Matthew Saunders

Matthew Saunders is a PhD student in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He researches the languages and literatures of the ancient Near East, especially Aramaic Studies, Ugaritic Studies, and Comparative Semitics.

Gudea Cylinder A i 1-29 (RIME E3/1.1.7.CylA) 13 min read

Gudea Cylinder A i 1-29 (RIME E3/1.1.7.CylA)

Matthew Saunders May 5, 2024

Introduction The Gudea Cylinders (A and B) are cylindrical clay tablets which tell of the construction of Ning̃irsu’s É-ninnu Temple (É-ninnu = ‘House of the... Read More

A (Humorous) Model Court Case about Adultery (IM 28051; Volk #39) 8 min read

A (Humorous) Model Court Case about Adultery (IM 28051; Volk #39)

Matthew Saunders May 3, 2024

Introduction The following unprovenanced and undated text records what appears to be a legal case about adultery. J. van Dijk (1962) called it an Ehescheidungsprozeß... Read More

Sumerian Legal Case (ditila): A Lawsuit for Breach of Betrothal Promise (Volk #37) 5 min read

Sumerian Legal Case (ditila): A Lawsuit for Breach of Betrothal Promise (Volk #37)

Matthew Saunders May 1, 2024

Introduction The following text is a Sumerian legal case, called a ditila, about a breach of betrothal promise (so Neumann), or possibly a case of... Read More

Šu-Suen Door Socket from Umma (RIME 3/2.1.4.17) 3 min read

Šu-Suen Door Socket from Umma (RIME 3/2.1.4.17)

Matthew Saunders April 30, 2024

Introduction The following text survives in at least eight copies on door sockets and stone blocks. The 30-line inscribed object included here is a door... Read More

Hammurabi Cylinder (Sumerian Translation from Old Babylonian Original) 4 min read

Hammurabi Cylinder (Sumerian Translation from Old Babylonian Original)

Matthew Saunders April 29, 2024

Introduction The following text (LIH 58; E4.3.6.12) is part of a bilingual Sumerian-Akkadian commemorative inscription wherein Hammurabi, the king of Babylon, boasts about his deeds... Read More

A Sumerian Legal Case (ditila): Claim of Property and a Slave (ITT 3/2, pl. 21, 5279; Volk #38) 5 min read

A Sumerian Legal Case (ditila): Claim of Property and a Slave (ITT 3/2, pl. 21, 5279; Volk #38)

Matthew Saunders April 28, 2024

Introduction The following text is a Sumerian legal case, called a ditila, which recounts the litigant’s claim over property and a slave as well as... Read More

Rare Semitic Languages 2 min read

Rare Semitic Languages

Matthew Saunders April 27, 2024

In the future, I will feature information about the rarer (or lesser-known) Semitic languages, such as Neo-Aramaic, Mandaic, Modern South Arabian, and minor Ethiopian Semitic... Read More

Two More (Online) Publications 3 min read

Two More (Online) Publications

Matthew Saunders April 24, 2024

Introduction In a previous post, I drew your attention to Two New (Online) Publications which I wrote for the online Database of Religious History (DRH)... Read More