A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

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4.3.2 Age definitions are fairly loose: the basic categories, both for

men and women, foresee adults and children (boys and girls). Old

people are not expressly mentioned: the term “ìbuappears to be used

only in the technical meaning of “witness,” both in private legal

transactions and in records of litigation. We do not have any significant

evidence directly related to the juridical status of children. To judge

from the many documents in which they are involved as the object

of transactions concluded by their parents or by persons having

authority over them, it is clear that children lacked any legal capac-

ity, from the time of birth until departure from the original family

and release from absolute paternal (or maternal) authority.

4.4 Slavery

4.4.1 The legal status and socio-economic conditions of the unfree

sector of the Nuzi population present a complex picture. The most

common terms for “slave” (Akk. ardu, Sum. ÌR) and “female slave”

(Akk. amtu, Sum. GEMÉ, SAL.ÌR but also SAL) apply to different

personal situations, including that of high-, medium- or low-rank

officials, retainers, and chattel slaves. These persons were perma-

nently employed as subordinate personnel in the central and provin-

cial palace administration as well as in private households. In the

former case, the overall bureaucratic designation is arad ekalli(“ser-

vant of the palace”); in the latter, the collective term is nì“bìti(lit.,

“people belonging to the household”).

4.4.2 Servitude for debts is widely attested. Direct evidence is pro-

vided by loan contracts secured by a personal guarantee (tidennùtu-

contracts; see 7.5 below). The debtor himself or one of his relatives

enters the creditor’s house and must work for him in return for the

capital lent and the interest accruing on it. Upon full repayment of

the amount due, the pledged person is set free. In actual fact, the

Nuzi documents never attest to such an event.

4.4.3 Documents of various kinds recording transactions that con-

cern free and unfree persons cast significant light on the sex, age,

and physical characteristics of chattel slaves. There is, for example,

frequent mention of “girls” (ßu¢àrtu) and “boys” (ßu¢àru), whose height,

but not age, is at times accurately recorded. Measurements ranged

from two to three cubits (i.e., from ca. 80–100 to 120–150 cm.), a

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