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| hamȃ_yabȃ_-_banitu_and_ataliya [2014/08/07 20:31] – dahl | hamȃ_yabȃ_-_banitu_and_ataliya [2014/09/30 13:50] (current) – hawkins |
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| In Tomb II, a stone funerary tablet was found belongs to Queen Yabȃ and reads as follows: | In Tomb II, a stone funerary tablet was found belongs to Queen Yabȃ and reads as follows: |
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| Obv. MU dUTU dereš-ki-gal da-nun-a-ki | Obverse\\ |
| DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ šá KI-ti míia-ba-a | 1. MU <sup>d</sup>UTU <sup>d</sup>//ereš-ki-gal <sup>d</sup>a-nun-a-ki//\\ |
| Mĺ.É.GAL ina mu-te NAM ZI-ti | 2. DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ //ša<sub>2</sub>// KI-//ti <sup>f</sup>ia-ba-a//\\ |
| ik-šú-da-še-ma ur-ḫu AD.MEŠ-šú ta-lik | 3. MI<sub>2</sub>.E<sub>2</sub>.GAL //ina mu-te// NAM ZI-//ti//\ |
| 5. man-nu EGIR-ú lu Mĺ.É.GAL | 4. //ik-šu<sub>2</sub>-da-še-ma ur-ḫu// AD.MEŠ-//šu<sub>2</sub> ta-lik//\\ |
| šá ina gišGU.ZA tu-šá-ba lu míÉRIN.MEŠ É.GAL | 5. //man-nu// EGIR-//u<sub>2</sub> lu// MI<sub>2</sub>.E<sub>2</sub>.GAL\\ |
| na-ra-an-te MAN šá ul-tú KI.MAḪ-ia | 6. šá ina gišGU.ZA tu-šá-ba lu míÉRIN.MEŠ É.GAL\\ |
| i-da-ka-in-ni lu mam-ma šá-nu-u-ma | 7. na-ra-an-te MAN šá ul-tú KI.MAḪ-ia\\ |
| it-ti-ia i-šá-kan-nu ù a-na | 8. i-da-ka-in-ni lu mam-ma šá-nu-u-ma\\ |
| 10. šu-ku-ti-ia qa-su ina ḪUL-te LÁ-ṣu | 9. it-ti-ia i-šá-kan-nu ù a-na\\ |
| šá na4KIŠIB šá KI.MAḪ šu-a-tú BAD-ú | 10. šu-ku-ti-ia qa-su ina ḪUL-te LÁ-ṣu\\ |
| e-le-nu ina šu-ru-ru dŠam-ši | 11. šá <sup>na<sub>4</sub></sup>KIŠIB šá KI.MAḪ šu-a-tú BAD-ú\\ |
| e-ṭé-ma-šú ina ṣu-me-e ka-ma-te | 12. //e-le-nu ina šu-ru-ru <sup>d</sup>šam-ši//\\ |
| li-ir-pu-du | 13. //e-ṭé-ma-šú ina ṣu-me-e ka-ma-te//\\ |
| rev. | 14. //li-ir-pu-du//\\ |
| 15. šap-la-nu ina KI-tim ina na-qa me-e | Reverse\\ |
| KAŠ.SAG gišGEŠTIN ú-pu-un-tu | 1. //šap-la-nu ina// KI-//tim ina na-qa me-e//\\ |
| it-ti da-nun-na-ki ta-kal-li-mu | 2. KAŠ.SAG <sup>geš</sup>GEŠTIN //u<sub>2</sub>-pu-un-tu//\\ |
| la i-ma-ḫar dnin-giš-zi-da | 3. //it-ti da-nun-na-ki ta-kal-li-mu//\\ |
| dbi-ṭu-ḫi-du-gul DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ | 4. //la i-ma-ḫar <sup>d</sup>nin-giš-zi-da//\\ |
| šá KI-tim šá-lam-di zi-qi-qi | 5. <sup>d</sup>//bi-ṭu-ḫi-du-gul// DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ\\ |
| la sa-la-lum li-me-du | 6. //ša<sub>2</sub>// KI-//tim ša<sub>2</sub>-lam-di zi-qi-qi//\\ |
| a-na du-ri da-ri-iš . | 7. //la sa-la-lum li-me-du// \\ |
| “By the command of Šamaš, Ereškigal and Anunnaki, the great gods of the netherworld, mortal destiny caught up with Queen Yabȃ in death, and she traveled the path of her ancestors. Anyone, in time to come, whether a queen who sits on the throne or a palace lady of the palace who is a favorite of the king, that removes me from my tomb, or places anybody else with me, or lays his hand on my jewellery with evil intent or breaks open the seal of this tomb-on earth, under the rays of the sun, let his spirit roam outside in thirst. In the netherworld he must not receive with the Anunnakku any offering of libation of water, beer, wine or meal, but instead may Ningišzida and (unintelligible), the great gods of the netherworld, inflict his corpse and ghosts with eternal restlessness”. | 8. //a-na du-ri da-ri-iš// .\\ |
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| | “By the command of Šamaš, Ereškigal and Anunnaki, the great gods of the netherworld, mortal destiny caught up with Queen Yabȃ in death, and she traveled the path of her ancestors. Anyone, in time to come, whether a queen who sits on the throne or a palace lady of the palace who is a favorite of the king, that removes me from my tomb, or places anybody else with me, or lays his hand on my jewellery with evil intent or breaks open the seal of this tomb-on earth, under the rays of the sun, let his spirit roam outside in thirst. In the netherworld he must not receive with the Anunnakku any offering of libation of water, beer, wine or meal, but instead may Ningišzida and (unintelligible), the great gods of the netherworld, inflict his corpse and ghosts with eternal restlessness.” |
| In the royal inscriptions of Tiglath-Pileser, the title MUNUS.É.GAL is used for Queen Yabȃ. | In the royal inscriptions of Tiglath-Pileser, the title MUNUS.É.GAL is used for Queen Yabȃ. |
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| The sarcophagus also contained two vessels (a gold bowl and a cosmetic container) bearing queen Banītu’s inscription which reads as follows: | The sarcophagus also contained two vessels (a gold bowl and a cosmetic container) bearing queen Banītu’s inscription which reads as follows: |
| “šá miDÙ-ti MÍ.É.GAL šá mdSILIM-man-MAŠ MAN KUR AŠ: Belonging to Banītu, queen of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria”. | “šá <sup>mi</sup>DÙ-ti MÍ.É.GAL šá <sup>md</sup>SILIM-man-MAŠ MAN KUR AŠ: Belonging to Banītu, queen of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria”. |
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| In the royal inscriptions of Shalmaneser, the title MUNUS.É.GAL is used for the queen: | In the royal inscriptions of Shalmaneser, the title MUNUS.É.GAL is used for the queen: |
| “šá fDÙ-ti MUNUS.É.GAL šá mSILIM-man-MAŠ MAN KUR AŠ” or “šá fba-ni-ti MUNUS.É.GAL šá mdSILIM-ma-nu-MAŠ MAN KUR AŠ: Belonging to Banītu, queen of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria”. | “šá <sup>f</sup>DÙ-ti MUNUS.É.GAL šá <sup>m</sup>SILIM-man-MAŠ MAN KUR AŠ” or “šá <sup>f</sup>ba-ni-ti MUNUS.É.GAL šá <sup>md</sup>SILIM-ma-nu-MAŠ MAN KUR AŠ: Belonging to Banītu, queen of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria”. |
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| Tomb II contained at least three objects (a gold bowl, jar and mirror) inscribed with the name of Atalia, wife of Sargon II: | Tomb II contained at least three objects (a gold bowl, jar and mirror) inscribed with the name of Atalia, wife of Sargon II: |
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| “šá mia-ta-li-a MÍ.É.GAL šá mMAN-GIN MAN KUR AŠ: Belonging to Ataliya, queen of Sargon, king of Assyria”. The inscription ends with the symbol of a scorpion. | “šá <sup>mi</sup>a-ta-li-a MÍ.É.GAL šá <sup>m</sup>MAN-GIN MAN KUR AŠ: Belonging to Ataliya, queen of Sargon, king of Assyria”. The inscription ends with the symbol of a scorpion. |
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| Queen Ataliya’s authority and high position are highlighted in a list of trubute and audience gifts sent to Sargon by his son Sennacherib (SAA 1 34). Numerous officials receive tribute and audience gifts in two separate lists. In both listings, contributions to “the palace”, are listed first, but immediately after that, the queen receives her share. Only after her do the crown prince, sukkallu, turtanu, sartinnu and the second sukkallu receive their shares. The lists are clearly organized by rank. This demonstrates Atalia’s high position in the palace. | Queen Ataliya’s authority and high position are highlighted in a list of tribute and audience gifts sent to Sargon by his son Sennacherib (SAA 1 34). Numerous officials receive tribute and audience gifts in two separate lists. In both listings, contributions to “the palace”, are listed first, but immediately after that, the queen receives her share. Only after her do the crown prince, sukkallu, turtanu, sartinnu and the second sukkallu receive their shares. The lists are clearly organized by rank. This demonstrates Atalia’s high position in the palace. |
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| Some letters to the king (all found at Nineveh) relate to the queen. Aššur-bani, the governor of Kalhu begins his three letters by assuring the king that temples, the city and the queen are well, implying that the queen was living in Kalhu: | Some letters to the king (all found at Nineveh) relate to the queen. Aššur-bani, the governor of Kalhu, begins his three letters by assuring the king that temples, the city and the queen are well, implying that the queen was living in Kalhu: |
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| 1. a-na LUGAL EN-ia | 1. a-na LUGAL EN-ia |
| 7. DI-mu a-na LÚ.GÁL-MEŠ | 7. DI-mu a-na LÚ.GÁL-MEŠ |
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| “To the king, my lord, your servant Aššur-bani. Good health to the king, my lord! The temples are well, the city of Calah is well, the queen is well, the slaves are well”. It is possible that Ataliya moved to Dur-Šarrukin, later on. | “To the king, my lord, your servant Aššur-bani. Good health to the king, my lord! The temples are well, the city of Calah is well, the queen is well, the slaves are well”. |
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| | It is possible that Ataliya moved to Dur-Šarrukin, later on. |
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| As understood from the above expression, the chronological order of succession of the three names mentioned in the owner’s inscriptions on the grave goods is Yabȃ, Banītu and Ataliya. Therefore, Ataliya was apparently placed in the sarcophagus last. The other skeleton could be of Yabȃ but also Banītu. It was Yabȃ for whom the tomb was built and it was her stone tablet with the curse, that still lay in the alcove of the antechamber. The microscopic investigation of samples taken from the bones of Ataliya have yielded an unexpected result. The bones were apparently heated at temperatures of about 150-250ºC over several hours. This may point to some kind of desiccation, i.e. dehydration or smoking of the corpse. Whether this was part of a special mortuary practice to preserve the corpse, possibly in preparation for a long journey back home to the final resting place, has still to be determined. | As understood from the above expression, the chronological order of succession of the three names mentioned in the owner’s inscriptions on the grave goods is Yabȃ, Banītu and Ataliya. Therefore, Ataliya was apparently placed in the sarcophagus last. The other skeleton could be of Yabȃ but also Banītu. It was Yabȃ for whom the tomb was built and it was her stone tablet with the curse, that still lay in the alcove of the antechamber. The microscopic investigation of samples taken from the bones of Ataliya have yielded an unexpected result. The bones were apparently heated at temperatures of about 150-250ºC over several hours. This may point to some kind of desiccation, i.e. dehydration or smoking of the corpse. Whether this was part of a special mortuary practice to preserve the corpse, possibly in preparation for a long journey back home to the final resting place, has still to be determined. |
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| In addition, some amulets were also found in the Nimrud tombs. Amulets were usual for Assyrian kings, queens and men and women of rank to wear as jewellery. Cylinder seals were also used as amulets. Four amulets were found in Tomb II, the burial chamber of Yabȃ which also contained grave goods of Ataliya and Banītu. There is no personal label to show that the amulets were the property of a particular queen but it is possible to speculate on other evidence. It is possible that Ataliya the queen of Sargon II must have been buried in a hurry, perhaps because she had a contagious disease. Such circumtances might explain why the body was boiled or, in modern terms, disinfected. It is suggested that if Atalia was ill, she was most likely the owner of amulets. The question arises as to what kind of disease of the head occasioned the use of these amulets. Bearing in mind the limited options and the fact that our modern typology of disease did not exist at that time, we can say, comparatively, it could be “meningitis” or severe “migraine”. At least two of these amulets in the tombs, and perhaps all of them, were written against the condition called “sagkidibbû”, literally “forehead-seizing”. This condition is characterized by the authorities as an “unidentified illness of the head” (according to CAD S:25, sub sagkidabbû) or “migraine”. Ataliya also suffered from dental caries. | In addition, some amulets were also found in the Nimrud tombs. Amulets were usual for Assyrian kings, queens and men and women of rank to wear as jewellery. Cylinder seals were also used as amulets. Four amulets were found in Tomb II, the burial chamber of Yabȃ which also contained grave goods of Ataliya and Banītu. There is no personal label to show that the amulets were the property of a particular queen but it is possible to speculate on other evidence. It is possible that Ataliya the queen of Sargon II must have been buried in a hurry, perhaps because she had a contagious disease. Such circumstances might explain why the body was boiled or, in modern terms, disinfected. It is suggested that if Atalia was ill, she was most likely the owner of amulets. The question arises as to what kind of disease of the head occasioned the use of these amulets. Bearing in mind the limited options and the fact that our modern typology of disease did not exist at that time, we can say, comparatively, it could be “meningitis” or severe “migraine”. At least two of these amulets in the tombs, and perhaps all of them, were written against the condition called “sagkidibbû”, literally “forehead-seizing”. This condition is characterized by the authorities as an “unidentified illness of the head” (according to CAD S:25, sub sagkidabbû) or “migraine”. Ataliya also suffered from dental caries. |
