Studies in the Aramaic Legal Papyri from Elephantine (HANDBOOK OF ORIENTAL STUDIES/HANDBUCH DER ORIENTALISTIK)

Long Recognized As A Brilliant Cross-cultural Study, Yochanan Muffs' Work Analyzes The Legal Formulary Of The Aramaic Papyri From Elephantine, At The First Cataract Of The Nile, Where A Persian Garrison Comprised Of Jewish Soldiers And Their Families Lived Throughout Most Of The 5th Century B.c.e. These Documents Are Of Exceptional Importance For The Study Of Ancient Near Eastern Law, And Muffs Has Investigated Their Formative Background Through Extensive References To Cuneiform Law, By A Method He Calls 'the Assyriological Approach'. Virtually Every Aspect Of Law - Sale Of Land, Marriage And Family Law, Loans And Credit, The Taking Of Oaths, And The Granting Of Bequests Is Studied In Great Depth And With Unusual Clarity. Muffs' Work Has Enjoyed Renewed Interest In The Light Of More Recent Discoveries, As In The Judean Desert, Of Aramaic Legal Documents From Later Periods--unedited Summary From Book Cover. Prolegomenon / Baruch A. Levine -- I. Introduction -- 1. Discovery Of The Papyri -- 2. Legal Documents -- 3. General Subject Of This Study: Aramaic Business Law -- 4. Specific Object Of This Study: Investigation Of Tyb Lbby -- Ii. Terms Of Satisfaction In Conveyance -- 1. Texts -- 2. Interpretation Of The Texts -- Iii. Tyb Lbby In Contexts Other Than Conveyance -- 1. Texts -- 2. Explanation Of The Texts -- Iv. Libbasu Tab -- 1. Libbasu Tab In Deeds Of Sale: A Preliminary Investigation -- 2. Explication Of The Various Aspects Of The Term On The Basis Of Its Grammatical Alloforms And Complements -- 3. Quittance Use Of Libbasu Tab Outside Of Conveyance -- 4. Libbasu Tab In Borrowed Legal Forms -- 5. Origins Of The Term Libbasu Tab -- V. Semantic Equivalents And Contrasts -- 1. Isoglosses Of Libbasu Tab -- 2. Contrasting Terms And Clauses -- Vi. Egyptian Analogues Of Tyb Lbby -- 1. Pre-saitic Analogues To Tyb Lbby -- 2. Abnormal Hieratic Analogue -- 3. Demotic Analogues Of Tyb Lbby -- Vii. Conclusion -- 1. Coordination Of The Akkadian, Aramaic, And Demotic Terms -- 2. Origins Of Aramaic Common Law Formularies. By Yochanan Muffs ; With Prolegomenon By Baruch A. Levine. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [209]-225) And Indexes. STUDIES IN THE ARAMAIC LEGAL PAPYRI FROM ELEPHANTINE CONTENTS Prolegomenon Reference Bibliography Acknowledgements I. Introduction 1. The Discovery of the Papyri 2. The Legal Documents A. Previous Studies of the Legal Material B. The Assyriological Approach 3. General Subject of This Study: Aramaic Business Law A. Definition of the Topic B. A Problem of Method: Operative Section or Schlussklauseln C. The Meaning of the Contrast D. Analysis of the Aramaic Operative Section 4. Specific Object of This Study: Investigation of ṭyb lbby A. Suggested Meanings: Previous Studies B. A New Interpretation II. Terms of Satisfaction in Conveyance 1. The Texts A. The Term ṭyb lbby in Litigation-mrḥq B. The Term ṭyb lbby in Sale C. The Relationship Between ṭyb lbby (Sale) and yhbt lk brḥmn (Gift) 2. The Interpretation of the Texts A. The Contrast of ṭyb lbby with yhbt lk brḥmn B. The Definition of the Term ṭyb lbby in Sale and mrḥq III. Ṭyb lbby in Contexts other than Conveyance 1. The Texts 2. The Explanation of the Texts A. The Implications of the Use of ṭyb lbby in the mohar Clause B. A Possible Atypical Use of ṭyb lbby in Deeds of Delivery C. Ṭyb lbby in the Dowry-Acceptance Clause IV. Libbašu Ṭāb 1. Libbašu ṭāb in Deeds of Sale: A Preliminary Investigation A. Previous Studies of libbašu ṭāb in Sale and Division B. A New Interpretation: libbašu ṭāb—A Term of Receipt and Quittance 2. The Explication of the Various Aspects of the Term on the Basis of Its Grammatical Alloforms and Complements A. The Grammatical Structure of the Term B. The Relationship Between Payment and Satisfaction C. libbašu ṭāb and the Completeness of Payment 3. The Quittance Use of libbašu ṭāb Outside of Conveyance A. libbašu ṭāb in the Quitclaim B. The Incorporation of the Quitclaim into Other Entgeltliche Transactions 4. libbašu ṭāb in Borrowed Legal Forms 5. The Origins of the Term libbašu ṭāb A. Traditions of Cuneiform Law: A Problem of Method B. The Geographic and Linguistic Distribution of libbašu ṭāb C. Unique Characteristic of libbašu ṭāb and Archaic Sale Law V. Semantic Equivalents and Contrasts 1. The Isoglosses of libbašu ṭāb A. Sippar libbašu ṭāb = Susa duppur B. The Sippar libbašu ṭāb = Kültepe šabû C. OB libbašu ṭāb = MB zakû D. OB libbašu ṭāb = MB zakû = Late NB eṭir E. Degrees of Overlap among šabû, libbašu ṭāb, and zakû 2. Contrasting Terms and Clauses A. The Verb ḫadû "to rejoice" as a Term of Volition B. Ṭābu "to be happy" as a Term of Volition Summary Excursus VI. The Egyptian Analogues of ṭyb lbby 1. Pre-Saitic Analogues to ṭyb lbby 2. An Abnormal Hieratic Analogue 3. The Demotic Analogues of ṭyb lbby A. The Demotic dj.k-mtjȝtj (.ỉ) "You Have Satisfied My Heart" in the Law of Conveyance Documents B. The Terms dj.k-mtjȝtj (.ỉ) "you have satisfied my heart" and ḥȝtj(.ỉ) mtj.w "my heart is satisfied" in Litigation Contexts C. Demotic Terms of Satisfaction in Marriage Documents D. Demotic Terms of Satisfaction in the So-Called Adhesions VII. Conclusion 1. The Coordination of the Akkadian, Aramaic, and Demotic Terms 2. The Origins of Aramaic Common Law Formularies A. The Aramaic Common Law Tradition and Neo-Assyrian Law B. The Aramaic Formulary and the Neo-Assyrian Dockets C. The Aramaic-Assyrian Symbiosis D. Later Reflexes of the Aramaic Formulary Addenda et Corrigenda Bibliography and Abbreviations Glossaries I. West-Semitic II. Cuneiform III. Other Sources I. West-Semitic II. Cuneiform III. Egyptian Indices I. Subjects II. Personal Names III. Modern Scholars HANDBOOK OF ORIENTAL STUDIES