugarit-Verlag.Google Scholar
Michel, C. 1977a: “Une incantation paléo-assyrienne contre Lamaštum”, in: Orientalia 66: 58–64.Google Scholar
Michel, C. 1997b: “À table avec les marchands paléo-assyriens”, in: Waetzoldt, H.et al. (eds.), Assyrien im Wandel der Zeiten, CRRA 39 = Heidelberger Studien zum Alten Orient 6: 95–113.Google Scholar
Michel, C. 2003: Old Assyrian Bibliography of Cuneiform Texts, Bullae, Seals and the Results of the Excavations at Aššur, Kültepe/Kaniš, Acemhöyük, Alisar and Bogazköy, OAAS 1 = PIHANS 97.Google Scholar
Michel, C. 2004: “Deux incantations paléo-assyriennes. Une nouvelle incantation pour accompagner la naissance”, in: Larsen Vol.: 395–420.Google Scholar
Militarev, A. and Cogan, L. 2000: Semitic Etymological Dictionary, I, Anatomy of Man and Animals, Alter Orient und Altes Testament 278.Google Scholar
Møhl, U. 1956: “Første sikre spor af mennesker fra interglacialtid i Danmark”, in: Aarbøger for nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie, 1956: 101–26.Google Scholar
Oppenheim, A. Leo 1977: Ancient Mesopotamia, rev. ed. by Reiner, E., University of Chicago Press (1st ed. 1964).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oral tradition website: http://journal.oraltradition.org.Google Scholar
Postgate, N. 1992: Ancient Mesopotamia, Routledge.Google Scholar
Potts, T. 2001 : “Reading the Sargonic ‘Historical-Literary’ Tradition”, in: Abusch, T.et. al. (eds.), Proceedings of the Harvard RAI XLV, I, CDL Press, Bethesda: 391–408.Google Scholar
Al-Rawi, F. N. 1992: “A New Hymn to Marduk from Sippar”, in: Revue d'Assyriologie 86: 79–83.Google Scholar
Reade, J. 2004: “The Historical Status of the Assur Stelas”, in: Larsen Vol.: 455–71.Google Scholar
Rollinger, R. 1994: “Aspecte des Sports im Alten Sumer”, in: Nikephoros 7: 7–64.Google Scholar
Sasson, J. M. 2004: “The King's Table: Food and Fealty in Old Babylonian Mari”, in: Grottanelli, C. and Milano, L. (eds.), Food and Identity in the Ancient World, Padua: 179–215.Google Scholar
Schileico, W. 1928–1929: “Ein Omentext Sargons von Akkad und sein Nachklang bei römischen Dichtern”, in: Archiv für Orientforschung 5: 214–18.Google Scholar
Schipper, B. 2005: “Die Lehre des Amenemope und Prov 22, 17–24, 22”, in: Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliehe Wissenschaft 117: 53–72; 232–48.Google Scholar
Schwemer, D. 2001: Die Wettergottgestalten Mesopotamiens und Nordsyriens im Zeitalter der Keilschriftkulturen, Wiesbaden.Google Scholar
von Soden, W. 1956: “Eine altassyrische Beschwörung gegen die Dämonin Lamaštum”, in: Orientalia 25: 141–8.Google Scholar
Stol, M. 2000: Review of CDA 1999, in: Bibliotheca Orientalis 57: 625–9.Google Scholar
Stoneman, R. 1991: The Greek Alexander Romance: The Legendary Adventures of Alexander the Great, translated by Stoneman, Richard, Penguin Classics 1991.Google Scholar
Suter, Cl. 2000: Gudea's Temple Building, Cuneiform Monographs 17, Styx Publications, Groningen/Brill, Leiden.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, J. 2005: “The Sumerian Proverb Collections”, in: Revue d'assyriologie 99: 13–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thiel, Helmut van 1983: Leben und Taten Alexanders von Makedonien. Der griechische Alexanderroman nach der Handschrift L, Darmstadt.Google Scholar
Van De Mieroop, M. 2000: “Sargon of Agade and his Successors in Anatolia”, in: Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici 42: 133–59.Google Scholar
van der Toorn, Karel 1995: “The Significance of the Veil in the Ancient Near East”, in: Wright, D. P., Freedman, D. N. and Hurvitz, A. (eds.), Pomegranates and Golden Bells, Studies … Jacob Milgrom: 327–39.Google Scholar
Vanstiphout, H. 1989: “Enmerkar's Invention of Writing Revisited”, in: Behrens, H.et al. (eds.), Dumu-e2-dub-ba-a. Studies in Honor of Åke Sjöberg, Philadelphia: 515–24.Google Scholar
Veenhof, K. R. 1996: “An Old Assyrian Incantation Against a Black Dog”, in: WZKM 86: 425–33.Google Scholar
Vogelzang, M. E. 1988: Bin šar dadmē: Edition and Analysis of the Akkadian Anzu Poem, Styx, Groningen.Google Scholar
Vogelzang, M. E. and Vanstiphout, H. (eds.) 1992: Mesopotamian Epic Literature: Oral or Aural? The Edwin Mellen Press, Lampeter 1992.Google Scholar
Wehr, Hans 1961: A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by Cowan, J. Milton, Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden.Google Scholar
Westenholz, A. 1999: “Akkade-Zeit”, in: Sallaberger, W. and Westenholz, A. (eds.), Mesopotamien: Akkade-Zeit und Ur III Zeit, Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 160/3, Editions Universitaires Fribourg Suisse, Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht Göttingen: 17–117.Google Scholar
Wilcke, Cl. 1997: “Amar-girids Revolte gegen Narām-Su'en”, in: Zeitschrift für Assyriologie 87: 11–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar