The Construction Accounts of Dūr-Šarru-kīn

Dūr-Šarru-kīn is the best documented new city in ancient Mesopotamia, based on both archaeological and written sources. Eight cuneiform tablets detailing “construction accounts” are studied here. They reveal that building sites were divided into sectors, each under the responsibility of a provincial governor tasked with supplying personnel and materials. They also allow us to clarify the meaning of several Akkadian architectural terms.