All tablets.

Warad-Sin 11

Warad-Sin dedicates a temple to Inana at Zabalam and names Kudur-mabuk as his father, anchoring the Elamite-origin dynasty of Larsa within the traditional Sumerian gesture of piety-for-longevity.

~1850 BCE·Old BabylonianETCSRI

Abi-sare 3add

(1) For Nanna, his master, Abi-sare, the powerful man, king of Urim, built and restored the city wall of Iškun-Suen.

Religion & Myth·Writing & Literature

Gungunum 2

(1) For Utu, the offspring of Nanna, the heir of the E-kišnuĝal, who was born by Ningal, his master, En-ana-tuma, the zirru priestess, the en priestess of Nanna in Urim, child of Išme-Dagan, king of Sumer and Akkad, built his E-hili, built his holy storehouse, and dedicated it to him for the well-being of Gungunum, the powerful man, king of Urim, and for her (own) well-being.

Gungunum 3

(1) Gungunum, king of Larsa, king of Sumer and Akkad, the powerful heir of Samium, fashioned both the bricks and the walls of the great wall of Larsa, its name is “Utu is the vanquisher of the rebellious lands”, in a single year.

Gungunum 4

(1) Gungunum, king of Larsam, king of Sumer and Akkad.

Gungunum 5add

(i 1) When An and Enlil granted the rule over Sumer and Akkad and the leadership of the Amorite lands fully to Utu in Larsam, then Gungunum, powerful man, king of Larsam, farmer of Urim, avenger of the E-babbar, king of Sumer and Akkad, powerful heir of Samium, built the great city wall of Larsa, its name is “Utu is the vanquisher of the rebellious lands”. (ii 2) By my surpassing expertise I did drain the swamps of my city. I did make its bricks and complete the great city wall in a single year. I did make the Euphrates flow right through the middle of my city. (ii 10) In those days, during…

Rim-Sin I 2001

(1) Iltani, daughter of Ilum-bani, presented (this) dish for the well-being of Rim-Sin, king of Larsam (and) for her own well-being to Inana of Zabalam.

Religion & Myth

Warad-Sin 30

(1) To Nanna, his lord, Warad-Sin, governor of Utu, child of Kudur-mabuk, father of the Amorite lands, dedicated this (eye-stone).

~1808 BCE·Old BabylonianEditorial

Sumerian King List (Weld-Blundell Prism)

The single most influential Mesopotamian king list — the model for every later attempt to chronicle the deep history of the region. It transmits the political theology of divinely granted kingship, an idea that would echo through Babylon, Assyria, and into the Hebrew Bible. The Weld-Blundell prism (WB 444) at the Ashmolean is the most complete surviving copy.

Religion & Myth·Writing & Literature

~1800 BCE·Old BabylonianEditorial

Plimpton 322

Whatever its purpose, this single tablet shows that Babylonian mathematicians, working in base-60, had an arithmetic understanding of right triangles a millennium before Pythagoras was born.

Astronomy & Mathematics

Religion & Myth·Writing & Literature

CDLI Literary 000343, ex. 056

(obverse, fragmentary) 1. [...] ... [...] 2. [When they] offer [(the river with its water)] to you, do not accept it! 3. [When they] offer [(the field with its grain)] to you, do not accept it! 4. "[Give us the corpse] hanging from the peg," say to her! 5. [One of you sprinkle the plant of] life, one [the water of life], over [her] ... 6. [...] ... [...] (remainder broken)

CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 048

Young man, free-born son, ... [in] the mountain, what [...]? Utu, let me speak a word to you — give [your] ear to my word! Let me greet you — may you pay heed to it! In my city a man dies, and the heart is stricken; a man perishes, and [my] heart [is heavy]. I craned my neck over the city wall: corpses floating on the water ... [made the river] overflow [...]. And I too ... [...] — shall it be so for me? [Thus] it shall be. The tallest man ... [cannot stretch to heaven ...] (remainder broken)

CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 053

(Beginning broken) 1. "[... if today you are going to] enter [the mountains ...], 2. [...] youthful Utu should [know about it from us]. 3. [...] the decisions concerning [the mountains are Utu's business]; 4. the decisions concerning [the mountains] of felled cedar are youthful Utu's — Utu should know about it from us." 5. [Then] Gilgamesh took hold of a white kid; 6. he clasped [a brown] kid, a sacrificial offering, [to his breast]; 7. [in his hand] he held the holy staff before his nose, 8. as he spoke to [Utu of heaven]: 9. "[Utu, I am going to] enter [the mountains] — [be my] helper! 10. […

CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 058

1. [...] he set [...] toward [...] 2. [By the life of] my own mother, divine [Nin]sun(?), and my [father], holy Lugal[banda]! 3. May I [become again(?)] as if slumbering in wonder(?) on the lap of my own mother Ninsun. 4. For a [second] time he indeed said it to him: 5. By the life of my own mother Ninsun and my [father(?)], holy Lugalbanda! 6. Whether he be a [hu]man, whether he be known(?), whether he be a god [...], 7. my steps that I have set toward the mountains I shall not set back toward the city! 8. The faithful slave, who would soothe(?), who makes life seem sweet, 9. answered his mas…

CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 004

obverse (fragment, three lines preserved): [A cl]od that has been bathed in water — dust has come into my eyes. A dog, when it gnaws a corpse, its chest heaves up. The great dragon (ušumgal), having smitten heads (i.e. having slain) [...] (remainder broken)

Daily Life·Writing & Literature

CDLI Literary 000578, ex. 002

Say to my [brothers]: this is what Ilaba-tah-lugalĝa says: The journey we are going on is long, and the true king, our king, [has pressed on(?)] ... journey [has been added] to journey. We will not be able to ask after our mother. May the day not set upon our neighborhood ... deceitfully(?). 1 sila of salt, 1 [sila of gazi-spice], 1 šagadu-garment — have a courier bring (them) back to me! Our journey is long. It is urgent!

Writing & Literature·Daily Life

CDLI Literary 000584, ex. 003

Say to Lugal-ibila: this is what Inim-Inanna says: Do not neglect the Sumerian language! (lit. "do not let your neck fall away from Sumerian") For the second time I am sending someone to you concerning the correct (use of the) language. The youngster who sits before you — do not let him go out of the tablet-house (school)! And furthermore, let no one deceive you with lies. Should he say to you, "Let me go to his (i.e. my) father," until I and you have exchanged word about the agreed sign, [I will keep] sending a man to you. [...] (remainder broken)