the early dynastic to akkadian transition

512 Pages·2006·36.58 MB·English

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THE EARLY DYNASTIC TO
AKKADIAN TRANSITION
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THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
ORIENTAL INSTITUTE PUBLICATIONS
VOLUME 129
Series Editors
Leslie Schramer
and
Thomas G. Urban
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EXCAVATIONS AT NIPPUR
MCGUIRE GIBSON • NIPPUR SERIES EDITOR
NIPPUR V
THE EARLY DYNASTIC TO
AKKADIAN TRANSITION
THE AREA WF SOUNDING
AT NIPPUR
by
AUGUSTA MCMAHON
with
contributions
by
MCGUIRE GIBSON, ROBERT D. BIGGS,
DAVID REESE, PAMELA VANDIVER, and K. ASLIHAN YENER
THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
CHICAGO • ILLINOIS
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006936403
ISBN: 1-885923-38-4
ISSN: 0069-3367
The Oriental Institute, Chicago
© 2006 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
Published 2006. Printed in the United States of America.
Series Editors’ Acknowledgments
The assistance of Alexandra Witsell is acknowledged in the
production of this volume.
Cover Illustration
Cylinder seal of Lugal-DÚR, a scribe (18 N 174; see p. 121 for description; pl. 157:2)
Spine Illustration
Upright-handled jar (19 N 44; see p. 47 for description; pls. 143–44)
Printed by Edwards Brothers, Ann Arbor, Michigan
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Services — Permanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................................... vii
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... ix
LIST OF PLATES ........................................................................................................................................ xi
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................ xvii
PREFACE. McGuire Gibson ....................................................................................................................... xix
BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................................... xxiii
INTRODUCTION: THE AREA WF SOUNDING AT NIPPUR .................................................................. 1
CHAPTER 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF LEVELS AND STRATIGRAPHY .................................... 13
CHAPTER 2. BURIALS .............................................................................................................................. 37
CHAPTER 3. POTTERY ............................................................................................................................. 59
CHAPTER 4. OBJECTS FROM AREA WF ................................................................................................ 119
CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 145
APPENDIX 1. SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF TWO AKKADIAN GLASS BEADS. Pamela Vandiver
and K. Asl›han Yener ....................................................................................................................... 149
APPENDIX 2. ANIMAL BONES AND SHELLS. David Reese ................................................................. 161
APPENDIX 3. THE INSCRIPTIONS. Robert D. Biggs .............................................................................. 165
INDEX ......................................................................................................................................................... 171
PLATES ....................................................................................................................................................... 175
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
AbS Abu Salabikh lgth. length
abv. above L. locus
Ach. Achaemenid max. maximum
Akk. Akkadian mm millimeter(s)
Br Bronze m meter(s)
C Celsius n(n). footnote(s)
ca. circa, approximately N Nippur
cf. confer, compare NA Neo-Assyrian
ch(s). chapter(s) N/A not available
cm centimeter(s) NB Neo-Babylonian
col. column no(s). number(s)
cont. continued NT Nippur tablet
Cu copper OB Old Babylonian
diam. diameter obv. obverse
D.O.G. Deutsche Orient-Gesellshaft pcb plano-convex brick
ED Early Dynastic pers. comm. personal communication
e.g. exempli gratia, for example pers. obs. personal observation
et al. et alii, and others pl(s). plate(s)
etc. et cetera, and so forth rev. reverse
(et) passim (and) here and there Sel. Seleucid
f(f). and following sk(s). skeleton(s)
fig(s). figure(s) Std. Dev. Standard Deviation
fl(s). floor(s) T. Tell
gm gram(s) th. thickness
Gr(s). grave(s) Uch Uch Tepe
H eighteenth season at Nippur UmmJ. Umm el-Jîr
ht. height unpubl. unpublished
I nineteenth season at Nippur UT untyped
ibid. ibidem, in the same place w. width
i.e. id est, that is wt. weight
incl. including
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LIST OF FIGURES
1. Map of South Mesopotamia Showing Location of Nippur ..................................................................... 2
2. Topographic Map of Nippur with Areas WA 50c and WF Indicated ..................................................... 6
3. Areas WF and WA 50c .......................................................................................................................... 8
4. Combined Plans of Area WF, Level XIIIB and WA 50c, Level X, Floor 7 ........................................... 18
5. Combined Plans of Area WF, Level XIIB and WA 50c, Level X, Floors 6–1 ....................................... 20
6. Combined Plans of Area WF, Level XI and WA 50c, Level IX ............................................................. 22
7. Combined Plans of Area WF, Level X and WA 50c, Level VIII ........................................................... 24
8. Wireframe Reconstruction of Burial 14, Deep Shaft Phase with Chambers for Skeletons 7 and 8 ........ 40
9. Wireframe Reconstruction of Burial 14, Deep Shaft Phase with Chambers for Skeletons 6–8 .............. 41
10. Wireframe Reconstruction of Burial 14, Deep Shaft Phase with Chamber for Skeletons 2–4 ............... 45
11. Burial 14 Schematic Sections, All Phases .............................................................................................. 46
12. Reconstructed Seal Impression from Nippur, Area TB, Level II ............................................................ 122
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