Commentary

Following the interpretation of its original editor, this unusual letter seems to involve a woman’s defending herself against charges of waste and mismanagement of her husband’s estate as dealt with both in §§141–143 of the Laws of Hammurabi ( COS COSB.2.131) and in a model court-case (below, COSB.3.140). It may thus represent a model letter rather than a “functional” one, using the terminology of R…