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HISTORICAL CUNEIFORM TABLET - ($30 US)

TABLET OF UNTASH-NAPIRISHA

King of Elam 1250 BC

Stone-cast tablet, 40 x 35 mm (1.5 x 1.25 inches) cuneiform inscription both sides, with parchment description.

Cast replica of a cuneiform clay tablet excavated near Susa in Iran. The original tablet is three thousand years old and dated to circa 1250 BC.

The tablet is a dedication document inscribed for Untash-Napirisha the king of Elam from about 1275 to 1240 BC and a contemporary of Shalmaneser I of Assyria. It records his construction of a new temple in the hope of gaining favour with the local deity and prolonging his life.

The tablet represents an interesting example of the Semitic Elamite language inscribed in Sumerian cuneiform. Cuneiform was adopted by the Elamites after their conquest of the UR lll dynasty several hundred years earlier and by this time had become the lingua franca of Mesopotamia. The tablet displays Old Sumerian ideograms, particularly the well-known Dingir star symbol used to designate God names.

TRANSLATION:

ÒI UNTASH-NAPIRISHA, SON OF HUBANUMMENNA, THE KING OF ANZA AND SUSA, IN ORDER THAT I KEEP MY HEALTH AND WELL BEING AND THAT I HAVE NO HEART FREEZING BITTER DISASTER. FOR THAT REASON I BUILD THIS TEMPLE WITH A KUKKUM OF UBQUMIA AND DEDICATE IT TO INSHUSHINAK, THE GOD OF SIJANKUK. WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT AND IMPROVED BY ME MAY IT BE FOREVER PRESERVED BY INSHUSHINAK.Ó

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Untash-Napirisha was the son of the previous Elamite king, Khumban-Numena. His original name was Untash-Khumban but out of respect he later changed the last half of his name to Napirisha (Elamite for Great God) and assumed the role of a high priest. He is best known for building the sacred city of Chogha Zanbil, 25 miles south-east of Susa, which remained occupied until it was destroyed by the Assyrians in 640 BCE. Because of the large number of temples and shrines at Chogha Zanbil, some scholars speculate that Untash-Napirisha sought to establish a new religious center to unite the religious cults of both highland and lowland Elam at a single site.

Postage:

Ground: $5 Australian dollars - Australia New Zealand

Air: $5.50 USD - Asia, India, Pacific, Japan

Air: $6.50 USD - USA & Canada

Air: $7.50 USD - Europe, Scandinavia, Britain, Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain, Mediterranean, Africa, South America & most other locations.

Combined postage when required postal insurance or more expensive registered mail available on request.

Local Australian ground postage 2-3 days
Airmail Europe, USA & Canada 7-14 days

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