Read Chronology Themes Tablets Engine About

Menu

Read
Chronology
Themes
Tablets
Engine
About

Sumerian · Book

Reading the tablets…

A curated narrative reconstruction of humanity's first great civilization, sourced from the tablets themselves. Open scholarship, beautifully accessible.

The site

About the project The engine Dossiers FAQ Methodology Sources & licensing Provenance & ethics Contact & support

Legal

Privacy policy Terms of use llms.txt Sitemap

Independent scholarship · No academic affiliation · No institutional funding · Tablet imagery attributed per item via CDLI, ETCSL, ORACC, Wikimedia, and public museum collections.

Home
All tablets

The corpus

All tablets.

Every tablet in the corpus — sortable by date, title or period; filterable by theme and period. Use the controls below or change the URL parameters directly.

Search

Sort

Oldest first Newest first Title (A–Z)By period

Theme

Religion & Myth Law Economy Astronomy & Mathematics Daily Life Writing & Literature

Period

Ubaid Uruk Period Early Dynastic Akkadian Empire Ur III · Neo-Sumerian Old Babylonian Old Assyrian Middle Babylonian Middle Assyrian Neo-Assyrian Neo-Babylonian Achaemenid Persian

Source

Editorial Sumerian literature Sumerian royal Assyrian royal Assyrian archives

3,056 of 102,257 tablets · 6 filters activeClear filters

851–900 of 3056

Page 18 / 62

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 038

Obverse 15 gur of barley, the purchase price of 1 sar of house-plot. Nin-pada, wife of Lugal-ša, im-ta-KID(?), received (it). Reverse 1 shekel of silver, 1 gur of barley — [for] KUM-tuš, son of Lugal-[ša], he received. The purchase price [of ......] (the remainder of the reverse is destroyed)

·Early Dynastic

Our engine

BIN 08, 040

7 cows, mother(-animals); 2 cows, 3 years old; 1 ox, 2 years old; 1 calf, female, (still) suckling; 1 calf, male, (still) suckling. Its total: 12 (head). Ur-li-kam; U'uma; An-si; Ma-za-uma.

Economy

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 043

5 gur 2 barig of barley. 1 bar-dul₅ garment: it is (worth) 2/3 mina of silver. 1 aktum garment: it is (worth) 2/3 mina of silver. 1 niglam garment: it is (worth) half a shekel. 1 niglam garment: it is (worth) one-third (of a shekel). 1 gur 2 barig of barley: it is (worth) 2 shekels of silver. It is of the year that is not (recorded). 1 shekel of silver. […] 1 nanny-goat. [n] of silver, 2/3 mina. Brought (from/by way of) the canal […]. […] … brought for An (or: tin brought). 1 (item): into his hand — a … garment, gum(?), taken over.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 044

10 gur of barley: the sealed storehouse of Šu-i. 2 (gur) 2 barig: Igi-si. 2 (gur) 2 barig: Uš, son of Zage. 3 (gur): the sealed storehouse of Šu-i. 2 barig: Ur-gu, son of Lugal-ennu. (All this) is held with Inim-zida. It is barley of the principal (sag); it is that of Ur-ni. (reverse) 4 gur 2 barig of barley: Aba-Enlil, son of Amar-abzu, has received.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 054

4 iku of field — its barley: 12 (gur) 2 barig: (for) E-ki, the chief merchant. 2 1/2 iku of field — 10 less 2 barig of barley: the man of the temple administrator; Lugal-ezem is the overseer. 1 eše 2 iku of field — 40 less 2 (gur) 2 barig of barley: Ama-bara-si (and) Lugal-ildu, the surveyors. 3 iku of field — 12 (gur) 2 barig of barley: E-lu, the surveyor. 3 1/4 iku of field — 15 (gur) 2 barig of barley: Munus-tur, the wife of the surveyor. 1 1/2 iku of field — 5 (gur) of barley: Ur-TAG, the potter.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 065

2¼ iku of field — eš-ba(?); Ama-bara-abzu. 3 iku less ¼ iku; 3½ iku; 3¼ iku — Si-du. 1 eše 4 iku — Ur-namnun. 1 eše 1½ iku — Ur-tulbaza, the lamentation-priest (gala). 2 eše 4 iku — Lugal-a-REC107. 1 eše 2½ iku(?), LIŠ-uš — Magur(?), the overseer(?). 2½ iku, LIŠ-uš; 1½ iku barley; 4 (units) — total: 4½ iku, uš — Enlila, the rope-twiner (gu-sur). 5 iku less ¼ iku; 3 (units) barley; 2 (units) LIŠ-uš — Amar-gula, the shepherd.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 081

420 ninda — old (measure); 300 (ninda) — width; 420 less 2 cubits — the base; 360 less 2 cubits, 1 half-cubit and ½; 301 |GIŠ.BAD| — the foreman, the overseer (nu-banda); 300, 2 cubits — En-tar; 121 ninda — KID; 180 less 1 |GIŠ.BAD| — Abba; [...] ... — Gu-na; 60, 2 cubits — Puni-du; 120, [BAD] cubits — E'a: not filled; 120 BAD — Ekur(?): not filled; 241 — account of Ur-KUŠ₂; 121 — account of Huni-x; (reverse) 6 less 1 — account of NI-a.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 083

54 bundles of grass (fodder): En-akale; 35: Kar-du; 40: Ur-ni; 42: En-tar-si; 36: the foreman of the overseer (nu-banda); 32 1/2: the foreman. (Reverse uninscribed.)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 087

286 (units of) copper — ḫabuda(-implements); 110 (2 gešʾu minus 10) minas of copper; [x] minas, [x] ... from [x] ... […] (line lost) brought out from the ore(-earth); 251 minas of copper — the weaver('s share?), brought out from the palace; the weaver, the overseer of the smiths — given.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 115

1 šar (= 60 bur) 4 bur 2 iku — orchard(s), large (ones); 5 bur — small orchard(s); 1 bur 3 iku — the outer (bar) portion of the field, of the city Ki-anna; 5 bur — orchard(s): the potter Ur-EN-[...], An-na-E[...]; 4 iku — the outer (bar) portion of an orchard, ... A-zu-zu [...]. It is (the account) of the year. (Reverse: uninscribed / surface eroded, no legible signs.)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

BIN 08, 173

Obverse […] 4 shekels of silver; 12 lidga (and) 1 barig of barley; 41 sila of pig fat; 2 gur 1 barig of dates; 1 grass-fed pig — this is the purchase price of Nin-gissu-nani. Ur-lugal, the donkey herdsman, gave it to him. Reverse At the wall(?) of the gate of the palace he set its case straight (i.e. rendered the verdict). Du-du, … [ … ] DA AN [ … ] TI [ … ], the witnesses ("men of the word"), they confirm[ed it]. The … [ … ] … AN … (broken).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CBS 07280

(obverse) [n] ... [...] 2 (measures): Maš-da(5), the attendant(?) [...] 1 (measure) 2 barig: Sag-...-[...] 2 (measures): Ur-Abu 2 barig: Lugal-šeš 2 barig: Enlil-[...] [n]: Nesag(?) [...] (reverse: uninscribed / not preserved)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CBS 08117

1 bardul-garment, of fine (thin) weave, of/for the women(?); Igi-Enlil-še, the chief household administrator (šabra), the porter (ug₃-íl): he paid (it) out to him. Month: "Bricks-placed-in-the-brick-mould" (month III, Nippur calendar), day 7 having elapsed.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000003, ex. 011

šuš (written |ŠE.NAM₂|) pa-nam₂-šita shrine-išib (purification priest of the shrine) gal-|BAD×DIŠ| (chief …-official) en-IB gal-šita (chief of the šita-office) abgal (sage) kingal (overseer / leader of the assembly) tiru (court attendant) […] sukkal (vizier) […] … stone … ti … |KA×X| … na […] (The remainder of the column, and the reverse, are broken away or effaced.)

Writing & Literature·Daily Life

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CST 001

33 mother-ewes; 29 (lit. 30 less 1) rams; 8 female lambs, nim-lambs; 5 male lambs, nim-lambs; 4 female lambs, e-li-lambs; 3 male lambs, e-li-lambs. Total: 82 ewes together with their lambs. The sheep are the private property of Enda-nirgal. Šubur, the overseer, in the House of the Street plucked (them). With Lugal-ikuš they were kept. (Year) 1.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CST 022

15 gur of barley — Ama-tuku-gal-zu; 1 (gur) 2 barig — Nin-urni; 15 (measures of) lard, UMBIN; 1½ shekels of silver; 2 nig-lam garments; 1 sheep, its silver [...]; 2 pigs for eating; 2 bar-dul garments; 1 dul(?) cloth; 43(?) shekels of silver; goods of [...]; Mu-bi-ki-gal-la[...]; a claim exists against it; 1 mina of silver; its tablet has been handed over.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 030

1 eše₃ (of) field — Ma-NI-NI; 1 eše₃ — SIG-mu; 1 eše₃ — Ur-gu, the animal-fattener(?); 1 eše₃ — Ur-peš-tur; 1 eše₃ — Šu-Mama; 1 iku — PA-[…]-bala; Ur-tu; A-ga(?)-le. (Reverse: uninscribed; the modern museum number Ms. 1052/40 is written on it in ink. Right side of the obverse broken away; a large chip is lost at the right edge.)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 034

1 iku 2 sar [...] E-zi 3 iku — Lugal-kal 3 iku — Ur-nu 3 iku — ...-adgal ( — ) U-nu-NI-NI [n +] 1 iku [...] 2 iku [...] 2 iku — Lugal-ildu (Reverse: uninscribed / blank)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 064

180 loaves of bread; 10 minus [n] jars (of beer); (for) the ruler (ensi) of Gišša (Umma), (and) the ruler (ensi) of Lagaš; (from) the household of the gudu-priest. It is the month of the barley harvest.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 081

2 barig of groats (gur measure), 2 barig of malt — for Išme-ilum it was given. Booked expenditure of the house of the gudu-priest. (It is) the month of the barley harvest.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 097

120 loaves, 2 (loads) — Ma'u; 60 [loaves], 1 (load) — Ur-šerda; 120 loaves, 2 (loads) — Ilala. It is the load that he is to bring; it has been delivered. Month: ab-e₃-zi-da, day 27.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 098

120 loaves of bread — (for) the House of the Children (e₂-dumu). 180 loaves of bread, 3 jars — (for) the House of the gudu-priest. 120 loaves of bread, 2 (jars) — (for) the house of Igi-si₄. 120 loaves of bread, 2 (jars) — (for) Ur-nu. 60 loaves of bread — (for) the house of Nin-mug. [Day 20(?)] + 1 (= the 21st day), [month] Še-sag-ku₅ (the month of the barley harvest).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 100

[n] loaves of bread — the household of the children (e₂-dumu); 183 — the household of the gudu-priest; 122 loaves of bread — the household of Igi-si; 122 loaves of bread — Ur-nu; 61 [loaves of bread] — the household of Nin-[mug]. Day 23. Month: Aša-il-šu-gar. (Reverse: uninscribed; the tablet is pierced through by a single perforation.)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 102

600 loaves of sig₁₅-bread (fine/sweet bread): 1 ban₂ (of flour), 20 baked (du₈). 600 loaves of barley bread: 1 ban₂ (of flour), 20 baked (du₈). 20 jars. 10 (servings of) soup. (For) the house/temple of [...]. [At that time(?)] the ruler (ensi₂) of Agade had taken up residence (u₃-mu-ti-la-a).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 105

3 jars (of pottery) — Ur-Nanše. 6 jars — Ur-Erra, the reed-worker (mat-maker). Šeš-tur. Giri-ni, the stone-cutter. 1 jar — the man of the ḫub-bu (acrobat/dancer). (Break) [n] jars — Lugal-alsa.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 120

Obverse 1. [n] (gur), 2 barig — granary gur-measure 2. [...] of Enlil 3. [n] (and) 2 — Ur-ga 4. [n] — Sag-zi 5. 2 — Ur-eš-peš 6. [n] (and) 2 barig — Ur-dingir Reverse 7. the head granary — 8. it is that which was given to An.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 124

[n(+)] 1 barig of barley (in gur measure): (for) the textile-worker(s); it is (of/for) Unu; Za-mu the vizier — its commissioner. 1 (gur) 1 barig — female workers, (at) 2 ban each; (for) the House of the Children. 9 (i.e. 10 minus 1) — ENGUR-TUM; 4 ban — Giri-giri. Barley bro[ught (in)]; to Na-[ni] he [gave (it)]. Di-[Utu], the over[seer].

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 142

1 gur of dabin-flour: Ur-ni. 2 barig of barley (gur-measure): they are the men who came from Isin. 1 ban2 of flour for bread — [...] ... [...] 1 ban2 [...] 1 ban2, Ur-[...] — who went out; A-KA-du (Akadu): it was given to him. (reverse) The House of the Children (e-dumu). Month: "Barley-harvest" (šesagkud).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 143

1 gur of dabin-flour[,] 2 barig of beer-bread (bappir), 2 barig of malt, 2 barig of groats — (for) the elder (ab-ba); it was given to him. Ur-[...] is its commissioner (maškim). É-dumu ("house of the children"). Month: Duku (du6-ku3).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 144

1 gur of fine flour, 1 gur of beer-bread (bappir), 1 gur of malt, 1 gur of groats — Šeš-bad, the cupbearer; from the overseer (nu-banda) it was given to him. The House of the Child(ren) (E-dumu). Month: še-sag-sig-ga.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 150

1 gur of barley, 1 gur of emmer, 2 barig of fine flour (zi₃-sig₁₅), 3 barig of dabin-flour, 2 barig of groats (niĝ₂-ar₃-ra), [n] (measures of) beer-bread (bappir), 2 barig of malt, 3 barig of barley — it is for beer: (these are) of the boatmen. An-ne-šum (disbursed/received it). It belongs to the House of the Children (e₂-dumu). Month: ĝa₂-udu-ur₄ ("sheep-plucking pen").

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 153

5 gur of flour of emmer (and) wheat — (for) the chief constable (gal5-lá-gal); 5 gur of flour of emmer (and) wheat — (for) the chief herald (nimgir-gal); for the "house of the children" (e₂-dumu) he delivered (it). Ur-Ninmug, the scribe — it was given to him. Month: Duku (the "Holy Mound"). (Summary/label:) emmer (and) wheat — the household of the overseer (nu-[banda]).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 181

[n] ram(s) — Nani — were given to him. 3 ram(s) — Nani — were given to him. (for) the journey (gìri-gen-na). Utu-tešmu, É-dumu, Di-Utu the overseer (nu-banda). Month: “Harvesting of the barley.”

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 182

Obverse 1. [ ... ] ... 2. [ ... ]-ba 3. it belongs to the [house] of the children (é-dumu) 4. 20 less 2 (= 18) udu-HAR sheep 5. month: Ab-e'e-ziga 6. [ ... ] 7. [ ... ] (Reverse / continuation) 8. Ur-[ga] 9. the farmer [ ... ] 10. Di-Utu 11. the overseer (nu-banda) 12. under the authority of Giri-gena 13. [ ... ]

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 202

[n] … i-zi; 9 (ten minus one) chariots — Šubur; 4 (units of) mud; 3 plow-heads (sag-apin); [n] work-troop(s); belonging to the House of the Children (e₂-dumu); he delivered (them). Month: "Shearing-of-the-sheep-in-the-pen" (iti ga₂-udu-ur₄).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 203

10 long beams, also new — Ur-Dumuzida. [n] long [beams …] — A-zuzu, Isin. … wool(?) therefrom — the courier(?) — 5 long poles, discarded — A-zuzu, Isin.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 207

21 minas of copper — Az, the overseer. 20½ (minas) — Lugal-ḫul. 10½ (minas) — Lugal-nig-bara-du. 4 (minas) — Lugal-ezem, the cook. 3½ (minas) — Ama-abzu-si. 3 (minas) — E-ki. (This is) the copper brought forth as surplus. Inim-zida is its commissioner (maškim). (Reverse: uninscribed)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 209

1 gur 2 barig of dates, (for) Ur-[lu], to the boatman, for (transport to) SAG-NAGAR, it was given to him. [Edumu], Di-Utu, the overseer. Month: Akiti.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 232

1 (unit) [...] 1 (unit) [...] [...] — it is of the field. Lu-[...] the farmer, [...] KA-x-[x] [...] [...] mu-laḫ (the boatman/Mu-laḫ) Ur-gu for Puta-pada [he gave it to him]. Month: ĝa'udu-ur (the sheep-shearing month); year: the bricks at Karkar were laid down and set in place.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 315

(Obverse) 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 10, 10, 10, [10], 10, 10 (Fifty-four impressions of the sign for "ten"; total 540.) (Reverse: uninscribed / surface eroded, no text preserved.)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 399

(obverse, column i–ii) 40 (loaves of) *ninda-UD* bread, good (quality); 7 (units of) UKKEN×GUG₂; beer, (in) sila-measures — (for) the weaver(s); 3 (units of) aromatic …[-x]; sila-measures — (for) U₂-U₂-la; 5 (units of) DIN-ŠE; beer, (in) sila-measures; 10 (units of) sweet beer, (in) sila-measures. (reverse: uninscribed)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 403

24 ewes; 13 lambs; 10 sheep, two years old; 10 sheep, gu-gu-u₂; 2 prime billy-goats (masz₂-sag) — the fallen (animals), gathered up. 27 gazelle-sheep (udu masz-da₃). Fattened sheep of the Great Storehouse (ganun-mah); plucked/gathered: 27. Year, month 7.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 407

2 ewes — uzug (cult-status personnel); 2 rams — Ki-de'ude'; 2 ewes, 2 rams — A-zuzu; 1 ewe, 1 ram — Ur-abzu; 2 ewes — Amar-ki-ku; 2 rams — Gu-ni-DU; 1 ewe, 1 ram — Nita, the shepherd; 1 LAK020(-animal) — En-sila-si; 3 nanny-goats — Dugani. Sheep from the lane(?): |LAK617×HI| — 30 less 1 (= 29); year(s), month 4(?) — Me-ane-du. Given to the fattener. 22 sheep (in total).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 412

13 — Si-du 27 (30 minus 3) — Ur-ni 25 — the overseer, the captain (nu-banda) 20 — Ur-Nin-ildu 15 — Ur-sag-utu 12 — Du[ga]-ni-du 11 — Ekur-nusi 19 (20 minus 1) — Ur-ennun Total: 142 [...] (sign at the end broken) (Reverse: uninscribed / surface eroded, no legible signs)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 413

Obverse 20 ewes; 4 fattened ewes, 1 ram — Sag-eš-tuku; 15 lambs; [x?] ... lambs; [...] ...; 2 male lambs, 3 female lambs, bar-li; gathered (culled); 7 female lambs (for) plucking, 3 fattened sheep — Sag-eš-tuku; 10 ewes, 15 male lambs (for) plucking, gazelle(s); gathered (culled), fattened, given; [...] the great storehouse [...] of the plucking — 30 less 3 (= 27); year; 7 months.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 419

Obverse 1/2 shekel of refined silver — Ba-NI. 1 ram: Lugal-ezem. 1 shekel: Lu-x-[...]. 2 (units of) silver, the purchase price, in shekels. 2 (units of) silver, the purchase price, in shekels: Dingir-lu-maḫ. 2 (units of) silver, the purchase price, in shekels: Ur-pu-sag. 2 (units of) silver, the purchase price, in shekels: Di-Utu, Lugal-ezem. 1/3 shekel of silver, the purchase price: Ur-sag-Utu. [n] shekel(s) of silver: [...] (two illegible signs) 4 1/3 shekels of silver: Abba-tur. 2 kids.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CUSAS 35, 476

2 gur 3 barig of barley, by the sag-gal (standard) gur; Gan-NE. 10 minas of garlic(?) — purchase-goods; 1/2 (mina/shekel) of silver, in hand; 12 minas of wool; 1 (jar of) beer; 1 person; 1/2 suluhu-fleece; 50 apples. Gan-NE. 3 ban of emmer; 30 apples; 10 aktum-garments; 10 loaves of bread; 1 za₃ of silver. (Reverse: uninscribed.)

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

DP 027

Basket of tablets: dusu-fish and table-fish which the fishermen of the sea delivered; sweet-water fish are there along with them. Sasa, wife of Urukagina, king of Lagash. 3rd (year).

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

DP 039

353 (6 gešʾu minus 7) gur-saggal of barley; 193 gur-saggal of white emmer; 53 gur-saggal of gu-nida (a fine emmer/wheat variety); 10 gur-saggal of wheat. Total: 609 (10 gešʾu plus 10 minus 1) gur-saggal. (From) the Kiti field, the sustenance land (šuku) of Enentarzi, ruler (ensi) of Lagaš. At Kiti it was threshed ("beaten with wood"). Ur-Šerda transferred (it) to him. (Year) 4.

~2400 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

DP 052

10 fine gu-breads, provisions (food to be consumed); 50 sur-(vessels); 10 small (jars) of milk; 40 mud-vessels of milk — (for) Nanshe. 30 sur-(vessels); 20 mud-vessels of milk — (for) Nindar(a). [Bread] (and) pure milk. Baranamtara, wife of Lugalanda, ruler of Lagash. (Year) 4.

1…17 18 19…62