Nuzi

Nuzi (or Nuzu) was an ancient Mesopotamian city southwest of Kirkuk in modern Iraq, located near the Tigris river. In Akkadian times (c. 2334 BC to 2154 BC), the site was called Gasur, but by around 1500 BC the Hurrians occupied the city, changed its name to Nuzu, and built a prosperous community and important administrative center. From about 1500 to 1350 BC, Nuzi was on the outskirts of the powerful Hurrian kingdom of Mitanni before being absorbed into the Assyrian Empire.

Excavation of the ruins in 1925 revealed material extending from the prehistoric period, up to the Roman, Parthian and Sassanid periods, and, most crucially, its archives of over 4000 clay tablets inscribed with Akkadian cuneiform script. These provided invaluable insights into the legal, commercial and military activities of the city. They also shed much light on the culture of the ancient Near East, including early versions of the stories of the characters Laban and Jacob found in the Book of Genesis.

Dr. Edward Chiera discovered these tablets and authored a book about them in 1938. His book "They Wrote On Clay", is full of practical information and insights on how the clay tablets were made and used from at least 5000 years ago. Apart from its historical interest, it gives some essential background for understanding the Old Testament. It is very clear on the accurate parallels to be drawn between the clay records and the OT versions, regarding such things as the adoption of sons in the account of Abraham, and the true value of the teraphim (family idols) stolen by Rachel from her father Laban the Aramean, which conferred property rights on her husband Jacob.