The ḫarīmtu in the Middle Assyrian administrative documentation

Abstract

This article examines the figure of the ḫarīmtu in Middle Assyrian administrative texts. Traditionally translated as "prostitute," the term appears in various legal and economic documents from Assur and Kār-Tukultī-Ninurta. Llop-Raduà argues that the ḫarīmtu was not simply a sex worker, but a socially and legally defined category of woman, often marginalized and lacking male protection. The study shows that these women were present in state-run institutions, possibly involved in textile work or domestic service, and were subject to state control. The article challenges older interpretations and emphasizes the need to understand the term within its specific historical and administrative context.