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A curated narrative reconstruction of humanity's first great civilization, sourced from the tablets themselves. Open scholarship, beautifully accessible.

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Independent scholarship · No academic affiliation · No institutional funding · Tablet imagery attributed per item via CDLI, ETCSL, ORACC, Wikimedia, and public museum collections.

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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.

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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

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Editorial Sumerian literature Sumerian royal Assyrian royal Assyrian archives

33 of 102,257 tablets · 3 filters activeClear filters

1–33 of 33

~3200 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

Proto-Cuneiform Account Tablet (VAT 15211)

An early example of administrative writing from Uruk. Its fragmentary numerical entries and commodity signs document record-keeping during the formative period of writing.

Writing & Literature·Economy

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 183

1. [1(N01)] : [......] (broken) 2. 1(N01) : [......] KAB 3. 1(N01) : NAM2 DI 4. 1(N01) : NAM2 NAM2 5. 1(N01) : [......] (broken) 6. 1(N01) : NAM2 PA RAD 7. 1(N01) : AB ME 8. 1(N01) : GAL, 1(N58).BAD (compound sign) 9. 1(N01) : EN [......] (broken) 10. 1(N01) : [......] (broken) 11. 1(N01) : [......] (broken) 12. 1(N01) : [......] (broken) 13. 41 (4(N14) 1(N01)) : X [......] (broken — closing total line)

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 184

1(N01) , [...] SUKKAL (vizier/minister) 1(N01) , GAL~a GA~a ("great" + milk/dairy) [1(N01)] , [...] 1(N01) , GAL~a NESAG2~a ("great" + first-fruit offering) 1(N01) , GAL~a TUR3~a ("great" + livestock pen/enclosure) 1(N01)# , [GAL~a] UMUN2# ("[great]" + lord/UMUN2) 1(N01) , GAL~a# [...] ("great" + [...]) 1(N01) , IM~a# TUR# (clay/tablet(?) + TUR) [N] , [...]

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 188

1 (N01) — NAM2-EŠDA 1 (N01) — NAM2 KAB(?) 1 (N01) — NAM2 DI 1 (N01) — NAM2 NAM2 1 (N01) — NAM2 URU(?) 1 (N01) — PA ŠE NAM2 1 (N01) — NAM2 RAD 1 (N01) — AB ME(?) 1 (N01) — GAL [x] 1 (N01) — EN(?) [...] 1 (N01) — [x] [...] 1 (N01) — [x] [...] 1 (N01) — [...] 1 (N01) — [...] (Reverse/lower line) [n] 1 (N14) — EN 2 (N57) [E2 ...]

Writing & Literature·Daily Life

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 194

1(N01) , NAM2@t DI@t 1(N01) , NAM2@t NAM2#? 1(N01) , NAM2@t URU~a1# [1(N01)] , [...] NAM2@t# 1(N01) , SZE~a# NAM2@t 1(N01) , NAM2@t RAD~a@t! PA~a 1(N01) , [...] 1(N01) , KINGAL 1(N01) , GAL~a TE 1(N01) , SUKKAL [...] 4(N14) 1(N01) [N] , X [...]

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000022, ex. 032

Entry 1: 1(N01) — GIŠ ... HI ... GIŠ ... TUN₃~a Entry 2: [1(N01)] — [GIŠ] AD~a(damaged) Entry 3: [1(N01)] — [...] (broken) Entry 4: 1(N01) — SI TAG~b GIŠ Entry 5: [1(N01)] — [...] (broken) Entry 6: [N] — [...] (broken)

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 098

(obverse, single preserved column) [1] , [entry lost] [1] , one jar (DUG) with [unidentified] contents [1] , one jar containing naga (alkali-plant)(?) 1 , one jar with [unidentified] contents 1 , [entry lost] 1 , GAN-container(?) [...] 1 , GAN-container(?) [...] [n] , [entry lost] (remainder broken)

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000026, ex. 055

1(N01), [...] 1(N01), URI 1(N01), MUD3~a(?) 1(N01), MUD3@g 1(N01), MIR~b 1(N01), [...] 1(N01), [...] 1(N34) 2(N14) [...], [...]

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodOur engine

CDLI Lexical 000026, ex. 056

1(N01) , X [sign broken/illegible] 1(N01) , SZAKIR~b [commodity sign, unknown referent] 1(N01) , [......] 1(N01) , [......] 1(N01) , [......] 1(N01) , [......] 1(N01) , [......] 1(N01) , SZU2-GU 1(N01) , SZU2-GU [......] 1(N01) , GAL~a TUN3~a ("large TUN3~a"-vessel/implement) 1(N01) , 2(N57) SZU TUN3~a 1(N01) , 1(N57)? SZU TUN3~a 1(N01) , AL(?) [......] 1(N01) , [......] 1(N34) 4(N01) , [......] (summary/total line)

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

Kish Tablet

An early witness to systematic administrative notation at Kish. Its signs and numerals can be catalogued, but that does not establish a full translation or prove that it is the world's first writing.

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 176

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 176. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 182

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 182. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 185

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 185. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 186

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 186. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000022, ex. 031

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000022, ex. 031. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 097

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 097. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical Archaic Unidentified, ex. 127

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical Archaic Unidentified, ex. 127. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical Archaic Unidentified, ex. 128

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical Archaic Unidentified, ex. 128. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

MS 2900/04

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — MS 2900/04. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 177

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 177. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 178

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 178. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 179

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 179. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 180

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 180. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 181

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 181. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 187

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 187. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 189

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 189. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 190

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 190. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 192

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000002, ex. 192. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 001

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 001. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 095

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 095. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 096

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000023, ex. 096. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

CDLI Lexical 000265, ex. 011

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — CDLI Lexical 000265, ex. 011. 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).

Writing & Literature

~3100 BCE·Uruk PeriodEditorial

MSVO 1, 243

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)) — MSVO 1, 243. 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).

Writing & Literature