All tablets.

Šamši-Adad I 2015

(1) D[agān-...], son of ...[...], servant of Šamšī-Ad[ad (I)].

Šamši-Adad I 2016

(1) Ṣurri-Adad, [son of Z]idriya, [servant of] Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2017 / CDLI Seals 009443

(1) Ibāl-eraḫ, son of Kiabkurānu, servant of Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2018

(1) Laḫar-abī, the scribe, son of Kakisum, servant of Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2019

(1) Sîn-iqīšam, son of Būr-Adad, servant of Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2020 / CDLI Seals 008051

(1) Rīš-ilu, son of Aduanniam, servant of Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2021

(1) Pazaya, son of Aḫi-šakim, servant of Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2022

(1) Kunnat[um], son of Mezi..., servant of Šamšī-Adad (I).

Šamši-Adad I 2023

(1) Samiya, son of Ḫani-m[alik], servant of Šamš[ī-Adad (I)].

Gungunum 1

Attests an en priestess of Nanna — a royal cultic office held by a king's daughter — dedicating a storehouse to Dagan in her own name, linking Gungunum's Ur III dynasty to both lunar and grain-god patronage.

Sumu-El 1

Attests Sumu-El's construction of a sacred storehouse for Inana at Ur, anchoring his reign within the tradition of royal temple-building that legitimised kingship across the Ur III and Isin-Larsa periods.

Sumu-El 2

Attests Sumu-El's construction of Nanaya's temple E-ituda at Ur, anchoring the goddess's early cultic presence in that city within the dynastic building program of an Old Babylonian king.

Sumu-El 2002

Dedicatory inscription naming Sumu-El as king of Ur to the moon-god's consort Ningal: one of the surviving votive texts anchoring the reign of this understudied Isin-Larsa ruler.

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.

Abi-sare 2005 / CDLI Seals 012800 (CDLI Seals 012800 (composite))

(1) ..., the scribe, child of Lu-Ninšubur, the temple administrator of Ningal, is the slave of Abi-sare.

Abi-sare 2006 / CDLI Seals 012801 (CDLI Seals 012801 (composite))

(1) Lugal-šuba, the scribe, child of Ur-dukuga, the slave of Abi-sare.

Writing & Literature

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.

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…

Sumu-El 2003 / CDLI Seals 012803 (CDLI Seals 012803 (composite))

(i 1) Sumu-El, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of Sumer and Akkad: Lu-Ninšubur, the scribe, child of Kudanum, is your servant.

Sumu-El 2007 / CDLI Seals 012045 (CDLI Seals 012045 (composite))

(1) Kug-Lugalbanda, šita-eša priest of Ningal, child of Nasilim, servant of Sumu-el.

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).

Warad-Sin 31

(1) Warad-Sin, king of Larsam, child of Kudur-mabuk.

Warad-Sin 32

(1) En-ane-du, en priestess of Nanna in Urim, child of Kudur-mabuk, sibling of Warad-Sin, king of Larsam.

Warad-Sin 33

(1) Rim-Sin, child of Warad-Sin, king of Larsam.

JCS 24, 093, 03

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — JCS 24, 093, 03. This record has no stored scholarly English translation; the existence of published translations has not been checked; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Rim-Sin I y1…

JCS 24, 093, 06

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — JCS 24, 093, 06. This record has no stored scholarly English translation; the existence of published translations has not been checked; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Rim-Sin I y1…

JCS 24, 093, 15

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — JCS 24, 093, 15. This record has no stored scholarly English translation; the existence of published translations has not been checked; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Rim-Sin I y1…

JCS 24, 093, 21

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Early Old Babylonian (ca. 2000-1900 BC)) — JCS 24, 093, 21. This record has no stored scholarly English translation; the existence of published translations has not been checked; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Rim-Sin…

JCS 36, 170, UM 29-15-855

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — JCS 36, 170, UM 29-15-855. This record has no stored scholarly English translation; the existence of published translations has not been checked; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Rim…

SA 175

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — SA 175. This record has no stored scholarly English translation; the existence of published translations has not been checked; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Rim-Sin I y1 — Rim-Sin…

~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.

~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

Akkadica 134/1 §2.9b

(obverse) 14 [...] 254 (4 sixties + 14?) [...] [...]-Suen(?) [...]-Suen(?) Erra-[...] [...] Yada'atum(?) [...] (Break) [...] 6 gur [...] 1 gur [...] Zakuri(?) [...] 6 gur [...] Zakuri(?)

AOAT 440, 197-198 BM 97939

18 plow-teams (iniātum) — the registration (talpittu). 2 barig of barley: the holder of the harbu-plow. 2 ban 4 sila of flour: their food ration. 3 ban 3 sila of barley: fodder for the rear ox(en). 1 ban 5 sila of barley: for the goats.

AOAT 440, 199-200 BM 97938

1 barig, 1 ban, 2 sila of barley: wages of 6 men, breakers [of clods]; 1 barig, 2 ban, 4 sila of barley: wages of 12 men, gatherer(s) of clods; 2 ban, 4 sila of barley: wages of 2 men who heaped up the dike. Total: 3 barig of barley, expended (zi-ga).

BiMes 19, 187, 244 9-02878

Ipiq-[...], son of Ili-wedeku; Imgur-Enlil, son of Enlil-abum; Ipiq-šina, son of Ilum-abum; Sipipum, son of Imgurrum; Ipiq-šina, the diviner, son of Ilum-abum.

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 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)

DWJ 2, 019-021

(obverse) To Sîn-magir speak: thus (says) Lugal-gubbani: May Enlil keep you in good health! May the scattered be gathered! The one who(?) had ceased(?) (work) for 2½ ... [broken] ... [illegible] ... (seal legend / closing lines) Lāqīpum(?), gudu-priest of Enlil, the king's contract-agent(?), son of Ninurta-nīšu, servant of Abī-ēšuḫ.

Daily Life·Economy

A hymn to Haia for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin B)

Lord, perfect in august wisdom and recognised for his mighty counsel, Haia, who holds the great tablets, who enriches wisdom with wisdom! Accountant of Hal-an-kug, having the final overview of the arts of Nisaba's house of wisdom; palace archivist of heaven and earth, who keeps count of every single assignment, who holds a holy reed-stylus and covers the great tablets of destiny with writing! Wise one, who prompts holy An with words and attention at the appropriate times; seal-holder of Father Enlil! He who brings forth the holy objects from the treasure-house of E-kur; ornament of the abzu sh…

A shir-namshub to Nisaba (Nisaba B)

...... is destroyed. ...... is destroyed. It is destroyed. ...... of Nisaba is destroyed. The house of Nisaba, her of the tablets, is destroyed. The house of ...... is destroyed. The house of Nunbarcegunu is destroyed. ......, the E-hamun is destroyed. The plants of lamentation have sprouted; the cumunda grass has sprouted. By the walls the long grass has sprouted. Amongst them, the willow trees are everywhere. As for the word of An and the word of Enlil, the angry heart of great An is everywhere, and the malign heart of Enlil is everywhere. (Nisaba speaks:) "In my house, may the moonlight in…

Letter from Ur-dun to Shulgi about the purchase of cedar resin

Say to my lord: this is what the merchant Ur-dun, your servant, says: My lord gave me silver and sent me to a distant land in order to purchase cedar resin. After I had entered the land and had purchased cedar resin, Apillaca, the 'Sage of the Assembly', sent men to me and they took away my goods. When I arrived at his palace gate, no one enquired about my business. Aradju, your servant, and Babati, the ...... official, had gone from Zimudar to Simurrum and had learnt ...... and their messengers ....... ...... of my lord ....... Being in a weak (?) position, I was not able to ...... their ille…

Economy·Daily Life

Proverbs: collection 14

(cf. 6.2.5: UM 29-16-519 Seg. B l. 1) Let the favour be repaid to him who repays a favour. (cf. 6.2.5: NBC 8072) May Lumma grant prosperity to him {who speaks well of others} {(1 ms. has instead:) who has good things}. (cf. 6.1.16.c1, 6.2.5: UM 29-16-519 Seg. A ll. 7-8) The farmer lifts his gaze to you (i.e. Enlil) : "May Enlil look upon the city that he cursed." (cf. 6.1.15.b1, 6.1.16.c2, 6.2.5: UM 29-16-519 Seg. A ll. 9-10) The herdsman lifts his gaze to you: "May Enlil look upon the city that he cursed." (cf. 6.1.15.b2, 6.1.16.c3, 6.2.5: UM 29-16-519 Seg. A ll. 11-12) The potter lifts his g…

Proverbs: collection 21

3 lines fragmentary 2 lines missing 2 lines fragmentary 1 line fragmentary 2 lines fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing (= Alster 1997 21 Sec. B 1) 1 line fragmentary (= Alster 1997 21 Sec. B 2) 1 line missing 2 lines fragmentary (= Alster 1997 21 Sec. B 3) The king ...... not having questioned ....... (= Alster 1997 21 Sec. B 4; cf. 6.1.09.a12, 6.1.19.b1, 6.1.24.2, 6.2.5: YBC 4677 ll. 1-2) When a fattened pig is about to be slaughtered ......, one says "Let me replace what I am about to eat." (= Alster 1997 21 Sec. B 5; cf. 6.1.09.a13, 6.1.19.b2, 6.1.24.2, 6.2.5: YBC 4677 ll. 3-4) As the…

Proverbs: collection 26

1 line fragmentary (cf. 6.1.11.56, 6.1.25.9, 6.2.5: UM 29-16-519 Seg. B l. 2) The palace bows down, but only of its own accord. (cf. 6.1.25.12, 6.2.5: YBC 9908, 5.6.1: ll. 95-96) Income ....... Expenditures never cease. (cf. 6.1.22: ll. 49-50, 6.2.3: UET 6/2 259, 6.2.5: UM 29-16-519 Seg. B ll. 4-5, 6.2.5: YBC 7351, 5.6.1: l. 50) Violent cursing and chasing away a son from his father's house are abominations to Ninurta. (cf. 6.1.03.8, 6.2.1: Ni 4122 ll. 2-5) To spit without covering it up with dust and to use the tongue at midday without protection are abominations to Utu. (cf. 6.1.11.66, 6.2.5…