Old Babylonian
The term is used to describe the culture of southern Mesopotamia between approximately 2000 BC-1600 BC.
Description:
The Old Babylonian Period describes southern Mesopotamia where a number of important sates dominated the region, including Isin, Larsa, Eshnuna, and Babylon. The sixth ruler of Babylon, Hamurabi, unified the southern states and expanded his control into north Mesopotamia. After his death, the empire gradually shrank, but remained an important power until it was sacked by the Hittite king Mursili I. During the Old Babylonian period, literary activity flourished with scribes composing and recording religious, poetic, and ‘scientific’ works in Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform. The state retained the Akkadian language for official use, and the Sumerian language for religious use, but Amorite was the spoken language. The earlier Akkadian and Sumerian traditions played a major role in Babylonian culture.
Ultra-Low Chronology: 1798-1499 BCE
Short/Low Chronology: 1830-1531 BCE
Middle Chronology: 1894-1595 BCE
Long/High Chronology: 1950-1651 BCE
Objects: Old Babylonian Export: JSON - XML - CSV
| Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2725 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Brick of Sin-i-din-na-am king of Larsa. Broken. Text: To Nannar, eldest son of Enlil dSin-i-din-na-am, shepherd of justice_ _ _ who takes care of Ur, king (of Larsa). H.C. |
| 2919 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay label with Aramaic name. H.C. [drawing] |
| 3115 | (none) | 1927,1003.271 | (none) | Sinidinnam Brick (18 lines). Has mark [reference double crescent drawing] The mighty hero who takes care of Ur king of Larsa, who restores the rites of Ur of Eridu. Ga-nun-mah from ancient days the previous kings had restored . On the [word erased] of Nannar the sublime king the sanctuary ( ) For the life of... and for my life I did build. [drawing] |
| 3191 | (none) | (none) | B16546 | Brick of Libit-Ishtar Fragment. Same inscription as on Cone (Cf. SAKI. P.204) probably shorter. Libit-Ishtar, the humble shephard of Nippur, the just husbandman of Ur, who takes an unceasing care for Eridu, the high priest of uruk? H.C. | |
| 3263 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of 2 Columns (?) Inscription. Bluish stone (soapstone?) About BC 2100. H.C. |
| 3267 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay cone. Fragment. Construction - with the great cubit of Sin: - of the great outer wall (Kir-mah). King probably Larsa (Warad-Sin or Rim-Sin?) H.C. |
| 3355 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of inscribed slab. Black diorite. Royal inscription? king of Larsa? H.C. |
| 3570 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3572 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3574 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3575 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3578 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3580 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3581 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3582 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3583 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3584 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3586 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3587 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3589 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 3591 | (none) | (none) | (none) | No catalog card exists for this object: U.3400-U.4929 [possibly an error for U.3400-U.3989 since little evidence for tablets with numbers after U.3989 exists] fell unassigned between seasons 3 and 4. They were later used for tablets found in Season 3 in areas PD, TTB, and ES (Jacobsen AJA 57:128). |
| 6310 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay cone. Fragment. Inscription of a king of ISIN or LARSA. H.C. |
| 6315 | (none) | 1953,0411.118 | (none) | Clay contract tablet. 11th year of Sanisuiluna. Concerning the hired labor of Sinadinaplim (and) Sin-lipir. Given that in Karraiski their work has not been (done), Ibi-Ninshubur, the assessor has seized Sinlipir, and has ordered Sinliper to leave saying: what the hired men will leave bricks, wood, flour, grain and silver, what the hired men in their daily allowance have not found good, against Sinlipir, for the damage of the hired men will remain when he leaves. Two witnesses. Month of Tammuz - the 9th. Year when the king Samsuiluna destroyed the great walls of Ur and Larsa H.C. |
| 6323 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Brick of Silli-Adad. Fragment. BC 2083 |
| 6352 | (none) | (none) | B16229 | Steatite(?) [diorite is struck through] statue of Ningal. Presented by Enannatum son of Ishme-Dagan For his life. Upper part broken. Inscript. on 3 sides of the throne. Ur Texts, Vol. I, No. 103 E. CLW. Enter in catalog, Vol. VII HC. |
| Location | Context Title | Context Description | Description (Modern) |
|---|---|---|---|
| House I | Excavation house designation on the southeast side of Straight Street (originally called Division Street as it divided the first excavation house designations I, II, and III). This unit covered published houses No.2 and No. 4 Straight Street. | (none) |
| House II | Excavation house designation on the northwest side of Straight Street (originally called Division Street because it divided the initial excavation units of House I, II, and III). This unit may have initially contained some rooms in No. 3 Straight Street. | (none) |
| House III | Excavation designation for a portion of area AH that was eventually published as No. 1 Church Lane and No. 1 Straight Street. It was also called the Pa-Sag or Hendur-Sag chapel. This space was identified as a neighborhood or wayside chapel at the NW edge of Carfax. | (none) |
| House IV | Excavation designation in area AH mostly covering No. 1 Old Street but likely containing parts of No. 7 Church Lane as well. | (none) |
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Related Terms
Ubaid - Uruk - Jemdat Nasr - Early Dynastic / Sumerian - Akkadian Dynasty - Guti/Post Akkadian - Ur III - Middle Assyrian - Kassite - Neo-Assyrian - Neo-Babylonian - Achaemenid Empire (Persian) - Seleucid - Parthian