Khafajah
Encyclopedia
Khafajah or Khafaje was the ancient town of Tutub in the city-state of Eshnunna
. The site lies seven
miles east of Baghdad
and 12 miles southwest of Eshnunna
.
Khafajah was occupied during the Early Dynastic Period, through the
Sargonid Period, then came under the control of Eshnunna
after the fall of the Ur III Empire. Later, after Eshnunna was
captured by Babylon, a fort was built at the site by Samsu-iluna
of the First Babylonian Dynasty
and named Dur-Samsuiluna.
The history of Khafajah is known in somewhat more detail for a period
of several decades as a result of the discovery of 112 tablets
(one now lost) in a temple of Sin
. The tablets constitute
part of an official archive and include mostly loan and legal
documents. The Oriental Institute of Chicago
holds 57 of the tablet with the remainder being in the Iraq Museum.
Mound A, extends back as far as the Uruk
period and contained an oval temple
of the god Sin
and a temple of Nintu. The Dur-Samsuiluna fort was found on mounds B and C. Mound D contained
private homes and a temple for the god Sin where the archive tablets
where found in two heaps.
Khafajah was excavated for 7 seasons in the early 1930s primarily by an Oriental Institute of Chicago team led by Henri Frankfort
with Thorkild Jacobsen
and Pinhas Delougaz. For two seasons, the site
was worked by a joint team of the American Schools of Oriental Research
and the University of Pennsylvania
.
Eshnunna
Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet...
. The site lies seven
miles east of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and 12 miles southwest of Eshnunna
Eshnunna
Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet...
.
History
Sargonid Period, then came under the control of Eshnunna
Eshnunna
Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet...
after the fall of the Ur III Empire. Later, after Eshnunna was
captured by Babylon, a fort was built at the site by Samsu-iluna
Samsu-Iluna
Samsu-iluna was the seventh king of the founding Amorite dynasty of Babylon, ruling from 1750 BC to 1712 BC middle chronology. He was the son and successor of Hammurabi by an unknown mother...
of the First Babylonian Dynasty
First Babylonian Dynasty
The chronology of the first dynasty of Babylonia is debated as there is a Babylonian King List A and a Babylonian King List B. In this chronology, the regnal years of List A are used due to their wide usage...
and named Dur-Samsuiluna.
The history of Khafajah is known in somewhat more detail for a period
of several decades as a result of the discovery of 112 tablets
(one now lost) in a temple of Sin
Sin (mythology)
Sin or Nanna was the god of the moon in Mesopotamian mythology. Nanna is a Sumerian deity, the son of Enlil and Ninlil, and became identified with Semitic Sin. The two chief seats of Nanna's/Sin's worship were Ur in the south of Mesopotamia and Harran in the north.- Name :The original meaning of...
. The tablets constitute
part of an official archive and include mostly loan and legal
documents. The Oriental Institute of Chicago
holds 57 of the tablet with the remainder being in the Iraq Museum.
| Ruler | Proposed reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Abdi-Erah | circa 1820 BC | Ruler of Eshnunna Eshnunna Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet... , Contemporary of Sumu-abum Sumu-abum Sumu-Adama was the first King of the First Dynasty of Babylon. He reigned from 1830-1817 BC. He is credited with founding the city of Babylon .-References:... of Babylon Babylon Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad... |
| Adi-madar | Ruler of Eshnunna Eshnunna Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet... |
|
| Sumina-arim | ||
| Iku-pi-Sin | ||
| Isme-bali | ||
| Tattanum | Contemporary of Belakum of Eshnunna Eshnunna Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet... |
|
| Hammi-dusur | circa 1800 BC | Contemporary of Sumu-la-El Sumu-la-El Sumu-la-El was a King in the First Dynasty of Babylon. He reigned ca.1817 BC - 1781 BC.-References:... of Babylon Babylon Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad... |
| Warassa | Ruler of Eshnunna Eshnunna Eshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet... |
|
Archaeology
The site consists of four mounds, labeled A through D. The main one,Mound A, extends back as far as the Uruk
Uruk
Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk...
period and contained an oval temple
of the god Sin
Sin (mythology)
Sin or Nanna was the god of the moon in Mesopotamian mythology. Nanna is a Sumerian deity, the son of Enlil and Ninlil, and became identified with Semitic Sin. The two chief seats of Nanna's/Sin's worship were Ur in the south of Mesopotamia and Harran in the north.- Name :The original meaning of...
and a temple of Nintu. The Dur-Samsuiluna fort was found on mounds B and C. Mound D contained
private homes and a temple for the god Sin where the archive tablets
where found in two heaps.
Khafajah was excavated for 7 seasons in the early 1930s primarily by an Oriental Institute of Chicago team led by Henri Frankfort
Henri Frankfort
Henri 'Hans' Frankfort was a Dutch Egyptologist, archaeologist and orientalist.-Biography:Born in Amsterdam, Frankfort studied history at the University of Amsterdam and then moved to London, where in 1924, he took an MA under Sir Flinders Petrie at the University College. In 1927 he gained a...
with Thorkild Jacobsen
Thorkild Jacobsen
Thorkild Jacobsen was a renowned historian specializing in Assyriology and Sumerian literature.He was one of the foremost scholars on the ancient Near East.-Biography:...
and Pinhas Delougaz. For two seasons, the site
was worked by a joint team of the American Schools of Oriental Research
American Schools of Oriental Research
The American Schools of Oriental Research, founded in 1900, supports and encourages the study of the peoples and cultures of the Near East, from the earliest times to the present. It is apolitical and has no religious affiliation...
and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
External links
- Oriental Institute slides of the site
- Archaeology of Khafah write-up at Brown University
- Two wrestlers balancing vessels (jars) on their heads- ca. 2600 B.C at Oriental Institute
- Bowl with mosaic inlays on outside - ca. 3000 B.C at Oriental Institute
- Plaque, decorated with three registers of relief, showing banquet scene with musicians - ca. 2600 B.C at Oriental Institute
- Digital tablet images from Tutub at CDLI