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

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

gods of Borsippa. I'll provide it abundantly, more than previously, (namely) a string of fish,

59 birds, usuminu-micQ (dormice?), (and) eggs, the best things from the reed marsh, sweet siras-beer, Jcurunnu-bQQr, mountain beer, pure wine,

60 honey, ghee, milk (and) oil for the table of Nabu and Nanaja, my lords." Thus according to his inscription Nebuchadnezzar II rebuilt the Ezida temple at Borsippa and renovated the Marduk's shrine,

61 the Kahilisu and the Ezida shrines within the Esagil temple complex at Babylon. He established a precise quantity of regular offerings to these sanctuaries as well. The eminent role of the Esagil and Ezida temples is emphasised by an extract of the Babylonian Chronicles.

62 It describes the turbulent events preceding the accession to the throne of Nabopolassar when Nabu and Bel have not yet come out from their sanctuaries for four years. We have no written cuneiform documentation at our disposal for dating Nebuchadnezzar's rebuilding activities during his rule. In the Collection of the Egyptian Department of the Museum of Fine Arts there are preserved 5 texts of three lines,

63 2 of four lines and 2 of seven lines,

64 relating to these restorations. We will present them first in copies, then in transcriptions and in translations with succinct notes.

65 59 Cf. CAD N/2 339a. 60 Cf. CAD S 306a. 61 George, op. cit., p. 156. é.umus.a, "House of Command", cella of Marduk in é.sag.

il at Babylon. 62 Grayson, A.K., Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, Locust Valley 1975, p. 132. 63 Cf. Langdon, op. cit. (Note 33) no. 40. 64 Cf. Langdon, op. cit. no. 4L 65 For a complet evaluation of the Neo-Babylonian royal inscriptions see Berger, P.-R., Die neubabylonischen Königsinschriften. Königsinschriften des ausgehenden babylonischen Reiches (626539 v. Chr.). Teil I. (AOAT 4/1). Kevelaer/Neukirchen-Verlag 1973.