Amarna letter EA 26

Last updated
EA 26, fragment (Obverse).
(high-resolution expandable photo) Amarna letter fragment, from King Tushratta of Mitanni to Queen Tiy (Teye) of Egypt, matching fragment in British Museum - Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago - DSC07018.JPG
EA 26, fragment (Obverse).
(high-resolution expandable photo)

Amarna letter EA 26, titled To the Queen Mother: Some Missing Gold Statues, [1] is a shorter-length clay tablet Amarna letter from Tushratta of Mittani. [2] Unlike the next letter EA 27 from Tushratta, which is more than twice as tall, and about twice as wide-(XXVII paragraphs), EA 26 is topical and synoptic about recent events about the desire for 'gold statues' (VII paragraphs). The letter is addressed to the Pharaoh's wife, Teye, and its dimensions are approximately: 6.0 inches (15 cm) tall, 3.5 inches (9 cm) wide, and 1.0 inch (3 cm) thick.

Contents

EA 26 has missing edges, left and right. The piece pictured is the Oriental Institute of Chicago's piece, acquired by Rev. Chauncey Murch at Luxor which is part of the obverse, lower-left corner, at the beginning of lines of text. The entire obverse of EA 26 can be seen here, with its missing edges and scuffed/eroded surfaces on the edges. The Oriental Institute piece shows the high quality of inscribed cuneiform, as visible in undamaged sections of EA 26. [3]


The letter

EA 26: To the Queen Mother: Some Missing Gold Statues

EA 26, letter ten of thirteen from Tushratta. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation.) [4]

Obverse (see here: )
(Lines 1-6)--[Say] t[o Teye ], the mistrisss of Egy[pt]: T[hus Tuš]ratta, the king of [ Mittani. For me] all goes well. For you may all go w[ell. For your household, for] your sons, may all go well. For Tadu-Heba, [my daughter], your daughter-in-law, may all go well. For your countries, fo[r your troops,] and for whatever else belongs to you, may all go very, very [well].
(7-18)--You are the one that knows that I [myself] always showed love [to] Mimmureya, your husband, and that Mimmureya, [your] husba[nd], on the other hand, always showed love to me. A[nd the things] that I wou[ld write and] say [t]o Mimmureya, your husband, and the things that Mimmureya, your husband, [would alwa]ys write and say to me, you, [Keli]ya, and Mane know. But you are the on[e, on the other ha]nd, who knows much better than all others the things [that] we said [to one an]other. No one [el]se knows them (as well).
(19-29)--[And n]ow, you yourself [sai]d to Keliya, "Say to your lord: 'Mi[m]mureya,1my husband, always showed love to yo[ur] father, and maintained (it) for you;2he did not forge[t]3his love for your father, and he did not cut o[ff]4the [em]bassies that he had been accustomed to sending, one after the other. And now you are the one that must not forget your [l]ove5for Mimmu[reya], your brother. Increase (it) f[or] Naphurre[y]a and maintiain (it) for hi[m]. You must keep on send[ing] embassies of joy,6one after the other. Do not cut [them] off.' "
(30-39)--I will [not] fo[rget]8 the love for Mimmureya, your husband. More than ever be[fo]re,9 at this very moment, I show 10 times much, much more love to Naphurreya, your son. [Your are the one who knows] the words of Mimmureya, [your] husb[and, but] you did not s[end]10 all of my greeting-gift 11 that [your husband ordered] to [be sent]. I had asked12 [your husband] for [statues] of sol[id] cast [gold], saying, "[May my brother send me] a[s my greeting gift,13statues of solid cast gold and ... ... of gold] and genuine lapis lazuli."
Reverse (see here: )
(lines 40-48)But now Nap[hurreya, your son], has plated [statues] of wood. With gold being the dirt [in your son's country, w]hy have they been a source of such dis[tress] to your son that he has not given them to me?14 Furthermore, I asked ... [... t]o give th[is].15 Is this love? I had sa[id], "Naphurre[ya,my brother],is going to treat me 10 times better that his father did." But now he has not [given me] even what his father was accustomed to give.
(49-57)Wh[y] have you [no]t exposed before Naph[urreya] the words t[hat you your]self, and with your own mouth, said to [me]? If [you] do not expose them before him, and y[ou keep silent],16can anyone [el]se know? Let [Nap]hurreya give me statues of sol[id] gold! He must cause me no [dis]tress whasover, nor [ ... ]. Let him treat m[e] 10 times better [th]an his father did, [wi]th love and evidence of es[teem].
(58-63)May your own messengers g[o] regularly with the messen[gers o]f Naphurreya, with 5 [... t]o Yuni, my wife, and may the messen[gers o]f Yuni, my wife, [g]o regula[rly] to [you].
(64-66)I [her]ewith [send] as your Greeting-gift [x] scent containers17 [filled] with "sweet oil," (and) 1 set of stones [set in gold].(complete EA 26, lines 1-66, with various major & minor lacunae)

Akkadian text

Text: Akkadian language, sumerograms, Egyptianisms, etc. [5]

Akkadian:

Obverse:
Paragraph I (see here )

(Line 1)--A-na MUNUS-Te-I-E NIN KUR M[i-iṢ-[ Ri-(Egypt) --ma ]
(2)--um ma 1. diš -Du--]RaT-Ta LUGAL [KUR Mi-Ta-]aN-Ni a na ia-ši
(3)--šul-mu a na ka-a-ši lu-ú šul-[-mu a na É-ka a na ]
(4)--DUMU-MEŠ-]-ka lu-ú šul-mu a na { MUNUS} Ta-A-Tu4--Pa
(5)--É-GI4-A-ka lu-ú šul-mu a na KUR.KUR-ka a-[ -na x(=ERIM)-ka
(6)--ù MIM.MU-ka dan-is dan-is lu-ú [ šul-mu ]
(1)--(To Tiye,..
--(1.3)--Mistress land Egypt (Miṣri),.. Speak!... )
(2)--('Message thus' 1.-Tushratta, King land Mitanni!..
--(2.8)--For me,.. )
(3)--(Peace,..
--(3.1)--For you,.. "may there be" Peace!..
--(3.7)--For (family)-Household-yours,.. )
(4)--((for) "Sons"-(compatriot)s(pl)-yours, "may there be" Peace!..
--(4.4)For Tadu-khipa,.. Daughter-mine,.. )
(5)--(Daughter-in-law-yours,.. "may there be" Peace!..
--(5.5)--For 'country-lands(pl)-yours,.. For Armys(pl)-yours,.. )
(6)--(and Everything-yours,...
--(6.5)--Strongly,.. Strongly, (fervently) "May it Be" Peace-full!... )

(Double-line ruling)
Obverse: Paragraph II


(7)--at-ti-i-ma ti-i-ta-a-an-ni,.. ki-i-me-e a-na-ku(?) it ti--((K)âti idû,.. kīma itti )
(8)--1. diš -Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa , mu-ti-i-ka,.. ar-[-ta-na-'a-am!..--(1.Mimmuriya, mutu-ka,.. ra'āmu!.. )
(9)--ù 1. diš -Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa ,.. ap-pu-na,.. mu-ut-[ ka?,.. ]--(Ù 1.Mimmuriya,.. appu,.. ?mahru? )
(10)--ki-i-me-e it ti-ia,.. ir-ta-na-'a-am,.. [ ?a na? ?ia-ši? ]--(kīma itti-ia,.. ra'āmu,.. iāši!.. )
(11)--?Ù? 1. diš -Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa ,.. mu-tu-ki,.. ša a-ša-[-ap-pa-ru,.. ]--(Ù 1.Mimmuriya,.. mutu-ka,.. ša šapāru,.. )
(12)--ù ša a-tap-bu-bu ù 1. diš -Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa --(ù,.. ša dabābu(discussed),.. Ù 1.Mimmuriya,.. )
(13)--[ x x ]-na? mu-ti-ki a-ma-te-meš,.. a na ia-ši-[ ša ]--([ xx ?idû ], mutu-ki amatu-meš,.. a-na(=itti) iāši-[?ša?]
(14)--[ xx ù ša š-]-ap-pa-ru,.. ù ša i-tap-bu-bu,.. at-ti-[ i ]--([ xx š]apāru,.. ù ša dabābu(discussed),.. #1-(k)âti ,.. )
(15)--1. diš -iK-Li-iYa,.. 1. diš -Ma--E i-te,.. ù at-ti-[-i ]--(#2 1.-Keliya,.. #3 1.-Mane idû!.. Ù (k)âti )
(16)--[ x x ] [ x ]-šu-nu-ma ti-i-te a-ma-te-meš--([ x x ] [ x ] idû, amatu-meš, )
(17)-[ ša it-]ti ha-mi-,.. ni-id-bu-bu ma-am-ma--(ša itti ahāmiš,.. nadû mimma )
(18)--ša-nu-]um-ma,.. la i-te-šu-nu--(šanu,.. lā idû!..)
(7)--You know,.. (that) Always [ with.. ]
(8)--1.Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa Husband-yours,.. "I showed Love"!...
(9)--..and 1.Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa,.. foremost,.. ?topmost?,..
(10)--"always"(as/if) with-myself,.. "showed Love",.. 'to Me'!...
(11)--..And, 1.Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa, Husband-yours,.. What sent,..
(12)--..and What "written about"(discussed),.. But 1.Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa,..
(13)--[ ? knows ? ] Husband-yours,.. 'discussions', by Me!...
(14)-- [..But,.. What.. s]ent,.. and What "written about"(discussed),..
--(14.9)--#1-YOU,..
(15)-#2-1.-Keliya, and #3-1.-Mane,.. Know!..(are Aware-of)
--(15.8)--But You,..

Amarna letter fragment, from King Tushratta of Mitanni to Queen Tiy (Teye) of Egypt, matching fragment in British Museum - Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago - DSC07018.JPG

(Double-line ruling)
Obverse: Paragraph III


(19)--[ Ù a-nu-]-um-ma,.. at-ti-i-ma,.. a na 1. diš -Gi-Li-iYA--(Ù enūma,.. (k)âti,.. ana Keliya )
(20)--[ ta-aq-]-ta-bi a na,.. be-li i-ka,.. -bi i-me--(qabû,.. ..Ana Bēlu-ka:.. (Quote)Qabû.. )

Beginning of Line 21: 1.: Start of Fracture corner. Lines 23, 24, and 25, all begin with "And (But)" ( Ù )

(21)--1. diš -Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa ,.. mu-ti,.. it-ti a-bi-i-ka--(1.Mimmuriya,.. mutu,.. itti abu-ka,.. )
(22)--ir-ta-na-'a-am-me,.. ù ak-ka-a-ša,.. it-ta-ṣa-ar-ka--(..ra'āmu!.. Ù kâša,..itti-(him).. )
(23)--Ù,.. it-ti a-bi-i-ka,.. ra-'a-mu-ut-ta-šu!.. La im-še!..--(..Ù,.. itti abu-ka,.. ra'āmu!.. ..Lā mašû!.. )
(24)--Ù,.. har-ra-na,.. ša il-ta-na-ap-pa-ru,.. la ip-ru-[-us--(..Ù harrānu,.. ša (napharau)(commonplace),.. Lā parāsu!.. )
(19)--And now-(at-this-time),.. You,.. to Keliya,
(20)--..Say,.. to Lord-yours:.. (Quote)Say..
(21)--1.Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa,.. Husband,.. with(concerning) Father-yours,..
(22)--"showed Love"!.. ..And You,.. with Him!..
(23)--..And,.. with Father-yours, "showed Love"!.. 'Never' forgetting!..
(24)..And,.. "diplomatic trips" which commonplace,.. 'Not' stopping!..
(25)..And .. Later You .. With 1.Mi-iM-Mu-Ri-iYa,..
(26)..Brother-yours .. Loved !, .. Not Forgetting ..
(27)1.Neb-Kheper-Ru-ia Great! .. And Send(Issue) ..
(28)..And (But) "diplomatic trips" "which of" "to be joy" .. Return ..
(29)..Not .... I..N..T..E..R..R..U..P..T.ing !!.. (Unquote)

Note:The last line of Para III, uses cuneiform: La, for "not" ("no"), Akkadian "lā", but of course, it is obvious, that the verb is spread across the entire last line, 29, as an embellishment, and an "exclamation", to the topic of Paragraph III. (The fractured piece has only the first two cuneiform characters, ta & pa, for Akkadian parāsu, meaning: "to separate, cut, decide"., [6] and using English "interrupt". The rest of the verb is on the main letter piece, (See here: ; or Here: ).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 252</span> 14th century BCE clay tablet letter from Labaya to an Egyptian Pharaoh

Amarna letter EA 252, titled: Sparing One's Enemies, is a square, mostly flat clay tablet letter written on both sides, and the bottom edge. Each text line was written with a horizontal line scribed below the text line, as well as a vertical left margin-line, scribe line on the obverse of the tablet. The letter contains 14 (15) lines on the obverse, continuing on the bottom tablet edge to conclude at line 31 on the reverse, leaving a small space before the final tablet edge. At least 4 lines from the obverse intrude into the text of the reverse, actually dividing the reverse into a top half and bottom half, and even creating a natural spacing segue to the reverse's text, and the story.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 365</span>

Amarna letter EA 365, titled Furnishing Corvée Workers, is a squarish, mostly flat clay tablet, but thick enough (pillow-shaped), to contain text that continues toward the right margin, the right side of the obverse side, and also to the right side of the reverse side of the tablet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 364</span> Ancient clay tablet with cuneiform writing

Amarna letter EA 364, titled Justified War, is a clay tablet letter from Ayyab, ruler of Aštartu, to Pharaoh Akhenaten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 153</span> Clay tablet from Tyre

Amarna letter EA 153, titled Ships on Hold, is a short-length clay tablet letter from Abimilku of the island of city-state Tyre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 86</span> Clay tablet

Amarna letter EA 86, titled: Complaint to an Official, is a somewhat moderate length clay tablet letter from Rib-Hadda of city-state Byblos to Amanappa, an official at the court of the Pharaoh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 271</span>

Amarna letter EA 271, titled: "The Power of the 'Apiru," is a moderately short, tallish, rectangular clay tablet letter, approximately 3 in wide x 4 in tall, from Milkilu the mayor/ruler of Gazru (Gezer), of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 270</span>

Amarna letter EA 270, titled: "Extortion," is an ovate-shaped, medium-sized, tall letter, approximately 3 in wide x 4 in tall, from Milkilu the mayor/ruler of Gazru (Gezer), of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 287</span>

Amarna letter EA 287, titled: "A Very Serious Crime," is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 8 in tall, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 287 is a moderately long, and involved letter. The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1350 BC and 20–25 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 289</span>

Amarna letter EA 289, titled: "A Reckoning Demanded," is a moderately tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 6.5 in tall, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 289 is a moderately long, and involved letter, mentioning ten named individuals, some more than three times. A total of nine locations are referenced, as well as men of the "Hapiru"-("LÚ-MEŠ-Hapiru-ki"), and men of "Qilyi-ki".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 286</span>

Amarna letter EA 286, titled: "A Throne Granted, Not Inherited," is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 8 in tall, and 3.5 in wide, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 286 is a moderately long, and involved letter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 245</span>

Amarna letter EA 245, titled: "Assignment of Guilt," is a medium length clay tablet Amarna letter from Biridiya the governor-'mayor' of Magidda. It is letter number four of five from Biridiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 325</span>

Amarna letter EA 325, titled: "Preparations Completed (2)," is a shorter-length clay tablet Amarna letter from Yidya the governor-'mayor' of Ašqaluna. It is a letter addressing the Pharaoh in high terms, as well as stating the 'governor of Ašqaluna' is making preparations for the arrival of the Pharaoh's archer-army, the archers. EA 325 is a vassal-state letter, and has some similar appearances, for example appearing like letters EA 270 and EA 271.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 15</span> Assyrian clay tablet

Amarna letter EA 15, titled Assyria Joins the International Scene, is a shorter-length clay tablet Amarna letter from Ashur-uballit I of the Land of Assyria,. He addresses the Pharaoh in line 1, the "King (of) Land Miṣri-(Egypt)", thus the use of "Land (of) Assyria".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 100</span>

Amarna letter EA 100, titled: "The City of Irqata to the King" is a short-, to moderate-length clay tablet Amarna letter from the city-state of Irqata,, written to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Only one other city sent a clay tablet Amarna letter to the Pharaoh, namely Tunip, letter EA 59, titled: "From the Citizens of Tunip".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 256</span> Egyptian correspondence on a clay tablet

Amarna letter EA 256, in short EA 256, catalogued under the title Oaths and Denials, is one of a total of about 350 so-called Amarna letters, belonging to an official correspondence dating to the mid-14th century BC. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, on the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 323</span>

Amarna letter EA 323, titled: A Royal Order for Glass, is a smaller, square, mostly flat clay tablet letter written on both sides, but only half of the reverse; it is also written on the bottom, and is a letter from 'governor' Yidya, and is a short letter like many of his other Amarna letters, numbered EA 320 to EA 326.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 288</span>


Amarna letter EA 288, titled Benign Neglect, is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 7.5 in tall x 4.5 in wide, broken into two pieces, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 288 is a moderately long, and involved letter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 34</span>

Amarna letter EA 34, titled: "The Pharaoh's Reproach Answered", is a moderately tall clay tablet Amarna letter from the King of Alashiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 299</span>

Amarna letter EA 299, titled: "A Plea for Help", is a fairly short clay tablet Amarna letter from "governor" Yapahu of city-state Gazru. The clay tablet surface has been partially eroded, but the cuneiform is still mostly legible.

Amarna letter EA 147, titled A Hymn to the Pharaoh, is a moderate length clay tablet Amarna letter from Abimilku of Tyre-(called Ṣurru in the Abimilku letters, and an island, until the time of Alexander the Great, 330 BC). The letter is a twin letter to EA 149, which is identical in length, and complexity, and EA 147 appears to precede EA 149.

References

  1. Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 245, "To the Queen Mother: Some Missing Gold Statues", pp. 84-86.
  2. "National Geographic Magazine". Archived from the original on May 10, 2008.
  3. Luckenbill, D. D., and T. G. Allen, "The Murch Fragment of an El-Amarna Letter", The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 1–8, 1916
  4. Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 245, "To the Queen Mother: Some Missing Gold Statues", pp. 84-86.
  5. Archived 2015-05-04 at the Wayback Machine Line Drawing, cuneiform, and Akkadian, Sumerograms, etc, EA 26: Obverse & Reverse, CDLI no. P270897 (Chicago Digital Library Initiative)
  6. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh , Parpola, Simo, Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, c 1997, Glossary pp. 119-145; p. 135, "parāsu",