Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 94. (Budapest, 2001)

EVERLING, JÁNOS: Cuneiform Royal Inscriptions of the Museum of Fine Arts

Similarly, we know three epithets of Enki concerning the Abzu: "lord of Abzu", "bull of Abzu" and "king of the Abzu".

16 According to the historical inscriptions Elili, a Presargonic ruler of Ur, erected the Abzu shrine/temple: "For the god Enki, lord of Eridu, Elili, king of Ur, built his Abzu".

17 It was rebuilt by Amar-Suen and later by Nür-Adad, (king of Larsa, 1866-1855 B.C.): "[For] the god Enki, lord of Eridu, his lord, Nür-[Adad], mighty man, provider of Ur, king of Larsa, subduer of the foreign lands for the god Utu, when he had restored Ur and Larsa, has resettled their scattered people in their residence, their captive people [...] the foundation trul[y ...], Eridu [...], at the shrine (he did not let) any evil-doer (against) the god Enki [enter] it. Divine lord Nudimmud was pleased at this. Beside his ancient temple (Nür-Adad) built anew for him (Enki), his Abzu, the Emekukuga ('House which purifies the mes'). Into it he brought his throne, standard, (and) ancient treasures."

18 The last mention of the Abzu shrine/temple comes from the 7

th century B.C. when an Assyrian governor of Ur and Eridu mentions it:

19 "(For) Nanna, for the long life of Assurbanipal, king of the kings, his king, Sîn-balatsu-iqbi, governor of Ur and Eridu, provider of (the temple) Egisnugal and the shining shrine Abzu, built anew the temple Lugalgalgasisa,

20 his beloved temple." Until 1997 we were aware of 55 published copies of this document.

21 Twenty-one of them comes from Eridu, 13 from Ur and 9 from one of these two towns. The provenience of the remaining material is unknown. The majority of the published texts were unearthed by legal excavation:

22 "Exs. 1-12 and 28-31 come from either Loftus's excavations at Ur or Taylor's excavations at Ur and Eridu. Exs. 13-27 come from Hall's excavations at Eridu. Exs. 32 and 35 come from Eridu. Exs. 51-55 come from Taylor's excavations at Ur and Eridu."

23 In terms of formulation the inscription of the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest introduces an important new variant: it exchanges lines 2 and 3 in comparison to the canonical edition of the same text.

24 It states literally: "Amar-Suen, in Nippur by Enlil chosen" and not "Amar-Suen, by Enlil in Nippur chosen".

25 16 For references see PSD A/2 188b. 17 Steible, H., Die aitsumerischen Bau- und Weihinschriften, Inschriften aus 'Lagas' (F

AOS 5) 2, Wiesbaden 1982, p. 134. 18 The eminent translation by D. Frayne, Old Babylonian Period (2003-1595), The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia, Early Periods, vol. 4, (RIME 4), Toronto 1990, p. 146. is cited here. The editor of this text relates that the inscription was discovered at Eridu itself during a survey of sites. 19 Cf. UET 1, 170. and Brinkman, J.A., Ur: 721-605 B.C., 0 34 (1965) 241-258 and <9r38 (1969) 310-348. 20 Cf. George, A.R., House Most High. The Temples of Ancient Mesopotamia, Winona Lake 1993, p. 119: é.lugal.galga.si.sá, "House of the King who Lets Counsel Flourish", ziqqurat of Sín at Ur. 21 Cf. Frayne, D., Ur III Period (2112-2004 BC), The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia. Early Periods, vol. 3/2, (RIME 3/2), Toronto 1997, Amar-Suen E3/2.1.3.15. 22 Cf. Pallis, S.A., The Antiquity of Iraq. A Handbook of Assyriology. Copenhagen 1956, pp. 359360. 23 Cf. Frayne, op. cit. p. 261. 24 Steible, op. cit. (Note 17) (Amar-Suen n5) pp. 226-228., and Frayne, op. cit. (E3/2.

1.3.15.) pp. 26025 For a complete linguistic analysis see Hayes, op. cit. (Note 13) pp. 157-163.