Was there Child Adoption in the 2nd Millennium BC in Mesopotamia?

Abstract

This article deals with the issue of child adoption in the second millennium BCE in Mesopotamia. The discussion will cover three levels: A. Methodology and theoretical background, including child adoption terms in Mesopotamia 4000 years ago; B. The documentation of a formal adoption process through two adoption contracts referring to a young child up to the age of 10; C. The legal principles on which a Mesopotamian adoption contract was structured. We chose this period because most of the documents date back to this time and therefore the question arose as to why different adoption documents existed in the second millennium BCE and whether real child adoptions actually took place. In addition, I questioned the reason or reasons behind the adoption which was not motivated by marriage, property laundering or fraternity, but by infertility, a slave’s child recognition or other socioeconomic reasons.