Old Babylonian

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

U Number	Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number)	Museum Number (BM Registration Number)	Museum Number (UPM B-number)	Description (Catalog Card)
13008	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Broken with case (in box).
13023	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Contract (broken) and one fragment.
13071	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Contract. (brick) and fragments of case in box.
13073	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet fragment.
13074	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet contract? Broken.
13081	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Minute business note.
13085	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylindrical fragment.
13103	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Contract complete.
13108	31-16-358	(none)	(none)	Brick. Contains all the inscription (19? Lines), which is however badly defaced. Apparently completes the fragments RIU 120 and U.11662. (Sin-idinnam) (which are half-bricks).
13601	(none)	(none)	(none)	Clay cone. Fragmentary inscription. New. Authorship unknown. Probably Larsa period. HC.1929/30-2
13812	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Fragment. Perhaps similar date with 13811
13927	(none)	(none)	(none)	Seal impresssions. 2 fragments. UET V: 18)
15023A	(none)	(none)	(none)	[A] Clay Cone (fragment) Silli-Adad =Brick Inscription RI U121 with 2 variants in the orthography. [B] Also another piece found later perhaps from the same.
15023B	(none)	(none)	(none)	[A] Clay Cone (fragment) Silli-Adad =Brick Inscription RI U121 with 2 variants in the orthography. [B] Also another piece found later perhaps from the same.
15025	(none)	(none)	(none)	Clay cone. Sumuilum (fragment) =RIU 114
15050	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Private letter. Of Bab. I period.
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]
15071	(none)	(none)	(none)	Clay cone. Fragment. A Larsa king, unidentified or new. HC.18
15085	(none)	(none)	(none)	"Spindle whorl" Fragment of contract & envelope (Larsa period).
15088	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Semitic letter (Larsa?)
15089	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Semitic letter (Larsa?)
15091	(none)	(none)	(none)	Tablet. Semitic letter (Larsa)

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25 of 1672 Objects

Locations: Old Babylonian Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Context Title	Context Description	Description (Modern)
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)
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 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)