Amarna letter EA 34

Amarna letter EA 34, titled: "The Pharaoh's Reproach Answered"[1] is a moderately tall clay tablet Amarna letter from the King of Alashiya. (See here: )

Amarna letter EA 26, fragment (Obverse).
(Similar in color to EA 34.)
(high-resolution expandable photo)

Besides a complicated story line to EA 34, the letter is shown to be in Very Good condition. It is a bright color, and the cuneiform is finely inscribed. The scribe has some distinct techniques: clarity of the cuneiform; because of a listing, use of non-common cuneiform; a technique with "7 and 7 times" that is non-standard; and some specific signs that are also artful (i.e. the simple multiple use of "tug2" (túg)), which is used for types of clothing.

Besides the interesting use of two verticals for ka4 (), see as: ( ), "tug2" (túg)) is distinctive, in the Gift Listing, because in a grouping of more uncommon-use cuneiform, "tug2" is dramaltically simple. It is similar to this (), when the added second horizontal up-stroke is added (like an open "pair of scissors"). "Tug2" (túg) is found on the Obverse, lines: 22, 23, and 25; six times. It is found once on the tablet Reverse, line 47.

EA 34 is numbered 29789 in the British Museum.

The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1360 BC and 20–30 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

Cuneiform and Akkadian text, EA 34

Obverse (See here: )

(Line 1)—Um-ma lugal kur A-La-ši-ia–.–(..Message (of)King Land Alashiya (ALaShia) )
(2)—a-na lugal kur Mi-iș-Ri (Egypt) ŠEŠ-ia-ma–.–( to (the)King Land Miṣri(Egypt) (Mi-iṣ-Ri), -//- Brother-mine ! )

Paragraph II

(3)—Li-ma-ad i-nu-ma šal-ma-ku ù–.–( Know (that)Now ("at this time") --///-- Peace -/- ..And )
(4)—ša-lim kur-ia ù iš-tu "1/2 7." mu-ka4–.–( peace Land-mine --//-- And From "7 & 7 times"( 1/2 7.) --//-- I bow ! (I address you) )
(5)—ù šu-lum-ka4 šu-lum É-kat dumu-meš-ka4–.–( .. and Peace --//-- Peaceful: House; Son(s)-yours; .. )
(6)—DAM-meš ANŠE-kur-ra-meš geš-GIGIR-ka4-meš–.–.–.–(.. Wive(s); Horse(s)(cavalry); Chariot(s)-yours )
(7)—kur-ki-ka4 ma-gal lu-ú šal-mu a-mur at-ŠEŠ-ia–.–(..All lands-yours, Great --/-- May (there) be Peace "To See" .. Brother-Mine ! )
(Note here Para II: ka () is not used for "yours"— "sons–yours; chariots–yours; land–yours." Instead qa (ka4) () is used. In this letter EA 34 "ka4" is more like 2 vertical strokes: . Syllabic "ka" is not used until line 10, and "qa" until lines 12, & 17, Obverse. )

Paragraph III

(8)—I-nu-ma ! ta-aš-tap-ra a-na ia-ā-ši–.–.–(Now sent for Me .. )
(9)—a-na mi-nim-mi --//-- la-a tu-pe-ši RA–.–.–( for "everyone" "daily" --//-- Never(Not) "Wavering" (to part, hold-back) .. RA ! .. )
(10)—Lu2-DUMU-ši-ip-ri-ka a-na mah-ri-ia–(.. Messenger-(Yours) for Counterpart-mine(-Ours) (my Equal) ! )
(11)—ša-ni-ud -/- ù la-ā iš-mi --///-- i-nu-ma–.–( .. Worthy(Illustrious) --//-- And Not Obey("Listen to") --////-- .. Now ..)
(12)—ti-na-ku // ni-qa-am(?ir-nim-am?) -//- ù la-ā ti-ša-?kah2?–(.. Powerful, / "Roaring" --//-- ..And Never(Not) "Having guile"(Doing evil) .. )
(13)—mi-ma i-na lib3-bi-ka4 -//- ù 1.(diš)-šu- ú–.–(..Anyone "in Heart-Theirs" --//-- ..And 1.(The Pharaoh's) (Speech)-(šāru)-"Callings"(Voice) ..)
(14)—šemû --///-- ù anuma utu-XX-"dIM"–.–(.. Obeyed(Listened-to) ---////--- And Now The Sun(Pharaoh) (is) "as-like" Baal ! ..)
(15)—Lu2-DUMU-ši-ip-ri-ia a-na mah-ri-ka4–(.. Messenger-Ours for Counterpart-our (my Equal) ! )

Akkadian

Obverse (See here: )

(Line 1)—Umma lugal kur ALaShia (Alashiya))
(2)—ana lugal kur MiișRi ŠEŠ-ia-ma !

Paragraph II

(3)—Lamādu inuma šal-ām-u ù
(4)—šalāmu kur-ia ù ištu "1/2 7." "maqātu ! "
(5)—ù šu-lum-ka4 (šalāmu) šu-lum(šalāmu) É-kat dumu-meš-ka4
(6)—DAM-meš ANŠE-kur-ra-meš geš-GIGIR-ka4-meš
(7)—kur-ki-ka4 ma-gal lu-ú šal-mu a-mur at-ŠEŠ-ia !
(Note here Para II: ka () is not used for "yours"— "sons, yours; chariots, yours; land, yours." Instead qa (ka4) () is used. In this letter EA 34 "ka4" is more like 2 vertical strokes: . Syllabic "ka" is not used until line 10, and "qa" until lines 12, 17 Obverse. )

Paragraph III

(8)—Inuma ! šapāru ana iāši ..
(9)—ana mi-nim-mi --//-- lā bêšu RA ! ..
(10)—Lu2-DUMU-ši-ipri-ka ana mah-ri-ia !
(11)—šanu' 'udu ù lā šemû --//-- .. inuma
(12)—ti-na-ku // raMĀmu ù lā ti-ša-?kah2?
(13)—mimma ina lib3bu-ka4 ù 1.(diš)--šāru
(14)—šemû ù anuma utu-XX-"dIM"
(15)—Lu2-DUMU-ši-ipri-ia ana mah-ri-ka4 !

See also

References
  1. Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 34, "The Pharaoh's Reproach Answered", pp. 105-107.
  • Moran, William L. The Amarna Letters. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. (softcover, ISBN 0-8018-6715-0)


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