Innaya

Innaya was a merchant in Kanesh who received regular consignment of cloth and tin from Assur and sold them in Anatolia. He was also making loans with interests to other merchants and was engaged in different fraudulent activities such as avoiding of paying taxes.

He was a very influential merchant and was the head of a commercial firm with many employees. In his business operations he was helped by his sons who were constantly traveling throughout Anatolia. Only the younger son lived in Assur with his mother. Innay was also engaged in illegal activities, he smuggled precious stones and iron. When this was discovered by the authorities in Assur, his wife, who was also involved in smuggling, was imposed a fine that obliged her to dispose of her jewels, as she complains to her husband in a letter. Innaya ended his career when the Anatolian authorities found out he was smuggling iron and was using secondary caravan routes to avoid paying taxes. His house was searched, his gold and silver was confiscated and he ended up in prison.