These fifteen lines, six of them imperfect, are all that we have of the inscription on the face or obverse of this tablet. Judging from the inscriptions on other fragments of similar tablets, there were probably fifty lines on the face of the tablet when entire, and perhaps thirty or forty of text on the back, or reverse of it, all missing as yet, except what we have given.
On the upper portion of the back, above the thirty or forty lines referred to as missing, and fortunately on the back of the fragment before us, was placed a curious and interesting inscription, serving both as title and preface, and throwing light on the history and character of the material fragments before us. The inscription reads as follows:
“First tablet of When above
Palace of Assurbanipal, King of Nations, King of Assyria,
To whom Nebo and Tasmit [Assyrian deities] attentive ears have given:
He sought with diligent eyes the wisdom of the inscribed tablets,
Which among the kings who went before me,
None those writings had sought.
The wisdom of Nebo, the impressions of the god my instructor all delightful,
On the tablets I wrote, I studied, I observed, and