Temple of Ishtar at Assur

Sîn-šarra-iškun’s scribes, at least according to the building account of the so-called “Cylinder A Inscription” (for example, Sîn-šarra-iškun 10 lines 22b–27a), regarded the ruins to be the remains of earlier Nabû temples constructed by the Middle Assyrian kings Shalmaneser I (1273–1244 BC) and Aššur-rēšī-iši I (1132–1115 BC) and the Neo-Assyrian ruler Adad-nārārī III (810–783 BC). The relevant part of that inscription reads:

At that time, the temple of the god Nabû that is inside B[altil (Aššur), which Sha]lmaneser (I) — the builder of the temple of (the god) Aššur — had built, became dilapidated and Aššur-rēša-iši (I), son of Mu[takkil-Nusku, (re)built (it) (and)] it became dilapidated (again); and Adad-nārārī (III), son of Šamšī-Adad (V) (re)built (it) and it became dilap[idated and old. For a lo]ng [time], it fell into disrepair and became level with the ground. [The god Nabû (and) the goddess Tašmētu] took up residence [in the temple of the Assyrian Ištar] and (there) they received strewn offerings. [The kings, my ancestors who came before me], did not think about [(re)building] that temple and [they did not pay (it any) attention]. [I, Sîn-šarra-iškun, king of] the world, king of Assyria, the one who reveres the great gods, [who is assiduous towards their places (of worship)], conceived [in] my [hear]t [to (re)build that temple] and wanted (to carry it out). 

That same inscription (line 29) claims that Egidrukalamasumu was erected “according to its original plan, [on its] former [site],” which was not the case, according to the remains of previous buildings over which the new Nabû temple was constructed. Sîn-šarra-iškun 12, a text engraved on a stone block, however, correctly states that the temple was built on an empty lot. For a brief study on the discrepancy between the textual and archaeological records, see Novotny, Kaskal 11 (2014) pp. 162–165.