Amarna letter EA 323

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EA 365, similar-size, and a rectangular letter, similar to Yidya's letter EA 323.
(very high-resolution expandable photo) Amarna letter mp3h8876.jpg
EA 365, similar-size, and a rectangular letter, similar to Yidya's letter EA 323.
(very high-resolution expandable photo)

Amarna letter EA 323, titled: A Royal Order for Glass, [1] 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.

Contents

EA 323 is so short that it can be described as: a prostration formula to the Pharaoh (the letter is written to the King/Pharaoh), a statement of him guarding his city-state of Ascalon-(Ašqaluna of the letters), and the subject of delivering glass to the King of Egypt.

The clay tablet letter is located at the British Museum, no. BM 29836. (Obverse, see here:)

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.

The letter

EA 323: "A Royal Order for Glass"

EA 323, letter four of seven. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation, and English from French.) [2]

Obverse:

(Lines 1-5)--To the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, the Sun from the sky: Message of Yidya, your servant, the dirt at your feet, the groom of your horses.
(6-13)--I indeed prostrate myself, on the back and on the stomach, at the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times. I am indeed guarding the [pl]ace of the king, my lord and the city of the king(Ashkelon), in accordance with the command of the king, my lord, the Sun from the sky.
(13-16)--As to the king, my lord's having ordered some glass, I [her]ewith send to the k[ing], my [l]ord,30 (pieces)of glass.

Bottom & Reverse:

(17-23)--Moreover, who is the dog that would not obey the orders of the king, my lord, the Sun fr[o]m the sky, the son of the Sun, [wh]om the Sun loves?--(complete, Obverse & Reverse, lines 1-23)

Akkadian text

The Akkadian language text: [3]

Obverse:

(Line 1)--A-na 1.- diš LUGAL EN-ia,.. DINGIR.MEŠ.ia,..--(To King-Lord-mine,.. (of) God(s)(pl)-mine,.. )
(2)-- d "UTU"-ia,.. d UTU ša -tu--(God-"SUN-god"-mine,.. God-SUN-god,.. which from,.. )
(3)--An-ša10-me um ma 1.- diš Yi-iD-iYa,.. ("God-Heaven(God-Šamû)",.. "Message" 1.-Yidya,.. )
(4)--ARAD-ka,.. "ip-ri",.. "ša" 2.- diš GÌR.MEŠ.ka,.. (Servant-yours,.. "Dust",.. "which at" 2.-Feet(pl)-yours,.. )
(5)-- qar-tab-bi,.. ša ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ-ka,..--(..(the) Groom,.. "which of" Horses-yours,.. )
(6)--a na 2.- diš GÌR.MEŠ,.. LUGAL-EN-ia,.. lu-ú,..(..at 2.-feet(pl),.. King-Lord-mine,.. "May it be",.. )
(7)--"-ta-ha-hi-in",.. 7.- diš it-šu,..(.."I prostrate myself",.. 7 times,.. )
(Line 1)--(Ana 1.LUGAL ENBēlu-ia,.. (of) DINGIR.MEŠ(pl))-ia,.. )
(2)--(D-"UTU"-ia,.. D-UTU,.. ša ištu,.. )
(3)--("DINGIR-Šamû",.. "Umma" 1.-Yidya,.. )
(4)--(ARAD-ka,.. "eperu",.. "ša" 2.-šēpu.meš-ka,.. )
(5)--(..kartappu/(qartabbu),.. [4] ša sīsû(ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ(pl),.. )
(6)--(..ana 2.-šēpu.meš(pl),.. LUGAL ENBēlu-ia,.. "lú",.. )
(7)--(.."iš-ta-ha-hi-in",.. 7. it-šu,.. )


See also

Related Research Articles

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 144</span>

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<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 362</span>

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<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".

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<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>

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<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 75</span>

Amarna letter EA 75, titled: "Political Chaos", is a short to moderate length letter from Rib-Hadda, who wrote the largest number of Amarna letters in a sub-corpus, from the city-state of Byblos; Byblos contained an Ancient Egyptian colony, and was aligned with a few neighboring townsites.

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 252, "A Royal Order for Glass", pp. 321-23.
  2. Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 252, "A Royal Order for Glass", pp. 321-23.
  3. Line Drawing, cuneiform, and Akkadian, Sumerograms, etc, EA 323: Obverse & Reverse, CDLI no. P270938 (Chicago Digital Library Initiative)
  4. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, pp. 55-87, kartappu, p. 67, and qartabbu, p. 69.