Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

576 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
number of dates from the time of Hammurabi and Samsuiluna,
1 by means of which the single vears of their governments
were officially
designated and known to the people.
Unfortunately, most of the letters discovered contain,
according to Scheil, only accounts.
But nevertheless there
are many among them which bring before our eyes scenes
from the daily lives of the ancient Babylonians in such a
realistic manner that human conditions and circumstances
may seem to have changed but little during the past four
thousand years. For example, an official, stationed in a
small village, Dur-Sin, complains to his father that it is impossible
to procure anything fit
to eat, and begs him, therefore,
to buy with the accompanying piece of money some
food, and send it to him. But let the writer of this epistle
speak for himself: "To my father from Zimri-eramma.
Mav the gods Shamash and Marduk keep thee alive forever.
May all go well with thee. I write thee to inquire
after thy health. Please let me know how it goes with thee.
I am stationed in Dur-Sin, on the canal Bitimsikirim.
Where I live there is no food which I am able to eat. Here
is the third part of a shekel, which I have sealed up, and
forward unto thee.
Send me for this money fresh fish and
other food to eat."
Another letter, addressed to a female by the name of
Bibeya, reads as follows: "To Bibeya from Gimil-Marduk :
May Shamash and Marduk grant thee, for my sake, to live
forever. I write this in order to inquire after thy health.
Let me know how it goes with thee. I am now settled in
Babylon, but I am in great anxiety, because I have not seen
thee. Send news when thou wilt come, that I may rejoice
at it. Come at the month of Arakhsamna [November-
1
Recently published by Scheil in Textes Elamites-S'emitiques (forming vol.
ii. of De Morgan's Delegation en Perse, Memoires), series I, Paris, 1900,
p. 83, note 1 ; and by Lindl in Beitr'age zur Jssyriologie, vol. iv, part 3
(Leipzig, 1 901), pp. 341, seqq.