U of T researchers shed light on ancient Assyrian tablets

University of Toronto ^ | Apr 8, 2010 | Unknown

[decimon]

A cache of cuneiform tablets unearthed by a team led by a University of Toronto archaeologist has been found to contain a largely intact Assyrian treaty from the early 7th century BCE.

"The tablet is quite spectacular. It records a treaty — or covenant — between Esarhaddon, King of the Assyrian Empire and a secondary ruler who acknowledged Assyrian power. The treaty was confirmed in 672 BCE at elaborate ceremonies held in the Assyrian royal city of Nimrud (ancient Kalhu). In the text, the ruler vows to recognize the authority of Esarhaddon's successor, his son Ashurbanipal," said Timothy Harrison, professor of near eastern archaeology in the Department of Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations and director of U of T's Tayinat Archaeological Project (TAP).

"The treaties were designed to secure Ashurbanipal's accession to the throne and avoid the political crisis that transpired at the start of his father's reign. Esarhaddon came to power when his brothers assassinated their father, Sennacherib."

The 43 by 28 centimetre tablet — known as the Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon — contains about 650 lines and is in a very fragile state. "It will take months of further work before the document will be fully legible," added Harrison. "These tablets are like a very complex puzzle, involving hundreds of pieces, some missing. It is not just a matter of pulling the tablet out, sitting down and reading. We expect to learn much more as we restore and analyze the document."

The researchers hope to glean information about Assyria's imperial relations with the west during a critical period, the early 7th century BCE. It marked the rise of the Phrygians and other rival powers in highland Anatolia — now modern-day Turkey — along the northwestern frontier of the Assyrian empire, and coincided with the divided monarchy of Biblical Israel, as well as an era of increased contact between the Levantine peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt, as well as the Greeks of the Aegean world.

The cache of tablets — which date back to the Iron Age — were unearthed in August 2009 during excavations at the site of an ancient temple at Tell Tayinat, located in southeastern Turkey. A wealth of religious paraphernalia — including gold, bronze and iron implements, libation vessels and ornately decorated ritual objects — was also uncovered.

TAP is an international project, involving researchers from a dozen countries, and more than 20 universities and research institutes. It operates in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Turkey, and provides research opportunities and training for both graduate and undergraduate students. The project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Institute for Aegean Prehistory (INSTAP), and receives support from the University of Toronto.

###

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Timothy P. Harrison Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations University of Toronto 416-978-6600 (office) tim.harrison@utoronto.ca

Christine Elias Communications Faculty of Arts & Science University of Toronto 416-946-5499 christine.elias@utoronto.ca

[decimon]

More things change ping.

[HospiceNurse]

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
Ezra 4:2

[fishtank]

ping

[majormaturity]

Early translations say “Hope and Change.” So that’s how the empire died!

[Defiant]

It records a treaty — or covenant — between Esarhaddon, King of the Assyrian Empire and a secondary ruler who acknowledged Assyrian power.

Sounds like Ahnuld agreeing to go along with Obama.

[SunkenCiv]

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[wildbill]

Good catch. Now, since I’m lazy, who are ‘they’?

[HospiceNurse]

These were the Samaritans, and the different nations with which the kings of Assyria had peopled Israel, when they had carried the original inhabitants away into captivity, see ver. 9, 10.

[ApplegateRanch]

U of T researchers shed light on ancient Assyrian tablets

My beam didn't reach far enough to find them. Glad they were able to illuminate them.

---

2 Kings 19:34-37

34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.
KJV

[SunkenCiv]

...between Esarhaddon, King of the Assyrian Empire and a secondary ruler who acknowledged Assyrian power... said Timothy Harrison, professor of near eastern archaeology... "The treaties were designed to secure Ashurbanipal's accession to the throne and avoid the political crisis that transpired at the start of his father's reign. Esarhaddon came to power when his brothers assassinated their father, Sennacherib." ...The researchers hope to glean information about Assyria's imperial relations with the west during a critical period, the early 7th century BCE. It marked the rise of the Phrygians and other rival powers in highland Anatolia -- now modern-day Turkey -- along the northwestern frontier of the Assyrian empire, and coincided with the divided monarchy of Biblical Israel, as well as an era of increased contact between the Levantine peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt, as well as the Greeks of the Aegean world.

There's a school of thought that there were *usually* two, three, four, or more independent schismatic Assyrian kingdoms during much of the Assyrian era, which stretches from the dynasty of Akkad (often one will see the referred to as "the Akkadians" and the language as "Akkadian" as if they were a distinct people, which they weren't, give or take natural changes in spoken languages and their customs over such a long period of time) all the way up to and even a little bit past the destruction of Nineveh by an alliance of Babylonians, Scythians, and Medes.

BTW, the name Esarhaddon appears to have wound up as "S.R. Haddon" in the movie "Contact". :')