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Sippar (Sumerian: , Zimbir) (also Sippir or Sippara) was an ancient Near Eastern and later city on the east bank of the Euphrates river. Its tell is located at the site of modern Tell Abu Habbah near Yusufiyah in Iraq's Baghdad Governorate, some north of Babylon and southwest of Baghdad. The city's ancient name, Sippar, could also refer to its sister city, Sippar-Amnanum (located at the modern site of Tell ed-Der); a more specific designation for the city here referred to as Sippar was Sippar-Yaḫrurum (Sippar-Jaḫrurum). The name comes from the Amorite Yaḫrurum tribe that lived in the area along with the Amorite Amnanum tribe.Yuhong, Wu, and Stephanie Dalley, "The Origins of the Manana Dynasty at Kish, and the Assyrian King List", Iraq, vol. 52, pp. 159–65, 1990 In Sippar was the site where the Babylonian Map of the World was found.Horowitz, Wayne, "The Babylonian Map of the World", Iraq, vol. 50, pp. 147-165, 1988
In the later part of the 3rd millennium BC, a large coalition of city-states led by Iphur-Kis of Kish (Sumer) and Amar-Girid of Uruk, joined by Enlil-nizu of Nippur, and including the city-states of "Kutha, TiWA, Sippar, Kazallu, Kiritab, Apiak and GN" as well as "Amorite highlanders" revolted against Akkadian Empire ruler Naram-Sin of Akkad. The rebellion was joined by the city of Borsippa, among others. The revolt was crushed.Steve Tinney, A New Look at Naram-Sin and the "Great Rebellion", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 47, pp. 1-14, 1995
Based on Shamash Temple records Sippar ruler Immerum is known to have been roughly contemporary with the rule of Sumu-la-El. He is suggested to have been ruling Sippar when Babylon took control based on a text sealed with oaths to both Immerum and Sumu-la-El.Tanret, M., "I.B. The First Sangas", in The Seal of the Sanga, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2010Tanret, M.,"I.C. Before The Second Sanga", in The Seal of the Sanga, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2010 In another text detailing gifts for dignitaries Sumu-abum, first ruler of the First Babylonian Empire received the largest gift with Immerum and Sumu-la-El (2nd ruler of that empire) receiving smaller gifts.Wasserman, N., & Bloch, Y., "The Kingdom of Babylon", in The Amorites, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2023 Four year names of Immerum are known including "The year (in which) the temple of Inanna Immerum built"."PBS 08/2, 195 Artifact Entry"
Some years later Hammurabi of Babylon (r. 1792-1750 BC) reported laying the foundations of the city wall of Sippar in his 23rd year and worked on the wall again in his 43rd year. His successor in Babylon, Samsu-iluna (r. 1749-1712 BC) worked on Sippar's wall in his 1st year. The city walls, being typically made of mud bricks, required much attention. The Code of Hammurabi stele was probably erected at Sippar. Shamash was the god of justice, and he is depicted handing authority to the king in the image at the top of the stele.
The city flourished under Babylonian rule until the Sack of Babylon by Mursili I of Hatti around 1587 BC.
Pliny ( Natural History 6.30.123) mentions a sect of Chaldeans called the Hippareni. It is often assumed that this name refers to Sippar (especially because the other two schools mentioned seem to be named after cities as well: the Orcheni after Uruk, and the Borsippeni after Borsippa), but this is not universally accepted.Barnett, R. D., "Xenophon and the Wall of Media", The Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. 83, pp. 1–26, 1963
Sippar has been suggested as the location of the Biblical Sepharvaim in the Old Testament, which alludes to the two parts of the city in its dual form.G. R. Driver, "Geographical Problems", Eretz Israel, vol. 5, pp. 18-20, 1958
The tablets, which ended up in the British Museum, are being studied to this day. As was often the case in the early days of archaeology, excavation records were not made, particularly find spots. This makes it difficult to tell which tablets came from Sippar-Amnanum as opposed to Sippar. Other tablets from Sippar were bought on the open market during that time and ended up at places like the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania.[5]Hermann Ranke, Babylonian Legal and Business Documents from the Time of the First Dynasty of Babylon; Chiefly from Sippar, University of Pennsylvania, 1906 (reprinted by Nabu Press ) Since the site is relatively close to Baghdad, it was a popular target for illegal excavations.E. A. Budge, "By Nile and Tigris: A Narrative of Journeys in Egypt and Mesopotamia on Behalf of the British Museum Between the Years 1886 and 1913", John Murray, 1920
In 1894, Sippar was worked briefly by Jean-Vincent Scheil.[6]V. Scheil, "Une Saison de fouilles a Sippar", Le Caire, 1902 The tablets recovered, mainly Old Babylonian, went to the Istanbul Museum.[7]Adalı, Selim Ferruh, and Frahm Eckart, "The Slave-Girl's Child: A" Literary" Fragment from the Istanbul Sippar Archive", Aula Orientalis, pp. 5-17, 2021 In 1927 archaeologists Walter Andrae and Julius Jordan visited, and mapped, the site.Andrae, W., and J. Jordan, "Abu Habbah: Sippar", Iraq, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 51–59, 1934 In modern times, the site was worked, mainly soundings, by a Belgian team led by H. Gasche from 1972 to 1973."Excavations in Iraq 1972-73", Iraq, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 188–204, 1973 They determined that Sippar was protected by a wall, partially for flood protection, extending 1200 meters by 800 meters, cutting a trench across it. A tablet of Samsu-iluna was found showing the wall dated back to at least Old Babylonian period though ground water prevented deeper excavation.
Iraqi archaeologists from the College of Arts at the University of Baghdad, led by Walid al-Jadir with Farouk al-Rawi, have excavated at Tell Abu Habbah starting in 1978. Work began with a new site contour map and excavation in the Old Babylonian area in the north where two buildings were uncovered. About 100 Old Babylonian period cuneiform tablets were found."Excavations in Iraq, 1977-78", Iraq, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 141–81, 1979 Subsequently, the team worked in an Old Babylonian residential area where terracotta plaques and figurines, and cuneiform tablets were found. The tablets were from the reign of Immerum, Buntahun-ila, and Samsu-iluna. Focus then shifted to the Shamash temple area."Excavations in Iraq, 1981-82", Iraq, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 199–224, 1983[8]Lamia al-Gailani and Walid al-Jadir, Seal Impressions from Sippar, Sumer, vol. 37, pp. 129-144, 1981 In the northeast, Old Babylonian part of the site, a 30 meter by 5 meter deep sounding was excavated. The sounding found 4 Old Babylonian levels, 2 Akkadian Empire levels, and 3 Early Dynastic levels ( with plano-convex Mudbrick construction)."Excavations in Iraq, 1983-84", Iraq, vol. 47, pp. 215–39, 1985Jadir, W. al- and Abdullah, Z. R., "Preliminary Results of the University of Baghdad Excavation of Sippar (Abu Habbah), Seasons 1978-1983", Sumer 39, pp. 97–122, 1983 (in Arabic) In 1986, while clearing spoil from the Rassam excavation in the E-Babbar temple, a room was discovered which Rassam had not noticed. It contained a library with about 400 cuneiform tablets, which had been stored in 10 ranks of 17cm by 30cm niches in 4 rows. The tablets included copies of earlier inscriptions dating back to the Akkadian Empire and contemporary texts as late as the reign of Cambyses II."Excavations in Iraq 1985-86", Iraq, vol. 49, pp. 231–51, 1987"Excavations in Iraq 1987-88", Iraq, vol. 51, pp. 249–65, 1989 Few of the tablets were published at the time due to conditions in Iraq. With conditions improving, they are now being published.Fadhil, Anmar Abdulillah, and Enrique Jiménez, "Literary Texts from the Sippar Library I: Two Babylonian Classics", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 109.2, pp. 155-176, 2019Fadhil, Anmar Abdulillah, and Enrique Jiménez, "Literary Texts from the Sippar Library II: The Epic of Creation", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 111.2, pp. 191-230, 2021Fadhil, Anmar Abdulillah, and Enrique Jiménez, "Literary Texts from the Sippar Library III:‘Eriš šummi’, a Syncretistic Hymn to Marduk", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 112.2, pp. 229-274, 2022Fadhil, Anmar Abdulillah, and Enrique Jiménez, "Literary Texts from the Sippar Library IV: A “Macranthropic” Hymn to Ninurta", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 113.2, pp. 193-215, 2023W. al-Jadir and Z. Rajib, "Archaeological Results from the Eighth Season at Sippar", Sumer, vol. 46,
pp. 69-90, 1990 (in Arabic) After 2000, they were joined by the German Archaeological Institute. In total, the effort continued in 24 seasons until 2002.Al-Rawi, Farouk Ν. H., "A New Old Babylonian Date List from Sippir with Year Names of Apil-Sin and Sîn-muballiț", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 83, no. 1, pp. 22-30, 1993Abdulillah Fadhil et al., "Ausgrabungen in Sippar (Tell Abu Habbah). Vorbericht über die Grabungsergebnisse der 24. Kampagne 2002", in Baghdader Mitteilungen (BaM) 36, pp. 157-224, 2005Abdulillah Fadhil et. el., "Sippar - Results of prospecting 2004/24", Sumer, vol. LII, no. 1&2, pp. 294-357, 2004 In the 24th season in 2002, 700 cuneiform
tablets were found in one important building in the center of town. Most date to the
reign of Ammi-Saduqa (c. 1646–1626 BC) a ruler of the First Dynasty of Babylon with
a few from Abi-Eshuh (c. 1711-1684 BC) and Ammi-Ditana (c. 1683-1647 BC).[9]Khalil, Yasser Jabir, "Unpublished Cuneiform Texts from the City of Sippar_ Season 24", 2025
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Middle Bronze II (c. 1820-1587 BC)
Sin-Muballit (r. 1811-1793 BC) controlled the city and a sealed clay envelope is known.
Late Bronze Age
Kassite period
The city then came under the control of the Kassite dynasty.
Elamite period
In the final years of that dynasty the Elamite ruler Shutruk-Nakhunte (c. 1184 to 1155 BC) captured Sippar. Shutruk-Nakhunte carried back statues from the Shamash temple to Susa adding his own inscription to a stele of the Akkadian Empire ruler Naram-Sin:
Iron Age
Neo-Babylonian period
In the succeeding Late Bronze Age collapse period, it was taken by the Neo-Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar I about 1120 BC. In the reign of Neo-Babylonian ruler Adad-apla-iddina (c. 1064–1043 BC) the Shamash cult center along with all the other temples in Sippar were destroyed by Suteans and cult symbol of Shamash was lost.A. Goetze, "An Inscription of Simbar-šīḫu", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, 19 (4), pp. 121–135, 1965Brinkman, J. A., "A Note on the Shamash Cult at Sippar in the Eleventh Century B.C.", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 70, no. 2, pp. 183–84, 1976
Neo-Assyrian period
In the early 1st millennium BC, Sippar came under Neo-Assyrian control.Da-Riva, Rocío, "Sippar in the Reign of Sîn-šum-līšir (626 BC)", Altorientalische Forschungen 28.1, pp. 40-64, 2001 After the final defeat of the Neo-Assyrians by the Neo-Babylonians at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC text report that a number of Egyptian and Assyrian prisoners were brought to Sippar as chattel.Bongenaar, Arminius CVM, and Ben JJ Haring, "Egyptians in neo-Babylonian Sippar", Journal of cuneiform studies 46.1, pp. 59-72, 1994Mac-Ginnis, John, "Assyrians after the Fall: Evidence from the Ebabbar of Sippar", At the Dawn of History: Ancient Near Eastern Studies in Honour of J. N. Postgate, edited by Yağmur Heffron, Adam Stone and Martin Worthington, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 781-796 2017 Records of Neo-Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) and Nabonidos (556-539 BC) record that they repaired the Shamash temple E-babbara.[2]Jastrow, Morris, "Nebopolassar and the Temple to the Sun-God at Sippar", The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, vol. 15, pp. 65-86, 1899
Achaemenid period
After the Battle of Opis in September 539 BC Sippar surrendered to the Achaemenid Empire, followed soon after by the fall of the Neo-Babylonian empire.Kuhrt, A., "The Persian Empire: A Corpus of Sources of the Achaemenid Period", Routledge, 2007
Speculation
Ziusudra, the "Chaldean Noah" in Sumerian mythology, is said by Berossus to have buried the records of the antediluvian world here—possibly because the name of Sippar was supposed to be connected with sipru, "a writing".[3]Ward, William Hayes, "Sippara", Hebraica, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 79–86, 1886 And according to Abydenus, Nebuchadnezzar II excavated a great reservoir in the neighbourhood.Dalley, Stephanie, "Nineveh, Babylon and the Hanging Gardens: Cuneiform and Classical Sources Reconciled", Iraq, vol. 56, pp. 45–58, 1994
Archaeology
Tell Abu Habba, measuring over 1 square kilometer was first excavated by Hormuzd Rassam (referring to the site as Aboo-Habba) between 1880 and 1881 for the British Museum in a dig that lasted 18 months. Rassam excavated only down to the Old Babylonian levels and was focused mainly on the Neo-Babylonian remains.[4]Hormuzd Rassam, "Asshur and the Land of Nimrod: Being an Account of the Discoveries Made in the Ancient Ruins of Nineveh, Asshur, Sepharvaim, Calah, etc....", Curts & Jennings, 1897 Tens of thousands of tablets were recovered including the Tablet of Shamash in the Temple of Shamash/Utu. Most of the tablets were Neo-Babylonian.Leichty, E., "Catalogue of the Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum. Volume VI: Tablets from Sippar 1", London, 1986Leichty, E. and A. K. Grayson, "Catalogue of the Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum Volume VII: Tablets from Sippar 2", London, 1987Erie Leichty et al., Catalogue of the Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum Volume VII: Tablets from Sippar 3, British Museum Publications, 1988, The temple had been mentioned as early as the 18th year of Samsu-iluna of Babylon, who reported restoring "Ebabbar, the temple of Szamasz in Sippar", along with the city's ziggurat.
(1980). 9782801701607, Peeters. ISBN 9782801701607
List of rulers
The following list should not be considered complete:
Early Dynastic I period () 1st En-men-dur-ana
𒂗𒉺𒇻𒍣𒀭𒈾 Uncertain,
(21,000 years) Old Babylonian period () Altinu'u Uncertain
Bunu-tahtun-ila Uncertain
Immerum
Sin-bani Uncertain
See also
Notes
Further reading
External links
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