literature 119
5.2 Funerary Inscriptionsfunerary inscriptions were usually written on monumental stelae or on
coffins. the main surviving ancient aramaic funerary inscriptions are
the two Neirab stelae inscriptions (Kai 225–226),30 and the Kuttamuwa
inscription from Zincirli.31 these funerary inscriptions have a structure
that conforms to some literary conventions. all these inscriptions share
similar formal structures,32 although the epitaphs of Siʾgabbar (Kai 226)
and of Kuttamuwa have a longer text.
Naming. at the very beginning of the inscriptions, with great emphasis,
there is the name of the (dead) person (“Siʾgabbar.. .”, or “i am Kutta-
muwa.. .”) followed by his official qualification (“priest of Śaḥr” or “servant
of panamuwa”). the importance of the personal name should not be under-
estimated as it can be considered a substitute for the person himself.33
Place. after the name, the dead person is mentioned together with
his specific resting place, the grave or the stele: “this is his figure and his
grave” (Kai 225: 3–4), or, with a slight variation “[i] commissioned for
myself this stele.. .” (Kuttamuwa). the inscriptions of Siʾgabbar and Kut-
tamuwa add some information about the grave. the common statement
that “they did not place any silver or copper with me” in the grave (Kai
226: 6–7) serves to protect it from possible plunderers.34
Biographical information. Only Siʾgabbar’s inscription adds a short bio-
graphical note about his long life, with two phrases that use very com-
mon expressions: “(Śahr) established a good name (šmny šm ṭb) for me
and prolonged my days (whʾrk ywmy). On the day i died... with my eyes
i was looking at children of the fourth (generation) (bʿyny mḥzh ʾnh bny
rbʿ)” (Kai 226: 3–5). these three statements are standard literary motifs,
and they find a close correspondence in the Neo-Babylonian “autobiog-
raphy” of adda-Guppi,35 the mother of Nabonidus: “(Sin) elevated my
head and established for me a good name (šuma ṭāba... iškunanni) in
the land.... Long days, years of well-being he multiplied for me (umē
30 On these inscriptions, cf. section 3.6 in h. Niehr’s contribution on religion in this
volume.
31 pardee 2009a and id. 2009b. Notwithstanding the fact that Kuttamuwa is “still living”
(line 2), his inscription shares all the elements of a funerary inscription.
32 On the literary structure of Northwest Semitic funerary inscriptions, see Müller 1975;
Bonatz 2000a: 66–75; röllig 2004.
33 cf. radner 2005: 19–25.
34 for similar statements, cf. Kai 13: 4–5; 14: 5; 191 B: 1–2.
35 tawil 1974: 65 already noted these literary correspondences. two copies of the text
of the adad-Guppi stele survive; cf. the edition in Schaudig 2001: 500–513.