All tablets.

Ur-Namma 12

Dedicatory inscription for Ur-Namma's rebuilding of the E-temen-ni-guru ziggurat at Ur — direct epigraphic testimony linking the founder of the Ur III dynasty to Nanna's great temple complex.

~2050 BCE·Ur III · Neo-Sumerian

ETCSRI

Ur-Namma 15

Dedicatory inscription recording Ur-Namma's construction of a temple to Inana at Kugnun, expanding the cultic geography of Ur III royal patronage beyond the dynasty's core shrine at Ur.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

Ur-Namma 17

Records Ur-Namma restoring Magan boat traffic and sea-merchant access to quay walls — direct evidence that Ur III kings actively managed long-distance Gulf trade as an act of royal piety toward the moon-god Nanna.

Ur-Namma 33

Attests Ur-Namma's construction of a temple for Inana, linking royal piety to political legitimacy at the height of the Ur III empire's centralised religious building programme.

Ur-Namma 35

Dedicatory inscription in which Ur-Namma claims construction of a temple for the sun-god Utu, attesting the king's programme of sacred building as a pillar of Ur III royal legitimacy.

Ur-Namma 36

Attests Ur-Namma's construction of Ninhursaĝa's temple at Keš, linking the founder of the Ur III dynasty to one of Sumer's oldest cult centres through royal building patronage.

Ur-Namma 39

Records Ur-Namma's excavation of a dedicated offering canal at Ur, linking royal hydraulic engineering directly to the provisioning of temple cult under Enlil's authority.

Ur-Namma 40

Ur-Namma's canal dedication to the moon-god Nanna at Ur attests the Ur III state's hydraulic investment as an act of royal piety, linking irrigation infrastructure directly to divine patronage.

Ur-Namma 42

A royal inscription of Ur-Namma, founder of the Ur III dynasty and promulgator of the oldest known law code, dedicated to the moon-god Nanna — one of dozens of such dedications anchoring royal legitimacy in divine patronage.

Ur-Namma 47

Dedicatory vow on a vase from Nanna's temple at Ur links Ur-Namma's building piety to Gilgameš as divine protector — and preserves one of the earliest epigraphic curse formulae against inscription erasure.

Ur-Namma 49

A fragmentary Ur-Namma royal inscription that adds one more manuscript witness to the corpus defining how Ur III kings projected legal and divine authority in their own words.

Ur-Namma 54

Attests a daughter of Ur-Namma serving as en-priestess of the moon-god Nanna at Ur, documenting the dynastic strategy of placing royal women in Mesopotamia's highest cultic offices.

AAICAB 1/3, pl. 223, Bod S 182

1(aš) gur barley, royal (measure) — barley of the loan, (for) flour, by the bronze gur (measure), from Ur-lisi, in the name of Lugal-gigire, son of Ur-Ištaran — sealed by Ur-en(na), the carpenter; it is at hand (booked). Month: "Dumuzi", year: "the son of the king ..." [broken] Ur-li, the carpenter, son of Lugal-[...].

Law·Economy

Amar-Suena 01

Royal titulary of Amar-Suena, third king of Ur III: attests the formula 'king of the four quarters' that legitimised Sumerian rulers as universal sovereigns under Enlil's divine mandate.

CM 26, 146

14 gur, 2 ban2, 2 sila3 of barley, royal measure — deficit of barley loaded onto the boat — from Bazi; sealed by Ningirsu-isa; it is to be repaid. Month: 'Mušudu.' Year: Kimaš was destroyed. (Seal legend:) Ningirsu-isa, son of Adda(?), boatman.

Economy·Law

CUNES 49-02-029

To Ur-Šulpa'e speak: Silver, 2 shekels, of Ur-silaluh, which is present in (his) possession — from it, 1 shekel, to Lu-duga, let it be given. Its silver, [...] [...] let him not neglect (it)/let him not disregard it. Ur-Suen, son of Ur-Utu.

CUNES 51-04-018

1. Ibni-Iškur 2. — u3-na-a-du11 ("speak to him!" / letter-formula: "has been told") 3. [......]-dub-ba (broken; possibly "tablet-" related) 4. [...]-[x]-Gilgamesh (broken; contains the divine/heroic name Gilgamesh) 5. [...]-[x]-Erra (broken; contains the name/element Erra) 6. [......]-x (broken, illegible) 7. x x-za (broken, illegible) 8. 1 KA-x-x-um (a personal name, largely broken) 9. 1 Dingir-sudan (personal name) 10. x-ru-x (broken; "ru" tentatively "given/deposited") 11. son of Bak-x-gi4

CUNES 51-10-056

Turam-ili — speak to him! 2 gur barley, from the sealed storehouse (e2-kišib-ba), to Lu-Turam let it be given. Before Puzur-x, the chief steward, the storehouse was opened. Let their sealed document be impressed (sealed).

CUNES 52-04-082

To Šu-damu — speak! The field, ...... [broken] ...... field ...... [broken] ...... [broken] ...... [broken] There is no remaining ...... that has been set/placed (there). To Zuma, the merchant, (and) Lu-Šalim, let it be given. Let the matter not be reneged upon (let the word not be turned back).

CUNES 52-04-084

To Suen-našir — speak! 2 gur 1 barig of bitumen, removed from the boat, 2 barig(?) ... to the house, [...] ... ... ... [...]-...-... [...] ... ... [...] n mirza-vessels(?) [...] ... fir-wood(?) ... ... hand (it) over! / give (it)!

CUSAS 03, 1010

1 sheep — [regular offering] of Inanna of Zabala. 1 sheep — regular offering of Šara of Umma. From Ili-bilani, booked out (disbursed). Month: "Great Festival" (ezem-maḫ). Year: "the land of Zabšali was destroyed." [Seal:] Šu-Kabta, physician(?), son of Naram-ili. Iškur-illat, scribe, son of Abiya, is your servant.

Economy·Religion & Myth

CUSAS 03, 1510

6 sar of brick clay (im sig4), from Nisaba-andul(-ta), Pušk-in [received/borrowed it]. Per day, 6 [units] each, malt [......] malt [......] year: [......] before [......], before ...-[......], before Šu-[......], before Iškur-bani. They are its witnesses.

Kress 198

2 gug-bread(loaves), 2 sila each; 12 bread(loaves), 1/2 sila each; its bread: 1 ban2; 3 sila of nig-idea (oil-poured food); 2 oil-bread(loaves) — for the eshesh-festival of the House-of-the-15th-Day; [from the king]; via Ur-Šulgi, the cupbearer; booked out (as expenditure). Month: Kirsiak. Year: 'the en-priest(ess) of Eridu was installed.'

Economy·Religion & Myth

LB 0244

9 gur 4 barig barley, royal measure, from Lu-Ninšubur, in the name of Lu-DU, he received (it) as its loan. Month: “Festival of carrying barley” (ezem-še-illa). Year: “the throne … [broken] … AN … was …” (year name, broken).

Economy·Law

PPAC 5, 1646

5 (gur), šuku-allotment, field A-uri; foreman: Ur-Geštinanka. 5 (gur): Ur-Ištaran. The barley of the field — its case is to be investigated. [...] šuku-allotment, from Ur-Geštinanka and Ur-Ištaran: barley of the Ki-sumun field, leased (plow-)land of Abba-kalla, the foreman. Regarding the barley rations — its case is to be investigated.

Economy·Law

RA 009, 043 SA 24

1 lamb — (for) Utu: delivery of the governor of Gudua (Cutha). 1 lamb — (for) Enlil, 1 lamb — (for) Ninlil: delivery of the zabar-dab official. 1 lamb — (for) Nusku, 1 lamb — (for) Ninurta: delivery of Lugal-melam; the zabar-dab official was the responsible official (maškim). 2 sheep — (for) Dada the scribe; ARAD-mu was the responsible official (maškim). Expenditure, on the 10th day. Month: 'Festival of Šulgi.' Year: 'Kimaš and Hurti were destroyed.'

Economy·Religion & Myth

RIME 3/2.01.01.11, ex. add164

For Nanna, the impetuous calf of An, the first-born son of Enlil, his lord — Ur-Namma, the mighty man, king of Ur, built his E-temen-ni-guru.

RIME 3/2.01.01.26, ex. add17

For Enlil, king of all the lands, his master, Ur-Namma, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, built his temple for him, (and) dug for him the En-erin-nun canal, his canal of food offerings.

RIME 3/2.01.02.012, ex. add10

For Ningirsu, the mighty warrior, his lord — Šulgi, the mighty man, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, built his (Ningirsu's) temple.

RIME 3/2.01.03.15, ex. add69

[(Amar-Suena, called by name by Enlil in Nippur, supporter of)] the temple [of Enlil], mighty king, king of Ur, king of the four quarters — for Enki, his beloved king, his beloved Abzu [he built].

RIME 3/2.01.04.11, ex. 01

Šu-Suen, beloved of Enlil, the king whom Enlil chose as the beloved of his heart, mighty king, king of Ur, king of the four quarters, his beloved god — Habaluge, governor of Adab, his servant, built for him his beloved temple.

Amar-Suena 02

(1) Amar-Suena, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters.

Amar-Suena 03

(1) For Enlil, the king of all lands, his master, Amar-Suena, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built the Kura-igi-ĝ̃al, the ziggurat temple, his beloved temple.

Amar-Suena 04

(1) Amar-Suena, the powerful king.

Amar-Suena 05

(i 1) For Enlil, the king of all lands, his master, Amar-Suena, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, installed this (door socket) at Enlil's pure foundation pit, at the place that fills Amar-Suena's heart with joy.

Amar-Suena 06

(1) For Enlil, the king of all lands, his beloved master, Amar-Suena, nominated by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built the temple in which syrup, ghee, and wine never cease in (Enlil's) place of offering.

Amar-Suena 07

(o 1') ... whose name was prošlaimed by ..., the steadfast supporter of Enlilś temple, the powerful ..., king of Urim, king of the four quarterṣ built the E-temen-ni-guru, his beloved temple, in Urim.

Amar-Suena 08

(1) For Ningal, his lady, Amar-Suena, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built the Ĝipar-kug, her beloved temple. He dedicated it to her for his well-being.

Amar-Suena 09

(1) Since the dawn of time no temple has been built for the Dubla-maḫ except for an offering-place, where a reed hut was erected, (but now) for Nanna, his beloved master, Amar-Suena, the beloved of Nanna, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built a temple for the Dubla-maḫ, the building marvelled at by the Land, his place of rendering judgements, his net, the one from which no enemy of Amar-Suena may escape. He made it shining, decorated it with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli. In…

Amar-Suena 11

(1) Amar-Suena, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, erected the statue (with the name) "It is him whose name was proclaimed by Suen who is the beloved of Urim". (1) Copy of a baked brick from the excavated debris of Urim, the work of Amar-Suena, king of Urim, that Sîn-balāssu-iqbi, military governor of Urim, found while looking for the ground-plan of the E-kiš-nu-ĝal. Nabû-šuma-iddin, son of Iddin-Papsukkal, the lamentation-priest of Sîn, read and copied it for viewing. (14) Whoever…

Amar-Suena 13

(1) For Inana, the lady of battle, his beloved spouse, Amar-Suena, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, fashioned her bronze ... of the E-ĝipar. He dedicated it to her for his well-being.

Amar-Suena 14

(1) For Inana, lady of the evening, her lady, Amar-Suena, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built her temple.

Amar-Suena 19

(1) En-maḫ-gal-ana, the en priestess of Nanna.

Amar-Suena 2008

(o 1) To Nungal, lady of the prisons, the life-giving lady, his lady, Puzur-ilī, the chief administrator of the E-ugti, dedicated this (stone tablet) for the well-being of Amar-Suena, whose name was proclaimed by Enlil in Nibru, the steadfast supporter of Enlil's temple, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters.

Amar-Suena 2017add

(i 1) Amar-Suena, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters: Aya-kala, the governor of Umma, is your servant.

Amar-Suena 2018add

(i 1) Amar-Suena, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters: Aya-kala, the governor of Umma, is your servant.

Amar-Suena 2019add / CDLI Seals 000033

(i 1) Amar-Suena, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters: Aya-kala, the governor of Umma, is your servant.

Amar-Suena 2024add / CDLI Seals 005543 (CDLI Seals 005543 (composite))

(1) Amar-Suena, the powerful man, king of Urim, king of the four quarters: Dan-ili, the scribe, child of ..., is your servant.

Writing & Literature

Amar-Suena 2033add / CDLI Seals 000215 (CDLI Seals 000215 (composite))

(1) Amar-Suena, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters: Lugal-kugzu, the scribe, is your servant.

Writing & Literature