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

3,086 of 102,257 tablets · 5 filters activeClear filters

251–300 of 3086

Page 6 / 62

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

FTP 078

Lu-irisaĝrig; 1 dug-TAR jar of ŠE+TIN (beer); UR-UR; 1 dug-[TAR] jar of ŠE+TIN (beer); Lu-adab; 1 ban-AŠ measure of ŠE+TIN (beer); Lu-umma.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

FTP 079

2 shekels of silver — E-zi; 2 (shekels) — Mes-pa; 2 (shekels) — Ur-šubur; 1 (shekel) — Lu-nanam; 1 (shekel) — Engar-zi; 1 (shekel) — Šubur; 1 (shekel) — Ur-nin-USZ, the scribe.

Economy

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

FTP 083

8 bales of gu-plant (fodder/pulses): Kinigi; 30: E-ušumgal; 30: Sud-anzu, the livestock administrator (šuš); 15: Ur-tur, the gu-šudu official (pledge-/delivery-holder); 15: Sud; 12: E-zi, the cook. (Reverse uninscribed.)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

FTP 092

(obverse) 2 barig (of barley): Ur-lugal-DU, [...] Lugal-na-riga, [... broken line ...] [...] Di-Utu, 1 barig 3 ban: [Sag]-A-DU-ba-sum(?), 2 barig 4 ban: Lu-AB-DU-GA, 1 barig 2 ban: Enlil-pa(?), of the courtyard (KISAL), 1 barig 2 ban(?): AB-[...], [... broken line ...] [...] ... KA ..., 2 ban: Kuda, the foreman of the courtyard. 3 barig of barley: Ur-iggal(?), 2 barig: U-RU-[...], [x +] 1 barig: Ur-[...].

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

FTP 105

(obverse) [...] 2? sila of ghee (clarified butter), 3 sila of šu-tag cheese — (for) Enki. 3 (gur) 3 barig of oil, in sila-measure — (for) Lugal-Meslam. (Break) — (for) AN-AN. 2 (gur) 2 barig — (for) Ninkur. 2 (gur) 2 barig — (for) Numušda. 2 (gur) 2 barig — (for) Nin-PA-unken-gal. Di-Utu, the herdsman. 3 (gur) 3 barig — (for) Nin-mešu[du]. 3? (gur) [x] — (for) Nin-[...]. 3? (gur) [... ...] (remainder lost; reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

FTP 106

2 (units of) first-quality butter-cream, KA-GABA; 2 small ban-vessels(?) of cream: (for) E-gissu-du, Mes-sanga-..., (and) Nin-kin-nir. 2 (units of) first-quality butter-cream, KA-GABA; 2 small [ban]-vessels(?) of [cream]: ... [...] (recipient's name lost). 2 (units of) first-quality butter-cream, KA-GABA; 2 small ban-vessels(?) of [cream].

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

Kress 151

Obverse: 20 su-la₂, in heaped(?) gur of Dilmun(?); 7 sixties (and) 20 (= 440) su-la₂ — it is that of LAK240-ni; 8(?) su-la₂, ... gur; 40 less 2 (= 38) su-la₂ — it is that of NAR-ga (the singer?); for (his) life it was given to him. Month: Duku ("Holy Mound").

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

MRAH O.5011

(obverse) [n gur(?)] 2 barig of gamur-flour, (measured by) the bronze sila: Ur-gu, the cupbearer, (of/for) the house of NE-DAG(?); the table(?) ... GA-duhum(?); Ab-zi. 2 ban of gamur-flour: Ur-gu, the cook, (for) the house of the cook(?); (reverse) Ištaran; Giri-ni, the chief livestock administrator.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

MRAH O.5012

(obverse) 24 (measures of) [barley ...] Al-mu(?); 24: Uri; 10: Girini — they are the men of the fortress. It is barley of the household of Ša-lu. Onto the boat of Lugal-itida it was loaded. It is the month of Duku. (In) the month of Nig-kiri it was given to him. When 9 days of the month had passed, the men of Adab(?) are its witnesses.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

MRAH O.5014

(obverse) 15 (men): I-x-... (of the) |UMBINxUDU|(-group?), Ibbubu; 15 (men): Šeš-pada; 16 (men): Lugal-ra; 8 (men): ŠIM-DU. Girini, the šuš₃(-official), brought (them). (These are) the barley reapers. (reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

OSP 1, 125

(obverse) [1 (man):] Lugal-enil, the herdsman (mu6-sub3); 1 (man): the scribe; 1 (man): Bara-gannudi; 1 (man): Nig-iria-zi; 1 (man): Nig-lumma. (reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

RTC 007

1 (unit) of flour, measured(?); 20 sila of garlic-flour; 10 (units) of crushed barley: (for) Tirash. 1 barig of malt (and) hal-hal flour; 1 (unit) of crushed(?) flour: (for) Enki. 1 barig of black bread (of) flour; 10 (units) of black flour (with) garlic; (and) black bread: (for) the king. 80 sila of barley flour; 1 (unit) of fine-quality flour: (for) An-ki. 1 barig of sag-bread.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

SF 002

(obverse, column preserved at left; right half of the surface uninscribed) Sud(?)-kura-diri — "[The goddess] Sud(?)/the blessing surpasses the mountain-land" Elum-[an?]-dul — "The Honored One is a [protective] shade [(...)]" [...]-še-[...] (line broken) [...] (line lost) Elum-aga-zi — "The Honored One (of) the true crown" E-ša-andul-lal — "The house's interior is a sweet (honeyed) protective shade" Elum-šuda(?) — "The Honored One of blessing/prayer" Nin-AB-anzu — "The Lady ... Anzu(-bird)" (reverse uninscribed)

Writing & Literature

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

SF 003

(obverse) [...] ... [...] ... [1] Nin-zadim 1 A-lam-i 2 Nin-iri-ša [1] Lugal-[...] 1 [...]-GAL-[...] 1 A-la-[...] 1 ...-buru (reverse: uninscribed/effaced)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

SF 004

(obverse) 1 (person): Nin-tinuga [1 (person):] Nin-nigar [1 (person):] AMA-[...]-GAN [... (name lost)] [1 (person):] Nam-a-[...] [1 (person):] Nam-nun 1 (person): E-gal-še 1 (person): KISAL-si 1 (person): En-zida 1 (person): Amar-MI-ZA [... (remainder broken)] (reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

SF 025

(obverse, single preserved column) [...] ... (traces) Ur-Inanna Kulili Sidu A(?)-...-NE (name written with the compound sign SAG×HA; reading uncertain) Mes-abzu Ur-Nisaba Mes-pa Zulalum(?) Munus-[...] (name broken) Nu-... [...] (name broken) ... (traces; remainder lost)

Writing & Literature

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 002

Obverse: 4 donkeys, sig7-... (ansze sig7-LAK046-LAK046): Lumma; 5 ...-donkeys (ansze-LAK046-LAK046): NE-lum; 5: Lu-numuda'e. Reverse: 2 šar, 4 gešʾu, 2 geš (= 9,720), (and) 14 ...-donkeys (ansze-LAK046-LAK046) — sig7-donkeys, (under) Šu-ama-gan.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 010

(Obverse) 2 yellow-green (sig7) ŠUL-ŠUL donkeys — NE-lum; 9 ŠUL donkeys — Lu-mu-e; 5 ŠUL-ŠUL (donkeys) — Lumma. (Reverse) Total: 16 ŠUL-ŠUL (donkeys).

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 014

(obverse) 4 donkeys: Dar-da; 1: AK-nab, the overseer of the builders; 1: Dingir-nume, the builder; 1: Dumu-anzux, the leatherworker; 2: E-na, (of) Lagash; (reverse) 2: E-lalum, (of) Adab; — An-še-gu (the 'upper bank'?); 2¾ plow-donkeys. A single (separate) tablet.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 019

Obverse: 4 donkeys — AK-NE-li; 3 — KA-ki-bi-še; 4 — Uru; 1 — Nig-hubu; 2 — Lumma, the gardener; 2 — Kini; 2 — Kundu, the fisherman; UR-UR. Summed up together (grand total): 4 and 2/4 plow-donkey (teams) — UR-UR.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 020

90 plow donkeys, 33 plow donkeys, 41 plow donkeys, 31 plow donkeys — donkeys of the city. 11 plowmen, 11 plowmen, 6 plowmen, 6 plowmen — the men who drive the donkeys. Grand total: 196(!) plow donkeys — donkeys of the city; 34 plowmen, workmen of the king.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 021

(obverse, col. i) 2 donkeys, foals(?) — Ḫa-NE; 2 — Zata, the herald of Nagsu; (col. ii) 2 — AK-dingir of Nagsu; 1 — Utu-šita, the scribe. (reverse) Lu-zi, the scribe. New tablet.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 043

Obverse: 5 iku of field — Me-mah-nusa; 5 iku — Abzu-kidu; 1 eše 3 iku — the galla-officer; 2 iku — A-da-DUR; 5 iku — Anzu, the farmer; (at) An-še-gu (the "upper bank"). Reverse: (Total:) 1 bur 1 eše 2 iku of field — Lumma.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 055

Obverse: 11 gur-mah (and) 2 barig of barley — great storehouse (ganun-mah); 6 gur of barley; 3 1/2 gur (and) 2 barig — storehouse (ganun); Gur-gur; seed barley; An-še-gu (the "upper bank"?). Reverse: 21 gur-mah of barley, seed barley; 37 bur, 1 eše, 3 iku (of field).

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 059

1 iku of field: Lugal-ezen. 1 iku: Ur-EŠ?-ḪA. 3 iku: Ur-Lamma. 3 iku: Ur-Nin-girin. 3 iku: E-kur-pa'e. 1 eše (= 6 iku): Amar-šuba. 4 iku: AN-sag-tuku. 3 iku: AN-URUDU-si. 1 eše (= 6 iku): Il. 3 iku: Anzu. 1/2 iku: A-NI-NI. 1/2 iku: UŠ.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 064

(obverse) 10 lidga (large capacity measures) — Mes-uba; 4 lidga, 1 (lidga of) nag-duga (a drink/libation product?) — Nin-ulgal; 2 lidga — for AN-ur, the shepherd; 3 lidga of barley(?), 1 (for) Ša-guba; (reverse — totals) 23 (lidga): the palace; 16 (lidga): ... (sign illegible).

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 079

(obverse) [...] 1(?) lidga of barley — delivery. 2 barig 2 ban barley expended, (for) the ... (tagx) of the boatman, Mes-pada. 2 (measures), tagx (of) malt. 1(?) [+ x] barig (for) Ur-Sud, the boatman. Lugal-Enlil. (Break) (reverse) 2 barig (for) the reed-weaver. Delivery.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 080

(obverse) 5 (gur?) 3 barig of barley, (measured) by the lidga — En-hegal; 2 (and) 2 barig(?) — Me-pa'e; 1 — Bil-anu-kush; 1 — Adda; 2 (and) 2 barig — Pa-ningal (and) Me-me; 1 — AN-nume; 1 — Amar-Isin. (reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 085

3 sixties less 3 (= 177) gur-mah of barley — Lugal-a-mah; 1 sixty (and) 50 less 2 (= 108) — (for/of) the E-KA-nun (storehouse); 1 sixty (and) 27 and a half (= 87½); 36 and a half — Si-du; 4 sixties less 1 (= 239) gur-mah; 51 and a half (gur) 1 barig of barley, in gur of 2 (units); 6 sixties (and) 50 less 2 (= 408) gur of barley — Sud-anzu.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 088

(obverse) 2 great gur of barley — the land registrar (sa₁₂-du₅); 2 (great gur) — DUMU×NUN-šita, the PA-sud official; 2 (great gur) — Lamma, the granary supervisor (ka-guru₇); 1 (great gur) — A-LAK358-si, the IB official; 1 (great gur) — Munus-geštin, the vizier. (reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 090

(obverse) 1½ gur-mah of barley — Munus-geštin. 6 barig — A-pa'e. [...] 2 barig(?) — An-dab-[si]. ... [...] 1(?) ... [...] [n gur] — Bil-anukuš. 1(?) — Ad-[da(?)]. [...] ... (reverse) ... the herdsman (na-gada).

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 092

(obverse) 182 (3×60+2) able-bodied men — Uruk; 192 (3×60+12) — Adab; 94 (1×60+34) — Nippur; 60 (1×60) — Lagash; 56 — Šuruppak; 86 (1×60+26) — Umma: men who are stationed (settled in place), (of) Kiengi (Sumer). DU-DU handed (them) over. (reverse) Total: 670 (1×600 + 1×60 + 10) able-bodied men, men who are stationed.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 093

(obverse) 1,532 able-bodied male workers (guruš), 40 minus 1 (= 39) sons of the builders, 41 female workers (geme), (reverse) grand total: 1,612 persons who consume food (ration recipients). 50 minus 3 (= 47) men gone to Kish.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 094

(obverse) 122 (2×60 + 2) able-bodied laborers, men stationed at Uruk; 215 (3×60 + 35) — Adab; 74 (1×60 + 14) — Nippur; 110 (1×60 + 50) — Lagash; 66 (1×60 + 6) — Šuruppak; 128 (2×60 + 8) — Umma. (reverse) Grand total: 650 (1×600 + 1×60, less 10) able-bodied laborers, men stationed of Kiengi (the land of Sumer).

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 101

670 workmen going to battle (me₃ du), — food (rations consumed); 1,612 workmen (of) the assembly (ukken) — food (rations consumed); fine oil (i₃-šeš₄).

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 109

(obverse) [1] Ur-Utu [1] Lu-lal 1 E-munus 1 E-na-lulu 1 En-kas 1 En-abzu-mud 1 E-šeš 1 Amar-edin 1 Lamma 1 Lu-siki-UŠ-AK (reverse uninscribed)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 116

13 ninda(-loaves), sila-measure — [...] Lugal-nig-ba-bara-du. 12 — Ur-absi(?). 7 — Engar-tuš-še. [...] ...-KA(?). (Reverse: uninscribed / blank.)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 122

1 (person): Amar-PA; 1 (person): Il-lu-sar; 1 (person): Nin-ukken-a; 1 (person): Lu-lu, [...](-[...]) [...]; 1 (person): Dingir-šeš-mu. (Under) Nin-ursag, the overseer (ugula). 1 (person): Ad-da; 1 (person): Mes-[...]-[...]; 1 (person): Lu-nanam; 1 (person): Utu-amu; 1 (person): Na-ni. (Under) Utu-ursag.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 123

(obverse) [...] ... [... ]-zi 3 (units): Ni-kura 3 (units): UŠ 3 (units): Ak-sud 3 (units): Ursag-ata 2 (units): Ur-[...] [x] GI? [...] (reverse) 3 (units): Pa'en-da-[...] 2 (units): Sud-...-[...] 2 (units): Nin-[...] 2 (units): Šeš-[...] 2 (units): ...-[...] 3 (units): AN-[...] 3 (units): [...]

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 136

10 garments: Šumu-Aštar, the man of …; […] […] … the vizier (sukkal); 1: Nanna, the cupbearer; 1: Šeš-gu; 1 (and) 3 barig: Utu-ursag, the barber; sanga-GAR (the temple administrator …); (Total:) 14 garments — É-šud-du, the gal-dilmun (Dilmun-chief). (Reverse: uninscribed; bears only the modern museum numbers 12451 and 195 in ink.)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 139

1/3 (mina) 5 shekels of silver, 1 aktum-garment — carried/received (il₂): Ur-Enki, son of NI-ba-ḫi-li, has (them) with him (i.e. owes them). Giri-ni-ba-dab₅, Ḫe-egal; apart (bar): NI-ḫi-li, his lu-munsub (attendant/herdsman), Ku-an — does/do not know (of it). (Reverse: uninscribed.)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 140

10 (measures of) ghee (i₃-nun): the E-uri (household). 10 (measures): En-kas. 2: |DUMUxNUN|-šita. 2: Ur-Utu. 2: the overseer of the donkeys (ugula-anše). 1: Tug-TE-DU. 1: Lu-max(SI). 2: A-zuzu. 2: Lamma. 5: the gardener (nu-kiri₆). 1: Šeš-tur. 1: En-abzu-mud. 1: Nig-luguda. Grand total (an-šè-gu₂) of ghee: 40.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 141

Obverse 899 (units of) nig-du gamur; 8 (lidga) 3 ban of gamur, šu-kam — in lidga measure; 20 less 1 barig 3 ban of gamur, šu-tag — in lidga measure; (account of) the herdsman(?). 111 (units of) nig-du gamur; 1 (lidga) 1 barig of gamur, šu-kam — in lidga measure; 2 barig 3 ban of gamur, šu-tag; (account of) the cowherd. Reverse Grand total: 1,010 gamur of the nig-du (type); 9 (lidga) 1 barig 3 ban of gamur, šu-kam — in lidga measure; 20 (lidga) 1 barig of gamur, šu-tag — in lidga measure.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 142

2 gešʾu (= 1,200) si-|NUxU|; 2 gešʾu (= 1,200) |(TIR&TIR)xU₂|: (for) the ensi-GAR, En-zi-u-di. 1 geš (= 60) si-|NUxU|: (for) Gal-Dilmun, Šubur, the barber (šu-i), the sanga-GAR. 1 geš 3 u (= 90) si-|NUxU|: (for) the son of Gal-Dilmun, GAR-ḪU-DUR₂-BU, the kinda-barber. (Reverse: uninscribed.)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 145

170 (2 gešʾu 50) nigdu-figs/dates — Adab (of?) Ha-ur; 350 (5 gešʾu 50) nigdu-figs/dates — Ti'e [...]; 100 (1 gešʾu 40) nigdu-figs/dates — the festival of the courtyard; 180 (3 gešʾu) nigdu-figs/dates — gal-UN (the "great people" / senior personnel). (Reverse: surface broken and eroded; no legible text preserved.)

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

WF 151

20 mana of copper: A-NI-NI; 20 (mana): É-ḫursag (the "House of the Mountain"); 20 (mana): É-en-ra; 20 (mana): Iškur; 20 (mana): É-zi-pa-è; 4 (mana): Ur-gibil; 4 (mana): Amar-KISAL-NUN; 4 (mana): |DUMU×NUN|-šita; 4 (mana): Munus-ki-nu-zu; 4 (mana): Šita; 20 (mana): A-si; [... ...] (two signs illegible) (reverse / total) Total: 140 mana of copper.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

CT 50, 015

2 garments, 2 linen [garments] — U5-ri the carpenter. The bailiff [who will] return [them]: to the storehouse they are to be brought. 1 [and] 1/2 garments. The king's bailiff. A-ḫu-ti has returned [them]. To Mes-lu2-nu [they were] brought along.

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

LAK p. 73, no. 1

4? [units of] bar-gada cloth, fine-quality — female courier(s) 2 SUR 2 GI-GI 2 female farmer(s) 2 lady-mother(s) 5 TU-AB 2? [x] woman(?) [...] 1 EN-bird [x] 3? brother-calf [x] 3 DA-GE 3 small birds 1 [DUG×HI] — barley-barley [x] 3 ESZ16, lion-[x] 8? [x x] [x] Total: 38? [units of] bar-gada cloth x x

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

RTC 003

[...] ... [n] zi#-zu-[...] [n] herald(-na-me-ub-[...]) 2 ne-[...] [...] [n] a-en-da 4 — House of Shadow (é-gissu) 10 women of the lord 4 USZ [...] 20 [x]-nin-[x] [...]

~2550 BCE·Early DynasticOur engine

TSŠ 0869

n [šeš-tur] 7 Mes-lu₂-nu-ḫun 1 Bilx(PAP.GEŠ.BIL)-a₂-nu-kuš₂ 7 Bara₂-sag₇-nu-di 1 Du₆-du₆ 1 Si-du₃ 1 En-kas₄ 6 shepherds [...] wood(?) [...] BAD

1…5 6 7…62