Old Babylonian
The term is used to describe the culture of southern Mesopotamia between approximately 2000 BC-1600 BC.
Description:
The Old Babylonian Period describes southern Mesopotamia where a number of important sates dominated the region, including Isin, Larsa, Eshnuna, and Babylon. The sixth ruler of Babylon, Hamurabi, unified the southern states and expanded his control into north Mesopotamia. After his death, the empire gradually shrank, but remained an important power until it was sacked by the Hittite king Mursili I. During the Old Babylonian period, literary activity flourished with scribes composing and recording religious, poetic, and ‘scientific’ works in Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform. The state retained the Akkadian language for official use, and the Sumerian language for religious use, but Amorite was the spoken language. The earlier Akkadian and Sumerian traditions played a major role in Babylonian culture.
Ultra-Low Chronology: 1798-1499 BCE
Short/Low Chronology: 1830-1531 BCE
Middle Chronology: 1894-1595 BCE
Long/High Chronology: 1950-1651 BCE
Objects: Old Babylonian Export: JSON - XML - CSV
Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
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![]() | 934 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Complete Tablet. Obverse, left side broken, 6 lines. Reverse 4 line date. "Year after Nunnar of IR? Za KI dwelt in his temple" 15th year Sumu-ilum, king of Larsa. See U 924 |
![]() | 12972 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cone fragment. Larsa probably. Unidentified. HC 118. |
![]() | 2634 | (none) | 1927,1003.23 | (none) | Cone of Su-mu-ilum (of Larsa). Text: To Innana, his lady, Sumuilum the mighty hero, king of Ur, king of sumer and Akkad, has built, E-gi-na-ab-tum, azag--, her beloved house, in Ur. The 25th year of Gungunu king of Larsa is dated from the construction of E-gi-na-ab-tum azag of nannar (= Entreput sacre: sutummu, according to Th. D.) For the life of Gungunu, king of Ur, En-anna-tum high priest of Nannar at ur, son of Ishme Dagan, king of Sumer and Akkad, has built E-gi-na-ab-tum azagga H.C. R1 No. 114. |
![]() | 15684 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cone. Fragment. RIU.115: Sumuilum. |
12570 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cone. (Warad-Sin or Rim-Sin). Fragment. Part of 14 lines. Partly identical with R1U 130. (Perhaps identical inscription? But RIU 130, 10 is different in one sign; and present inscription is from first or incomplete column of stem (and corresponding part of R1U 130 is from a second column (of head?). HC 116 | |
![]() | 11692 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cone. Fragment. Inscribed on head. Has beginning of 3 lines of a King of Larsa. |
![]() | 11609A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cones (fragmentary) Sumuilum=RIU 115 PG part of inscription var. as U. 7777 on head. Another PG on head. |
![]() | 11609B | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cones (fragmentary) Sumuilum=RIU 115 PG part of inscription var. as U. 7777 on head. Another PG on head. |
![]() | 11608A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cones. Fragmentary PG most of the insc. on stem. Sumuilum=RIU 114; Another PG Most of the insc. on stem; Another PG Part of the insc. on head & stem. 1. 10 mu-un-n(a |
![]() | 11608B | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cones. Fragmentary PG most of the insc. on stem. Sumuilum=RIU 114; Another PG Most of the insc. on stem; Another PG Part of the insc. on head & stem. 1. 10 mu-un-n(a |
![]() | 11608C | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cones. Fragmentary PG most of the insc. on stem. Sumuilum=RIU 114; Another PG Most of the insc. on stem; Another PG Part of the insc. on head & stem. 1. 10 mu-un-n(a |
7967 | (none) | 1928,1009.256 | (none) | Copper dagger. Straight sided with rectangular end returning to tang wherein 3 rivets. The blade thickened to the centre, but no rib [Type] II | |
6496 | (none) | 1927,0527.98 | (none) | Copper dagger. [drawing 1:2] | |
16770 | (none) | 1931,1010.294 | (none) | Copper pan. Type _. [drawing] | |
![]() | 18628 | (none) | 1933,1013.10 | (none) | Copper statuette of a woman standing with hands roun in the attitude of prayer: her hair is done in a heavy shignon and she wears a long flounced dress. In catalog. [drawing] |
7000 | (none) | (none) | B16309 | Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Rampant lion attacked by two heroes - (like Gilgamesh) 2 posts (supports for emblems) | |
![]() | 13085 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylindrical fragment. |
593B | (none) | (none) | (none) | Eleven fragments. Mixed in period. See also U.727 - 30. Placed in Packing Case D. | |
394 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Frag of tablet. Dated. 1st year of Sin-idi(nnam), king of Larsa. | |
![]() | 1355 | (none) | (none) | B15614, B15614 | Fragment from top of stem of large clay cone apparently of (Nur)-Adad, King of Ur and Larsa. Ends of 8 lines. P. |
![]() | 1198 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment from upper part of a tablet with portions of 8 lines of accounts. About period of First Dynasty of Babylon. |
![]() | 3263 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of 2 Columns (?) Inscription. Bluish stone (soapstone?) About BC 2100. H.C. |
![]() | 6958 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of a 2 column clay tablet. Chronological list of the kings of Larsa :Sin-eribam, Sin-igisham, Silli-Adad, 2nd Warad-Sin's five years of reign. Probably down to Samsuilina king of Babylon. H.C. |
655A | (none) | (none) | B14974 | Fragment of a bowl with fine white limestone, virtually marble; rather more than 1/2 preserved. Flat base. (below) RC.19L. [drawing] | |
![]() | 6362 | (none) | (none) | B16207, B16207 | Fragment of alabaster vase. To Ningal, his lady, for the life of Sumuili, the mighty man, king of Ur?(P/16207) H.C. E |
Location | Context Title | Context Description | Description (Modern) |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | House IV | Excavation designation in area AH mostly covering No. 1 Old Street but likely containing parts of No. 7 Church Lane as well. | (none) |
![]() | House III | Excavation designation for a portion of area AH that was eventually published as No. 1 Church Lane and No. 1 Straight Street. It was also called the Pa-Sag or Hendur-Sag chapel. This space was identified as a neighborhood or wayside chapel at the NW edge of Carfax. | (none) |
![]() | House II | Excavation house designation on the northwest side of Straight Street (originally called Division Street because it divided the initial excavation units of House I, II, and III). This unit may have initially contained some rooms in No. 3 Straight Street. | (none) |
![]() | House I | Excavation house designation on the southeast side of Straight Street (originally called Division Street as it divided the first excavation house designations I, II, and III). This unit covered published houses No.2 and No. 4 Straight Street. | (none) |
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Related Terms
Ubaid - Uruk - Jemdat Nasr - Early Dynastic / Sumerian - Akkadian Dynasty - Guti/Post Akkadian - Ur III - Middle Assyrian - Kassite - Neo-Assyrian - Neo-Babylonian - Achaemenid Empire (Persian) - Seleucid - Parthian