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July 18, 2007
What's a ŠA Among Friends?
I've been watching the continuing discussion of the Nabu-sharrussu-ukin tablet. Chris Heard has another good post on it and, in the comments, Kevin Edgecomb of Biblicalia makes important points on the title rab ša rēsi. He correctly tells us to stop translating it "Chief Eunuch" and suggests "Chief Official" as a better translation (literarily " chief of the heads").
I have just the smallest problem with all this. As I pointed out in my previous post on the matter, this particularly tablet does not read rab ša rēsi but only rab rēsi. Now there is no doubt that this is same official title. So my quibble is truly a quibble. But let's look at the details anyway.
The first image on the left is from the published photograph. It is of the two signs on line 2 that together read GAL SAG indicating rab rēsi. The second image is the same part of the photograph with my attempt to do a tracing. For those who are keeping score at home, the first sign is Labat sign 344 and the second one is Labat 115.
There is no room for the ša or šá sign. In fact, the GAL runs into the SAG ever so slightly. In this context ša, if it where there, would function as a determinative pronoun meaning something like "one of the" or simply "of the." But, rab rēsi is grammatically okay. The construct state provides about the same level of determination. The writing on this tablet may reflect an idiosyncrasy of the scribe or his scribal tradition. On the other hand, he may have just made an error.
Note: there is not a ša between what I take to be the DÙ in Arad-DÙ (Banitu) and the SAG sign at the beginning of line 3. But, I'm not so sure if it would be normal there.
Reference:
Labat, René, Manuel d'Épigraphie Akkadienne, 4th edition, Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1963
Posted by Duane Smith at July 18, 2007 4:46 PM | Read more on Akkadian |
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Comments
Hi Duane! My objection wasn't just to this particular tablet (which I hadn't even seen the actual test of: nifty!), but more in reference to the common translation of the Hebrew "rabsaris" as "Chief Eunuch." It's a good quibble you have, though! I suppose the only way to find out if the rab ša rēsi was considered part of the group of which he was "the great" would be to know which exactly these "heads" were. That this was a high-ranking official is clear, but what exactly his role was is not. It's fascinating stuff. We can only hope that more will be discovered in the future.
Posted by: Kevin P. Edgecomb at July 18, 2007 9:44 PM
Kevin
I did understand your quite correct concern as extending beyond this tablet and even beyond Babylonian usage. Sorry if I confused the issue.
I have a working transliteration of the obverse with the right edge mostly reconstructed but I'm not sure enough of some parts to post it. Maybe in a day or two.
By the way, I am absolutely sure more will be discover and I mean in museum storerooms and not necessarily the field. There are more of these kinds of tablets that haven't been published than there are that have been.
Posted by: Duane at July 18, 2007 9:55 PM
Thanks, Duane. Jursa must be working on a proper publication of the tablet, even though it's great that he's released a translation already. And you've got good eyes! I'm SO out of practice reading tablets. I need to start playing with my sign flashcards again!
You're right about discoveries in the archives. I'm hoping too that once things eventually settle down in Iraq (God willing, sooner than later!), proper excavations will occur. I really look forward to the eventual discovery of Wasshugani, the Mittanian capital. Perhaps we'll then finally be able to properly read and understand Hurrian. A boy can dream....
Aside from that, I recall one of my profs along the line saying that the BM tablets went through only the most basic scrutiny at accession, as there were so many. Probably just a glance each, so most have certainly NOT been read since they were buried. More will certainly appear.
Posted by: Kevin P. Edgecomb at July 19, 2007 10:16 AM
Hi Duane,
I just discovered this post of yours now. I will note it in my last post on the tablet.
Any chance that (ša) rēši means 'of the slaves,' and not 'of the heads'? 'Slaves' is an attested meaning of the vocable, according to CDA.
Posted by: John Hobbins at July 23, 2007 9:16 PM
John,
Yeah, rēšu can mean "slave" but I'd think that if they meant just any old slave they would use (w)ardu. But then, ardu can mean "servant" without a clearly defined condition of servitude. In most contexts rēšu falls into the semantic range of "head," "top," "beginning," "best." In some contexts rēšu even seems to mean "currier." and I'm not sure what that has to do with things like "head" and "top." I suppose I should do a little study of it but not starting at 9:40 in the evening.
Posted by: Duane at July 23, 2007 9:44 PM
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