Additional fragments of the Cyrus Cylinder text

European Museums, The British Museum

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Additional fragments of the Cyrus Cylinder text

These small fragments once belonged to a large clay tablet inscribed with a duplicate of the Cyrus Cylinder text. They were identified among the British Museum's extensive collection of clay tablets in December 2009 and January 2010. The cylinder had previously always been considered unique but this discovery proves that the same royal inscription was copied on public documents for widespread distribution.

Despite their small size both fragments contribute important new information. We can now read that Cyrus' policies and building plans had the blessing of the great Babylonian god Marduk and that his dynasty would endure.

Moreover, the right-hand fragment adds new words to the beginning and end of the text, and even records the name of the Babylonian scribe who wrote out the tablet: Qishti-Marduk.

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Supplementary images:

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Additional fragments of the Cyrus Cylinder text

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Source:  London, United Kingdom