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different sets of procedures may be envisaged for different kinds of
treaties, our evidence again does not provide clear patterns, but we
can, with all due reservation, outline some standard procedures.3.2 The Standard Procedure
The most complete description of treaty procedure comes from a
Mari letter (ARM 26/2 404), where an official describes a treaty
concluded between kings in the Sinjar region of northeastern Iraq
(Atamrum of Andarig and Ashkur-Addu of Karana). The procedure
included the following stages:(a) Atamrum sent an envoy to invite Ashkur-Addu to a summit in a
border town.
(b) Ashkur-Addu sent back his own envoy to accompany Atamrum
and his vassals to the summit. Numerous representatives of both
city states and envoys from major powers, like Babylon and Eshnunna,
were present.
(c) Discussion of the treaty and its terms took place.
(d) Each party then stated his formal terms as demands to the other party.
(e) A sacrificial animal, (usually) a “donkey” (¢ajjàrum), was slaughtered
(qatàlum). This provided blood for a ritual intended to symbolize
the new bond between the parties and to stress its seriousness.
(f ) Exchange of oaths by the god(s) (nì“ilim/ilàni), which involved ref-
erence to the terms exchanged under (d), and in presence of divine
statues or symbols brought for this purpose. The deities invoked
were usually subsumed under the general description “god/gods,”
but from treaty texts it is known that they included international
gods, regional deities, and deities specific to the states of the treaty
partners.
(g) Festive conclusion, which included a drinking ceremony, and exchange
of gifts.3.3 The Long-distance Procedure
This was used when practical circumstances prevented summits like the
one described above, or in the case of more restricted or confidential
agreements. In particular, it was used by the major powers, whose
kings rarely met face to face, due to accompanying problems of eti-
quette and security.^12 In general, this procedure involved the same
structural elements as the standard procedure. The kings would
exchange divine symbols and send envoys to act as their representatives.
Instead of the ritual slaughter of a sacrificial animal, a ceremony(^12) For an exception see Villard, “Un roi de Mari...”
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