An ancient Assyrian spell to make a baby go to sleep!

spell for baby.jpg

This is an ancient spell to make a baby go to sleep! It is written on this clay tablet that was stored in the Assyrian library of the Assyrian King, Ashurbanipal. I took the pic in the British Museum today. You could try the spell tonight;) It reads, in Akkadian: "Belch like a drunkard, snort like a baby gazelle, until your mother comes, strokes you, and picks you up."

Ashurbanipal (668BC-627) was king of the great empire of Assyria in the twilight years of Judah, the Southern Kingdom of ancient Israel. Jerusalem fell in 586BC.

I wonder whether Ashurbanipal had better sleep than we do in the early hours of the morning?