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What kinds of texts were kept in Ashurbanipal’s library?

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British Museum: Reading Room — library Reading Room of the British Museum, designed by Sidney Smirke in collaboration with Anthony Panizzi and built in the 1850s. Illustration by Smirke, from the *Illustrated London News*, 1857.

The library of Ashurbanipal, established in the 7th century BCE at Nineveh, was the first systematically organized library in the ancient Middle East. It contained more than 20,000 clay tablets and fragments that preserved the ancient lore of Mesopotamia.12

The collection was vast and diverse, covering a wide range of subjects, including:

Literary Works: The library preserved traditional Mesopotamian epics, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, as well as stories of Creation, Irra, Etana, and Anzu.2
Religious and Cultic Texts: These included incantations, prayers, rituals, and hymns addressed to various deities.2
Scientific and Academic Fields: The library held texts on mathematics, botany, chemistry, and lexicology, including dictionary-style lists of Sumerian and Akkadian words.12
Divination and Omen Texts: A major portion of the collection consisted of omen texts based on the observation of celestial bodies, animal behavior, and human features.2
Administrative and Legal Records: The library also contained a significant number of letters, legal documents, and other administrative records.12

Many of these works were collected or copied from temple libraries at the king's command, and many tablets bear the royal mark of ownership in their colophons.2