ṣiṣṣu

Assyrian reliefs often depict prisoners of war with fetters. These typically include bindings around the wrists and a bar—often possibly wooden—placed between the prisoners’ feet even though other depictions also show similar manacles with shorter connection pieces (or spacers) which might have been made of metal (e.g. iron). This bar or spacer is fixed to hands and feet of the prisoner with some kind of binding or fetter. The lexical equation (CAD Ṣ 214 s.v. ṣiṣṣu) connects the term ṣiṣṣu with giš.má.ri.za zag.gi₄.a (Ḫḫ. 4: 255 = MIN (pa-ri-is-su) ṣi-iṣ-ṣi). The word parīsu/parissu refers to a rudder or boat pole. Based on this, we may interpret the term ṣiṣṣu more generally as “planks,” or more likely as a part related to these poles—perhaps a binding or loop that held it in place. Since ṣiṣṣu often appears alongside references to bound hands and feet, it is plausible to identify it with the shackles shown on the prisoners’ hands and feet together with said wooden (parrīsu? ) or iron spacers.