Literary Letters from Deities and Diviners More Fragments

Author(s): A. Kirk Grayson

Source: Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 103, No. 1, Studies in Literature from
the Ancient Near East, by Members of the American Oriental Society, Dedicated to Samuel
Noah Kramer (Jan. - Mar., 1983), pp. 143-148
Published by: American Oriental Society
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LITERARY LETTERS FROM DEITIES AND DIVINERS
MORE FRAGMENTS'
A. KIRK GRAYSON
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
THAT LETTERS FORMED PART OF THE SCRIBE'S LITER-
ARY TRADITION IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA has long
been known and Professor Samuel Noah Kramer,
whom we honour in this volume, has had a major role
in recovering the Sumerian works which belong to
this genre. The literary letters, which in fact are
known both in Sumerian and Akkadian, can be dis-
tinguished from everyday letters by their elaborate
style; by the content which often concerns matters of
state importance; and by the fact that copies were
kept in libraries and schools where they could be read
by scholars and used as style manuals by teachers.2
Epistles between human and divine beings form an
important corpus within the category of literary let-
ters, the majority of these being letters to a god from
a man.3 This corpus includes the letters of Assyrian
kings to the god Ashur, the most famous of which is
the letter of Sargon II reporting on his eighth cam-
paign. The existence of letters addressed in the other
direction, from a divine being to a human being, has
on the other hand been poorly attested. It is therefore
gratifying to be able to add some fragmentary textual
material to this little known category.
The purpose of this article, therefore, is to highlight
the little known group of literary letters from deities
and diviners; to publish a fragment of a previously
unknown representative of this genre; and to edit a
fragment previously identified with this group but
never published. The letters from deities, of which two
fragments are now extant, will be presented first and
with full edition. This will be followed by a briefer
treatment of the letters from diviners.
The two letters from deities are K 2764 (Macmillan,
BA 5/5, no. XVII)4 and BM 38630 (previously un-
published).
I LETTER FROM BELIT-BALATI
The new text, BM 38630 (80-11-12, 514) is pub-
lished by courtesy of the Trustees of the British
Museum. I am grateful to Dr. Edmond Sollberger,
Mr. C. B. F. Walker, and Dr. I. Finkel of that mu-
seum for their help and co-operation. The tablet, of
which less than a third is preserved, is written in the
Neo-Babylonian script and probably comes from
Babylon. It in turn is a copy, as stated in the
colophon, of a text in Borsippa. The most significant
feature of the inscription is the beginning of the
colophon which states: "Letter which Belit-balati sent
to Nusku-taqishu-bullit, son of Etil-pi-Marduk."
The identity of Belit-balati is crucial to an under-
standing of the nature of this tablet and, while it
cannot be definitively demonstrated, I believe that she
is almost certainly a goddess rather than a human
being. On the obverse the writer of the letter calls
herself dMa-nun-gal and in a bilingual hymn (LKA 2 1)
to dNungal/dManungal the deity dNin-din-(bad-e) ap-
pears (on Manungal see Sj6berg, AfO 24, pp. 26f).
Thus both this bilingual and BM 38630 indicate that
Belit-balati (dNin-din) is a manifestation of the deity
Manungal. Belit-balati is also known as a star name.5
The new text associates Belit-balati with the city
Borsippa and the cult of Nabu, a fact not known
before. That b/it ba/lhti "mistress of life" is used here
only as an epithet for another divine name is unlikely,
'
This research has been supported by the Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
2
Regarding Letters as a genre see S. N. Kramer, ANET3,
480f.; W. W. Hallo, Proceedings of the American Academy
of Jewish Research, 46-47 (1979-80), 316-22 and Proceed-
ings of the Seventh World Congress of Jewish Studies, 1981,
17-27; and for full bibliography Borger, HKL 3, 57f., ?59.
'
Regarding Letters to the God see Borger, RLA 3, 575f.
4
Bibliography of K 2764:
Macmillan, BA 5/5, no. XVIII
Nougayrol, RA 36 (1939), 33f.
Borger, RLA 3, 576b
, HKL 1, 327
Grayson, Or. N. S. 49 (1980), 158, n. 88
5
Cf. Tallquist, Epitheta, 271
Gossman, Planetarium, nos. 52 and 68
143
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144 Journal of the American Oriental Society 103.1 (1983)
BM 38630 obverse
BM 38630 reverse.
i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~____ I
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GRAYSON: Literary Letters from Deities and Diviners 145
particularly since it is an epithet rarely used (only of
the goddesses Damkina, Sahan, and Shuzianna).6
There is a remote possibility that Belit-balati is
simply a hypocoristicon of the name of a human
priestess. The name Belit-balata-erish is known from
Kassite times (cf. Clay, CPN, 64). Moreover the two
words for priestess with which the letter-writer iden-
tifies herself, nadl-tu and kulma?Utu, are only applied
to humans, never otherwise to divine beings. On the
other hand it is surprising that Belit-balati calls herself
the goddess Manungal and that her name was not
written out in full at the end of the tablet if she were
human. Thus I believe it highly probable that the
writer of this letter is a goddess called Belit-balati and
M anungal.
The erotic nature of the conclusion of BM 38630
indicates the general area of Belit-balati's activity,
love-making and fertility, and this explains the mean-
ing of her name "Mistress-of-Life." While the closing
lines are generally reminiscent of Mesopotamian Love
Lyrics there is no formal relationship.7 There is some
evidence for the date of BM 38630 for, although it is
known only from a Neo-Babylonian copy, the name
of the addressee and his title indicate the Middle
Babylonian period. Nusku-taqishu-bullit is otherwise
known only as the name of a man in the time of
Kurigalzu.8 The title he is given in BM 38630, laputti2,
was already dying out as a real administrative post by
the Middle Babylonian period where it "only occurs
in a standard formula in kudurru texts" (CAD L, 99).
This fact suits the literary nature of the letter. The
occurrence of the name Nusku-taqishu-bullit on both
obverse and reverse of the fragment indicate that the
same letter is involved on each side.9
BM 38630 (80-11-12, 514) measures c. 7.5 X 5 cms.
and represents a little less than the top third of the
original tablet.
TRANSLITERATION
TRANSLATION
Obverse
Obverse
[Lacuna]
[Lacuna]
1') [x x x] x vha x [. ] 1'-4') [Too broken for
translation]
2') [x xx] x [. ]
3') [x X] 'MIN x [... ]
4') [x x] x LALX [-- ...]
5') [a-na]-ku dMa-nun-gal x [... ... 5') FIl, divine
Manungal [
... ...
6') Fa-nal-ku na-di-tum x
[ ... ... ]
6') I, a nadctum
[
... ... ]
7') a-na-ku kul-ma-vi-tum x [... ...] 7') I, a kulmas?tum
[
... ]
8') a-na
dNusku(ensada)-ta-qi-sva-hu[l-lit mar Etil-
8') to
Nusku-taqisha-bu[llit,
son of
Etil-pi-
pi-Marduk] M
arduk],
9')
lu/aputta(nu.Fbhn(?).da)
dr
Nab/(a[g]) 9') laputta
of the
god Na[bu
...
speak!]
.
]
[Lacuna]
10') X X DINGIR x [... ...
[Lacuna]
Reverse
Reverse
[Lacuna]
1') a-pa-x [. ..]
2') at-ta
Fqal-[ar]-ra-da-a-ti
Fa(?)1 [x x
x] 2') Thou art the hero and [...]
3') a-na a-hi an-rnil-i e-hi-ram-ma e-[x x
x] 3') Cross over to this side to me
4') ap-te-tak-ka
li-his-[sa-ti]
4')
I
have opened for you [my] vulva;
6
Cf. Tallquist, Epitheta, 57f.
7
Cf. W. G. Lambert "The Problem of the Love Lyrics," in
Goedicke and Roberts (eds.),
UnitY
and Diversitv, 98-135;
MIO 12 (1966), 41-56. For further bibliography see Borger,
HKL 3, 83, ?83.
x Cf. A. T. Clay. CPN
I
15b.
9
I wish to thank Dr. Douglas R. Frayne for his comments
on BM 38630.
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146 Journal of
the American Oriental Societ' 103.1
(1983)
5') ma-has ha-an-du-[ut-ti]
6') hi-is-su-ru ki-ma peq-qu-ut-ti [x x (x)]
7') gi-pir-ti Be-lit-haldti(din) a-na
mdNusku(engada)-ta-qi-su-hul-[lit]
8') mar(dumu) mE-til-pi-dMarduk(amar.utu)
is-pu-r[a]
9') gahari(gaba.ri) Bdr-s[ipa]k
1 0') ki-ma la-hi-ri- su' s'a'-tir h[a-r]i
1I1') [qat]
md
Nahu(ag) -jtirt kar) -ir
tup?arri(dub.sa[r])
Comments
Obv. 9') The reading BAN is not certain from the traces
but from the context there is no alternative. A
laputtu~ in the Shamash temple is known (see
CAD L s. v.); in the present text Nusku-taqishu-
bullit seems to be a laputtu at the Nabu temple
at Borsippa.
5') Strike [my] clitoris!
6') The Venus mound like a pequttu-plant [..
7') Letter which Belit-balati sent to Nusku-
taqishu-bul[lit],
8') son of Etil-pi-Marduk
9') Copy from Borsippa.
10') According to its original written (and) collated
11') [by the hand of] Nabu-etir, the scribe.
Rev. 4'-6') lihi~tu, handuttu and hissaru are listed as syn-
onyms in lexical texts; see CAD B, 268 f. sub
bissaru.
5') machas: This seems to be the only plausible
reading.
6') peqquttu: plant name; cf. A Hw, 854b sub
peqqa.
9'-1 I') On this colophon cf. Hunger, Kolophone,
nos. 124-40.
II LETTER FROM NINURTA
Turning to the second literary letter from a deity, K
2764, we go from love to war for this letter is from
Ninurta, the god of war in Assyria. The text is indeed
in Assyrian script and preserved on a tablet from the
time of Ashurbanipal as attested by the colophon.
There is no evidence as to the date of the original
composition. But it is formally related to BM 38630
since it too concludes with the statement that it is a
letter sent from a deity (?ipirti dNinurta a[na
...]). This
fact necessitates a closer study of K 2764 and I
therefore include in this article a new edition of the
text based upon personal collation.
It has been generally assumed that K 2764 was a
letter addressed by the god to an Assyrian king, an
assumption which I share. Nevertheless the fact that
BM 38630 is addressed to a non-royal personage
shows that these letters are not always to kings.
Indeed, the highest title given to the addressee in the
extant portion of K 2764 is "governor" (?akkanakku)
(a title which kings could bear) and the reference to
"throne" (kussa which can simply be "chair" see
CAD K and A Hw, s.v.) is not proof of his royal
character. But this is splitting hairs and I think K
2764 must have been addressed to an Assyrian king,
probably of the ninth century B.C.
K 2764 measures c. 7 X 6 cms. and represents less
than one third of the original tablet.
TRANSLITERATION
Obverse
I) Nlu(en) rahl2(gal)U A?ar(lugal) il/nimeR
dNin-urta i?-pu-ra [...]
2) a-na ru-bH-e ti-ri-i~ qa-ti [.]
3) a-na ma-hir 9i'hatti(gidri)ti gigkusse(gu.za)
ax ]
4) a-na s'akkanakki s'a qa-ti-ia (erasure) q[i-hi-ma]
5) um-ma d Nin-urta bilu(en) raba(gal)u
mdr(dumu) dEn-lil [...]
TRANSLATION
Obverse
I) The great lord, king of the gods, Ninurta has
written [...]:
2) To the prince, the outstretched hand [...]
3) To the receiver of the sceptre, throne and
[crown]
4) To my appointed governor, [speak]!
5) Thus says Ninurta, the great lord, son of
Enlil [...]
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GRAYSON: Literary Letters from Deities and Diviners
147
6) us-su-sa-ku ra-'i-ba-ku ze-na-ku [ana bltiia]
7) us-su-sa-ku man-nu i-[...
8) ra-'i-ha-ku man-nu li-...]
9) ze-na-ku a-na hTti(6)-ia man-nu
10) a-har-sa a-na ha-ni-su [..
11) a-a-in-na ta-mi-tu[...]
12) ta-tan-ni-du-ku-ma [..
13) u ina dame-s'a' Fj-[...
14) at-ta ki-i x [...]
15) a-na mar(duumu) [..
16) a-na x[...]
17) sa i-[...]
18) x [...]
[Lacuna]
Reverse
[Lacuna]
1) xx [...]
2) a-di a-[...]
3) si-pir-ti dNin5-urta ra(?)l -[na
. ..]
4) ekal tmAs-sur-hdni(dfu)-apli(a) [sar mdt A?sur]
5) sa dNaba(ag) ui dTas-me-t[um uznu rapastu
isrukus]
6) i-hu-uz-zu Tnd1' na-mir-[tu nisiq tupsarru7ti]
7) sa i-na ?arranime; n'a-lik mah-ri-ia
[mamma sipru ?u'atu la ihuzzu]
8) ne-me-qi dNabu(ag) ti-kip sa-an-tak-k[i
mala hasmu]
9) ina tuppinime; as-tur as-niq ah-r[e-ma]
10) a-na ta-mar-ti si-ta-as-si-ia qi-rib
ekalli-[ia ukin]
Comments
r. 4. The two circles in Macmillan's copy are part of
the erasure.
r. 3. Borger, in an unpublished copy of Zimmern, read
dNIMIN.DU(?); see RLA 3, 576b; HKL 1, 327. He
I1I LITERARY LETTERS FROM DIVINERS
Fragments of two literary letters from diviners are
known, VAT 9628 (KA H 2, 142) and K 14676. Weid-
ner edited VAT 9628 in AfO 9 (1933-34), pp. 101-4,
where he identified the text as a letter from a god
concerning the fifth campaign of Shamshi-Adad V. In
his article (102, n. 91) Weidner drew attention to the
6) I am upset, I am wroth, I am angry [with my
temple].
7) I am upset: who would [..!
8) I am wroth: who would [..!
9) I am angry with my temple: who would [...]!
10) Surely for its builder [...]
11) Which is the omen [.]?
12) Thou ... [...]
13) Now in her blood [..
14) Thou like [...]
15) To the son[...]
[Lacuna]
Reverse
3) Letter of Ninurta Wtol []
4) Palace of Ashurbanipal, [king of Assyria]
5) To whom Nabu and Tashmetum [granted
wisdom],
6) Whose bright eye learned [the best of the
scribal craft]
7) which no king before me [had learned],
8) the wisdom of Nabu, cuneiform signs, [as many
as there are],
9) I wrote on tablets, I examined, I collated [and]
10) [set] in my palace for me to read.
also noted that the -ti was certain.
From my collation the reading is clearly what I
have put in the transliteration.
r. 4-10. This is a shortened version of a standard Ashur-
banipal colophon. See Hunger, Kolophone,
no. 319.
fragment K 14676, which was briefly described by
King, Cat. p. 119 as having several sections introduced
by "Concerning that which you wrote [to me]" (.9a
tas'pur[anni]), and noted that the same phrase in-
troduced the sections in VAT 9628. Subsequently
Nougayrol in RA 36 (1936), 33, n. 4 suggested that
these were not letters from gods per se but from
diviners. I believe Nougayrol is correct (cf. Or. n. s. 49
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148 Journal of the American Oriental Society 103.1 (1983)
[1980], 158, n. 88) since the phrase which is crucial to
the identity of VAT 9628, "Through the command of
my great divinity (it befell)" (ina pi ilIutiia ra/hti) is
precisely the same as the formula in the oracle re-
quests of Esarhaddon published by Klauber (PRT)
and Knudtzon (AGS)-e.g. AGS no. 1:15.
These letters from diviners are not the same as the
"extispicy reports," on which see most recently I. Starr
"Extispicy Reports from the Old Babylonian and
Sargonid Periods" in
Essays ... Finkelstein,
pp. 201-8.
While VAT 9628 has been edited and published by
Weidner, K 14676 has never been published in full
and so I present an edition in this article.
K 14676 is a fragment (c. 2.5 X 4.5
cms.)
from the
upper left corner of a tablet; only
one
side, presumably
the reverse, is preserved.
1 s'a ta?-[pur ...]
2 ?arru(lugal) ?a[...]
3 ?a ta?-pur [...]
4 in-nab-[tu ...
5 da4-i [...]
6 ?arrdni(lugal)`me [. ]
7 ?a ta?-p[ur ...
8 ina x[...]
9 x[...]
10 x[.]
[Lacuna]
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