Ea-nāṣir

Ea-nāṣir (Akkadian: 𒂍𒀀𒈾𒍢𒅕, lit. ''Ea is (his) warden", reconstructed pronunciation: /ˈe.a ˈnaːt͡sʼiʁ/') was a copper merchant who lived in Ur during the mid-18th century BC.^[1] He was a member of the Alik Tilmun, a guild of merchants based in Dilmun, and was active during the 11th and 19th regnal years of the Larsa ruler Rim-Sîn I.^[1]^[2] He was a vendor of copper ingots originating in Magan.^[3] He is most well-known for being the subject of a customer complaint written against him by Nanni in 1750 BC.^[1]^[4]

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This article is missing information about Ea-nāṣir apart from the complaint tablet. (April 2025)

Quick Facts Born, Occupation ...

Ea-nāṣir
Akkadian: 𒂍𒀀𒈾𒍢𒅕
Born	18th century BCE Ur, Larsa
Occupation	Mesopotamian merchant
Known for	Selling low quality copper

Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir

Summarize

Perspective

Ea-nāṣir is most well-known for a customer complaint written by Nanni in 1750 BC.^[1]^[4] According to the complaint, Ea-nāṣir had agreed to sell some copper ingots to Nanni, after which he presented Nanni's servant with poor-quality ingots while mistreating and undermining him, and stated the Old-Babylonian equivalent of "take it or leave it". Enraged, Nanni wrote:^[5]

"Who am I that you are treating in this manner and offend me (ia-a-ti a-na ki(!)-ma ma-an-ni-im tu-ši-im-ma-ni-[i]-ma ki-a-am tu-me-i[š-an]ni lines 16-18); (that this could happen between) gentlemen as we (both) are! (ma-a-ri a-we-li ki-ma ne-ti, elliptic in line 19)" and he continues, "Who is there amongst the Telmun traders who has (ever) acted against me in this way (i-na a-li-ik Te-el(!)-mu-un ma-an-nu-um ša kci-a-am i-pu-ša-an-ni-i-ma lines 26-27)?"

— A. L. Oppenheim, The Seafaring Merchants of Ur

In response, Ea-nāṣir wrote:^[5]

"I myself gave on account of you 19 talents of copper to the palace and Sumi-abum gave (likewise) 18 talents of copper, apart from the sealed document which we both handed over to the temple of Shamash."

— A. L. Oppenheim, The Seafaring Merchants of Ur

The tablet became a meme on Reddit and Tumblr in 2015.^[6]

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Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir

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References

Sources

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