MS in Neo Sumerian on clay, Umma, Sumer, 7th regnal year of King Amar-Sin, 2040 BC, 1 tablet, 3,2x3,1x1,4 cm, single column, 9 lines in cuneiform script.

Context: MSS 1947/09 and 1947/10 are both about wooden parts of ships.

Commentary: Wood was a rare and expensive commodity in Sumer and had to be imported, usually on ships arriving at the ports at Uruk and Ur. These objects were masts, steering-oars, etc. needed for repairs of the reed-boats, the river barges as in this case, or the seagoing ma-gur.

MS in Neo Sumerian on clay, Babylonia, 2000-1700 BC, 1 tablet, diam. 8,0x2,2 cm, single column, 3 lines in cuneiform script.

Commentary: The 3 types of boats mentioned, have not yet been identified.

MS in Phoenician on malachite, Lebanon, ca. 539-532 BC, 1 bow part of a Bireme, 16,0x9,3x5,0 cm (originally ca. 50x9x5 cm), 1 line in Phoenician script along all of port side, with holes on top and sides for mast, rigging and oars, and for a metal ram in the waterline in front.

Provenance: 1. Private Collection, Israel and London; 2. Pars Antiques, London.

Commentary: The Phoenician war galley Bireme had 2 banks of oars, a single pole mast with a square sail, and 2 steering oars, the main weapon being the heavy pointed ram. The Bireme became the leading warship of the 8th c. BC, being about 25 m. long with a beam of 3 m. This is an unusually large piece of malachite that was mined in Sinai. The term Sidonians is here used designing the inhabitants of the kingdom of Tyre, as is attested in the Bible, 1 Kings 5:20 and 16:31. Until now 3 kings of Tyre with the name Ittobaal have been known: Ittobaal 1 (ca. 887-856 BC), Ittobaal II (ca. 738 BC), and Ittobaal III (ca. 591-572 BC). The present inscription might, according to André Lemaire, be of a hitherto unattested king, Ittobaal IV, during his joint reign with his father, Hieron III, around 539-532 BC.

Published: André Lemaire: Inscription royale phénicienne sur bateau votif. 2004.

MS in Italian on paper, Genova, Italy, 1635-1694, 338 pp., 21x14 cm, 2 columns (15x10 cm - 19x14 cm), 16-30 lines in Italian cursive script by several scribes. Binding: Italy, ca. 1700, limp vellum from a bigger volume, sewn on 3 thongs, title in ink on spine.

Context: Texts 12 and 13: The work of Jacopo Inghirami (1581-1623), the 10th and 13th admiral of the Order, exists in an autograph MS in the Inghirami family archive at Volterra. Part have been published by Guarnieri, 1965-1966.

Provenance: 1. Cardinal's archive, Italy, no 66 (17th c.); 2. Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford (ca. 1810-1827); 3. R.H. Evans, London 8.12.1830:36/4; 4. Sir Thomas Phillipps, Cheltenham, MS 4983 (1830-1872); 5. Katharine, John, Thomas & Alan Fenwick, Cheltenham (1872-1946); 6. Robinson Bros., London (1946-1978); 7. H.P. Kraus, New York, R482, (1978-1991).

Commentary: In an effort to repopulate a depleted aristocracy, Cosimo II di Medici (1520-1574) created many new nobles and knights, granting feudal privileges of various kinds. Part of this effort was the creation of the Order of Saint Stephen (1562), pledged to make war on the infidel. The knights won distinction in some important naval battles, Penon de Velez 1564, and Lepando 1571.

See also MS 3011/2, The slave ship Captain Blanc, French Guyana, 1790

MS in Swedish on paper, Sweden, ca. 1832-1835, 193 ff. (complete), 34x22 cm, single column, (31x17 cm), 29-35 lines in Swedish cursive script.

Binding: Sweden, ca. 1832-1835, marbled boards, quarter calf, sewn on 3 thongs.

Provenance: 1. Bibliothek Hammer Stockholm; 2. Admiral Alarik Wachtmeister, Skåne (-1953); 3. Alarik Wachmeister, Jr., Wallåkra gård, Helsingborg (1953-1996); 4. Antikvariat Classica, Vetlanda, Skåne.

MS in Swedish on paper, Sweden, ca. 1850, 128 ff. (complete), 21x17 cm, single column, (16x13 cm), 14 lines in Swedish cursive script.

Binding: Sweden, ca. 1850, quarter black morocco gilt, sewn on 5 cords.

Provenance: 1. Admiral Alarik Wachtmeister, Skåne (-1953); 2. Alarik Wachmeister, Jr., Wallåkra gård, Helsingborg (1953-1996); 3. Antikvariat Classica, Vetlanda, Skåne.

MS in Norwegian on paper, Norway, 1869, 59 ff. + 66 blanks (complete), 34x21 cm, single column, (31x17 cm), 34-43 lines in Norwegian cursive script, autograph, 2 decorated initials, 3 pencil scetches and 66 drawings of good quality by the author.

Binding: Norway, ca. 1868, marbled boards, brown morocco spine, sewn o 3 cords.

Provenance: 1. Carl Frederik Diriks, Oslo (1869-1895); 2. Cappelens Antikvariat, Auksjon 32, 23.5.2000:79.

Commentary: Carl Frederik Diriks (1814-1895), managing director of lighthouses in Norway, and black-and-white-artist. His humorous celebrated drawings are at their best comparable to John Leech in "Punch".

Published: To view the whole MS online click here.

MS in Sumerian on bronze, Sumer, 2600-2300 BC, 1 branding iron, 4,2x7,8x3,6 cm, 1 line in ceuneiform script.

Commentary: This chilling object is unique. Although branding of slaves is attested to in the texts, nobody has ever discovered a brand. It has clearly been used.

MS in Old Babylonian on clay, Babylonia, 2004-1595 BC, 1 tablet, 7,4x4,6x2,5 cm, 14+16+3 lines in cuneiform script.

Binding: Barking, Essex, 1993, yellow cloth gilt folding case, by Aquarius.

Published: C.B.F. Walker in Archiv für Orientforschung, vol. 24, Graz 1973, pp. 120-122, plate XVI.

See also MS 2456/6, Aramaic contract about a slave girl, Syria, 613? BC

See also MS 590/57, Sale of a Tartar female slave, Spain, 1401

MS in French on blue paper, Cayenne, French Guyana, 1790, 20 ff., 30x20 cm, single column, (26x16 cm), 22-27 lines in French cursive script.

Binding: French Guyana, 1790, no covers, sewn on 2 blue cords.

Provenance: 1. H.P. Kraus Inc., New York.

Commentary: This account gives an insight into the persons and institutions responsible for the slave trade, its organisation and the actions of a ruthless slave ship captain.

MS in Neo Sumerian on stone, Umma, ca. 2100-1900 BC, 1 stone weight, 38x23x15 cm, 2 columns, (14x9 cm) 10 lines in archaizing cuneiform script, ancient holes near top to serve as handles, 1 hole at lower half, weight 27,5 kg.

Commentary: The weight has probably been reused as a door socket supporting the weight of a very heavy door.
Its original weight would have been ca. 30 kg. The talent was divided into 60 mina (0,5 kg), the mina into shekels (8 g), and the shekel into 180 barley corns of ca. 45 mg each. The oval shape is most unusual. Duck-weight were the rule, even for big weights of one talent. Shara is the patron deity of the town Umma. Shara is the patron deity of the town Umma. The text is unique, so far not duplicated in any other inscription.

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 127-129.

MSS in Old Babylonian on hematite,, Babylonia, ca. 2000-1600 BC, 55 weights of all sizes, from diam. 2,8x8,8 cm to diam. 0,4x1,1 cm, 2 and 1 lines in cuneiform script. Context: The set comprises the following 17 weight denominations:

• One 1/2-mina (245 g) text 1
• one 1/3-mina (139,9 g)
• two 10-shekels (80 g and 81,6 g) the last of diorite, text 2

• one 5-shekels (41,7 g)
• one 4-shekels (34,3 g)
• two 3-shekels (24,1 g and 24,4 g)
• eleven 2-shekels (16,2 g - 17,3 g) one is text 3
• four 1-shekel (8,2 g - 8,6 g)
• two 3/4-shekel (5,9 g and 6,1 g)
• three 2/3-shekel (5,5 g - 5,6 g)
• seven 1/2-shekel (4,0 g - 4,4 g)

Commentary: The smallest weight is 10 barley-corns. They were reported found together in a damaged bronze pot in the 1920’es – 1930’es. The only known large complete set of weights from the Old Babylonian period. It would mainly have been used for weighing out gold and silver for deliveries to and from the royal palace.

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 131-133.

MS in Babylonian on black stone (hematite), Babylonia, 1235-1227 BC BC, 1 barrel-formed tablet, 5,3x12,0 cm, 3 lines in cuneiform script , weight 478.2 grams.

Commentary: Adad-shuma-iddina ( 1235-1227 BC) was a vassal governor of the Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta I (1244-1208 BC). Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. p. 130.

MS in Neo Babylonian on agate, Babylonia, ca. 6th c. BC, 1 agate duck weight, 0,9x1,8x0,9 cm, 1 line in cuneiform script, agate duck with the head turned back, brown body and white head, pierced lenghtwise with a lengthwise hole for suspension, weight 3 grams.

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 130-131.

MS in Old Babylonian on clay, Babylonia, 2000-1700 BC, 1 tablet, 12,3x4,6x3,0 cm, 2 columns, 46 lines in cuneiform script.

Commentary: The Old Babylonian weight measure system started with she (grain or barley-corn of ca. 45 mg). There were 180 she to 1 gin (shekel of ca. 8 g), 60 gin to 1 mana (mina of ca. 500 g), and 60 mana to 1 gu (talent of ca. 30 kg). It was mainly used for gold, silver, copper, wool and dates. Silver was the main value indicator, with 1 shekel of silver being the value of 1 gur (300 litres) of barley. This was also the monthly pay for a hired worker.

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 110-112.

MS in Old Babylonian on clay, Babylonia, 2000-1700 BC, 1 hexagonal prism, h. 11,0, diam. 5,0, each side 2,5 cm, 6 columns, ca. 32 lines on each side (159 lines) in cuneiform script, hole  with diam. 0,8 cm through the centre.

Commentary: The present MS is the only complete metrological table for system C known so far. In the Old Babylonian capacity system there were 60 gin (shekels) to 1 sila (ca. 1 litre), 10 sila to 1 ban (10 litres), 60 ban to 1 barig (bushel or basket of ca. 60 litres), and 50 barig to 1 gur (barrel of ca. 300 litres). Today's oil barrels are 42 gallons (168 litres).

The highest volume in the table, 129 600 cubic meters, is the size of a large modern crude oil tank ship.

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 107-109, 385-387.

MS in Sumerian on clay, Babylonia, 2000-1600 BC, 1 tablet, 9,0x4,9x2,8 cm, single column, 19+16 lines in cuneiform script.

Commentary: The Sumerian and Old Babylonian length system based on ninda had been in use since the end of 4th millennium BC. The smallest unit was shusi (finger, ca. 17 mm), there were 30 shusi to 1 kush (cubit ca. 0,5 m), 12 shusi to 1 ninda (ca. 6 m), 60 ninda to 1 ush (ca. 360 m) and 30 ush to 1 danna (ca. 10,8 km).

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 118-120.

MS in Neo Sumerian on clay, Babylonia, 2000-1700 BC, 1 tablet, 7,0x4,3x2,2 cm, 3 columns, 15 lines of cuneiform script.

Commentary: The medium sized area units, iku, eshe, and bur, had been in use since the end of the 4th millennium BC. 100 shar was 1 iku (3,6 dekars), 6 iku was 1 eshe (21,6 dekars), 3 eshe was 1 bur (ca. 6,5 hectares), 10 bur was 1 buru (ca. 65 hectares), 6 buru was 1 shar (ca. 3,9 km2), 60 shar was 1 shar gal (ca. 230 km2).

Published: Jöran Friberg: A remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Springer 2007. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection, vol. 6, Cuneiform Texts I. pp. 116-117.

MS in Latin and Greek on vellum, France, 11th c., 33 ff. (complete), 15x9 cm, single column, (12x6 cm), 47 lines in a minute Carolingian minuscule and Greek capitals.

Binding: England, 19th c., leather with gilt line borders, sewn on 6 cords.

Provenance: 1. Guglielmo Libri (until 1862); 2. Sotheby's 25.7.1862:696; 3. Sir Thomas Phillipps, Cheltenham, Ph 16415 (1862-1872); 4. Katharine, John, Thomas & Alan Fenwick, Cheltenham (1872-1946); 5. Robinson Bros, London (1946-1978); 6. H.P. Kraus Cat. 153(1979):5.

Commentary: 3 works by grammarians of the late classical era, not otherwise known in private hands. Text 3 of the 4th c. is a discussion of Latin poetical meters in the form of a dialogue. Text 1, on weights and measures, seems to be the earliest complete witness to the text.