Der Beruf su-si-(ig) im 3. Jahrtausend

Abstract

The Sumerian professional designation su-si-(ig) has been usually translated as “animal handler” or “skinner” on the basis of texts from the Old Babylonian period. Written sources from the third millennium, however, indicate that these translations are not applicable in earlier times, since people so designated worked on the first steps of leather processing or with the preparation of the bare skins for tanning. Therefore, in such texts the translation Blößenvorbereiter, that is “preparer of cleaned animal skins” is a better fit. Moreover, third-millennium texts provide further information on the profession su-si-(ig), which was apparently practiced only by men who worked in the large temple and palace public institutions and in some cases could hold high social positions.