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

2,697 of 102,257 tablets · 4 filters activeClear filters

101–150 of 2697

Page 3 / 54

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CUSAS 31, 055

[KISZ?] [...] Salt: 5 [units] [...] Salt: 3 [units] [...] 20 [...] [...] 5 [units], |day×3(N57)| 4 [units], |day×1(N57)| [ZATU669] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CUSAS 31, 162

[...] [...] MEN~a SZAGAN GISZ 2 (units), sheep, barley , lord/EN-official [...] 3 (N57 units), [commodity: fleece/wool collection?] 1 (unit), [ZATU850] [ZATU850] 1 (unit), [NAM2] RU 2 (units), barley, lord/EN-official, 1 (N04 units), AN [...] 20 (units), lord/EN-official, [grain-storehouse type A], [grain-storehouse type B] 13 (units), ŠU, [grain-storehouse type A], [grain-storehouse type B] [30+?] 3 (units), [grain-storehouse type A], [grain-storehouse type B?]

Economy

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CUSAS 31, 166

2, [commodity/ration?] SZUM PA U4(?) [sign] ZATU659 2, SANGA [temple administrator] |ZATU737xDI| 3, GA 1(?) [...], [...] [...], [...] 5, DU(?) TE 3, KAB(?) [...] 3, ZATU659 [+sign] 2, ZATU659 3, SUG5 [+sign] [...], [...] [...], [...] [1]4(?) [...] [+sign] [...] 30, DUR [...], ZATU659

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CUSAS 31, 168

[...] SILA3 (capacity measure)? [...] SILA3+MUD3 (combined/modified capacity sign) 1(N14) 5(N01) — SUHUR (carp/fish) [...] UMUN2 GAL~a TUR PA~a (lord/master, large, small, branch/wing?) [...] MUD IB~a — SAL PAP~a [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CUSAS 31, 170

[...] [...] 1 , jar 3 , person(s) X 2 , EN [of/at] Šuruppak [...] [...] IB 5 , male sheep/goat(s) 1 , [ZATU676] [...] KIŠ[?]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CUSAS 31, 189

5 , EN [...]\n5 , E2 DA\n5 , EN SAG[?]\n5 , EN DU[?]\n5 , [X]\n5 , [X]\n4 , MAR [...]\n5 , GAN2\n4 , NAGA\n2 , UB\n[...] , [...]\n1 , MUSZ3\n1 , |SZE.NAM2|\n1(N34) 3(N14) 1(N01) , E2 [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MRAH O.4995

36 [units] — AL[?] 8 [units] — EN (lord/official), small 7 [units] — [category U4×1], small 1 [unit] — [category U4×2], small 22 [units] — [category U4×3], small 1(N34) 14 [units] — [categories] 1(N57) 2(N57), salt(?), SU, PAP, NIM, |DARA3×KAR2| — AL[?]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2357

1 [unit], ŠUBUR — [type/quality] ŠA3 7 [units], MAŠE (goats?) — KUR (highland?) — ZATU773 3 [units], EN (lord/high official) — IB — PIRIG (lion-class?) 1 [unit], 3(N57) — SANGA (administrator/priest) 5 [units], ŠUBUR — ZATU795 — LAM 7 [units], KAŠE (beer?) — DA [...lost line(s)...] 2(N14) 4(N01) [= 24 units], BA — NIM (disbursed/delivered — highland?)

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2358

1 unit — ŠU.TUR, elder/overseer (PAP) 1 unit — barley, SI, given/deposited (RU) 1 unit — BU, barley, brought (DU) 1 unit — barley, [X], cow (AB2) 1 unit — sheep (UDU), equid/donkey (ANŠE) 1 unit — AN, EŠDA, barley — silver (KU3), place/location (KI), branch/overseer (PA) 3 large units (3×N14) — barley — branch/overseer (PA), place/location (KI), silver (KU3), water/liquid (A)

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2396

1(N01) — beer (KASZ~c) [and/with] grain (|SZE~a&SZE~a|) 1(N01) — [commodity: ZATU659, unidentified] 1(N01) — Uruk (UNUG~a) [place/institution] KI [with/at] ZATU773~a [unidentified sign] 1(N01) — EN~a (lord/high official) [with] reeds (|GI&GI|) 1(N01) — donkey (ANSZE~e) [and/with] sheep (UDU~a) 1(N01) — mouth/ration-opening (KA~a) [of/for] fish (KU6~a) 1(N01) — horn/branch (SI) [of/at] courtyard (KISAL~b1) 1(N01) — guardian/overseer (PAP~a) 1(N01) — branch/wing (PA~a) — disbursement/distribution (BA) — [line unclear/blank] Total: 9(N01) — distributed (BA) [via/through] SU~a PAP~a [body/officer:…

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2431

1(N57) units, fine wool [RAD~a] 5(N01) units, distribution [BA] 9(N01) units, reed [GI] 1(N14) 1(N01) units, lord/EN-official [EN~a] 1(N01) unit, silver/precious metal — storehouse [KU3~a E2~a] 6(N02) units, [commodity unclear] 3(N14) 2(N01) units — 1(N57) 2(N57) — salt [MUN~a1], delivery/bringing [DU], approach/receipt [TE], fine wool [SIG RAD~a]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2433

2 — UTUA (fish?) 4 — male sheep (rams) 2 — NUN~b (quality/type marker) 5 — goats 1 — ewe [subtotal or section divider] 2 — she-goats 1 — NUN~b (quality/type marker) [subtotal or section divider] 1(N14) 6(N01) [= 16] — sheep — GI MASZ KI (reed? / goat / place?)

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2434

5(N14) 6(N01) [...] 6(N34) 3(N14) , NE~a NUNUZ~a1 1(N01) , TUN3~a DILMUN 1(N01) , PIRIG~b1 SU~a [quantity] 1(N57) BA |ŠE~a.NAM2| NAM2 DUB~a ZATU694~c NUNUZ~a1 [...] 1(N01) , X [...] 8(N01) , UTUA~a 3(N01) , UDUNITA~a 1(N14) 1(N01) , NUN~b 9(N01) , MASZ2 [...] TE RAD~a SANGA~a [reverse: uninscribed or lost]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2436

Obverse: [Signs:] RAD~a BU~a SI TE KITI ZATU795 LAM~b AN MUSZ3~a URU~a1 2(N15) 1(N02) , 2(N57) MUN~a1 PAP~a 2(N57) SU~a [Signs:] RAD~a KITI SI TE BU~a [Signs:] ZATU795 LAM~b RU KI HI KI URU~a1 AN MUSZ3~a SIG RAD~a [Approximate rendering, given proto-cuneiform conventions:] Row 1: [Category/title: RAD~a BU~a] — SI TE KITI — ZATU795 LAM~b — AN MUSZ3~a URU~a1 Row 2: 2(N15) 1(N02) [= large quantity unit] — 2(N57) [units of] salt — PAP~a — 2(N57) SU~a Row 3: RAD~a — KITI SI TE BU~a Row 4: ZATU795 LAM~b — RU KI HI KI — URU~a1 AN MUSZ3~a — SIG RAD~a

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2437

3 females, [sign ZATU628~a], dog/servant, cow 2 females, [sign ZATU628~a], hand, hand, [ME~a quality/category] 2 males(?), [SZUR2~b], [BU~a] 2 females(?), [DU], [EN2], [sign ZATU628~a], female 1(large unit) 2, total/head-count

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2438

2 ewes (U8) 2 × 10 she-goats (UD5) 2 × 10 + 8 goats (MASZ2) 2 × 10 + 7 (male) kids (NUN~b) 4 young rams / lambs (UTUA~a) 1 × 10 adult rams (UDUNITA~a) 1 large unit + 3 × 10 + 1, [comprising:] sheep (UDU), fish (KU6), birds (MUSZEN), goats (MASZ) 4 large units + 1 × 10 + 7, [x] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2446

2 — house (E2~b), DA~a 2 — water/beer (A), beer (KASZ~c) 1 — URI3~a, IB~a 1 — MUD 1 — KU~b1, AN 2 — house (E2~b), SI [subtotal/rubric:] LAGAB~a ZATU659 NAM2 RAD~a PA~a SZE~a A URI3~a IB~a 2 — she-goat (UD5~a) 1 — ewe (UTUA~a) 3 — adult male sheep/ram (UDUNITA~a) 1 — NUN~b 2 — goat (MASZ2) 9 — [young/small] sheep (UDU~a TUR#) [subtotal/rubric:] ZATU659 URI3~a IB~a

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2497

8 large units of barley — ŠUBUR 7 large units, 4 small units of barley — ZAG-fish [official/institution] 3 large units of barley — temple administrator (SANGA) 5 large units of barley — [ZATU773] goat(s) 5 large units of barley — HI U4 [city?] — barley 1 very large unit, 7 large units, 4 small units — barley [subtotal] 1 [highest-order unit], 4 [intermediate units] — 1 very large unit, 2 [large units], 1 large unit, 4 small units — barley [grand total]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2501

Obverse: 8 [units], dog(?) [and/or] tree/wood sign 1(N14) [...] 2 [units], DUR-type bundle(?) [and] ZATU819 [...] 1 [unit], foot/path(?) BU DU A [...] TE, offering-priest/administrator [...] [...] [...] 1(N34) 1(N14) 6 [units] [...] [...] Reverse: 6(N34) [units], NE [and/or] eggs/roe 2 [units], ZATU831 (unidentified commodity) 1 [unit], AGAR2 (a field or flour-type?) 1 [unit], TUN3 (a container or tool?) [...] [...] [...] TE, offering-priest/administrator X [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2502

5(N34) 5(N14) 8(N01) , [commodity/sign X] 1(N57) DUR~b LAGAB~b RAD~a 3(N34) 1(N14) 7(N01) , DUR~b BA 1(N34) 2(N14) , UR~a SANGA~a 1(N34) 2(N14) 1(N01) , GI [blank?] NAM2 ESZDA? 3(N57) PAP~a TE TUR

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2504

9 [units], MAR~a, NA~a[?], sheep, ZATU749~b 7 [units], sheep, ZATU749~b [...], ZATU821, reed/GI [...], NIN, SIG [...], TE, RAD~a, SANGA~a 16 [units], sheep, tablet/DUB~a, ZATU749~b [...], SIG, NIN

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2506

20 ewes (female sheep) [and/with] females (women/female persons?) 3 rams (male sheep) 2 goats [...] [...] hand/delivery? 10 [animals/units]: consumed, [by/via] RAD? 3 [units of] barley 5 ewes 1 [unit of] beer 20 [units of] bread/ration allocation 1 [unit]: weapon/mace + fat/oil? [signs:] MUSZ3 + ME + LAL3 + SZUR2 [— meaning unclear; possibly a personal name or institutional label]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2507

4(N15)? , storehouse — PA~a 3(N15)? , ISZ~b — RAD~a 1(N15)? , SZU TUR 1(N15)? , AN — URU~a1 [...] , [...] EN~a [damaged] [...] 1(N14) , clay/tablet (IM~a) 1(N14) , storehouse — NAGA~a SI 2(N50) 3(N14) , |HIx1(N57)| ZATU756 1(N45)# 6(N14) , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2511/1

[...] [...] 1(N57) BA? 7(N01) NI~a NE~a [...] [...] X SAG# 7(N01) ZATU659# LAGAB~a [...] 3(N34) 1(N01) 1(N57) BA GISZ [...] [...] X [...] 2(N01) U8 2(N14) 3(N01)# UD5~a 1(N01) UTUA~a# [...] 2(N01) [...] 2(N01)# [...] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2512

[...] , [...] [...] , [...] X [...] , [...] ZATU659 [...] , [...] natron/alkali plant (NAGA) [...] , [...] bird(s) (MUŠEN) [+ damaged sign] [...] , [...] ZATU659(?) [blank] , 1(N57) salt (MUN) 1(N01) , IB [damaged] 1(N01)[?] [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2514

Obverse: [Col. i] 2 [units] — ZATU694~c, DA~a DA~a [Col. ii] NI~a, grain (SZE~a@t), AN, DI, RAD~a [Col. i] 1 [unit] — beer (KASZ~c), |ZATU737xE~a|(?) [Col. ii] GAL~a, chief administrator (SANGA~a) [Col. i] 2 [units] — she-goats (UD5~a), DI, A [Col. i] 1 [unit] — large billy-goat (MASZ2 GAL~a), chief administrator (SANGA~a) GAL~a Reverse: 3 [units] — BAR, NI~a [damaged], grain (SZE~a@t), AN

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2516

Obverse: [1(N52)] BA [...] 1(N52) [quantity] 2(N01) SZU2 3(N01) KID~b 1(N01) [NAR SU~a] 1(N52) [quantity] [...] [...] Reverse: 3(N52) [large quantity] 2(N01) SZU2 3(N01) KID~b 1(N01) NAR SU~a 1(N34) NIM~a [...] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2520

[...] [...] [...] SIG RAD~a [...] [...] [...] 1(N02)# [...] X [...] X [...] [...] [...] X [...] [...] [...] [...] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2677

[...] [...] EN, [quality/breed marker] NUN [...] [...] X X [...] 3, [remainder:] beer/liquid ration [...] [...] 1, large [item/animal — GAL] + SZITA [vessel/implement?] 1, horn(s) [of] courtyard 1, [labor force / workers] ERIN [...] reed, SZUBUR, [commodity/measure] [...] container, [destination:] NUN, clay/tablet? [...] [...] [...] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2680

[...] 2, NUN~b# [...] [...] 2, goat(s) 1, X [...] 1, X [...] [...] , [...] 1(N34) , [...] X BA ŠE~a X [...] 2(N34) 6(N01)# [...] , sheep [...] [...] , [...] X

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2681

2 ewes 28 [broken commodity/animal sign] [...] [...] 5 goats 1 ox [...] [...] [...] 1 ox — [fuel/fire commodity?] [blank or lost line] [...] [unread sign]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2684

[...] , [...] [...] 2 , [commodity: NI~a?] small/junior 2 , large bowl (UTUL~a) [of/from] city/settlement 1 , [animal/commodity: DARA3~c × KAR2] 1 , [commodity/institution: ADAB] 1 , [commodity: ZATU799] [...] , [...] [damaged sign]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2686

[...] , [...] 9 , KA~a RAD~a DI 7 , BU3 NA~a 1 [large unit] [...] , RAD~a DI [...] [...] , X [...] — , [LAGAB~b?] [...] 26 [large unit + 6] , young [bird of type MUSZENxPAP?] TI 5 , X [...] [...] , [...] 6 , NUN~b 1 , UDUNITA~a 1 , goat [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2689

[...] 3, [...] X KA~a MA 3, TAK4~a A GU SZA 2, DUB~b MUSZEN MASZ [...], [...] 5, [...] 3 [...], [...] 1, [...] 1, [...] 3(N14) 1, UDU~a (sheep) [...], APIN~a[?] X [...] [...], [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2690

[...] , [...] X [...] , [...] [...] , [...] [garment] [...] , [...] 1 , linen cloth 2 , 1(×60?) female [animal/person] — ration-portion , city — temple administrator [...] , [garment] [...] , [...] 1 , [...] 1 , 1 [...] — ration-portion , road/journey — plow [category] [...] , [...] X

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2693

[...] [...] sheep [...] [...] DA~a NI~a wood/timber [...] [...] 3, NUN~b 2, goat(s) [sign unclear] [...] [...] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2694

[...] , [...] 2 , EN (lord/high-priest) EZEN (festival) 1 , fish, bird, goat [...] , [...] 2 , [commodity] AN 3 , [commodity] beer/ale 2 , DA DU [...] , [...] 9 , NA KI [NAB?] 1 , RU 1(N14)+1 , AN BA GI 3 , AN wood/timber [...] 1 , [...] [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2695

[...] 2, MASZ(?) LU2 1, AN SZUBUR (mixed/blended?) 1, GI MUSZEN NA 2, SUKKAL RU 3(?), [...] SIG7(?) [...] [...], [...] 1, BA KISZIK(?) [...], 1(large unit) BA IB URI3 1(?), [...] X [...] 1, AN SZU2 4, SIG7 1, NA KI 2, GA2 DUR2 X [...], [...] KA 45(?), UDU(sheep) ZATU819 [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/01

1(N01) [unit] — [city sign / UNUG] 1(N01) [unit] — EN-official, head (SAG), sky/An 1(N01) [unit] — ZI-sign, bird (MUŠEN), beer (KAŠ) 1(N01) [unit] — hand (ŠU), [complex sign |GIŠxŠU2|], foot/runner (GIR3) 1(N01) [unit] — ŠA, TAK4, water/liquid (A) [...] — [sign] [...] 1(N01) [unit] — [...] 1(N01) [unit] — [sign] [...] 1(N01) [unit] — PAP, hand (ŠU), [...] 1(N01) [unit] — [...] 1(N01) [unit] — [...] [...] — [...] [...] 1(N01) [unit] — 1(N57) [large unit], [sign] [...] — EN-official, KAL, BU, [sign] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/02

[...] , [...] [...] 2 , [...] X RU [...] , [...] MA KI NUNUZ~a1 [...] , [...] SUKUD@g NI~a [...] , [...] 2 , X [...] 4 , BAN~b? X [...] 3 , [...] [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/04

[...] , [...] [...] , [broken] |GRAIN.NAM2|# [...] , [...] 1(N14) 7(N01) , she-goats 8(N01) , ewe[s]#? 1(N14)# [...] 3(N01)# , [...] [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/08

[...] , [...] (sign uncertain) 1(N01) , DAR~a NI~a DA~a , BA [...] , [...] DI (sign uncertain) RAD~a [...] , [...] (sign uncertain) [...] , [...] [...] , [...] [...] , (sign uncertain) [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/09

[...] [...] NI~a [...] [...] 2 , [type/commodity: ISZ~b?] 2 , X [...] [...] , [...] 1 , GIR3~c [foot-delivery / movement notation] 1 , U2~b GIR3@g~b [plant/pasture + foot notation] 2 [...] , [...] NI~a[?] 1 , LA2 TUG2~a? [hanging/weighing + garment?] 1 , NE~a [...] [fire/fuel commodity?] 6 , X [...] 2 , X [...] [...] , [...] [...] , [...] |SZE~a.NAM2| SAG [barley/grain (NAM2) — chief/first-quality or head-count] [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/10

[...] [...] X [...] IDIGNA (Tigris) ME~a X fish [AD~a] large [...] [...] X [...] [...] [...] AN UR5~a A 3(N57) NAM2 DI 1(N57) BA [...] [...] [...] [...] 1(N14)# [...] 1(N14)# 2(N01)? [...] 6(N01)# [...] [...] [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/12

[...] 1, X [...] 1, NIM~b2 [...] [...] 2, GI6 A [...] [...], AN [...] 1, [E2~b] X [...] [...], [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/13

[...] , [...] (unclear sign) [...] , [...] eggs/spawn(?) — temple administrator(?) [...] , [...] (unclear sign) 3(N01)[?] , [...] (unclear sign) — NI~a — junior/small [...] , [...] [...] , [...] city/settlement

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/14

[...] , [...] 2(N01) , [house/storehouse]? brought/delivered — male workers [...] , X [...] [...] , [...] remainder/left-behind? X X 1(N01) , [...] [...] , [...] X 4(N01) [...] , [lord/EN-official] approached/TE [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/15

[...] , wool 1 , garment 1 , linen cloth 1 , [...] 4[...] , [...] 2 , linen cloth 1 [...] , 1(N57) woman [ration?] [...] , foot/delivery — priest/official [...] [...] , [...] X ration? [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2782/16

[...] , [...] [...] , [...] |LAGAB~a×SI|(?) 3(N01) , LAL2~a(?) GI(?) 2(N01) , 4(N57) ZATU759 E2~a 2(N01) , NI~a TUR 1(N01) , ISZ~b BU~a 1(N14) 3(N08)(?) [...] , [...]

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

MS 2843

4 ewes (U8) 7 nanny-goats (UD5) 11 [young?] female sheep (UTUA) 16 rams (UDUNITA) 11 [animals of category] NUN [3]8 goats (MASZ2) [1×60 + 2×10 + 7 =] 87 sheep (UDU) — 1 [large unit] disbursed (BA) [total/summary line]

1 2 3 4…54