Part 17 (1/2)
From the word to the gold the division of the property is completed. They shall not make claim against each other. They have invoked the spirit of ama, Aa, and Sin-mubali? (the king).
”Before Liirammu; before Sin-pu?ram, son of ea-bala?i (?); before Sin-idinnam, son of Mannia; before Arad-ili-u, son of Nur-Sin; before a-I?ara, son of Ila; before Sin-magir, son of Etelum; before Arad-Amurri, before Sin-ilu, sons of Upia; before Libur-nadi-u, son of Utani-ili; before ... ; before ... ; before ... . Year of the river (ca.n.a.l) Tutu-?engal.”
2.
”1 AR, a dwelling-place (and) domain, beside the house of Sin-ikiam, and beside the house of Itar-umma-a, the second exit to the street, is the share of Ibni-ama, which he has shared with Sin-ikiam and Urra-na?ir.
From the word to the gold they have shared the (property). They shall not make claim against each other. They have invoked the spirit of ama, Aa, Marduk, and Sin-mubali?.
”Before Sin-pu?ram; before Sin-idinnam; before Liirram; before Arad-ili-u; before a-I?ara; before Sin-magir; before Arad-Amurri; before Sin-ilu; before Libur-nadi-u. Year of the river Tutu-?engal.”
3.
”1 AR, a dwelling-house and domain, beside the house of Ubarria, and beside the house of Pu?ur-Sin, the second exit to the street, is the share of Urra-na?ir, which he has shared with Sin-ikiam and Ibni-ama. From the word to the gold the division is completed. They shall not make claim against each other. They have invoked the spirit of ama, Aa, Marduk, and Sin-mubali?.
”Before Sin-pu?ram; before Liirram; before Sin-magir; before Sin-idinnam; before Arad-ili-u; before a-I?ara; before Arad-Amurri; before Sin-ilu; before Libur-nadi-u. Year of the river Tutu-?engal.”
That the first tablet translated above was that first written is proved by the fact that the fathers' names of several of the witnesses are given, and by the blank s.p.a.ces with the word ”before,” showing that the scribe did not know exactly how many witnesses there would be. In the other two doc.u.ments he had the right number, and did not therefore write the word in question too many times. In all probability the three brothers are mentioned in the first doc.u.ment in the order of their age, and it is naturally the t.i.tle-deed of the eldest which is written first. All three doc.u.ments are attested by the same witnesses.
The following tablet in the possession of Sir Cuthbert Peek, Bart., shows a division of property consisting of goods and chattels, as well as land-
”3 GAN, a field by the territory of Kudma-bani, with 1 GAN, a field which (was) the share of A??ati-unu, (situated) beside the field of Amat-Sama, daughter of Libit-Itar, and beside the field of Bel-unu, its first end (being) the river Euphrates, (and) its second end the common. 2/3 of a AR (and) 5 ZU (of ground by) the temple of Sippara, 1- AR (by) the temple of Kudma-bani, 1 ox, 1 young bull, 1 _'ikue_ stone-all this is the share of Kubbutu, which, along with Ibku-Annunitum, Bel-unu, Bel-bani, Il-u-bani, Remum, and Marduk-na?ir, they have divided. The division is complete. They are satisfied. From the word to the gold they shall not at any future time bring claims against each other. They have invoked the spirit of ama, Aa, Marduk, and Samsu-iluna the king.
”Before Dadu-a, son of A?um; before ?aridum, the scribe; before Sin-idinnam, son of Ibku-ala; before Anatum, son of Sin-abu-u; before ama-na?ir-abli.
”Month Iyyar, day 18th, second year after the completion (?) of the temple of Bel.”
Where the division of the property and the drawing up of the tablets took place is uncertain, there being in the doc.u.ments translated above no indication. In the case of the three brothers Urra-kaminii, Ri-Urra, and Buria, the declaration of the division of the property which they inherited, and possibly the drawing up of their respective tablets as well, took place in the Beth-el (_bet ili_) of the city, where legal matters were often transacted. Whether this Beth-el was the temple of the Sun and the Moon, where solemn contracts were also made, is uncertain, but not improbable.
It is noteworthy that there is sometimes a statement indicating that the inheritors chose their lots-
”1 AR, a dwelling-house beside the house of Belaqu, and beside Awel-Nannara, is the share of Eritum, the sodomite, daughter of Ribam-ili, which she has shared with Amat-ama, the priestess of the sun, her sister. The division is complete. From the word to the gold they shall not bring claim against each other. Choice of Amat-ama, her sister. (The envelope has: Her choice-the place (which seems) good unto her she will give.) (They have invoked) the spirit of ama, Merodach, Sin-mubali? (the king), and the city of Sippar.”
Here follow the names of eighteen witnesses, all of them, apparently, men.
Another tablet, referring to the sharing of property, shows how brothers sometimes cared for their sister, all the property (at least in this case) being in their hands-
”Tablet (referring to) 1 GAN, a field in the _kare_, beside (the field of) A?i-daani (?) and Enkim-ilu, Ki-nunu, Imgurrum, and Ilu-abi, her brothers, have given to ?udultum, daughter of Inib-nunu, as her share.
”Before Mapirum (var. Maparum), son of Ulu-rum; before Bur-ya, son of Munawirum; before ?ayab.u.m, (before) Kiranum (?), sons of Sin-ennam; before Sin-na?ir.
”Year Sumulel the king built the wall of Sippar.”
Thus, in varying ways, did the ancient Babylonians live and wed, adopt children and inherit. Other incidents were there in their lives also, as when a man divorced his wife-an unpleasant experience for them both, in all probability-though often enough this must have taken place to the great joy of one or the other, or possibly of both, for it must have been a much less solemn thing with them than with us-the marriage tie. It is gratifying to know that doc.u.ments referring to divorce are comparatively rare, though they are to be met with sometimes, as the following text shows-
”ama-rabi has divorced Naramtum his wife. She has taken away her property (?) and received her portion (as a woman divorced). (If) Naramtum wed another, ama-rabi shall not bring action against her. They have invoked the spirit of ama, Aa, Marduk, and Sin-mubali?.”