Letter from Kidin to His Father Kubanni-Marduk

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Letter from Kidin to His Father Kubanni-Marduk

Place of OriginIraq

DateLate 6th century BCE

DimensionsH: 7.8 cm; W: 2.8 cm; Depth: 1.6 cm

MediumClay

ClassificationUtilitarian Objects

Credit LineGift of William A. Gosline, Jr.

Object number

1935.8A-B

Not on View

DescriptionA rectangular clay tablet (1935.8A) inscribed with cuneiform script, containing a letter from Kidin to Kurbanni-Marduk. Enclosed within a separate clay envelope (1935.8B). The reverse of the tablet is partially damaged, and the scribe made corrections by adding a missing line on the back.

Label TextThis clay tablet and its sealed envelope contain a letter from Kidin to his father, Kurbanni-Marduk, discussing a large wool transaction. Written over 2,500 years ago, the letter reveals an organized economic system where scribes recorded business dealings and payments. The protective clay envelope ensured authenticity, much like a sealed letter today. A scribal error corrected on the reverse reminds us that even ancient record-keepers made mistakes. This document offers a rare glimpse into personal and commercial life in Babylonia, where trade networks connected people across vast distances—just as they do in our modern global economy.Published ReferencesVan De Mieroop, Marc, and Tremper Longman, “Cuneiform Tablets from the Toledo Museum of Art,” Revue d’Assyriologie et d’Archéologie Orientale, vol. 79, 1985, no. 35, pp. 37-39.