Return to [[inheritance_documents]]
====== Old Assyrian ======
** **
===== Introduction =====
The archives excavated in the houses of Kaneš lower town belong mainly to Assyrian merchants settled there for business purposes during the 19th and 18th centuries BCE. This documentation contains relatively few contracts pertaining to family law, presumably because these were kept in Aššur. However, several wills have been found in Kaneš, suggesting the absence of specific rules of inheritance.
===== Format and content =====
Assyrians drew up wills (//šīmtam šiāmum//) that could demonstrate their concern for protecting the financial interests of all the women in their families. The widow’s support was provided for, either by a share in the estate or by the children. The consecrated daughter was usually among the first to receive a share. Certain widows deemed it worthwhile to draw up their own wills to distribute their belongings as they wanted.
In his will, Agūa provided in the first instance for his wife, who received his assets and the use of the house she was living in at Aššur, next his daughter, who inherited gold, silver, and a servant. By constituting his wife “father and mother” (//abat u ummat//) over the money that she received, Agūa granted her full ownership. She could use her money as she wished, on the condition that it remained in the family so that, at her death, the eldest son would inherit it, along with the family home in Aššur (**55**).
indicate the absence of specific rules of inheritance; the same is true of the Assyrian archives at Kaniš. Drawing up of wills with a view to providing for inheritance by women shows clearly that women enjoyed important socio-economic status, and the numerous letters found at Kaniš sent to and by women serve to reinforce this impression
===== Overview of corpus =====
The archives of Kaneš have yielded several dozens of documents concerning inheritance among which several last wills. Most of these texts date to the 19th century BCE.
==== Sample Text ====
Kt o/k 196
{{:oassinheritance.png?428x335|Last will, Kt o/k 196. Photos published by Kulakoğlu & Kangal 2010, no. 443-444, p. 338-339.©Kültepe Archaeological Mission.}}
| Envelope |||
| Ob. 1 | (seal A) | |
| 2 | kišib //I-dí-Sú-en//6 | Sealed by Iddin-Suen, |
| 3 | dumu //Puzur//4//-Ištar// | son of Puzur-Ištar, |
| 4 | kišib //A-šùr-na-da// | sealed by Aššur-nādā, |
| 5 | dumu //Pu//4>//-A-na// | son of Puzur-Ana, |
| 6 | (seal B) | |
| 7 | kišib //A-pí-il//5//-ke-en//6 | sealed by Apil-kēn, |
| 8 | [dumu //Ì//]//-lí-dan// | [son of I]lī-dān, |
| 9 | [kišib //I-ku-pì-a// dumu PN] | [sealed by Ikuppia, son of PN], |
| 10 | (seal B) | |
| lo.e. 11 | kišib //Sà-li-a// dumu //Ú-ṣú-ur-//[x-x] | sealed by Salia, son of Uṣur-[x-x]. |
| rev. 12 | (seal C) | |
| 13 | (seal D) | |
| 14 | //ša ší-ma-at A-gu-a// | (Text) concerning the will of Agūa, |
| 15 | dumu //Šu-A-nim// | son of Šū-Anum. |
| 16 | (seal D) | |
| 17 | (seal D) | |
| u.e. 18 | (seal F) | |
| l.e. 19 | (seal F) | |
| r.e. 20 | (seal E) | |
| Tablet |||
| Ob. 1 | //A-gu-a// : //ší-im-tù-šu// | Agūa, his will, |
| 2 | //i-ší-ma// : //bé-tum ša A-lim//ki | he drew up as follows. The house in Aššur |
| 3 | //ša a-ší-ti-a// : //i-na// kù-babbar | is the property of my wife. The silver |
| 4 | //qá-dì// : //me-er-e-a-ma// | with my children |
| 5 | //ta-zu-az i-na// kù-babbar | she shall share. Over the silver |
| 6 | //zi-ti-ša// : //a-ba-at ù um-ma-/at// | (that is) her inheritance share, she is father and mother |
| 7 | //bé-tù-um ù// kù-babbar //wa-/ar-kà-/sà// | After her (death), the house and silver |
| 8 | //ù mì-ma ti-šu-ú// | and everything that she owns, |
| 9 | //ša Šu-Be-lim bé-tù-um// | is the property of Šū-Bēlum. The house |
| 10 | //ša Kà-ni-iš// : //ša Šu-Be-lim// | in Kaniš is the property of Šū-Bēlum. |
| 11 | //um-me-a-ni// : //me-er-ú-a// | My investors, my sons |
| 12 | //e-pu-lu-ma i-na// kù-babbar | shall pay back, and of the silver |
| 13 | //ša i-a-ti// : //i-šé-ta-ni// | which remains belonging to me, |
| 14 | ⅓ //ma-na// kù-gi 1 //ma-na// | ⅓ mina of gold, 1 mina |
| 15 | kù-babbar //ù am-tám Áb-ša-lim// | of silver as well as a female slave, Ab-šalim |
| 16 | //tù-ša-ra-ma// : //ta-lá-qé// | shall be the first to take. |
| | //ù i-na ší-ta-tim// | Then, from what remains, |
| | //me-er-ú-a// | my sons |
| lo.e. 19 | //ša bé-ta-tim// | who houses |
| 20 | //lá il//5//-qé-ú-ni// 4 gú-ta | did not receive, 4 talents |
| rev. 21 | urudu //ki-ma bé-ta-tí-šu-/nu// | of copper instead of their (share of) real estate |
| 22 | //i-lá-qé-ú// : //i-na// | shall each take. Of |
| 23 | //ší-tí// kù-babbar //am-tim wa-ar-dim// | the remaining silver and male and female slaves, |
| 24 | //a-ší-tí// //Šu-Be-lim ù me-er-ú-a// | my wife, Šū-Bēlum and my sons |
| 25 | //mu-ta mu-ta-ma// | in equal parts |
| 26 | //i-zu-zu// : //ša-wi-sú ša A-šùr-/i-dí// | shall share.The //šawītum//-concubine of Aššur-idī |
| 27 | //wa-šu//!//-ra-sú-um šu-ma// kù-babbar | is ceded to him. In the case there is no more silver |
| 28 | //i-a-ti// : //mì-ma ú-la iš-té-/tám// | of mine, and |
| 29 | 4!(2*) gú-ta urudu | 4 talents of copper |
| 30 | //ša bé-ta-ti-šu-nu// | instead of their (share) of real estate, |
| 31 | //me-er-ú-a// : //ú-lá i-lá-qé-/ú// | my sons will not be able to each take, |
| 32 | 2 //ma-na// kù-babbar | 2 minas of silver, |
| 33 | //Puzur//4//-Ištar ú-wa-da//! | Puzur-Ištar shall designate |
| 34 | 2 //ma-na// kù-babbar //Ú-ṣú-ur-/ša-A-šùr// | 2 minas of silver Uṣur-ša-Aššur |
| 35 | //ú-ta-ar// | shall give back. |
| 36 | //e-li-a-tù-šu-nu*// | their //elītum//-share |
| 37 | //a-pu-a-ti-šu-nu-ma// | at their discretion |
| u.e. 38 | //i-ta-pu-lu// | they shall mutually balance |
| 39 | //A-bi-ì-lí šu-ma// 10 //ma-na// | If Abi-ilī, 10 minas |
| 40 | kù-babbar //i-ša-qal// | of silver pays, |
| l.e. 41 | //qá-dì// : //a-hi-šu-ma// : //i-zu-az šu-ma// 10 //ma-na// | he shall take a share together with his brothers, (but) if, 10 minas |
| 42 | kù-babbar //lá iš-qúl// : //na-sí-ih ù// 10 //ma-na//-ta | of silver he does not pay, then he shall be disinherited and 10 minas |
| 43 | kù-babbar //a-na a-he-šu// : //i-na-pá-al// igi //I-dí-Sú-en//6 | of silver to each of his brothers he shall have to compensate. In the presence of Iddin-Suen, |
| 44 | igi //A-šùr-na-da// igi //A-pí-il//5//-ke-// igi //I-ku-pì-a// | of Aššur-nādā, of Apil-kēn, of Ikuppia, |
| 45 | igi //Sà-li-a// | of Salia. |
//
This text is published by Albayrak 2000, studied within its context by Michel 2000 and Michel to appear no. 54. It commented by Veenhof 2012, 183-184
\\
**Bibliography**
\\
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Page prepared By Cécile Michel