Sîn-iddinam was King Ḫammurāpi’s “secretary” (ṭupšar sakkakkim) before becoming the governor general of the province of Larsa[geogr=Larsa] (Yamutbalum[geogr=Yamutbalum]) after the conquest of the South by the great Babylonian king.

Irra-asû is one of the perfumers in charge of the “House of Scented Oil” (e₂ i₃.du₁₀.ga). He succeeded to Lipiṭ-Irra[individual=Lipiṭ-Irra]; see Dossier A.1.1.27.

Lipiṭ-Irra is one of the perfumers in charge of the “House of Scented Oil” (e₂ i₃.du₁₀.ga); see Dossier A.1.1.27.

Adaya, documented by Old Babylonian documents from Larsa[geogr=Larsa] and its kingdom, seems to have been in charge of a “granary” (e₂ ur₃.ra) during years 6 and 7 of Sumuel’s reign and maybe during Nūr-Adad’s reign. For these documents and the quantities of sesame seeds received by Adaya, see Dossier A.1.1.27.

Yatār-sūmû was an agrarian entrepreneur who regularly delivered burrum-grain (handpicked or threshed cereal grain, mainly barley) to the palace ((???)). This grain was cultivated in the region of Dēr[geogr=Dēr] (ca. 12 km south of Mari[geogr=Mari]). A text concerning sesame and the control of its quality mentions him; see A.90.

Warad-ilīšu is attested as an oil miller in the undated text CT 08 38a. His sons, Aḫī-wēdum, Atanaḫ-ilī and Sîn-ibni, are documented by CT 08 08e, an employment contract for sesame oil production, and, therefore, probably took over from their father as oil millers; see, also, Dossier A.1.1.22.

A farmer working for Šamaš-ḫāzir[individual=Šamaš-ḫāzir] who produced sesame; see Dossier A.1.1.16.

A farmer working for Šamaš-ḫāzir[individual=Šamaš-ḫāzir], with Šamaš-dayyān[individual=Šamaš-dayyān], who produced sesame; see Dossier A.1.1.16.

In the Old Babylonian period, Sîn-muštāl was the leader of the merchants of Ur[geogr=Ur]. He participated in sesame transactions, including giving barley to exchange for sesame; see AbB 02 033.

Šimut-abī was an oil presser documented by AJSL 33 232 19.

In the Old Babylonian period, Šēp-Sîn was the leader of the merchants of Larsa[geogr=Larsa]. He took part in sesame transactions, including giving barley to exchange for sesame, see AbB 02 033.

In the Old Babylonian period, Šamaš-ḫāzir, married to Zinû[individual=Zinû], is known to have been a šassukkum-dignitary, “head of the land registry”, responsible for the royal estate for King Ḫammurāpi from the time of his conquest of the Larsa[geogr=Larsa] and the Yamutbalum[geogr=Yamutbalum] region in 1763 BCE.  His correspondence and archives have recently been studied by Fiette 2018a. Some of these texts are of particular interest to us because they deal with sesame; see Šamaš-ḫāzir.

Šamaš-gāmil is documented with Šamaš-dayyān as a sesame producer in Šamaš-ḫazir’s archives. But this name is quite common, and his archives probably record more than one Šamaš-gāmil.

A farmer working for Šamaš-ḫāzir[individual=Šamaš-ḫāzir], with Sīrum[individual=Sīrum], who produced sesame; see Dossier A.1.1.16.

Nūr-Ilabrat was part of Šamaš-ḫazir[individual=Šamaš-ḫazir]’s entourage. He is known by a letter he wrote to Zinû[individual=Zinû], Šamaš-hazir’s wife, about sesame threshing (AbB 04 141). He is also witness to a number of palm grove contracts, unless he is a homonym, see (Fiette 2018a).

He was one of the oil millers known from the Royal Archives of Mari; see Dossier A.1.1.21.

Mannum-kīma-Addu, the oil presser, is mentioned in letters from Alammuš-nāṣir[individual=Alammuš-nāṣir]. In AbB 09 011, his son was dispatched by Alammuš-nāṣir to Nabī-Šamaš, his steward, in order to receive 600 litres of sesame for extracting oil from it. In AbB 09 125, Alammuš-nāṣir announces the arrival of the oil presser, with another man, and asks for the 600 litres of sesame to be pressed in oil.

A farmer working for Šamaš-ḫāzir[individual=Šamaš-ḫāzir] who produced sesame; see Dossier A.1.1.16.

A farmer working for Šamaš-ḫāzir[individual=Šamaš-ḫāzir] who produced sesame; see Dossier A.1.1.16.

Ipquša is an oil presser attested during the reign of Rīm-Sîn.

Ilūšu-nāṣir was the governor of the district of Qaṭṭunān between ZL.01.00.00 and ZL.04.00.00. Like other governors in the kingdom of Mari, he was responsible for administering the cultivation system based on “plough teams” and collecting the income from arable land. See Dossier A.1.1.14 and text ARM 27 003.

At the beginning of Zimrī-Lîm’s reign, he was one of the managers of the oil miller service in Mari. He seems to have operated on an alternating monthly basis with Balaĝunamḫe[individual=Balamu-namḫe]; see Dossier A.1.1.21.

A farmer working for Šamaš-ḫāzir[individual=Šamaš-ḫāzir] who produced sesame; see Dossier A.1.1.16.

During Zimrī-Lîm’s reign, Aḫlamû was one of the managers of the oil miller service in Mari; see Dossier A.1.1.21.

Ḫālu-dābiḫ was an oil miller sent from Mari to Šudā for the needs of its king. It illustrates the mobility of specialists in the Old Babylonian period; see ARM 23 442 and Dossier A.1.1.21.

Oil miller documented by BBVOT 1 045; see Dossier A.1.1.22.

Aḫu-ṭābum is an oil presser attested during the reign of Rīm-Sîn.

Adda-kala is an oil miller documented by Old Babylonian documents from Isin; see Dossier A.1.1.22.

Sîn-qerub seems to have been in charge of the threshing process of sesame owned by Šamaš-ḫazir and under the control of his wife Zinû[individual=Zinû] (AbB 04 141).

Zinû was the wife of Šamaš-ḫazir[individual=Šamaš-ḫazir], šassukkum of Larsa¹See Šamaš-ḫazir (Larsa). She was significantly involved in the activities related to her household and the domain ruled by her husband during his absences, as were high-ranking women in the Mesopotamian Old Babylonian society (see Fiette 2018a: 317-319). Her activities also include those related to sesame cultivation and then the processing into oil, for which see Dossier A.1.1.16 and text AbB 04 141, for example.

1. Ur-Sulpae manager of oils and fats in Umma

1.1. Ur-Sulpae in the administrative documentation of Ur III Umma

Ur-Sulpae was a scribe (dub-sar) and son of Lugalkugani (dumu lugal-ku3-ga-ni) according to his seal inscription (e.g. Vicino Oriente 8/1 082), the presence of which confirms Ur-Sulpae’s role as the recipient in these transactions.  As such, he managed – among various other activities – the workforce deployed in the milling of sesame oil as well as expenditures and/or deliveries of various oils and fats on behalf of the provincial administration. He is also attested in Umma in the „control bureau“ (nam-ša3-tam) from the reign of Šulgi (Vicino Oriente 8/1 082, Šu.46.00.00; Nisaba 32 152, Šu.42.09.00 or AS.06.00.00) until at least the beginning of the reign of Šu-Suen (CDLI P234977, ŠS.02.00.00). Moreover, he functioned also as an underling of the provincial administration (e.g. MCS 2 69 BM 105442; see (???)).

The name Ur-Sulpae without title or patronymic is extremely common within the administrative documentation from the Umma province in the Ur III period. It occurs in transactions covering a very wide range of activities dealing with miscellaneous materials. Among them, there are records of a certain Ur-Sulpae dealing with sesame oil and sesame seeds on behalf of the provincial administration of Umma during Amar-Suena’s and Šu-Suen’s reigns. Since these activities are documented within similar time frames and involved in part the same or interdependent products as those of Ur-Sulpae scribe and son of Lugalkugani, we assume that they pertain to the same individual.

1.2. Ur-Sulpae as manager of sesame seeds and sesame oil

Ur-Sulpae took over sesame oil from the Umma merchants on behalf of the provincial administration (e.g. Ledgers pl. 32 18 o. 1-2, r. 20-21, AS.04.00.00; ASJ 11 204-216 r. ii 33-34, AS.09.00.00). He also received from Ur-Bau 1[individual=Ur-Bau 1] up to 2,280 litres of sesame seeds as rent for ploughmen (a₂ engar), no specific time frame is attested (as rent for ploughmen: Nisaba 09 191, AS.09.00.00; UTI 3 2108, ŠS.01.00.00; BPOA 1 1087, ŠS.02.00.00; without specification: Princeton 1 275, AS.02.00.00). He sealed the receipt of the oil allotments (i3-ba) for various individuals (MVN 16 1127, AS.05.00.00) as well as various receipts of sesame oil (i3-ĝeš), lard (i3-šaḫa_x) or also aromatized oils („aromatized sesame oil“ i3-ĝeš du10-ga, „aromatized milk fat“ i3-nun du10-ga) that „entered into the palace“ (e2-gal-la ku4-ra: SAT 2 0706, AS.02.00.00), as provisions (igi-kara2: BPOA 7 2206, ŠS.02.00.00) or as „from repaid arrears“ (la2-ni-ta su-ga: OrSP 47-49 334, AS.04.11.00). Moreover he supervised expenditures of sesame oil (and lard) (BPOA 7 2065, As.05.00.00; MVN 18 463, ŠS.01.00.00).

Ur-Sulpae often received leather for closing vessels for various fats and oils and supervised their transportation, in particular for oil bottles (^dugsaman4), for oil and dairy products („oil and milk“ i3 ga or „oil and fermented milk“ i3 ga-še-a  „brought to the palace“ e2-gal-še3 de6-a), for „lard“ (i3-šaḫa_x), for „butter“ (i3-nun) or „sour milk cheese“ (ga-ara3) (e.g. BPOA 6 1226, AS.04.00.00; BPOA 6 1464, ŠS.02.05.00;  BPOA 2 2293, AS.07.09.00; BPOA 1 1206, AS.08.12.00; BPOA 1 0711, ŠS.02.03.00).

1.3. Ur-Sulpae as manager of the workforce

Ur-Sulpae took over the workforce employed „for milling sesame oil“ (ĝeš-i3 sur-sur-še3[glossary=ĝeš-i3 sur]: Nisaba 31-2 152, Šu.42.12.00 or AS.06.12.00; BDTNS 064051, AS.02.00.00; „‚for milling oil“ i3 sur: UTI 6 3625, AS.06.00.00). Besides the „sesame oil-milling women“, Ur-Sulpae also managed the work of various other workforces, among them most prominently „(female) millers“ ((geme2) kinkin) and „(female) grinders“ (geme2 niĝ2-ar3-ra) (e.g. CST 628, Šu.46.00.00; MVN 16 1091, AS.09.00.00).

On the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Umma, see Dossier A.1.1.05 and A.1.1.07.

2. Ur-Sulpae’s other businesses

Besides the oils and fats business, Ur-Sulpae often received considerable amounts of reed bundles, sometimes with the specification of their final destination (e.g. BPOA 7 2162). He also often received reed containers of various kinds to be filled with various food stuff (e.g. SAT 3 1424) and reed mats (e.g. UTI 4 2495). Ur-Sulpae also managed the workforce for various tasks (e.g. UTI 4 2341), though among them particularly often female millers (e.g. UTI 4 2573). He also received various kinds of goods and food stuff, sometimes on behalf of the provincial administration for the bala-duty (e.g. UTI 5 3038; Aleppo 334).

According to his seal inscription Ur-Bau was a „scribe“ (dub-sar) and „son of Da’aga“ (dumu da-a-ga). The presence of his seal inscription confirms Ur-Bau’s role as the recipient in these transactions. As such, he managed, among others, the work of the „ploughmen of sesame“ (engar ĝeš-i3) and of the „fishermen“ (šukud2) in Umma from the end of the reign of Šulgi (JCS 24 154 25, Šu.44.12.00) until at least the reign of Šu-Suen (MVN 14 0298, ŠS.02.00.00; Nisaba 31/2 064, ŠS.05.04.20).

A certain Ur-Bau is also attested as „overseer“ (ugula) of the „ploughmen of sesame“ (engar ĝeš-i3) and of the „fishermen“ (šukud2) in Umma from the reign of Amar-Suena (CUSAS 39 133, AS.05.07.15) until the reign of Šu-Suen (SNAT 498, ŠS.04.06.00; SNAT 502, ŠS.05.08.00).

The name Ur-Bau without title or patronymic occurs in transactions dealing with the production of sesame and payments in silver related to sesame on behalf of the „ploughmen of sesame“ (engar ĝeš-i3) and the provincial administration in Umma from the end of the reign of Šulgi until at least the beginning of the reign of Šu-Suen.

Ur-Bau scribe and Ur-Bau overseer, as well as Ur-Bau without title or patronymic, are attested in Umma from the end of Šulgi’s or the beginning of Amar-Suena’s reign until at least the beginning of Šu-Suen’s reign. Their transactions regarded either the management of sesame, its production and its related payments and/or the supervision of the „ploughmen of sesame“ and the fishermen, as well as their duties towards and on behalf of the provincial administration. We assume, therefore, that these attestations pertain all to one individual named Ur-Bau, who was a scribe and son of Da’aga as well as overseer of the „ploughmen of sesame“ and of the fishermen.

In particular, Ur-Bau took over a certain Ninunkene, son of Bulu (JCS 24 154 25, Šu.44.12.00), who is very likely to be identified with the Ninunkene, who delivered sesame to Ur-Bau three years later, according to the balanced account on sesame fields ( UCP 9/2/1 078, Šu.47.00.00). According to this balanced account Ur-Bau received sesame from the „ploughmen of sesame“ and from various individuals as well as delivered silver to the provincial administration as „repaid arrears of the ploughmen of sesame“ (la2-ni su-ga engar ĝeš-i3-ka-ke4-ne Santag 6 078, Šu.47.00.00; UCP 9/2/1 078, Šu.47.00.00).

An Ur-Bau also provided the government’s official Lukala with silver “to buy sesame” (še-ĝeš-i3 sa10-sa10-de3), silver then to be set on the account of the merchants (a-gu3 dam-gara3-ne ĝa2-ĝa2-dam) (AAICAB 1/2 Ashm. 1971-393 r. 1-3, AS.03.00.00; for the relation between sesame, silver and the merchants in Umma see dossier A.1.1.05). Moreover, silver related to sesame was paid to the provincial administration either by the „ploughmen of sesame“ themselves or by an Ur-Bau (see table 1 below). Eventually, an Ur-Bau delivered up to 2,280 litres of sesame seeds to Ur-Sulpae 1[individual=Ur-Sulpae 1] as „rent for ploughmen“ (a2 engar), no specific time frame is attested (e.g. Nisaba 09 191, AS.09.00.00). Ur-Bau also gave over the barley wage of two „ploughmen returned from the sesame (fields)“ (engar ĝeš-i3-ta gur-ra: BPOA 6 0897; AS.01.00.00). Moreover, the workdays („their work(days)“ a2-bi) of 20 „fishermen“ (šukud2) were transferred on the account of Ur-Bau (a-gu3 ur-^dba-u2-ka ĝa2-ĝa2-dam) in the year Šu-Suen 05 (Nisaba 31/2 064, ŠS.05.04.20).

On the activity of Ur-Bau in Umma, see (???) and (???).

On the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Umma, see Dossier A.1.1.05 and A.1.1.07.

Guzani (gu-za-ni) attested in BPOA 6 0017 (ŠS.09.07.00) is to be identified with Guzana[individual=Guzana].

Alammuš-nāṣir and his domain in Damrum are documented by texts from the Old-Babylonian period, which are of particular interest to us because they mention the transport of sesame, the production of oil but also almonds and almond oil; see Alammuš-nāṣir.

3. Urabba central manager of sesame and sesame oil

Urabba and his family were central managers of sesame and sesame oil, as well as other oils and fats, in Ur III Ĝirsu. Urabba in particular managed expenditures and deliveries of sesame and sesame oil, various other oils and fats, in addition to dairy products, fruits and wool on behalf of the provincial administration in Ĝirsu from the year Šulgi 36 to the first years of the reign of Ibbi-Suen (RA 62 03 02, Šu.36.00.00; PPAC 5 0872, IS.03.11d.00).

3.1. Urabba in the administrative documentation of Ĝirsu in the Ur III period

According to his seal inscription present on many administrative documents from Ĝirsu, Urabba was a scribe and son of Bazi (e.g. BPOA 1 0102). As such, he managed expenditures and deliveries of sesame and sesame oil, various other oils and fats, and dairy products, fruits and wool on behalf of the provincial administration in Ĝirsu from the year Šulgi 36 to the last years of the reign of Šu-Suen (RA 62 03 02, Šu.36.00.00; TCTI 1 00996, ŠS.08.00.00).

The administrative sources from Ĝirsu also document the name Urabba without any title or patronymic. In this case, the records document expenditures and deliveries of sesame and sesame oil as well as various other oils and fats, fruits and wool from the year Šulgi 37 to the first years of the reign of Ibbi-Suen (RA 58 104 83, Šu.37.00.00; PPAC 5 0872, IS.03.11d.00).

Since the sources mentioning only the name Urabba without any patronymic or title document transactions involving the same goods, and these transactions took place within the same time period, we can assume that it was the same individual as Urabba, scribe and son of Bazi.

3.2. Urabba as recipient of sesame seeds and sesame oil among other goods

According to the „balanced account on the management of oil“ (niĝ2-ka9-aka i3), various individuals provided more than 59,714 litres of sesame to Urabba in the year Amar-Suena 1 (HSS 04 003, AS.01.12.00). 99.2 % of this sesame (59,272.5 litres) was provided by Lu-Ninĝirsu[individual=Lu-Ninĝirsu], son of Bazi and brother of Urabba. Urabba received 15,450 litres of sesame in the year Amar-Suena 8 from a certain Kudamu according to „the balanced account on sesame“ (niĝ2-ka9-aka ĝeš-i3, TCTI 1 00846, AS.08.00.00). He also received sesame as „repaid arrears“ (la2-ni) from various individuals, e.g. Lu-Nadua, otherwise attested as a “man of sesame” (lu2 ĝeš-i3[glossary=lu2 ĝeš-i3]) (from Lu-Nadua: TÉL 070, ŠS.03.00.00; Lu-Nadua, man of sesame: ASJ 09 329 06 o. ii 9, ŠS.09.00.00), from Ur-Engaldudu (TCTI 2 02673, AS.09.00.00) or from both the temple administrator and the cult priest of Ĝešbare (TCTI 2 04198, ŠS.01.00.00; TCTI 2 03206, AS.07.00.00). Moreover, Urabba received sesame as „product share“ (a2-ĝeš-ĝar-ra) from various individuals (TCTI 2 03700, ŠS.04.00.00; CTPSM 1 140, ŠS.07.00.00) or simply received sesame from individuals (Orient 16 095 141, AS.01.02.00). Once the sesame he received as „product share“ (a2-ĝeš-ĝar-ra) was destined for the „oil allotment of the female weavers“ (i3-ba geme2 uš-bar, RA 58 105 90, ŠS.09.09.00). Urabba received sesame seeds, the oil of which was destined to the „house of the superintendent“ (i3 e2 maškim-še3, PPAC 5 1404, […]).

Urabba also received sesame oil, sesame, dates and silver according to the balanced account on the „outstanding arrears“ (la2-ni e3-a) of an individual (WMAH 20, Šu.48.00.00) and received sesame oil and/or dairy products, among them butter, from individuals often identified as merchants (e.g. RA 62 03 02, Šu.36.00.00; ITT 03 05258, ŠS.07.00.00). The „temple administrator of Ninmarki“ (saĝĝa ^dnin-mar-ki) supplied Urabba with sesame seeds, e.g., as a „product share“ (a2-ĝeš-ĝar-ra, AMHERST 117, AS.09.11.00) or he received sesame as „repaid arrears“ (la2-ni, DAS 391, ŠS.03.03.00).

3.3. Urabba as provider of sesame seeds

Both Urabba and his brother Lu-Ninĝirsu supplied the provincial administration with sesame seeds for sowing in the region of Guedina (MVN 06 280, 00.00.00.00; PPAC 4 108+109, AS.04.00.00; PPAC 5 1132, Šu.42.03.00 or AS.06.03.00) or for fields of unknown location in the province of Ĝirsu (ḫeĝal-Field: OTR 102, AS.05.02.00, (???); very likely, these were for sowing given the month, and no field name is attested: MVN 09 072, XX.XX.02.00). Moreover, he issued sesame seeds, the oil from which served for the treatment of textiles („oil to be applied on textiles“ i3 tu9-ge ke3-de3 e.g. DAS 359, Šu.44?.00.00).

3.4. Urabba as provider of sesame oil along with other oils and fats

However, the great majority of the administrative sources on Urabba document expenditures of sesame oil, sometimes together with lard and fruits, to various beneficiaries, among them individuals (RA 58 104 83, Šu.37.00.00), merchants (SAT 1 088, AS.07.07.00), „the palace“ (e2-gal, PPAC 5 0900, AS.07.07.00) or the „house of the weavers“ (e2 uš-bar), RA 58 103 66, Šu.42.12.00).

Urabba had to repay sesame oil among various other goods as the „remainder of a balanced account“ (si-i3-tum niĝ2-ka9-aka) in the years Šulgi 43-44 ( HLC 1 281 (pl. 050), Šu.43.00.00; SAT 1 046, Šu.44.00.00) or also as „repaid arrears“ (la2-ni, e.g. RA 50 109 124, IS.XX.00.00). He also paid silver as repaid arrears (la2-ni) of various goods, among them also „oil, fat“, to the palace (i3, CDLI P406627, AS.02.05.00). Moreover he delivered various goods to settle the balanced account on butter („for the balanced account on butter“ niĝ2-kas7 i3-nun-še3, RA 58 105 87, ŠS.07.00.00).  Eventually, he provided the millhouse (e2 kinkin) with oil milling residuals („sesame oil cake“ tuḫ (še-)ĝeš-i3[glossary=tuḫ ĝeš-i3]) sometimes together with dates (AMHERST  083, AS.05.08.00; PPAC 5 0673, AS.06.01.00) and received „barley allotments“ (še-ba) for the „sesame oil milling women“ (geme2 ĝeš-i3 sur-sur-ra[glossary=geme2 i3-sur], PPAC 5 0341, AS.07.09.00).

3.4.1. Expenditures of sesame oil for oil allotments, for anointment and for the cult

Urabba often supplied various types of workers with sesame oil, sometimes also with oil milling residuals, as „oil allotments“ (i3-ba, e.g. RA 58 106 103, IS.03.05.00; MVN 06 269, ŠS.06.03.25). Furthermore, Urabba delivered sesame oil „for anointing“ (šeš4-de3) individuals or various types of workers (e.g. BPOA 1 0144, AS.01.08.00; PPAC 5 0681, AS.06.10.00). Eventually he also supplied sesame oil to festivals (izim, PPAC 5 1008, ŠS.06.00.00) or delivered it as „consignments“ (sa2-du11) to deified kings (Šulgi: RA 58 107 106, IS.03.06.00; Šu-Suena: PPAC 5 0872, IS.03.11d.00).

3.4.2. Expenditures of sesame oil for technical use

The most frequent destination of sesame oil and other oils/fats documented in the expenditures by Urabba is the treatment of textiles („oil to be applied on textiles“ i3 tu9-ge ke3-de3, e.g. MVN 09 067, AS.04.07.00; „oil (for) finishing textiles“ i3 tu9 sa ge4-a, e.g. RA 58 104 76, AS.08.04.00; „oil (for) finished textiles“ i3 tu9 ša3-ḫa, e.g. PPAC 5 0597, AS.08.05.00). Other technical uses of sesame oil and other fats are also attested in the expenditures by Urabba, i.e., for the crown of the statue of Šu-Suena (ITT 2 03390, ŠS.05.01.00), for ropes (DAS 367, AS.08.00.00), to lubricate a door (MVN 22 230+A, Šu.44.05.00), „to caulk“ (tuḫ) the boat of king Amar-Suena (MVN 05 162, AS.06.04.00) and together with lard „for the boat bank of the king“ (ĝeš-ḫum ma2 lugal-še3) or „the millhouse“ (e2 kinkin, MVN 09 063, AS.03.00.00; MVN 22 235, AS.03.03.00).

3.5. Other business sectors and further prosopographical information

Besides his dealings in oils and fats, Urabba also managed various types of fruits delivered by gardeners, textiles and silver on behalf of the provincial administration.

Urabba, son of Bazi, was the father of Seskala 1[individual=Seskala 1] and possibly also of Seskala 2[individual=Seskala 2] and brother of Lu-Ninĝirsu[individual=Lu-Ninĝirsu], both involved in the management of oils and fats in the province of Ĝirsu as well.

For the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Ĝirsu see Dossier A.1.1.02, A.1.1.03, A.1.1.04 and A.1.1.08.

On Urabba son of Bazi see (???) and (???).

The individual’s name Seskala 2 covers several attestations of this name that occur without filiation, title, function or profession in the documentation of the Ur III period in Ĝirsu. Some attestations of a Seskala document the management of both sesame seeds and sesame oil from the end of the reign of Sulgi (Nisaba 13 113, Šu.25.00.00) to the first years of the reign of Ibbi-Suen (SNAT 195, IS.03.02.00).

In particular, a Seskala 2 received sesame seeds as „repaid arrears“ (la2-ni su-ga, e.g. PPAC 5 1389, ŠS.06.00.00); or a Seskala 2 issued sesame oil, once as „regular offering“ (sa2-du11) for Sulgi (MVN 22 283, 00.00.11d.00). But more often a Seskala 2 functioned as „carrier/responsible official“ (ĝiri3) in transactions involving sesame seeds and sesame oil (e.g. RA 58 101 48, Šu.43.05.00; BPOA 1 0127, IS.01.00.00). Only a through prosopographical study could possibly discern if, behind these attestations, Seskala 1[individual=Seskala 1], son of Urabba [individual=Urabba]or other homonymous individuals might be hiding.

For the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Ĝirsu see Dossier A.1.1.02, A.1.1.03, A.1.1.04 and A.1.1.08.

Seskala 1 was son of Urabba[individual=Urabba] and followed his father in the management of sesame and sesame oil in Ĝirsu during the reigns of Amar-Suena and Šu-Suen.

On the one hand he sealed documents of his uncle Lu-Ninĝirsu (DAS 378, AS.09.00.00) and his father (e.g. WMAH 193, ŠS.03.00.00) until the end of the reign of Šu-Suen (TCTI 1 00996, ŠS.08.00.00). On the other hand, at the end of the reign of Amar-Suena he was himself active in the „family business“. In particular, he received 5,440 litres of sesame for the „oil allotments of the weavers in Guabba“ (i3-ba uš-bar gu2-ab-ba^ki, AS.08.00.00) and sesame oil from various individuals (e.g. BPOA 1 0040, IS.01.00.00). He also received amounts of barley for the „barley allotments of the sesame-oil milling women“ (še-ba geme2 i3-sur, e.g. PPAC 5 0508, IS.03.09.00).

Besides the sesame and sesame oil business he also managed dates and various other fruits, as his father did.

Among the numerous attestations of homonymous individuals in Ĝirsu without filiation/patronymic or title covered under Seskala 2[individual=Seskala 2], there may in fact be some belonging to Seskala 1. Only through prosopographical study may we be able to discern the various possible homonymous individuals.

For the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Ĝirsu see Dossier A.1.1.02, A.1.1.03, A.1.1.04 and A.1.1.08.

Lu-Ninĝirsu was a scribe and son of Bazi according to his seal inscription (e.g. MVN 12 258), and therefore brother of Urabba[individual=Urabba]. He sometimes managed sesame or sesame oil along with his brother Urabba, central manager of sesame and various oils and fats.

In particular, he delivered „sesame seeds for sowing“ (še-ĝeš-i3 nuĝun-še3, e.g. PPAC 4 108+109, AS.04.00.00) or delivered a large amount of sesame to his brother Urabba according to the balanced account on oil (HSS 04 003, AS.01.12.00). He also functioned as „responsible official“ (ĝiri3, e.g. DAS 228, AS.08.06.00) in transactions involving „sesame oil“ (i3-ĝeš[glossary=i3-ĝeš]). Nevertheless, his major activity was the management of barley and its derivates, as well as its workforces on behalf of the provincial administration, as illustrated by the balanced account on his activity (CT 05 47 BM 019742, Šu.48.00.00).

For the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Ĝirsu see Dossier A.1.1.02, A.1.1.03, A.1.1.04 and A.1.1.08.

Guzana supplied the Ur III kingdom with relatively large amounts of sesame seeds from the Diyala region, mainly during the reigns of Šu-Suen and Ibbi-Suen (dossier A.1.1.01; (???); (???); (???)).

Alongside the sesame business, Guzana transferred large volumes of cereals to troops of the „army“ (erin2 uĝnim: e.g. Essays Gordon 1 135 3), as „barley allotments for female and male workers“ (še-ba geme2 urdu2-da-še3: e.g. NYPL 263) or received barley as „subsistence“ (šuku: e.g. MVN 03 304), and also collected „wool“ (siki: e.g. MVN 03 278) and „goat hair for wagons“ (siki ud5 mu mar-gid2-da-še3: e.g. MVN 03 260).

For more details on the location of Guzana’s activities and his identity see dossier A.1.1.01.

A certain Guzani [individual=Guzana](gu-za-ni) attested in BPOA 6 0017 (ŠS.09.07.00) is to be identified with our Guzana.