The rental of houses in the Neo-Babylonian Period (VI-V centuries BC) / Stefan Zawadzki.

Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Agade, 2018.

343 pages ; 25 cm

Text in English; includes texts in Akkadian, with transliterations and translations into English.

Houses in ancient Mesopotamia were, as in our times, the subject of various transactions as evidenced by a large number of documents applying to the sale and purchase of houses, antichretic contracts, rental of houses, and receipts confirming payment of rent for the house and novation. Without doubt, just as today, one of the important sources of income was widespread rental of houses in the large cities, which, except in periods of crisis, gave a fairly stable income. (Renting of houses in the countryside was in Mesopotamia rare, because clay - main building material - was commonly available and building a small house was cheap and easy). This observation is supported by the fact that in the extant documents no known example refers to a legal dispute about unpaid rent, although cases of novation are known. Despite the importance of the rental of private houses the question has never been the subject of a comprehensive study. Only occasionally has it been discussed by editors of documents, in a synthesis, or in a chapter (or part of it) on family archives.

English; Akkadian

August 22, 2019

Includes bibliographical references (pages 337-343) and indexes.