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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3581 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3582 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3583 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3584 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3586 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3587 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3589 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3591 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 7080A | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.7070-U.7145 were duplicated with the duplicates assigned to tablets from Season 4 found in areas KP, EH, and possibly HT (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). The duplicates have been given the subletter A in this database while the original object from the catalog card retains the number without subletter (unless the original catalog card held multiple objects, in which case those are given appropriate subletters and the tablet takes the next in the sequence). |
| 7138B | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.7070-U.7145 were duplicated with the duplicates assigned to tablets from Season 4 found in areas KP, EH, and possibly HT (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). The duplicates have been given the subletter A in this database while the original object from the catalog card retains the number without subletter (unless the original catalog card held multiple objects, in which case those are given appropriate subletters and the tablet takes the next in the sequence). |
| 7038A | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.7033-U.7064 were duplicated with the duplicates assigned to tablets from Season 5. They were originally part of U.7839, a large group of tablets found in Area SM (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). They were later given individual numbers that were believed to fall between Seasons 4 and 5, but ended up duplicating numbers assigned to objects from Season 4. The duplicates have been given the subletter A (or additional subletter where multiple objects were indicated on the original card) in this database while the original object from the catalog card retains the number without subletter (or the original subletters assigned on the card). |
| 17236 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Macehead [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card] |
| 16543 | 31-43-274 | (none) | (none) | Mace head, diorite (see U.16544) Dedicated to Pa-sag HC.30/III,7. |
| 18175 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Inscribed cone. Fragment of. From a large cone of the Larsa type: only part of one side of the stem found. |
| 15066A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Group (A) Brick =RIU 119 + 12570 (HC. 1928/9 - 115) lines 1-15 slightly completing lines 14 & 15 (B) Also another fragment of same (not preserved). (C) Another small frgment (not preserved) (D) Another fragment slightly completing 12570 line 17-19 & 24. HC.13 [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card] |
| 15066B | (none) | (none) | (none) | Group (A) Brick =RIU 119 + 12570 (HC. 1928/9 - 115) lines 1-15 slightly completing lines 14 & 15 (B) Also another fragment of same (not preserved). (C) Another small frgment (not preserved) (D) Another fragment slightly completing 12570 line 17-19 & 24. HC.13 [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card] |
| 15066C | (none) | (none) | (none) | Group (A) Brick =RIU 119 + 12570 (HC. 1928/9 - 115) lines 1-15 slightly completing lines 14 & 15 (B) Also another fragment of same (not preserved). (C) Another small frgment (not preserved) (D) Another fragment slightly completing 12570 line 17-19 & 24. HC.13 [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card] |
| 15066D | (none) | (none) | (none) | Group (A) Brick =RIU 119 + 12570 (HC. 1928/9 - 115) lines 1-15 slightly completing lines 14 & 15 (B) Also another fragment of same (not preserved). (C) Another small frgment (not preserved) (D) Another fragment slightly completing 12570 line 17-19 & 24. HC.13 [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card] |
| 11677 | (none) | 1927,0527.24a | (none) | Fragment of Statue(?) Diorite inscribed. |
| 3355 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of inscribed slab. Black diorite. Royal inscription? king of Larsa? H.C. |
| 6973 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of clay cone. King of Larsa (?) Incomplete. Same as U.3267, U.6310. H.C. E. |
| 6740 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of Clay Cone of Enannatum. To Babbar for the life of Gungunu Col. 1-11. 5-11. H.C. |
| 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 |
| 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] | |
| 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. |
| Location | Context Title | Context Description | Description (Modern) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 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