Treaties from Ancient Syria
22-3-2012 Leemans-zaal (begane grond)
“When the bound(s) of this oath by the gods
I transgress and against Jamsi-Hatnû,
the king of Kahat, I sin ...
... ... ...
Like roasted seeds do not sprout
my seed shall not rise.
Before my very eyes (my) wife
someone else shall marry.
My country someone else shall rule.
Let the throne and my country be alienated from me, and
let someone else be master of it.”
Thus swore Tillabnu, king of the city-state Shehna (modern Tell Leilan in Syria) to the king of Kahat, another local city-state, when they concluded a political pact of friendship and “brotherhood”.
The latest book published by NINO includes the scholarly edition of unique treaty documents, excavated by American archaeologists at Tell Leilan in northeastern Syria, and nearly 4000 years old. In this lecture the author presents these documents in their archaeological and historical context, and provides some samples of the document contents.
Dr. Jesper Eidem is Director of the Netherlands Institute for the Near East.