In this paper we present for the first time an intriguing Akkadian lament of the mother goddess over her destroyed temples. Remarkably, the lament, almost complete, is known from two exemplars: BM 29624 (ms. A) and BM 109164 (ms. B).... more
In this paper we present for the first time an intriguing Akkadian lament of the mother goddess over her destroyed temples. Remarkably, the lament, almost complete, is known from two exemplars: BM 29624 (ms. A) and BM 109164 (ms. B). Judging by their grammar, orthography, and sign-forms, both tablets date to the early Old Babylonian period. Ms. A preserves a colophon, which identifies the lament as amerakūtum. We propose the historical framework for this unique literary piece, discuss it against the background of other Old Babylonian laments and analyze the musical and architectural components of the temple that are described in the lament.
