Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets
J.J. Finkelstein
The Old-Babylonian texts published here
belong for the most part to the so-called 'Budge Collections'. On internal evidence, the provenance of most of them can be shown to be ancient
Sippar. This volume is the work of Professor J. J. Finkelstein, who selected and copied the texts while working on the Trustees' planned Catalogue
of Babylonian Tablets. The texts were chosen for their intrinsic value rather than for any inter-relationship among them or relationship to previously
published texts, such as relationship by archive or date. Professor Finkelstein's own interests are, of course, reflected by the large proportion
of documents concerned with litigations and other judicial procedures, as well as documents pertaining to family law, especially contracts of marriage
and concubinage. Where texts of more routine content have been included, the most common reason has been some unusual feature in their legal
terminology or phraseology or in their dates, or the mention of oaths by rulers thus far unknown. Of the two letters included, the first sheds light
on an important stage in marriage negotiations, while the second may be of interest for grammatical reasons. As far as was practicable the texts have
been arranged topically. Professor Finkelstein's ensuing catalogue gives only a brief description of the contents. It is hoped that he will
publish elsewhere a series of more extended notes
to the texts.
As the impressions of seals preserved on the tablets or envelopes are all of standard Old-Babylonian type (mostly worshippers presented to deities), they have not been reproduced.
R. D. BARNETT,
Keeper
DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN ASIATIC ANTIQUITIES,
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
June, 1967.