Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4hhp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-01T22:08:52.645Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Kish in the Kassite Period (c. 1650–1150 B.C.)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Extract

After over half a century systematic excavation is once again underway at Kish. A team of Japanese archaeologists led by Prof. Hideo Fujii has reopened the archaeological investigation of this large ancient site where many periods of occupation are to be found. This study focuses on only a small fragment of the history of settlement at Kish, drawing together the evidence for habitation on the site in the Kassite Period.

The evidence may broadly be separated into three groups: inscribed objects found at Kish; references to Kish in texts of the Kassite Period; and artifacts peculiar to the Kassite Period found on the site.

The history and results of the excavations conducted at Kish before the Second World War have been well summarized by Moorey [1978]. I do not intend to present an even briefer summary in this paper. Suffice it to note that the bulk of the material discussed below derives from the two major campaigns at Kish: those of de Genouillac in 1912 [1925; Gibson: 1972: 69–70], and those of the Oxford–Field Museum Expedition between 1923 and 1933 [Field: 1929; Langdon: 1924; Mackay: 1925, 1929; Watelin: 1930, 1934; Gibson: 1972: 69–70]. Important supplementary evidence is also contained in the results of the surface survey work conducted at and around Kish by Gibson [1972].

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 1992 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adams, R., McC., , 1981. Heartland of cities. Surveys of ancient settlement and land use on the central floodplain of the Euphrates. (Chicago, London).Google Scholar
al-Soof, B. 1968. Tell Es-Sawwan excavation (4th Season) (Sumer 24, 316).Google Scholar
As, A. van, 1987. Towards a corpus of Mesopotamian pottery. (NDPT 5, 2938).Google Scholar
Ayoub, S., 1982. Die Keramik in Mesopotamien und in den Nachbargebieten von der Ur III Zeit bis zum ende der kassitischen Periode. (Munich).Google Scholar
Boehmer, R. M., 1985a. Die Funde. (BaghForsch 7, 818).Google Scholar
Boehmer, R. M., 1985b. Die Kleinfunde. (BaghForsch 7, 5468).Google Scholar
Boehmer, R. M., 1987a. Uruk-Warka 38. (RASD, 155–62).Google Scholar
Boehmer, R. M., 1987b. Die Kleinfunde (in Boehmer, R. M.: Uruk Kampagne, 38, 1985. Grabungen in J-K/23 und H/24–5 (Ausgrabungen in Uruk-Warka, Endberichte, Band I; Mainz and Rhein), 40–8).Google Scholar
Borger, R., 1958. Einige altbabylonische Königsinschriften aus Kiš. (Or. 27, 407–8).Google Scholar
Brinkman, J. A., 1968. A political history of post-Kassite Babylonia. (Analecta Orientalia 43; Rome).Google Scholar
Brinkman, J. A., 1969. Ur: The Kassite period and the period of the Assyrian kings. (Or. 38, 310–48).Google Scholar
Brinkman, J. A., 1976. Materials and Studies for Kassite history. Volume I. (Chicago).Google Scholar
Brinkman, J. A., 19761980. Kassiten. (RLA V, 464–73).Google Scholar
Brinkman, J. A., 19801983. Kudurru. (RLA VI, 267–74).Google Scholar
Brinkman, J. A., 1984. Settlement surveys and documentary evidence: regional variation and secular trends in Mesopotamian demography. (JNES 43, 169–80).Google Scholar
Caubet, A., and Kaczmarczyk, A., 1987. Bronze age faience from Ras Shamra (Ugarit) (BMOP 56, 4756).Google Scholar
Clay, A. T., 1906a. Documents from the temple archives of Nippur dated in the reigns of Cassite rulers (complete dates). (BE XIV, Philadelphia).Google Scholar
Clay, A. T., 1906b. Documents from the temple archives of Nippur dated in the reigns of Cassite rulers (incomplete dates). (BE XV; Philadelphia).Google Scholar
Clay, A. T., 1912. Documents from the temple archives of Nippur dated in the reigns of Cassite rulers. (PBS 2/II; Philadelphia).Google Scholar
Clayden, T., 1989. Aspects of the early history of the Kassites and the archaeology of the Kassite Period in Iraq (c. 1600–1150 B.C.). (D.Phil. Thesis; University of Oxford).Google Scholar
Dalley, S., and Yoffee, N., 1991. Old Babylonan texts in the Ashmolean Museum. Texts from Kish and elsewhere (OECT 13, Oxford).Google Scholar
Dammer, H-W., 1985. Die Grabung. (BaghForsch 7, 2535).Google Scholar
Edzard, D. O., 19761980. Kiš. (RLA V, 607–13).Google Scholar
Eichman, R., 1987. Die Keramik, (in Boehmer, R. M.: Uruk Kampagne 38, 1985. Grabungen in J-K/23 und H/24–5 (Ausgrabungen in Uruk-Warka. Endberichte Band 1; Mainz and Rhein), 1648).Google Scholar
Field, H., 1929. The Field Museum–Oxford University Joint Expedition to Kish, Mesopotamia 1923–29 (Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago).Google Scholar
Finkelstein, J. J., 1972. Late Old Babylonian documents and letters (YOS XIII; New Haven).Google Scholar
Franke, J. A., 1978. Area WB. (OIC 23, 53106).Google Scholar
Genouillac, H. de, 1924, 1925. Premières recherches archéologiques à Kich. Fouilles françaises d'el-'Akhymer, Mission d'Henri de Genouillac, 1911–1912, I, II (Paris).Google Scholar
Gibson, McG., 1972. The city and area of Kish. Appendix by Robert McCormick Adams (Miami).Google Scholar
Gibson, McG., 19761980. Kiš. (RLA V, 613–20).Google Scholar
Gibson, McG., Franke, J. A., Civil, M., Bates, M. L., Boessneck, J., Butzer, K. W., Rathbun, T. A., and Mallin, E. F., 1978. Excavations at Nippur. Twelfth Season. (OIC 23; Chicago).Google Scholar
Goetze, A., 1947. Old Babylonian Omen Texts [YOS X, New Haven).Google Scholar
Groneberg, B., 1980. Die Orts- und Gewässernamen der altbabylonischen Zeit. (Répertoire Géographique des Textes Cunéiformes, Band 3; Wiesbaden).Google Scholar
Guy, P. L. O., and Engberg, R. M., 1938. Megiddo Tombs (OIP 33; Chicago).Google Scholar
Hallo, W. W., 1957. Early Mesopotamian Royal Titles. A philological and historical analysis. (AOS 43; New Haven).Google Scholar
Hinke, W. J., 1907. A new boundary stone of Nebuchadrezzar I from Nippur. (BE, D4, Philadelphia).Google Scholar
Hoh, M. R., and Walker, C. B. F., 1977. Die Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen 1973–74. (Isin I, 2130).Google Scholar
Hrouda, B., 1977. Keramik: Obed neu/spätbabylonisch, (Isin I, 5563).Google Scholar
Hrouda, B., 1978. Ergibnisse der Ausgrabung in Isin, 4. Kampagne, Winter 1975–76. (Sumer 34, 86–8, 97).Google Scholar
Hrouda, B., 1981. Figuren, rundplastisch aus verscheidenem Material. (Isin II, 61–7).Google Scholar
Iraq, 1983. Excavations in Iraq 1981–82. (Iraq 45, 199–24).Google Scholar
Karstens, K., 1981. Nordabschnitt II, nordlicher Teil 1975–77. (4.–5. Kampagne). (Isin II, 2748).Google Scholar
King, L. W., 1912. Babylonian Boundary Stones and Memorial Tablets in the British Museum I–II. (London).Google Scholar
Kupper, J-R., 1959. Lettres de Kiš. (RA 53; 1938).Google Scholar
Langdon, S., 1924. Excavations at Kish, I, 1923–1924. (Paris).Google Scholar
Langdon, S., and Harden, D. B., 1934. Excavations at Kish and Barghuthiat 1933. I. Sassanian and Parthian remains in central Mesopotamia. (Iraq 1, 113–23).Google Scholar
Limet, H., 1971. Les Légendes des sceaux Cassites. (Brussels).Google Scholar
Loud, G., 1948. Megiddo II. Seasons of 1935–39. (OIP LXII, Chicago).Google Scholar
Mackay, E. J. H., 1925. Report on the excavations of the “A” cemetery at Kish, (Mesopotamia I; Chicago).Google Scholar
Mallet, J., 1975. Mari: Une nouvelle coutume funéraire assyrienne (Syria 52, 2336).Google Scholar
Margueron, J., 1975. Quatre campagnes de fouilles a Emar (1972–74): Un bilan provisoire. (Syria 52, 5385).Google Scholar
Moorey, P. R. S., 1978. Kish Excavations, 1923–1933. (Oxford).Google Scholar
Murray, A. S., Smith, A. H., and Walters, H. B., 1900. Excavations in Cyprus (Bequest of Miss E. T. Turner to the British Museum). (London).Google Scholar
Nashef, K., 1982. Die Orts- und Gewässernamen der mittelbabylonischen und mittelassyrischen Zeit. (Répertoire Géographique des Textes Cunéiformes. Band 5; Wiesbaden).Google Scholar
Parrot, A., 1937. Les fouilles de Mari. Troisième campagne (Hiver 1935–36). (Syria 18, 5484).Google Scholar
Peltenburg, E., 1977. A faience from Hala Sultan Tekke and second millennium B.C. Western Asiatic pendants depicting females. (HST 3, 177200).Google Scholar
Pritchard, J. B., 1969. Ancient Near Eastern Texts relating to the Old Testament. (Third edition with supplement; Princeton).Google Scholar
Radau, H., 1908. Letters to Cassite kings from the temple archives of Nippur. (BE, A XVII, Part 1).Google Scholar
Reuther, O., 1926. Die Innenstadt von Babylon (Merkes). (Leipzig).Google Scholar
Seidl, U., 1968. Die Babylonischen kudurru-reliefs. (BaghMitt 4, 7220).Google Scholar
Sollberger, E., 1969. Samsu-iluna's bilingual inscriptions C and D. (RA 63, 2943).Google Scholar
Steinmetzer, F. X., 1922. Die babylonischen Kudurru (Grenzstein) als Urkundenform. (Studien zur Geschichte und Kultur des Altertums, Band II; Paderborn).Google Scholar
Stol, M., 1976. Studies in Old Babylonian history. (Leiden).Google Scholar
Tomabechi, Y., 1984. Catalogue of artifacts in the Babylonian collection of the Lowie Museum of Anthropology. (Bib. Mes. 15).Google Scholar
Ungnad, A., 1938. Datenlisten. (RLA II, 131–94).Google Scholar
Valtz, E., 1985. The Yelki countryside. (LBTR, 6971).Google Scholar
Walker, C. B. F., Collon, D., 1980 Hormuzd Rassam's Excavations for the British Museum at Sippar in 1881–82 (Meyer, L. De, ed., Tell ed-Der III, 93114).Google Scholar
Walker, C. B. F., 1981. Cuneiform brick inscriptions in the British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, the City of Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, the City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. (London).Google Scholar
Watelin, I., 1930. Excavations at Kish III (1925–1927). (Paris).Google Scholar
Watelin, I., 1934. Excavations at Kish IV (1925–1930). (Paris).Google Scholar
Woolley, C. L., 1962: The Neo-Babylonian and Persian Periods. (Ur Excavations IX; London).Google Scholar
Woolley, C. L., 1965. The Kassite Period and the period of the Assyrian kings. (Ur Excavations VIII; London).Google Scholar
Woolley, C. L., and Mallowan, M. E. L., 1976. The Old Babylonian Period. (Ur Excavations VII; London).Google Scholar
Wu, Y., 1987. A history of Kazallu, Marad and Kish in the Early Old Babylonian Period. (M.Phil. Thesis; University of Oxford).Google Scholar