Early Dynastic Incantations

[us4-he2-gal2]

Aus Fara und Ebla

Introduction: The Early Dynastic Incantations are the oldest written incantations inside and outside the field of Sumerology, and therefore their contents provide a rare glimpse into the concept and practice of magic at a very early stage. These archaic texts, which mainly have as their function the curing or avoiding of illness, could do much in illuminating the development of Mesopotamian Magic.. and by loose extension, aspects of the western magic tradition at large. However the limitations of the material in both archaeological fact and original form, should first be acknowledged.


Archeology discovery: Dating to approximately 2600 B.C., as Cunningham describes, there are 46 Incantations from the Early Dynastic period, 19 are from Sumer proper (primarily Šuruppak, also Lagash) and 24 written in Sumerian and Semitic are from Ebla, an ancient city in the north-west of modern Syria. (The presence of different types of text in Ebla that must have originated in the south, suggests to scholars that there was a strong Sumerian influence on the Eblaites in this period and the materials at hand help to confirm this.) The three tablets from Šuruppak which contain 16 incantations between them, are now housed in the Vorderasiatisches Museumwere. They were first examined in Deimals 1923 "Schultexte aus Fara" and so are tablets likely to have been excavated from that location in 1902-3 by a German expedition led by R. Koldewey. The Ebla corpus is first edited in ARET 5 (Archivi reali di Ebla) by D. O Edzard 1984, focusing on tablets excavated by the Italians in the 60s and 70s from Ebla (modern Tell Mardikh.) Incantations from both locals are frequently found on what is termed 'compendium tablets', that is, large tablets featuring multiple incantation texts. As an example, I have added a picture below of ARET 5 19 which is a compendium tablet containing 12 incantations (with thanks to Cdli):

Original form: As can be seen above, these incantations are typically short and are written in what has been described as 'cryptic and abbreviated' language, a brevity which is generally contrasted by later incantations. The only extensive attempts at translation of these these texts are made by Manfield Krebernik and given in his 1984 work "Die Beschwörungen aus Fara und Ebla. Untersuchungen zur ältesten keilschriftlichen Beschwörungsliteratur (=TSO 2)" (ISBN: 3487074796). That almost all available translations of the incantations from Fara and Ebla are localized in one German work is a considerable hurdle for the interested (English) layman, and even then Krebernik's translations are to be considered provisional. Geller notes about the work: "despite Krebernik's sober attempts at plausible translations, much of the terminology and contextual meanings of the passages remains obscure." But even these hesitations should not obscure that this word does indeed hold some intrigue: there are theological curiosities to consider such as the early goddess of magic Ningirima (who is all but forgotten in later periods), Enlil as the senior god in the earliest divine dialogues, and that some incantations here even suggest Enki as a bringer of illness. Three of the early incantations relate to the founding of temples, and the ideas of purity and of the reed and tamarisk as divine purifiers are attested already here. The differences between demonology from this period to the next is also quite pronounced and Geller comments (BAOAS 1987): "The paucity of demons [may] reflect the type of incantations which appear in Ebla and Fara, namely, predominantly 'snake' incantations (presumably against snake-bite) and so-called kultmittel-beschwörungen (Falkenstein, LSS NF1 76 ff.)." To simplify this statement, Geller is saying these incantations focus primarily on curing or avoiding illness often caused by the snake/snake-bite, and/or often feature kultmittel-beschworungen (basically praise of divine purifiers - in this period that is either the reed or the tamarisk.)

- In addition to the English translations I hope to make available below in the upcoming weeks, I can recommend the ePSD as an online source for Kreberniks transliterations. See this url

- Also many transliterations are available on the relevant CDLI entries, which are mapped out in the "Early Dynastic Incantation Catalogue" here

cheers.

[us4-he2-gal2]

TEXT 17
MUS# AO 03866
(aka CIRPL URN 49)
Cdli entry P222388

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The line art shown below is available from CDLI:

This text is unusual amongst the Early Dynastic incantations for a number of reasons, it is one of two incantations attested from Lagash in this period, and one of only three having functions related to temple foundation. The incantation is found on a diorite plaque that is categorized as a Urnanše royal inscription, although this tablet contains different types of material. I am unclear at this point why it is sometimes designated as well "CIRPL URN 49". The incantation itself occupies columns 1 and 2 of the plaque and Cunningham 1997 gives the following description (pg.22):

"Temple foundation is attested in "Texts 7, 17 and 18...Text 17 is better preserved: it begins the Urnanše inscription - possibly a practice piece - which concludes with a passage identifying Urnanše and the temple he has founded. It consists of incantation like praise of reeds which presumably featured in the founding of the temple. More specifically, it may have been used in connection with the opening of the mouths of the temples divine statues, given its similarities to first millennium ka dūh incantations."

Notice Cunningham uses the term 'incantation like' and so this categorization of the text is questionable. This incantation is one of those related to kultmittel-beschworungen (praise of divine purifiers) in this case the reed. In his 1986 article "Urnanše's Diorite Plaque" Jacobsen wrote about this specimen, and in referring to the columns containing the incantation material, he explains: "Col. i:1, the term gi "reed" must here be understood as generic. It is not an single reed but the species reed generally that is addressed. The address itself corresponds closely to what Falkenstein termed "Kultmittelgebete" and is intended to enhance the powers inherent in reed, make the reeds that used in the construction settle in place, and to prepare them for their role in the ritual connected with building."

Cunnningham gives a more recent translation, p.29 -
"Text 17 relates the reed primarily to Enki and his domain below the temporal world but also features references to its roots and branches. Thus the incantation begins:

col.i
1. gi-kug
2. gi-giš-gi-engur
3. gi pa-zu5
4. su4-su4
5. úr-zu
col. ii
1: [supd<sup>]en-ki
2. ki u-gál
3. pa-zu5
4. ud-sudx(ŠUD3) mu-DU

____

col. i
1 Pure reed,
2. reed of the reed-thicket of the engur,
3. reed, your branches
4. flourish
5. After your roots
col. ii
1. Enki
2. had set in the underworld,
3. your branches
4. he made you bear perpetually.

(note: Jacobsen translates a further 5 lines in col. ii which read 5-9 "your beard, - very lapis lazuli, brought, O reed, from the mountain crests, may you be settling down, Or reed, in a lord's place, a prince's place!")




** Update Feb 9:


After making this post I noticed subsequently that Peeter Espak deals directly with Urn 49 in his discussion of the Reeds of Enki. (see page 44 of his master's thesis "Ancient Near Eastern Gods Enki and Ea..."). In addition to some interesting commentary the author gives a modern translation of cols i, ii and include iii which I'll add below for comparision with the above.


Col. i
Pure reed!
Reed of the canebrake of Engur!
Reed, your top (arms)
are growing.
Your root
col. ii
Enki
(in) the earth has placed.
Your top
when (I) bless,
your beard
(is) lapis-lazuli,
brought from the mountain crests.
Reed, Enki and Nunki gods
may (they) make good (for you)
col. iii
Enki,
the decision / prognostics
let speak out!
(the pure corner upright (?))
its praise.
Enki the circle
has cast.</sup>

[sheshki]

Text 11 (= Krebernik no.4)
Mus# VAT 12524
CDLI no. P010631

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*

Translitation from ePSD:

col. iv
line 1. 'EN.'E-nu-ru IM(LAK 376)-u5 mu-kéš
line 2. IM-mir mu-kéš
line 3. idigna kuš-nag e-kéš
line 4. su-bar!(Aš) nam-lú ki-gig e-kéš
line 5. IM-u5 mu-kéš-gim
line 6. IM-mir mu-kéš-gim
line 7. idigna kuš-nag e-kéš-g[im]
line 8. ka ki-gig
col. v
line 1. ku4-g[im] h[é]-``e?'

Line #'s	In German	In English
1	En2-e2-nu-ru Der Südwind ist gebunden,	En2-e2-nu-ru the southwind is bound,
2	der Nordwind ist gebunden,	the northwind is bound
3	die Krankheit ist im Körper	the sickness is inside the body
4	(und 'Selbst') des Menschen gebunden.	(and 'self') of men is bound.
5-6-7	translation not given	-,
8/9	.., so die Krankheit zum Munde (wie sie hereinkam) herausgehen	…,so may the sickness go out of the mouth (as it came in).

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Us4-he2-gal2 notes:

line 3: Cunningham 1997 pg. 32 translates this line as "Tigris(-water) bound in a drinking-pouch." It therefore seems 'idigna kuš-nag' is interpreted quite differently by Krebernik and Cunningham and while "body" and "drinking-pouch" might be semantically linked, I dont understand how idigna is intrepreted variously 'sickness' or "tigris(-water)". Idigna was in some places the name for the Tigris however, and at least in later texts was written with the determinitve for river (id2).
line 4: This line seems particularly difficult. Veldhuis 2006 states this incantation features "North wind, South wind and the body (su-bar) of a man." In fact su-bar does appear in line 4. Su-bar lu2 can be read "the body of the man", but our text here states "su-bar!(Aš) nam-lú" - nam-lú more broadly denoting mankind ("Menschen.") So what seems to result is the ackward "(and 'self') of men is bound". Cunningham looks around this difficulty by simply giving a translation of "illness bound in a man" for this line; yet he may be more accurate, I would think, as this at least seems to account for the addition of ki-gig 'sickness' in this line. Suppose we'll need to wait for a philological opinion.
lines 5,6,7- - Krebernik doesnt give a translation for lines 5-6-7 perhaps because (as you might see on the above translitation) these lines are nearly a repeat of lines 1-2-3.. with the exception than an adverb(?) is added : gim. (possibly gin7?). Perhaps this addition might subtly alter the reading for example emphasizing past tense or some such. Something else to follow up.

If some of Cunninghams distinctions might be upheld, it would loosely form this reading:

1. Enenuru - the southwind is bound,
2. the northwind is bound,
3. Tigris(-water) bound in a drinking-pouch
4. illness bound in a man (in mankind).
5/6/7: (read heard a near repeat of lines 1/2/3)
7/8: ]…,so may the sickness go out of the mouth (as it came in).

Based on his interpretations, Cunningham suggests this incantation is an example of a "formula of analogy." that is to say, there is a magical connection between the tigris water and the sickness of the man. The author suggests that as the incantation was closed with the request "may the sickness go out," tigris water was poured out from the drinking pouch "with the illness being envisaged as doing likewise from the invalid's body." I would venture that the southwind and the northwind are blamed as the carrier of the disease, and the supposed inhalation of these may reflect in the final line as well "go out the mouth (as it came in)." As these are given as bound so is the water within the pouch, the sickness in the man - all to be poured out at once.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Veldhuis A
2 Mus. no: MRAH O.1920
Cdli entry P272783

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Veldhuis B
2 Mus. no: MRAH O.1920
Cdli entry P272783

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In an article "Another Early Dynastic Incantation" Niek Veldhuis presents a tablet containing two incantations not found within the Cunningham catalogue (presumably these tablets were examed after that work was published.) Based on some philological deliberations, Veldhuis suggests a dating for this tablet of the EDIIIa period, a "little later" then the incantations from Fara; no provenience is available for the tablet however.


Veldhuis A


col.i
1. en2-e2-nu-ru
2. an-na IM mu-zi
3. ki saÌar mu-zi o
4. imu5 mu-zi
5. immir mu-zi
6. I.IGI.MA. gale
col.ii
1. dal-Ìa-mun
2. mu-zi
3. su-bar lu2
3. mu-zi
4. utu lu2 Ìe2-DU
5. ^dnanna lu2 Ìe2-DU
6. eme-gal2 inim
mulx(AN.AN)
7. ^den-ki
col.iii
1. lugal dingir abzu
2. lu2 Ìe2-DU
3. imu5
4. immir
5. I.IGI.MA.
6. dal-Ìa-mun
7. su-bar lu2
8. igi-na mu-bar
9. ^dMA-gu10
10 a-zu5
col.iv
1. e-tax(TAgunû)-e3
2. UD.KA du11-ga
3. ^dnin-girimx(BU.KU6.DU)


Translation:


In heaven a wind arose,
on earth dust swirled;
south wind rose,
north wind rose;
gale
and dust storm
arose;
the body of a man
arose.
May Utu come to? the man.
May Nanna come to? the
May the eloquent, of
brilliant speech,
Enki,
king, god of the Abzu,
come to? the man.
He (they?) saw south wind,
north wind,
gale
dust storm
and the body of the man.
My MA-god,
the physician,
came out.
Incantation
of Ningirim.




Veldhuis B

reverse col.i
1. ^dinanna ku3
2. u2
? den-lil2
3. an-gal2-x
4. kur bad3
5. imu5
6. immir
7. I.IGI.MA.
8. dal-Ìa-mun
9. ku6 muÒen-gin7

col.ii
1. su-bar lu2
2. igi-na mu-bar
3. ^dMA-na
4. a-zu5
5. e-tax(TAgunû)-e3
6. UD.KA du11-ga
7. ^dnin-girimx(BU.KU6.DU)


Translation:


Holy Inanna
and ? Enlil
were present
and saw in the high
mountains
south wind,
north wind,
gale,
dust storm,
–like fishes and birds–
and the body of the man.
His MA god,
the physician,
came out.
Incantation
of Ningirim.

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Notes:

Veldhuis States:
"The text shares phraseology with the incantations
number 4 and 5 in Krebernik 1984, which both deal
with north wind, south wind, and the body (su-bar) of
a man........ An Ur III incantation that includes some of
the same phraseology was recently published by van
Dijk and Geller 2003, no. 9."


We have posted Krebernik #4 above (Text 11) and
the same three elements do feature in both incantations:
thats is north wind, south wind and the body of the man.
Interestingly, in the Fara version, these are "bound" seemingly
in the body of patient. In Veldhuis' incantation these same
elements seem risen, or to have arisen, but are once more defined in the same physical space together.

On reviewing van Dijik/Geller 2003, despite some similiar
phraseology, there seems to be little conceptual similiarity.

[amarsin]

Re your first text, CIRPL URN 49, you note, "I am unclear at this point why it is sometimes designated as well 'CIRPL URN 49.'" CIRPL is the abbreviation for Sollberger's Corpus inscriptions 'royales' présargoniques de Lagaš. The designation URN=Ur-Nanše, and the 49 is the number of the text as arranged by Sollberger. In this case, CIRPL URN 49 appears on page 7 of the book.

My adviser always called it so it sounded like "Chirple" but I could never figure out why. Or maybe I was just mishearing the perfectly normal "Cirple"?

[sheshki]

[Text 13(= Krebernik no.6)
Mus# [color-brown]VAT 12597[/color]
CDLI no. P010644

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Translitation from ePSD:


'EN.'E-nu-ru
col. vi
2. am-`UR
3. am-NE
4.den-l'il
5. g'a-k`u den-l'il
6. N'IG TUR KA an-DU.DU
7. $`a-zu-gal kul-ab a TU6 RU-da
8. DAG.'E.NUN an-da-DU

col. vii
1. munus NE me-a bal tab
2 .h'e-ta-`e
3. nita NE me-a illar tukul
4. h'e-ta-[`e]
5. nin-`MU$'.DU.HA.A KA.`U4'-du11-ga h'e
6. MUNSUB ga-gim GU4.GU4
7. ga-gim HA.HA
8. MUNSUB e-e11
9. u4 e-e11-da

col. viii
1. a-s`ur
2. s`ur e-s`i-gim
3. a-e e-s`i-gim
4. a-sug-ku4-gim e-balag

[/size][/color][/td][td] In German [/td][td] In English

[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Die (im Gespann) letzten (?) und [/td][td] the(in the team) last(?)and[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]ersten (?) Stiere/ Kühe [/td][td] first(?) bulls/cows[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Enlils gehen (oder werden gebracht?, vgl. Anm 17) [/td][td] of Enlil are going (or are brought? Vgl.Anm.17)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]ausgespannt (?) in den reinen Stall Enlils. [/td][td] unharnessed(?) into the clean stable of Enlil.
[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Die grosse Hebamme von Kulaba ging, [/td][td] the great midwife of Kulaba went,[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]um die Beschwörung ins Wasser zu 'wehen'/'werfen' [/td][td] to “blow”/”throw” the conjuration into the water[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]ins DAG.É.NUN [/td][td] into DAG.É.NUN[/td][/tr]
col.[/color=Beige]ii[/color]
[tr][td]Wenn (das Kind) weiblich ist, [/td][td] if (the child) is female,[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-5 [/td][td]möge (sie, nämlich die 'grosse Hebamme'?) [/td][td] may (she,namely the great midwife?)[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-5 [/td][td]Spindel und Nabel (?). [/td][td] spindle and navel (?),[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-5 [/td][td]daraus hervorgehen lassen; (aus dem DAG.É.NUN ?) [/td][td] let emerge out of it(out of DAG.É.NUN)[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-5 [/td][td]Ningirima möge die Beschwörung (daraus hervorgehen lassen?) [/td][td] may Ningirima the conjuration (let emerge

out of it?)[/td][/tr]
[tr]6-8 [/td][td]Das Blut floss/fliesst herab. [/td][td] the blood flowed/flows down.[/td][/tr]
[tr]9[/td][td]Nachdem/Wenn es herabgeflossen ist/ herabfliesst. [/td][td] after/when it flowed down/flows down.[/td][/tr]
col. iii
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]Wie Wassergraben - Wasser, [/td][td] like ditches-water,[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]das den Wassergraben füllt, [/td][td] that fills the ditches,[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]wie Kanal-Wasser, [/td][td] like canal water,[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]das den Kanal füllt, [/td][td] that fills the canal[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]wie in einen See mündendes [/td][td] like water that flows[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]Wasser scholl/schwillt [/td][td] into a lake[/td][/tr]
[tr]1-4 [/td][td]es an. [/td][td] it swelled/swells.[/td][/tr]
[/table]

[us4-he2-gal2]

MUS# Bey 00-002
Cdli entry P274188

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Bey 00-002


A Possible ED Incantation from Tell Beydar?

At the DCSL, Bey 00-002, the text under consideration, is listed in the Pre-Sargonic / Periphery section here. It is a chunk of a once larger tablet containing Sumerian literary material and it was found at the ancient site of Nabada in Syria, known today as Tell Beydar. As with Ebla, the presence of Sumerian literary tablets in Syria, in ancient Semitic speaking cities, shows the early impact of Sumerian culture across a wide area of the ANE.


As the Wiki write up states, Nabada/Tell Beydar has been excavated for 16 seasons since 1992 by a joint Syrian and European team made up of the European Centre for Upper Mesopotamian Studies. This is explained in a less efficient way at the official site, Beydar.com .

see CDLI entry P274188

[/size]





Bey 00-002 was treated by Walther Sallaberger in 2004: the Sumerian Literary Text from Tell Beydar, a Myth of Enki?. (Subartu 12, 37-42.) As one might infer from the title of that article, the author thought that the text might be interpreted as a myth of Enki - but this is left a very open question and Sallaberger gives multiple readings and interpretations of the same text. Of course, ED literature is very difficult for anyone to read and understand. The text doesn't seem to have any direct parallels in existing ED literature or incantations (Sallaberger 2004:40) which is unfortunate as it may have helped with interpretation. So without further delay, I will type up Sallaberger's translation, and below this I will state why I think it may in fact be an incantation text:






Transliteration
(from CDLI - edited with corrections from Sallaberger 2004)



column 1
1. nam-nun#-ni
2. nam-nun-ni
3. sag nam-ma-x-dab5
4. nam-nun-ni
5. [x x]-_ma-[x]-a_
6. [...]
column 2
1. su me nu-me-a
2. sa me nu-me-a
3. {d}en-ki su me nu-me-a
4. sa me nu-me-a
5. AN a-NE ba-na-šum2
6. [...]
column 3
1. {d}en-ki me-lám
2. a-NE ba-i-i
3. geme2-kar-ke4
4. IL2-ta
5. {d}en-ki me-lám
column 4
1. {d}en-ki me-lám
2. a-NE ba-i-i
3. muš-lah5
4. é-simug-ta
5. {d}en-ki me-lám
6. [...]
column 5
1. [...]
2. _{d}en-[ki me-lám]
3. _a-NE [ba]-i-i
4. _nagar [...-ta_]
5. _{d}en-ki [me-lám]
6. [...]




Translation:


col.i
1. "His princeiness,
2. his princeliness,
3. the head has been seized here!
4. His princeliness,
5. [...]"

col.ii
1. "A body having no power,
2. sinews having no power
3. Enki, a body having no power,
4. sinews having no power,
5. above, this was given to him."

col.iii
1. "Enki, all splendor
2. has left him.
3. A harlot
4. (remote) from carrying,
5. Enki, [all] splendor
[...]"

col.iv
1. "Enki, all splendor
2. has left him.
3. A snake charmer,
4. (remote) from the smith's house,
5. Enki, [all] splendor
[...]"

col.v
1. [...]
2. "Enki, all splendor
3. has left him.
4. A carpenter [from...]
5. Enki, [all] splendor
[...] "








Reasons why this seems like an incantation/





Sallaberger seems to have given the possibility of the text being an incantation serious thought - the fact that there is no en2-e2-nu-ru incantation rubric convinces him that it isn't. It is true that all incantations from this period (those from Fara and Ebla) begin with this standard rubric, however, that an exception may occur seems conceivable - Lambert noted that in the Akkadian and Ur III periods the rubric is occasionally lacking (Lambert 2005:93 in Proceedings of the 51st Recontre Assyriologique internationale...)


Despite that Enki seems not to have been senior god of Early Dynastic divine dialogues (see this thread), the nature of the information reported to the god reminds one of those classic sequences in Mesopotamian incantation literature. Column 1 / l. 2 reports that the head (of the patient?) was seized, and this a known expression, from later incantations at least, indicating illness caused by the seizing action of a demon.


Perhaps column 2 has the most interesting phraseology - Sallaberger himself points out that: "the pair su (or, more caustiously, SU) "flesh, body" [and] sa "sinews, vessels" is known from Sumerian incantations describing the complete body of the patient (cf. Cabigneaux/ al-Rawi 1993, 204)." So what we have here begins to sound like the words of the exorcist - further, in the opening of the OB Udug-hul series, the exorcist explains his procedure for examining a man stricken by demons:


(From Geller 1985, FAOS 12)
6. [The great lord Enki has sent] me.
7. It [is I who was approaching the sick man],
8. when I [entered his house]
9. and it was I who [placed my hand upon his head]
10. [and was carefully] examining [the sinews of (his) limbs],
11. and I who [recreated the incantation of Eridu for him].





In the end, the text can be read in other ways than that given in the above translation, whereby it doesn't resemble an incantation text in the same way. There is no truly solid ground to stand on when interpreting such a rare piece, but perhaps that's also what makes it so interesting. It might be an incantation and so I have posted it here.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Text 8 (= Krebernik no.1)
Mus# VAT 12524; TM 75 G 1619; TM 75 G 1722
CDLI no. P010644

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~~~ After considerable distraction, enenuru returns to ED incantations - celebrating Krebernik's great achievements and assisting the English reader.

****Special thanks to Sheshki for his assistance and natural German expertise ä ö ü

Transliteration from VAT 12524

'EN.'E-nu-ru


g'ir AB [(x)]


si ùri


an-dar


Ša kù-gi-gi


eme mu EDIN! gim a `x'


kas ba-DU


KA.UD-du₁₁-ga


^dnin-DU.MUŠ.ḫA.A

Fara-Version: “Skorpion … (des Heiligtums? ) – ‘Hörner’ und (?) ‘Standarte’ sind abgetrennt, der Leib ist Gold, ‘Zunge’ und körpermitte (?) sind wie sein Arm(?) (mit Hand)”.


“Scorpion..(of the Sanctuary?) - horns and standard are severed,
the body is gold, tongue and abdomen(?) are like his arm (with Hand).”






Ebla Version: “Subaräischer (?) Skorpion – sein ‘Schwanz’ ist abgetrennt, sein Leib ist Gold, seine ‘Zunge’ und sein Leib sind wie Hand und Arm”.


“Subarian(?) scorpion - his `tail´ is severed, his body is gold, his ´tongue´ and his body is like hand and arm.”

[us4-he2-gal2]

Text 9 (= Krebernik no.2)
Mus# VAT 12597
CDLI no. P010644

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Translation from VAT 12597

EN.'E-nu-ru


nu-MU/MU(dah)


dnin-MUš.DU.HA.A `mu'-gir3-gir3


ub anše 4-ba


gigir ab50 ba


^dNE.DAG


e2-DAR na


ha-mu-ta-TAG


KA.UD-du11-ga-^dnin-MUš.DU.HA.a

a) Ningirima slipped into…(?)

b) By its 4 corners are donkeys
By its 50 (window-) openings are carts.

(“Another possibility: …on the donkeys by its 4 corners, on the carts by its 50 (window) openings.”)


c) d.NE.DAG let from the… -House (perhaps: colorful, gun3) the ban emerge.




a) Ningirima schlüpft(e) ins … (?)



b) “An seinen 4 Ecken sind Esel,
an seinen 50 (Fenster-) öffnungen sind Wagen.”


(Another possibility: …auf die Esel an seinen 4 Ecken, auf die Wagen an seinen 50 (Fenster-) öffnungen.”)


c) d.NE.DAG lasse aus dem … -Haus (vielleicht: bunten, gun3) den Bann hervorgehen.”

[us4-he2-gal2]

Text 9 (= Krebernik no.3)
Mus# VAT 12597
CDLI no. P010644

---

Transliteration from VAT 12597:

ÉN.É-nu-ru


é-kù


é-kù-dnin-MU$.HA.A.DU


DIB É.NUN


GIŠ MI KISAL mes ŠUL


ig igi-bur sur-sur


gudu4-dnin-MUŠ.HA.A.DU


muš KA ma-lá


gìr kun ma-tar


KA.U4-du11-ga


dnin-MUŠ.DU.HA.A

English Translation:


In the pure house, in the pure house of Ningirima,
on the threshold of E2.NUN, that is (made) of young MI.PAR4 and mes-wood
at the door, that limits [obscures] the view,
has the purification priest of Ningirima (or the purification priestess of Ningirima) bound the the mouth
(or the teeth) of the snake for me,
has cut the tail of the scorpion for me.



Krebernik:


“ Im reinen Haus, im reinen Haus der Ningirima,
auf der Schwelle des E2.NUN , die von jungem MI.PAR4 – und mes-Holz ist,
an der Tu^r, die den Blick abgrenzt(?),
hat der Reinigungspriester Ningirimas (oder: die Reinigunspriesterin Ningirima) der Schlange das Maul
(oder: den Zahn) fu^r mich (ma) ‘gebunden’,
dem Skorpion den Schwanz fu^r mich abgeschnitten.”

[goat]

Hi all. I'm not studying assyriology anymore, but when I was I spent much time contemplating these Sumerian incantation texts.

I haven't seen these texts before:
Veldhuis A
2 Mus. no: MRAH O.1920
Cdli entry P272783
Veldhuis B
2 Mus. no: MRAH O.1920
Cdli entry P272783

They interest me because of these lines:
7. su-bar lu2
8. igi-na mu-bar

Which I believe should be read: SU(sheg)-bar lu2 igi na-mu-bar. Notice I read igi na-mu-bar instead of igi-na mu-bar. And I read su-bar syllabically as shegbar which is a name for the a place within the absu from which the water called the a-gub3-ba (basically holy water) comes from. The line shegbar lu2 igi na-mu-bar "man must not look into the shegbar" is an invocation said over this water.

In reference to your Ur-Nanshe 49, take a look at these similar incantation texts about the reed used for purification.

These are OB texts…

VS 17,16
1. gi gal-bi (gi) gid2-da (gi) <gish>gi ku3-ga
2. gi bar gi a (gi) gub2-ba
3. gi zi gi du10 x […]
4. gi ∂nammu gi ∂x-[…]
5. gi ∂enki gi ∂asalluhi dumu ∂en-ki-ga
6. gi sikil na-de5-[ga? …]
7. geshtug-zu? he2-[…]
8. he2-ku3 he2-sikil he2-dadag
9. a-gub2-ba ∂nin-girima(HA.TAR…)
10. abgal ku3 shu sikil-la bi2-in-[bal?]
11. ka inim-ma gi SAH du10 a-gub2-ba-ka

Reed growing long greatly in the pure reed thicket,
BAR-reed, reed of the holy water
True reed, sweet reed…
Reed of ∂Nammu, reed of ∂…
Reed of Enki, reed of Asalluæi, son of Enki,
Pure reed, consecrated …
May your wisdom …
May (you) be holy, may (you) be pure, may (you) be shiny.
The holy water of Nin-girima
was drawn by the pure hands of the holy abgal.
Incantation of the sweet SAH-reed of the holy water.

VS 17, 17
1. gi sah du10 ku3-ga gi dadag-ge
2. gi en3-bar mu2-mu2 a-ab-ba-ke4
3. gi ambar i-da? ∂en-ki-ga-ke4
4. gi sah du10 na-de5-ga ambar-ra
5. gi ∂asal-lu2-hi x-x-bi-ke4
6. ki sikil-e x-ta
7. he2-ku3 he2-sikil he2-dadag
8. ka inim-ma gi sah du10 a-gub2-ba-kam

The sweet SAH-reed is holy, the reed is shiny,
The enbar-reed, caused to grow by the sea
The swamp-reed, caused to … by Enki
The sweet SAH-reed, consecrated in the swamp
The reed of Asalluhi …
The pure reed …
May it be holy, may it be pure, may it be shiny.
This is an incantation of the sweet SAH-reed of the holy water.

This is pretty late, from Shurpu tablet 9

Surpu IX

A 17. en2 gi ku3 gi sikil gi sha3-ga mu2-a // an-ta ba-mul ki-ta ba-mul
B 17. [ ] ku3 gi sikil sha3-ga mu2-a 17b. [ ]-mul ki-ta ba-mul
D 17. en2 gi ku3 gi [ ]
G 17. [ ] ku3 gi sikil [ ] 17b. [ ]-ta? ba-mul ki-ta? [ ]

A 18. an-ta ki-ta mul-mul bi2-ib2-si
B 18. [ ] mul-mul bi2-ib2-si
G 18a. [ ] ki-ta mul-mul? [ ]

A 19. an-ta si sa2 ∂utu-ke4 // ki-ta shu-luh shu-du7 ∂en-ki-ga-ke4
B 19. [ ] ∂utu-ke4 19b. [ ] ∂en-ki-ga-ke4
G 19. [ ] si? sa2 ∂[ ]19b. [ ]-luh? shu-du7 ∂en-ki-[ga]-keg

“Incantation: shiny reed, pure reed, which grows in the heart of the reed thicket.”
“ To the heavens (you) sparkle, to the Earth (you) sparkle”
“ (You) fill the Heavens and the Earth with starlight.”
“(You are) to the Heavens – the justice of Utu, (You are) to the Earth – the perfection of the hand-washing of Enki”

I think it is interesting that these texts stay so similar even though they were written over 1000 years apart.

The theme of some kind of an incantation to be said over some pant-like ritual implement which is said to extend into the multiple realms of heaven and earth isn't just limited to the reed, also check out these texts in reference to the shinig plant.

shinig in SF II – 71:

i1. ennurux(EN2.E2.NU.RU)

2. shinig gish an

3. u2-sikil pa-bi-ta

4. shinig ur2-zu5-ta

5. ∂en-lil2

6. nin-KID

7. e-ta-e3?

“incantation:
Tamarisk: plant of heaven,

The pure plant, by means of its branches (you) reach to Enlil,

Tamarisk, by means of your roots, (you) reach to Nin.KID.”

Krebernik, p.94-95, reads instead,“Tamarisk, from your roots onward, it is pure plant. Tamarisk, from your roots come forth Enlil and Ninlil.”


From Ebla:

Three parallel texts from Ebla (ARET V):

12.i1. <gish> shinig gish gi gish an
13.i1. <gish> shinig gish zi gish zi-kir
14.i1-2. <gish> shinig gish zi / gish zi-kir

12.i2-3. <gish> shinig ur2-pi ki-she3 / ∂en-ki ∂nin-ki
13.i2. <gish> shinig ur2-bi ∂en-ki ∂nin-ki
14.i3-ii1a. <gish> shinig ur2-bi / ∂en-ki / ∂nin-ki

12.ii3-iii1. pa-pi-ta / ∂GUDU4?.NUN / [x] KAR? ku3-la2
13.ii1. <gish> shinig gu2-da ∂en-lil2
14ii1b. <gish> shinig gu2-da-a ∂en-lil2

12.iii2-iv3. <gish> shinig / zi an zi ki / ASH ba4-ag2 zi ∂en-lil2 / x […] / zi ∂utu ASH ba4-ag2
13.iii2-3. <gish> shinig zi an zi ki / zi an ∂en-ki ∂nin-ki
14.ii2-3. <gish> shinig zi an zi ki / zi an ∂en-ki ∂nin-ki

“Tamarisk, plant of Earth (13/14: life), plant of heaven (13/14: pure plant)
“Tamarisk, it roots (go) to the earth, (to) enki and ninki”
“The tamarisk, by means of it’s branches (13,14: neck), (goes) to Enlil, (12 only: … Gula?)”
“Tamarisk, life of heaven, life of Earth, (Tamarisk) life of heaven (12: enlil), (life of) Enki and Ninki, (12only: life of Utu)”

Notes on syllabic readings: 1. (gi = ki, zikir = sikil, note sikil in SF71), 2. (pi = bi), 3. (pi = bi, da = ta, ku3-la = Gula?, or mistake for sikil-la?) Krebernik also considers that zikir may be the Semitic word zikaru, “male,” but the use of sikil in SF 71 to describe the tamarisk’s branches, makes that reading more likely.


An URIII period text:

shinig in URIII:

PBS 01/2 123:
obv.
1. ennurux(EN2.E2.NU.RU)
2. <gish>shinig gish gi
3. gish an ki sikil-le mu2-a
4. ur2 ku3-zu-she3? eren?-a?
5. pa-zu-she3 ha-shu-ur2
rev.
1. tu6?!(X.LI)-zu
2. ∂nin-girimax(A.BU.HA.NI.DU)-ma
3. abgal-e shu sikil?-la i3-ni-de6

incantation:
tamarisk, plant of earth,
plant of heaven, grown in the pure earth,
as for your roots, (they are as) wet cedar-wood
as for your branches, (they are as) hashhur-wood,
(This is) your incantation? Ningirima,
brought by the pure hand of the abgal

From Shurpu tablet 9:

Shurpu IX shinig texts:

A 1. en2 <gis> shinig gish ASH [ ]
B 1. en2 <gis> shinig gish ASH an edin-na mu2-a
D 1. en2 <gis> shinig gish ASH [ ]

A 2. pa-zu an-she3 [ ]
B 2. [ ]-zu an-she3 ur2-zu ki-she3
D 2. pa-zu an-she3 [ ]

A 3. pa-zu an-she3 [ ]
B 3. [ ]-zu an-she3 gish bur2-bur2-ru
D 3. pa-zu an-she3 [ ]

A 4. ur2-zu ki-she3 [ ]
B 4. ur2-zu ki-she3 te-me-en sig7-ga
D 4. ur2-zu ki-she3 te-me-[ ]

A 5. shab-zu [ ]
B 5. shab-zu digir-re-e-ne
D. 5. shab-zu digir-re-[ ]

A 6. pa sag-ba [ ]
B 6. [ ] sag-ba sag-ga2 a tu5-a
D 6. pa sag-ba sag-ga2 a tu5-[ ]

“Incantation: shinig, the one tree which grows in the high desert.”
“your branches (go up) to the heavens, your roots (go down) to the earth”
“your branches (which go up to) the heavens, (are) of the wood of undoing.”
“your roots (which go down) to the earth, (are of) a green foundation”
“your trunk (is of) the gods.”
“the top of your(its!) branches, the tops (are) of the washing water.”

Those are all my transliterations and translations.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Goat:




Welcome to enenuru! Just by way of explanation to other members, I have corresponded with Goat now and then over the years via email. Since he progressed so far in the exactly the sorts of materials which I find most interesting in this field, I freely admit that I'd hoped he might make an appearance here sometime



So to respond first to the suggestions you've made about the Veldhuis ED incantations (MRAH 0.1920). These texts are fascinating. The provenance of the tablet is unknown, however it matches the "Mesopotamian" textual tradition (this is, against what has been termed "Syrian" tradition of ED incantation i.e. a number of Semitic ED incantation texts from Ebla which lack the en2-e2-nu-ru and closing formula - Bonechi/Catagnoti 2008). While the closing formula for the ED incantations typically writes Ningirima's name with the MUŠ sign (KA+UD-du11-ga dnin-DU.MUŠ.A.HA) one ED incantation from Abu Salabikh substitutes the BU sign for MUŠ: UD-du11-ga (A).HA.BU.DU. I have wondered (but not demonstrated) whether the tablet MRAH 0.1920 may come from a certain sphere of scribal influence (i.e. Kish, Ebla, Abu Salabikh region) because Ningirima in the closing formula of these texts is also written with the BU sign: UD.KA du11-ga BU.KU6.DU.


Your willingness to re-analyze parts of this incantation is appreciated. The phrasing of Veldhuis' translation is highly evocative, you get this sense that a man is being lifted aloft into the presence of the gods by the northwind and southwind and there he is visited and perhaps cured of sickness by a mysterious god MA... so reading the English translation has always inspired my imagination. At the same time, because it seems so unusual for an ED incantation, one should be moved to question certain nuances. My feeling is that southwind is a negative force for health unless I am mistaken - this appears to be the case in the ED incantation published by Krebernik where southwind/northwind are bound up in the body along with sickness (BFE #4, see Feb. 14, 2008 this thread). I will email Enrique Jiménez this week about the subject, he is a Yale PhD student currently finishing his research work which is on the cardinal winds of Mesopotamia. Perhaps he will comment.


As for your suggestion about the reading of the col. iii lines 7,8 certainly interesting! The reading you suggest, something like 'man must not look into the šegbar" is known, of course, from literary texts such Enki's Journey to Nibru (l.47): šeg9-bar-ra lu2 igi nu-bar-re-dam "(Nudimmud)...lets nobody look into its (the šegbar's) midst" according to ETCSL. I am just getting to know Dr. Krebernik, but my impression is he enjoys talking over these sort of ideas and I've been planning on asking him about this incantation when an opportunity comes up. If you aren't overly secretive or what have you, I'd be happy to run this idea by him as a suggestion made by a friend, and see how he takes these lines. I don't think he has examined incantations extensively in some time, although he made another ED incantation available in 2009 which I will post about here soon, the one from Abu Salabikh.



Will post back soon about the second part of your post best regards.

[us4-he2-gal2]

An Update From Andrew George:

In April 2015, I attended a conference in Würzburg, Germany. The conferences was on Sources of Evil in Mesopotamian Incantation Literature (see here), and I have already made a small post about what was said about the name of Lamashtu one the following enenuru thread.

Andrew George gave a presentation on his ongoing work on the Mesopotamian incantations in the Schøyen collection. I was particularly intrigued to hear what he would say about his work on the Early Dynastic incantations that exist in that collection - while some 50 ED incantations have been available and published for the last 3 decades (mainly from M. Krebernik's pioneering dissertation work), the tablets in the Schøyen collection would increase the size of the ED incantation corpus by approximately one third. Hence they are very important and stand to redefine understandings of the genre.


One major change to the current understanding was highlighted by George. Based on the current corpus of texts it has been noted, but never explained, that Enki did not occupy his important role as patron of the exorcists in the ED period. At least, it is clear that when the texts feature the so called 'Marduk/Ea' formula in which a junior god approaches the wise senior god for ritual advice (when were what the actually exorcists carried out on the actual sick man/patient), it is Enlil who was cast in the role of senior god in the ED period; this is in stark contrast to later period when the same role is always carried out by Enki.




See the following link and thread for earlier notes on the Early Dynastic Patron of Magic and the formula in question:



www.enenuru.net/html/cuneiform_magic/anatomie_incant_uriii.htm


enenuru.proboards.com/thread/70/early-dynastic-patron-magic






So, now that the back story has been addressed, George's particular finding that was discussed in Würzburg was of an Early Dynastic incantation text, identified as "No. 1f vi" in the Schøyen collection, which does in fact feature Enki in his standard role as the senior god, the patron of magic in this period. George gives a transliteration and translation of the relevant lines (lines 10-12) as follows:


10. a-ni den-ki-šè lú mu-da-ra-šè-gi4
11. a-ne a-na nu-zu
12. gá a-na pàd

Translation: (A big snake slithered (up to) Asarre, the big snake produced venom.) "To his father Enki he sent a messenger (Enki answered him): 'What does he not know? What can I teach him?"

[hukkana]

Perhaphs I'm rather dense but what IS that update ? Cause there's nothing in your post.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Sorry Hakkuna - it is updated now

[us4-he2-gal2]

Hey all: I am posting here the enenuru periodical (i.e. my mass group e-mail) from 2016 - because this e-mail contained important updates concerning the state of the ED incantation corpus, I re-post it here for the sake of being complete.

---

e n e n u r u :







Writing to wish the community yet another happy birthday – yes, this month (or maybe it was last month) enenuru turned 9 years old! Last year was an adventurous year for me, I was in Germany for a time wherein the largest gathering of enenuru members ever occurred: Sheshki, Andrea, Darkl2030 and myself meet for a coffee (I may have mentioned this in another e-mail). Enenuru has become generally known among Assyriological students, I noted strong name recognition when I attended an Oxford students conference in 2015, at least among the handful of students I met. This is quite possibly because of the frequent google hits: when one googles something in Sumerian or Akkadian, enenuru is often among the results on the first page because of the significant amount of raw text that has been typed or pasted into the forum over the years; and when you google “mesopotamian magic” enenuru is the first result. The forum receives about 500-600 pageviews a day, although I’m not sure if this number is affected by visiting google bots etc.

As with every birthday address, I would like to make an update on a matter fittingly obscure: the publication of new Early Dynastic incantation texts. I have been waiting for this moment for many years! The last time a large corpus of such early incantations received treatment was 1984, when Krebernik published all relevant ED incantations available to him at that time.

enenuru.proboards.com/thread/72/early-dynastic-incantations

As for my personal wait, as early as April 27 2007 on the “pool the resources” thread, enenuru noted and regretted the fact that many ED incantations were locked off and inaccessible to scholarship in the private Schøyen collection in Oslo. In recent years, there have been stirrings that Andrew George may be taking steps to translate and publish these texts – and last year, July 12 2015, I made an update to the Early Dynastic Incantations thread (link above) after seeing Andrew George speak in Germany, and I also mentioned some earlier revelations in that post: namely, that one ED incantation from the Schøyen collection features Enki as the divine patron of magic, the advice giver, as he comes to be known in all later texts – against the typical and still inexplicable attestations of Enlil in this role in the early texts.
But today I finally have my hands on the finished printed version of CUSAS 32 Mesopotamian Incantations and Related Text in the Schøyen Collection, A.R. George 2016. I limit my comments to the ED portion of these texts, which are contained on three tablets, two of which are compendium tablets (containing multiple incantations) and one of which contains a single incantation:

Tablet 1 – MS 4549/1 – CDLI P25340 – 11 incantations
Tablet 2 – MS 4549/2 – CDLI P253641 – 1 incantation
Tablet 3 – MS 4550 – CDLI P253642 – 14? incantations

While we may justifiably be excited at the prospect of up to 26 new ED incantations (added to the approx. 50 extent ones), or at least I am, there is a bit of a let down here, unfortunately: George, noting the extreme difficulty of these texts and the length of time it would delay publication of the book to treat them all, opted to translate only 5, all stemming from tablet 1 (MS 4549/1). The poor condition of other compendium tablet possibly being another consideration. I am grateful to the author, of course, for pioneering the work and assisting future researchers who may be able to translate the remaining texts. The five ED incantations he does translate are somewhat difficult to locate in the book, but are treated on pages 78, 98, 100, 119, 121.

While all of these texts will likely receive attention on enenuru in the coming months, for now, text 1H (p. 121) has some fascinating religious and cosmological imagery. The following is George’s treatment of that text:



col. ix
3. én-é-nu-ru
4. šà-gig šà-ga-ni an-na-e-e
5. libiš-<gig> é:báḫar-nun-za-ku
6. ur-gin7 mu-da-BAD.BAD
7. šà-gig libiš-gig utu.AN.šè a-gá-lá šim-gin7
8. ma-ni-kéš
9. dnin-girimx(A.BU.HA.DU)
10. ki-a bí-duḫ
col x
1. šà-gig libiš-gig
2. izi ZI.ZI.A-gin7
3. ní-bi ḫé-te-PI
4. (5 x kas)



Translation: Enenuru-spell. Stomach-ache came forth against him, his insides. Baḫar-Enunzaku seized (?) the gut-[ache] like a dog. He bound stomach-ache and gut-ache to the sun like a sack of herbs. Ningirimma released (them) in the netherworld. Stomach-ache and gut-ache will die down of their own accord, like a fire in the rushes.

enenuru.proboards.com/thread/588/god-bahar-nun-har-ura

And so we see again Baḫar-Enunzaku, recently discussed at the thread above, wherein it was ascertained that this god was probably the titulary deity of the (currently unknown) location BÁHAR.É, attested already in the Archaic lists. Marchetti and Marchesi prefered to read the name as BÁHAR.É.NUN.ZA.TUŠ (as it is possible to read the value tuš for the final sign instead of ku) and so his name would then have meant either ‘divine potter dwelling in the stone house’ or perhaps ‘divine potter dwelling in the agrun’.

In several Ur III incantation texts Ni 2177, HS 1556, HS 2439, VAT 6082 this god is mentioned: in Ni 2177 he is called the lord of the išib craft (d[Baḫar]-UN-za-KU lugal-nam-išib-ba-ke4 ; Kramer translated “let the god ….[=Baḫar]-UN-za-KU, the king of the išib-ship, bring close to you his harmonious speech” ; Krispijn prefers: ‘Baḫaragrunzaku, the master of the office of incantation priest, has put his bilingual (spell) upon you’; in HS 1556 (Geller 2003 #14) the harmonious sounds / bilingual voice (variously interpreted) of this god are muted by a herald demon of Elam / are in combat with the herald demon of Elam (Geller 2003/ Krispijn 2008). Krispijn translates lines 134-135 of Enmerker and the Lord of Aratta as: “In the cellas [agrun.agrun.ba], where the holy song has been played, pronounce the spell of Nudimmud for him” (ibid). This is reminiscent to me of HS 1556, which features imagery of the lute and its strings relating, in some way, to Baḫar-enunzaku/tuš (again, his name may be translated ‘the divine potter dwelling in the agrun’ according to some interpretations). In HS 2439, the aid of Baḫar-enunzaku is requested along with that of Enki, Asarre and Ninšubar. In VAT 6082 (= Cunningham #65, Geller 2003 p. 76), a text that has received no updated translation, Baḫar-enunzaku is again called the lord of the išib-craft, this time in the context of an incantation dealing with lustration rites.

What we can take from the material sketched thus far is that this god is likely to be associated in some way with the agrun, a mysterious locality having something to do with the Abzu, but I am as yet unsure how best to define the agrun and it may have had other associations in the early period. In certain contexts, it seems to be associated with Enlil and Ningirima, that is, the purification rites and deities characteristic of ED incantation lore (Krispijn 2008 p.182/Krebernik 1984 No. 36). The agrun seems to be assoicated with the pure ritual water and possibly also the playing of cult songs. It is also significant that Baḫar-enunzaku is named as lord of the išib-craft in numerous texts: along with the gudu4 priest, the išib priest was the functionary associated with incantation lore in the Sumerian texts of the Early Dynastic period (while the mašmaššu was the functionary mentioned in Early Akkadian incantations).

In the ED text 1H, which George translated and I quoted above, we see the god in an ED context for the first time – as George interprets: “stomach ache and gut ache attack a person; Baḫar-enunzaku captured them and tied them to the sun which took them to the netherworld where they belonged. Once there, Ningirimma let them go.” Here we have an interesting cosmological sequence with the sun acting as psychopompe transporting demons to the netherworld (as he is called to do in the anti-witchcraft rites, the sun also transport dream spirits, and the spirits of the dead as he travels to the netherworld each night); following this Ningirima releases them into the netherworld (I hadn’t realized that her cosmological home was the netherworld, temporally her cult center was in Uruk); and Baḫar-enunzaku is the main actor in this text, the exorcist initiating the entire sequence and dispelling the illness. As this god seems to have had a significant role in incantation theology of the early periods, along with Ningirima and Enlil, it would be worth contemplating whether his role and prerogatives were also subsumed by Enki and Asalluhi, who became the patron gods of magic by the Ur III period. This line of inquiry could be followed up by investigating nun-ur4-ra, who Marchetti and Marchesi equate with Bahar-enunzaku (the RlA entry for that name associates the god with both Enki and Enlil, and indicates that logogram behind the name can also be read en2-e2-nu-ru).





___________________

I would like to give a warm welcome to new enenuru members: goat, svladu, hakkanu, santakku, nemequm, kur-nu-gi4, shulgi, roach, tuppum, damansky, ninsina. Certainly an interesting group! I would typically say a few words about active threads at this juncture, but given the length of the mail so far, I guess I better call it quits.



Best Regards,

Bill

[hukkana]

I hate to nag but I see you've managed to misspell my username twice in record time Bill ; )

[us4-he2-gal2]

Oops you're right. I was pretty close though

[hukkana]

Also is it just a mistake or is there really no divine determinative next to Baḫar-Enunzaku's name ?

[ninisina]

Hey us4-he2-gal2,
If it's not too much to ask, would it be possible for you to post a pdf version of George's CUSAS 32 ? Or maybe only of the translated texts? It's really hard to find it here, the book being so new it's only available in one library, which of course is at the other end of the country... Thanks !

[hukkana]

Jun 6, 2016 9:03:38 GMT -5 ninisina said:

It's really hard to find it here, the book being so new it's only available in one library, which of course is at the other end of the country... Thanks !

Yeah can't imagine anyone who has it worse >: P

But I jest....but still : P