Position in chronology
MVN 10, 224
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P115991.
Why it matters
Transliteration
3(disz) gu4 niga sag-gu4 4(disz) gu4 niga esz3-esz3 e2-u4-sakar 1(disz) gu4 niga ki-suen iti u4 3(u) la2 1(disz) ba-zal ki a-hu-ni-ta na-sa6 i3-dab5 iti ezem-szul-gi mu szul-gi lugal-e ur-bi2-lum lu-lu-bu si-mu-ru-um u3 kar2-har asz-sze3 sag-du-bi szu-bur2-a bi2-in-ra-a
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — MVN 10, 224. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Šulgi y1 — Šulgi became king based on canonical year-name formula in the transliteration.
Attribution
Image: College de France, Paris, France (P115991) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P115991..
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Related sources
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Marks the boundary between proto-writing and writing. We can see signs being used systematically — but not yet phonetically. The leap to recording speech itself comes a few centuries later.
The earliest historical document in human history. Before this, we have lists, accounts, and dedications. Here, for the first time, a ruler tells us what happened — with names, places, and consequences.