Archeologia

Houses in ancient Mesopotamia were, as in our times, the subject of various transactions as evidenced by a large number of documents applying to the sale and purchase of houses, antichretic contracts, rental of houses, and receipts confirming payment of rent for the house and novation. Without doubt, just as today, one of the important sources of income was widespread rental of houses in the large cities, which, except in periods of crisis, gave a fairly stable income. (Renting of houses in the countryside was in Mesopotamia rare, because clay – main building material – was commonly available and building a small house was cheap and easy). This observation is supported by the fact that in the extant documents no known example refers to a legal dispute about unpaid rent, although cases of novation are known. Despite the importance of the rental of private houses the question has never been the subject of a comprehensive study. Only occasionally has it been discussed by editors of documents, in a synthesis, or in a chapter (or part of it) on family archives.

PAM Monographs 3, NUBIA 3, Dongola 3

Warsaw 2011

Lukasz Rutkowski with contributions by M. Makowski, A. Reiche, A. Soltysiak, Z. Wygnanska, Tumuli Graves and other Stone Structures on the North Coast of Kuwait Bay (Al-Subiyah 2007-2012), Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archeology, University of Warsaw, National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters, Kuwait 2015

Warszawa, Iskry, 1979.