A new translation of an Old Babylonian Sippar division agreement between brothers and a sister regarding their communally-shared inheritance

In his 1888 article, Pinches translated - with limited information regarding Akkadian and Sumerian grammar and structure - an Old Babylonian division agreement text, which he considered a sale of land, mentioning that the text "presents some very interesting features". A new translation of this division agreement text is here presented. It is shown that this text is not a sales agreement, but a unique arrangement of a division agreement between family beneficiaries in a deceased estate. The contractual parties record their division agreement wherein they agree to award certain communally-shared fields to their sister as the sole owner. The remainder of the communally-shared property is awarded to the brothers who will then manage co-ownership of their agreed, awarded communally-shared portions. These and other aspects of the new translation are studied by means of my analysis method: by first identifying the prerequisite elements (essential elements), followed by an outline of legal practices (natural elements). Cognisance is taken of the scribal traditions regarding the written formalities and qualities of appearance of the text (incidental elements).