A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

3.4.1.1 The Abarsal treaty introduction lists cities under Ebla’s con-

trol, stressing that those are indeed controlled by Ebla, whereas the

cities controlled by Abarsal—not listed by name—are indeed con-

trolled by “Abarsal.” This probably represents an adjustment of the

border of the territories controlled by the two city-states in Ebla’s

favor.

3.4.1.2 The Stela of the Vultures commences with a lengthy his-

tory of the border dispute between Lagash and Umma, the settle-

ment of which, in Lagash’s favor, is commemorated by the stela.^25

3.4.1.3 The Naramsin treaty is introduced with an invocation of

the gods by whom the two parties swear. The statement that the

kings swear by the gods is repeated six times at intervals through-

out the text.

3.4.2 Whereas territorial adjustments are only implied in the intro-

duction to the Abarsal treaty, the redrawing of the border with

Umma in Lagash’s favor (or restoration to Lagash of land wrongly

seized by Umma) constitutes the major stipulation of the agreement

attested to on the Stela of the Vultures, with the provision that

Umma may lease back some of the land for agricultural use.^26 The

listing of each tract of contested land by name is reminiscent of the

listing of cities under Ebla’s authority in the Abarsal treaty.

3.4.3 Both the Abarsal and Naramsin treaties obligate the pledg-

ing party to refuse aid to the enemies of the other party. The Elamite

king swears that Naramsin’s enemies are his enemies, and Naramsin’s

friends his friends.

3.4.3.1 The Abarsal treaty specifically obligates Abarsal to denounce

any conspiracy against the ruler of Ebla.

(^25) The Enna-Dagan letter from Mari found at Ebla (Michalowski, Letters, no. 3)
may possibly represent a draft, from the Mari side, for a historical introduction to
a treaty with Ebla. At Lagash, such histories of relations with Umma are found in
other contexts as well (see Cooper, Reconstructing History.. ., esp. chap. 5). For a pos-
sible source of such retrospectives, see the long Ebla text (TM 75.2561) documenting
a conflict between Mari and Ebla over rights to the allegiance and revenues of Adu
(Pettinato, Ebla, 241ff.; Dercksen, “Ebla.. .,” 441ff.).
(^26) See Cooper, Reconstructing History.. ., and the very different interpretation of
Steiner, “Grenzvertrag...”
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