There are almost 2000 private legal texts spanning the years from ca. 850 B.C.E. to 600 B.C.E. from Assyria.

While these texts have been studied for their legal matter and their archival context, no systematic attempt has ever been made to relate their content to the realia of everyday life in ancient Assyria. This volume is a first step in this direction, investigating such details as the nature of houses and households. It includes discussion of the texts themselves, the terminology of the texts, prices, and the legal ramifications of the conveyance of real property. Many charts, tables, a full index, and bibliography.