Ad astra: Graphic Signalling in the Acrostic Hymn of Nebuchadnezzar II (BM 55469)

This article examines two orthographic features in the Acrostic Hymn of Nebuchadnezzar II. It aims to show that the text makes use of the possibilities of the cuneiform writing system to create various levels of meaning. The first example clarifies structure and content with regard to a difficult passage in the fourth and last stanza of the text, in which a possible change of actors is indicated by an orthographic feature. The second example shows how orthography is used in the first stanza of the text to augment its message. These examples demonstrate how structural elements and micro-features such as orthography were used creatively to enhance the message of the hymn.

Potters in Transition

For many years, the Late Bronze/Iron Age transition in the southern Levant has been the subject of intense debates concerning chronological matters and cultural developments. Ceramic studies were often the focal point of the discussion, but they usually concentrated on the appearance of Aegean-style pottery in the southern Coastal Plain and the nearby Shephelah, while largely disregarding the indigenous pottery tradition. In this paper, I study the processes of continuity and change in ceramic shape morphology and decoration techniques of three important tell-sites in the Shephelah: Lachish, ʿAzẹqȧ (Tel Azekah) and Ekron. It will be shown that marked innovations took place during the transition to the Iron I. These were most likely triggered by the appearance of foreign potters who produced local Aegean-style wares and seem to have influenced the traditions of the indigenous ceramic workshops. Such insights not only allow a fine-tuning of the relative chronology of the region at the end of the second millennium BCE, but also illuminate the transmission of professional knowledge and cultural traits through the ages.

The Wars of Ebla at the Time of Minister Ibrium

The formation of regional states started in Syria around the middle of the twenty-fifth century BC, and rivalry opposed one state against another already at the beginning of the following century. Mari defeated Abarsal (Tall Ḥuwēra), and Ebla payed tribute to Mari. Ebla then destroyed Abarsal and became an ally of Nagar (Tell Brāk) against Mari. Other four wars opposed Ebla to Mari: the first three were won by Ebla, the last was fateful to it. The documentation from Ebla comprehensively covers about forty years, a period that each power spent in war: either with its rival or its own revolting allies. This article follows year after year the wars of Ibrium during his eighteen years as minister of Ebla.

Eine bedeutende Salzquelle in Karapınar Konya – Meke Gölü (Meke Maar) und ein Gleichsetzungsvorschlag für liki „Salzlecke“ im Staatsvertrag des Kuruntija und Tutḫalija IV.

A systematic archaeological survey in the Southeast provinces of Konya has started to reveal the settlement pattern of the Bronze and Iron Ages in this region, which sheds light on the geo-environment, economy, road networks, interactions and cultures. This paper will specifically deal with the region of and around Meke Gölü and Karacadağ, located in Karapınar – Konya, and discuss the surveyed settlements and possible implications of the economy with salt trade as one of the main trade commodities. In this context the salt source of the saline lake Meke Gölü (Lake Meke), which is located south of Karacadağ, its significance and usage of salt will be explored. Finally, the equation of Meke Gölü with the liki (salt-lick) mentioned in the frontier description in the treaty between the Great Kings Kuruntija and Tutḫalija IV on the well-known Bronze Tablet discovered in Boğazköy – Ḫattuša, the capital of the Hittite Empire, will be suggested and debated.

Children, Donkeys and Eponyms at Dūr-Katlimmu

The Middle Assyrian herding texts from Dūr-Katlimmu are brought into a temporal order by following the animals from year to year, with new insights into the management of the herds. The use of percentages is confirmed. Three new joins of published texts are found. Based on the lists of serfs and rations the prosopography and ethnography of the šiluḫlu community is refined. Taken together, this leads to substantial corrections of the eponym sequence under Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser) I and Tukultī-Ninurta I. The texts show the impact of an epizootic and of three wars, in particular ups and downs in the war against Babylonia. The destruction of the šiluḫlu community under Tukultī-Ninurta I is described and an interpretation for it proposed.

‘I Have Made a Highway of Biainili’:

After emerging in the Lake Van Basin of Turkey, the Urartian kingdom expanded its territory across Eastern Anatolia, Northwestern Iran, and Armenia between the late 9th and early 7th century BC. The high altitude of these regions and the climatic conditions, especially long and harsh winters with heavy snowfall, likely forced the Urartian monarchy to establish a reliable network of communication: new roads and new settlements along these roads were established between the capital city Tušpa and other parts of its territory. This study presents a reassessment of the archaeological and textual evidence on Urartian routes used for military campaigns, settlements located along these routes, ancient road remains and means of transportation.

Ein neues zweisprachiges altbabylonisches Vokabular aus Ur

This article presents the first edition of an Old-Babylonian acrographic vocabulary excavated in the city of Ur. Although fragmentary and poorly preserved, this text provides interesting new aspects for the understanding of the so-called „dialects“ of Sumerian and of bilingual language teaching in general, and identifies lurû(m) „(man with a) thin/croaky voice“ as a (person with a) speech defect described as „Emesal“. In addition, it contains entries of business terminology known from the north Babylonian „Sippar Phrasebook“, the Old Babylonian „Forerunner“ of canonical Ura 1 and 2.

Archäologische Forschungen am Karacadağ und eine hieroglyphenluwische Inschrift aus Karaören

This essay presents a partial report of surveys on the Karacadağ (Konya), which have been carried out since 2016 due to the find of a fragment of a hieroglyphic Luwian inscription from the 13th century BC at the village of Karaören. The results of the survey allow a holistic understanding of the material and topographic conditions which led to the writing, re-use and then find of the inscription. The inscription is presented and a possible historical-geographical framework both of this and of other related texts is explained, whereby it seems probable that there was an important military-strategic border here. The survey and associated ethnographic research established the importance of the freshwater springs on the Karacadağ, as well as the continuous re-use of stones attesting a profound cultural memory that runs from the Hittite period through a populous Byzantine occupation up until modern applications by the inhabitants of the Karacadağ.

Kultszenen – Bankettszenen: Die Akteure und die Paraphernalien

On numerous images from the Early Dynastic to the Neo-Sumerian period men and women are depicted pouring liquids from special vessels. Clearly defined are two spheres: the human banquet, in which men and women are holding drinking vessel offered to them by their servants, and libation scenes showing cult personnel and other persons pouring a libation before their gods. Handwashing, which would have preceded banquets and libations, does not seem to be represented in visual imagery.