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originally interest-free loan or paying back two or three times the
amount received.7.5 Bailment
7.5.1 The frequent absence of traders created a need for deposit-
ing of valuables (tablets, silver, merchandise, various utensils) in the
houses of friends. Deposit is expressed ana nab“êm(lit., “in order to
get/stay (somewhere)”) combined with the verbs “to give,” “to leave
behind,” “to entrust,” “to bring into (a house).” It normally hap-
pened before witnesses,^221 but is only occasionally recorded in a writ-
ten contract (EL 136). Testimony by witnesses could establish what
was left in deposit (BIN 6 218), frequently under seal.7.5.2 Contracts by means of which goods to be shipped overland
were handed over to caravan personnel, in the presence of witnesses,
likewise use the verb paqàdum(“to entrust to”) with personal dative
suffix.^222 Since the purpose of the transaction was clear, it is only
rarely specified (e.g., “he will bring/carry for making purchases,” EL
139) or the destination given (“to the city,” EL 140). Most such con-
tracts have the owner speak in the first person, perhaps because he
pronounced the words: “I have hereby handed over to you” (ICK
1 61:17ff.). Many records end by listing the witnesses to the trans-
action (EL 112ff.), which could be produced for judicial purposes
(e.g., VAS 26 65:33ff.).7.6 Trading Ventures
7.6.1 Partnership
Old Assyrian trade knew many forms of commercial cooperation,
but many of them were informal, not fixed in written contracts.^223
Formal partnerships could be both long and short term, of a general
nature, and for a specific undertaking. Kienast ATHE 24, a settle-(^221) Garelli, “Tablettes...II” no. 23: 22ff.; EL 335–340; but cf. CCT 3 29:31/.
(^222) For this reason, EL (nos. 110–35) classified them under the heading “Ver-
wahrung” (deposit).
(^223) See Larsen, City-State.. ., 99f.; tappà"ummeans “colleague,” “fellow” (trader,
witness, debtor, creditor) as well as (formal) “business partner” (Veenhof, “Private
Summons.. .,” 453ff.; OIP 27 59:10).
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