The New York herald., 1879-08-26
FINE ARTS.

BABYLONIAN CYLINDERS AND TABLETS AT THE
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM.
The METROPOLITAN Museum Of Art has recently
received very interesting collection. consisting OF
two Babylonian cylinders and ffty-one tablets
which it has been in negotiation for during the past
six months and purchased in London through the
agency of Dr. Samuel Birch. of the British Museum
The collection originally comprised number
of other cylinders and tablets. which were
secured for the English institution. 1t was
brought from Mosul. the chief seat OF the
Pashalik Of what was the centre OF Assyrian
civilization, by an Arab named Shemlech. The
cylinders and tablets are. usual. OF baked clay.
with the cuneiform characters incised upon them.
The tablets relate chiefly to transactions between
Babylonian merchants and with banking firm es-
tablished in Babylon. The cylinders bear pub
lie records. probably kings procamations. As the
inscriptions have not been fully translated it is to
bo hoped that opportunity may arise in the
future to have this work doEc full translation
made in London would have cost as much as the
objects themselves. Enough notes accompany the
collection however, to give good general idea OF its
contents. The tablets resemble in shape small rec
tangular English biscuits, the tops and bottoms
which the inscriptions cut, being. however. con-
cave. They range in color from white through rose
to brown. and in size from and half to two
inches in width and from two to two and half
inches in length. The cylinders are in shape like
truncated cones Of equal size at their Joined bases
The largest has diameter at this point of juno
ton about three nches and at the top and bottom
of inches the height being Ave inches. 1t partly
hollow. having al opening ut one end. The smaller
one slightly less than ve inches in height, has
diameter ut the centre of about two inches and at
the ends OF one and quarter inches This is solid.
The color on both is rose.
The following gives an idea of the contents OF many
OF the tablets. and is derived from notes sent by Dr.
Birch With the collection
No. This earliest is dated on the 27th day of
the fourth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar King
OF Babylon 60l b. C.) On it memoranda OF loans
Of silver made by Kudurru follows:-1 mana of
silver to Suta mana to Balludh, q mana to Belu-
epus shekels to Nabu-basa- napsati and shekels to
Nerpa-dapn Total mana snekels of silver No
3 dated at Babylon on the 18th day of the month oe
Swan in the eighthsyear Of tho reign of Nebuchad
nezzar (597 b. C.). bears tabetary evidence. at
shekels Of silver made by Nabu-suma-esir. Of
Belu- -ilani. son of the y. to Ku-
durru, son of Basa. son of Egibi. No. 3, dated at
BABYLON month Tisr 25th day, eighth year of Nebu-
chadnezzar (597 b. C.}-Loan of q OF a mana and
shekels of silver granted by Belu-balish. son
OF Musgul. of Epes-ili to Kudurru.
of Basa, sou of Egibi. To be repaid on
the 10th Of the month of Kislev. There four
witnesses. No. 4. dated at Babylon, month Of Tebet.
9th day 22d year CT Nebuchadnezzar 1888 b. c..
cords the sale of nine measures of corn Tor the
promise to sell nine measures OF cornl by Belu-basa.
of Kudurru, son of Egibi. Three witnesses. No. s.
dated at Babylon, month Alb. 21st day. 3lst year Of
twenty-four measures of and fifty-six shekeis
OF silver by Kasr and Iddin- Marduku of Basa.
son of Nur-Sini, Belu-nasi. of Snzubu. of
Beludn No. is dated ut Satkrini. 25th Swan, 37th
year Of Nebuchadnezzar 1868 B. C) No. is dated at
Babylon, 18th Adar AID year Of Nebuchadnezzar 1868
Is. C.) Nos. and are dated at Babylon, in the I'd
and Sd years of the reign of Neriglissar
1858 and 557 T. C.). Nos TO- IL. II. 49, A. 10 and IL
dated at Babylon. two in the second, in the
fourth. three in the sixth and in the eleventh O
years of Nabonidus tranging therefore from 554 to
545 b. C No. IL is dated at Borsippa in the seventh
year of Nabonidus (548 J. C Nos IL to 80 date from
the Sth to the 10th year Of Nabonidus from 54S
$40 b. C Nos. 81 and 80 dated at Babylon in the
Sd and 7th year of Cyrus 1884 and $50 B. C No. 33
is dated at Lakkarrinu and Nos. "a and 35 at Baby
lon the first in the I'd the two others in the 9th
year of Cambyses 1928 and 524 b. C) No. 80 is dated
ut 25 Kslev, 1st year of Darius (515
Il. C.) Nos. 38 10 43 date from Babylon and range
from the Sd to the 26th year of Darius 6 to 493 b.
An interesting tablet is No. "A. which. dated at the
city OF Dhabi-e 10Th Nissan, 40th year of Nebu-
chadnezzar 1865 b. c., records shekes of silver,
lont by Gimillu. of Samsa-zIra-ibni, son Of
Sinu-satnu to Nabu-sumaddin, son of Belu ubalidh,
son of Sakdidi and in-Marduku, son of Barsa
son Of Nur-Sini, III the course OF the month Nissan
y by shekel times, give (back). Three
witnesses Gimillu receives therefore shekels in
memoranda OF loans, expenditures. &c. (undated);
an account of the produce of certain lands in the
14th year of Darius. with names of buyers and
amounts; No. 40. an undated account Of field prod
uce. and No. so. rough memoranda. No. 81 is dated
ut Babylon on the 18th day OF the 14th year Of Da-
rims