cuneiform tablet

An irregular shaped fragment of a cuneiform tablet with lines between the inscription, which is on one side only. The reverse side is concave and has a round paper label attached with a '3' in pencil. 2 loose paper labels.

Label reads "3. Babylonian Tablets- Cuneiforms Part of a baked clay knob, used as a wall-ornament. The inscription seems to be of ASHURNIRARI I. son of ISHME-DAGAN. Kings of Assyria, about B.C. 1700-1650. A very interesting tablet."

Described in listings as "Part of the head of a middle Assyrian clay cone of Ashur-nirari I, c. 1500 B.C. Probably from Ashur; one of the earliest known examples of Assyrian inscribed cone. “ [Ashur] –nirari, [vice]-regent of the god Ashur, [son of Ishme] – Dagan, [Vice]-regent of the god Ashur: [for his life] and the well-being [of his city] – I built […] and deposited [my clay cone…]” "

The latter script has also been seen to say 'he built a wall. I deposited [my clay cone]' (Grayson, A K. 1987. Assyrian Rulers of the Third and Second Millennia BC).

Thought to come from Assur.

Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative number P465907.