An Assyrian Building Inscription with cosmological material

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An Assyrian Building Inscription with cosmological material

Published by Meissner and Rost Eie Baunschriften Sanheribs
and translated by Zimmern, Zum

A building inscription of Sennacherib (705-681 BCE) contains some cosmological references which supply useful hints concerning the development of the faith of Ashur. The text describes a bronze door erected by the king in the New Year’s festival house at Ashur (Kalat Shergat), which was discovered by the Deutsche Orientgesellschaft.

Obverse:
(5) A door of gleaming red bronze, which like a . . . the work of the god of the forge
(6) I caused to be made by my artistic skill; a representation of Ashur, when he went
to battle into the sea,
(7) as he bore the bow, while he drove upon the chariot and let loose the storm flood
(8) and a representation of Amurru, who drove with him as charioteer, according to the
command of Shamash and Adad
(9) given me in haruspication (him) I graved upon that door. The gods who go. before him
(10) and go behind him, who drive in chariots and go afoot, [also] as they before Ashur
(11) are ordered in line of battle and behind Ashur are ordered in line of battle; Tiamat,
1 the beings within her, among which came Ashur, the king of the gods
(12) to battle, I graved according to the command of Shamash and Adad, upon that door.
(13) The remaining gods, who go afoot, according to the command of Shamash and Adad
(14) before Ashur binds Tiamat; the beasts which Tiamat 1 bears,
(15) to death given over, therefore run hither and thither afoot
(16) (with) their hands (?) . . . according to the command of Shamash and Adad as I had

Reverse:
determined for this door, I graved … of silver, gold, copper,
(2) I set up. Vessels of silver gold, copper
[The following lines are mostly unintelligible, but at the close comes a
list of the gods, represented in the sculptures on the bronze doors, as follows:]
(10) the image of Ashur, who goes to battle into the sea; the image of Sennacherib, king of Assyria;
(11) Sharur, Shargaz, Gaga, Nusku, Shulmanu, Tishkhu, Ninib, of the wall,
(12) Azag-suga (?) Khani, Sibitti; these are the gods who go before Ashur.
(13) Nin-lil, Sherua, Sin, Ningal, Shamash, Aja, Belit (?)
(14) Anu, Antum, Adad, Shala, Ea, Damkina,
(15) Belit-ilani, Ninib; these are the gods, who go behind Ashur.

[The following words are on the left margin]
(1) The victorious Prince, seated upon Ashur’s chariot.
(2) Tiamat with the creatures within her.