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dominantly free persons are attested in both cases. Persons could
hire out themselves or their dependants. The standard formula is
that the hired person “is available to the hirer for (the price of ) his
hire” (ana idì“u ina pànPN u“uz), or “is made available to the hirer,
etc.” (“uzuzzu). Another formula used is: “PN 1 will perform the ser-
vice of PN 2 ” (PN 1 na“parta “aPN 2 illak). The nature of the services
to be performed is not normally specified.
Contracts were usually for one month or one year; only occa-
sionally for other periods (from several months to two years).^189
Payments varied considerably, depending on the nature of the work
and the age of the worker. The average wage for an adult was twelve
shekels per year. Services connected with boats were very highly
paid. Payment was normally in silver, but could be in produce, and
might be made in advance, in installments, or at the end of the
period of hire.7.9.2 Lease(ana sùti)
7.9.2.1 Land^190
An exceptionally large proportion of the extant contracts, which
extend from the seventh century to the Hellenistic period, date from
the Achaemenid period. There are two forms of the leasing clause
for fields and orchards. One is from the lessor’s point of view: “the
land belonging to PN 1 (lessor), he (PN 1 ) has given for x years for...
(type of lease) to PN 2 (lessee)” (“aPN 1 adix “anàti ana...anaPN 2
iddin). The other (less common) form is from the lessee’s point of
view: “(concerning) the land of PN 1 : for x years PN 2 has taken (it)
for orchard-keeping” (“aPN 1 adix “anàtiPN 2 ana nukarribùti ißbat) or:
“... is available to PN 2 ” (ina pànPN 2 ). The contract can include the
lease of canals.^191
Leases may differ in mode of payment (normally ana sùti, “for
rent”; less commonly ana mandatti/maddatti, “for a mandattu charge”)^192
or by type of agricultural work.^193(^189) In the sole wet-nursing contract from the first millennium (BE 8 47: see San
Nicolò, ArOr7 (1935) 22–23), in which a father hires out his daughter, the length
of the contract is one year (“until weaning”).
(^190) Ries, Bodenpachtformulare...
(^191) Ries, Bodenpachtformulare.. ., 31 (examples from the Mura“û archive).
(^192) Ibid., 58, 72–76. The latter form seems to be confined to Achaemenid Ur
(77, n. 525).
(^193) Listed in Ries, Bodenpachtformulare.. ., 58, 65–72.
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