Ataman Hotel - Kültepe (Contract concerning the Sale of a Slave Woman)

Contract concerning the Sale of a Slave Woman
Kültepe (Kaniş) Middle Bronze Age, Assyrian Colony Period: First quarter of 2^nd mill BC. Language : old Assyrian Baked clay. Tablet h : 5.2 cm., w: 5 cm. : th : 3.1 cm. Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Ka. 1008, Ka. 1030
The tablet was wrapped in a black envelope, bearing seal impressions, which has been cut down the middle to reveal the tablet. Very important documents were usually put in an envelope and sealed in front of witnesses, and are thus preserved. This practice was very common in the Assyrian merchant colony and was carried out both for security reasons and to prove authenticity. Both the tablet and the envelope bear the same message. It records the sale of a female slave named Suppi-Anika to a woman named Walawala by her husband. Walawala paid her husband Happu’ala 1/3 mine of liti silver as the price of Suppi-Anika. The woman is her slave. No-one may lay claim to the slave-girl. Talhama and Histahsu stand as guarantors for the slave. If anyone should lay a claim against Walawala. Tahlama and Histahsu will attest that the slave-girl belongs to Walawala. If Talhama and Histahsu are unable to prove this succesfully, they shall pay Walawala 1 mina of liti silver. Names of witnesses and their fathers. KIENAST 1984, 144: No:28; ISTANBUL 1983.l. A555; HROZNY 1952, 19a. b.