SUMERCE ÇİVİ YAZILI METİNLERE GÖRE KAYBOLAN HAYVANLARIN TAKİBİ HAKKINDA BİR DEĞERLENDİRME

Abstract

Bu makale, III. Ur dönemine (MÖ 2112-2004) ait çivi yazılı arşivleri temel alarak Sumer bürokrasisinde kaybolan hayvanların nasıl kayda geçirildiğini, soruşturulduğunu ve telafi edildiğini incelemektedir. Çalışma üç ana belge türüne odaklanır: rasyon listeleri kaybı ilk saptayan metinlerdir; soruşturma defterleri eksikliğin nedenini, sorumlularını ve tanık be-yanlarını ayrıntılandırır; tazminat tabloları ise kaybın ayni hayvan veya arpa eşdeğeriyle telafisini resmîleştirir. Bu belgeler, “gu₄-gaz” ve “udu-sikil” gibi terimlerle niceliksel kaybı ve hukuki statüyü aynı anda işaret ederek kurumsal tutarlılığı sağlar. Makale, soruşturma sürecinde yemin, kefalet ve çift kayıt tekniklerinin idari şeffaflığı güçlendirdiğini; telafi hesaplamalarında ise sosyal statüye bağlı farklılıkların belirleyici olduğunu gösterir. Hırsız-lık (gazi) vakalarında tazminatın olağan bedelin %50 üzerine çıkarılması, bürokrasinin caydırıcı boyutunu yansıtır. Sonuçta kayıp hayvan vakaları, Sumer ekonomisinde stok denetimi kadar toplumsal hiyerarşi ve bürokratik meşruiyetin sürdürülmesinde de kritik işlev görür. Bu bulgular, Sumer idari pratiğinin niceliksel kontrol ile hukuksal-mali yaptırımı tek dosya zincirinde birleştiren gelişmiş bir sistem kurduğunu ortaya koyar.

Keywords

• Sumerliler
• Kayıp hayvan kayıtları
• Telafi mekanizmaları
• Çivi yazılı idari belgeler.

An Assessment of Tracking Lost Livestock According to Sumerian Cuneiform Texts

Abstract

This article examines how cases of lost livestock were recorded, investigated, and compen-sated within the bureaucratic apparatus of Sumer by analysing cuneiform archives from the Ur III period (2112–2004 BCE). It focuses on three interrelated document types: ration lists, which first register the loss; investigation dockets, which detail the cause, the responsi-ble parties, and witness statements; and compensation tablets, which formalise restitution either by an animal in kind or by its barley equivalent. Terms such as “gu₄ gaz” and “udu sikil” simultaneously denote the quantitative deficit and its juridical status, thereby ensuring institutional consistency. The study shows that oaths, sureties, and a double entry technique reinforced administrative transparency, while compensation calculations were shaped by social status. In theft (gazi) cases, indemnities could rise to 150 percent of the ordinary value, highlighting the system’s deterrent function. Ultimately, incidents of lost livestock served a critical role not only in stock control but also in maintaining social hier-archy and bureaucratic legitimacy within the Sumerian economy. These findings demon-strate that Sumerian administrative practice developed a sophisticated system that inte-grated quantitative oversight with legal financial enforcement inside a unified documen-tary chain.

Keywords

• Sumerians
• Lost livestock records
• Compensation mechanisms
• Cuneiform administrative tablets

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