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====== Neo-Assyrian economic documents ======

===== Metrological system =====

==== Units of weight ====

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Neo Assyrian weights could be //dannu// (heavy) or //qallu// (light). A //dannu// weight double a //qallu// weight.

\\
| //**dannu**// **(heavy)** | //**qallu**// **(light)** |
|   gin<sub>2</sub> {{:na_gin2_14.jpg?nolink&40|SIGNE14}}   ||
| ca. 17 g | ca. 8,5 g |
|   **↓ ×60**   ||
|  ma-na((Various kind of minas are attested in the Neo Assyrian documentation. The two principal cases are the minas “of the king” and the mina “of Karkemiš”. A mina “of the merchant” and a mina “of agate” are also attested.)) {{:na_ma-na_15.jpg?nolink&50|}}  ||
| ca. 1,01 kg | ca. 505 g |
|   **↓× 60**   ||
|  gú-(un) {{:na_gu2-un_16.jpg?nolink&60|}}((When numbering talents, Neo Assyrian scribes used almost always vertical wedges, instead of traditional Babylonian horizontal wedges.
))  ||
| 60,6 kg | 30,3 kg |

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Since Neo Assyrian scribes ordinary did not use units smaller than the shekel, fractions were employed (cf. below ‘fractions’). In the first one, horizontal wedges were used for the denominator preceded, if needed, by vertical wedges for the numerator. Thus, “1/4 gín” was written with four horizontal wedges (SIGNE17), while “3/4 gín” was written with three normal verticals and four horizontals wedges (SIGNE17bis). In the second system, fractions were noted classically (see “fractions” below).\\
When fractions are used without precision about the unit, the mina is generally meant.


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 ==== Units of capacity ====

\\
| silà, //qû// | {{:na_qa_18.jpg?nolink&40}} | 1,84 l. |
|  **↓ ×10**  |||
| bán//, sūtu//(( Neo Assyrian texts also attest //sūtu//s of 8 or 9 //q̧û//s (1 //sūtu// of 8 //qû// = ca. 14,222 l.; 1 //sūtu// of 9 //qû// = ca. 16 l.). Moreover, texts from Kalhu mention a “big” (//dannatu//) //sūtu// divided into 9 “Assyrian” //qû// (1 “big” //sūtu// = 16 l.; 1 “Assyrian” //sūtu// = 1,777 l.).)) | {{:na_ban2_19.jpg?nolink&40|}}((1 bán, 2 bán, 3 bán, 4 bán, 5 bán : {{:na_1ban2_2ban2_20.jpg?nolink&60|}})) | 18,40 l. |
|  **↓ ×10**  |||
| //imēru// | - | 184 l. |

\\
There is no occurrence of a Neo Assyrian smaller than the //qû// so that fractions are used.

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Other miscellaneous units are used, like //maqarrrutu// (“roll” or “bale”), //ebissu// (“bundle”) or //pittu// (“bundle”) for different kinds of dry products, and like //kāsu//(“cup”), //šappu//(“bowl”), //middutu// (“measure”), //zikku// and kuš-sal (“wineskin”) for liquids.

\\
==== Units of length ====


 
| šu-si, //ubānu// (“finger”) | {{:na_shu-si_22.jpg?nolink&50|}} | ca. 2 cm |
|  **↓ ×12**  |||
| (//r//)//ūṭu// (“1/2 cubit”) | - | ca. 24 cm |
|  **↓ ×2**  |||
| kùš, //ammutu// (cubit)((We find, together with the ordinary cubit, a “royal cubit”, a “big cubit” and a “//aslu// cubit”. Their values are not really known.)) | SIGNE24 | ca. 48 cm |
|  **↓ ×12**((Reconstrucuted from the Babylonian metrological standard.))  |||
| gar | - | - |
|  **↓ ×720**((Reconstrucuted from the Babylonian metrological standard.))  |||
| uš | - | - |
|  **↓ ×30 (× 21600 cubits)**  |||
| //bēru// | - | - |




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In parallel, we find the //pušku// (“palm”) measuring ca. 8 cm and the unit gìr-pad-du (“bone”) measuring ca. 32 cm.
\\


===== Numerical system =====

\\ The Neo Assyrian numerical system follow almost the same pattern that those of all the others Akkadian texts.

\\
| {{:na_1_1.jpg?nolink&20|}} | 1 |
|  **↓** **× 10**  ||
| {{:na_10_2.jpg?nolink&30|}} | 10 |
|  **↓** **× 10**  ||
| {{:na_1-me_3.jpg?nolink&30|}} (1 me) | 100 |

\\
However, few special writings exist:

  * From at least the middle Assyrian times, the number 9 ({{:na_9_4.jpg?nolink&30|}}) can be abbreviated this way: {{:na_9bis_5.jpg?nolink&20|}}. 
  * The number 8 () can also be writing: SIGNE7. 
  * 60 is generally written SIGNE8 or SIGNE9, except for when he's followed by a 10-sign (70, 80 ...). 

==== Fractions ====

| 1/2 | 1/3 | 2/3 | 5/6 |
| {{:oass_ban2.jpg?nolink&30}} | {{:oass_shushana.jpg?nolink&30|}} | {{:oass_shanabi.jpg?nolink&30|}} | {{:oass_kingusila.jpg?nolink&30|}} |

\\ Cardinal numbers with a syllabic complement (4-//tu// = 1/4, 5-//su//= 1/5, 6-//su//= 1/8 ...) are used for the writing of other fractions, and sometimes for 1/3 (3//-////su//or 3-//si//).
\\
===== Bibliography =====

  * Postgate J.N. (1976). //Fifty Neo-Assyrian Legal Documents//. Warminster: Aris & Phillips. p.63-72.\\
  * Powell M.A. (1990. “Masse und Gewichte”, //RlA// 7, Berlin, New York, p. 457-517