Thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia, to exchange information of all kinds, letters were written on tablets that were then sent and kept in containers, like envelopes , of clay. Dozens of fragments of these ancient envelopes have been found by Italian archaeologists in Iraq.
They are part of a set of exceptional finds, in quantity and state of conservation, brought to light during the excavation campaign in Iraq carried out by the University of Pisa in collaboration with the University of Siena and the Iraqi organization al-Qādisiyyah.
Archaeologists have found a hundred fragments of tablets with cuneiform texts dating to the early second millennium BC (including eight complete or nearly complete tablets), as well as a rich repertoire of pottery and more than ninety cretulae , that is, clay blocks with seal marks or ropes used to close them.
Archaeological investigations, which ended in November, were carried out at Tell as-Sadoum, in south-central Iraq. The 50-hectare site, east of Najaf on a branch of the Euphrates River, was identified as Marad, an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia, whose history can be traced from the Protodynastic period (3rd millennium BC) to the Neo-Babylonian Empire. (1st millennium BC).
In particular, the excavations centered around a large temple on top of the main hill and two other areas, one residential and one production, where most of the cretulae were found. and tablets.
In general, the tablets testify to the richness and lively economic and administrative life of the ancient city of Marad and often speak of commercial transactions, as well as administrative and judicial matters explains Anacleto D'Agostino, professor of Near Eastern Archeology at the University of Pisa, who coordinated the project.
The tables that we found, belonging to the period of the paleo-Babylonian Empire (the time of Hammurabi), currently under examination, contain purchase agreements, letters and date formulas and also mention the names of the sovereigns, as well as references to some cities .
These tablets could have been enclosed in “envelopes”, of which we found dozens of fragments. The "envelopes" are containers modeled in thin layers of clay with the subject of the message printed on the surface along with names or images, used to authenticate and guarantee the content.
In fact, the complexity of the civilization of the time can also be seen in the seals, often embossed with semi-precious stones. These were often, in effect, the distinguishing mark and signature of prominent individuals and officials. The scenes engraved on them reproduce various themes and are often executed with great care and skill by skilled craftsmen.
In the fragmentary impressions that came to light during excavations and which date back to the third millennium BC, there are, for example, miniature scenes depicting heroes fighting wild animals and imaginary creatures, enthroned divinities, a lion attacking a gazelle, and a elephant.