Position in chronology
Code of Ur-Nammu
Translation · reference
Scholar-verifiedIf a man has cut off another man's foot — he shall pay ten shekels of silver.
Source: Roth, Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor
Translation · AI engine
read from photoIf a man cuts off the foot (leg) of another man — he shall weigh out 10 shekels of silver.
4 uncertain terms ↓
- giri3-ni in-kud — 'giri3' primarily means 'foot' or 'leg' but can denote the lower limb more broadly; 'in-kud' is the perfective finite form of kud ('to cut'). Some scholars render this as 'severed his foot' specifically; the exact anatomical referent (foot vs. leg) is debated.
- lú-ù lú-ra — 'lú-ù' is 'a certain man / someone'; 'lú-ra' is 'to/against another man' (dative). The particle 'ù' here functions as an indefinite or emphatic marker; some editions read this slightly differently depending on manuscript.
- 10 gín kù-babbar — The shekel (gín) is approximately 8.33 grams of silver in Ur III metrology, but exact weight standards varied. The numeral 10 and the metal designation are standard in this law code context.
- … — The ellipsis in the transliteration marks a lacuna; the missing passage may have contained an additional condition or qualifier. The lacuna is consistent with visible damage on the tablet in the photo.
Reasoning ↓
Layer 1 (visual): The photograph shows a two-fragment terra cotta tablet (Ni. 3191, Istanbul Archaeological Museums) in a museum display case. The lower fragment preserves the more legible surface, showing horizontal ruled lines with dense cuneiform wedge-impressions visible across multiple lines. The surface is moderately eroded and the reddish-fired clay shows surface abrasion and breakage along the join between the two fragments. At the resolution available, individual sign groups can be partially made out as regular horizontal registers of wedges, but the image resolution and display angle do not permit confident sign-by-sign reading; the upper fragment's inscribed face appears largely obscured or severely damaged. Layer 2 (transliteration): The transliteration 'tukum-bi lú-ù lú-ra giri3-ni in-kud … 10 gín kù-babbar ì-lá-e' is a well-known provision from the Code of Ur-Nammu (cf. Roth, 'Law Collections from Mesopotamia,' 1995, Law §18 or nearby provisions depending on manuscript). The conditional tukum-bi introduces the protasis ('if'), lú-ù lú-ra is 'a man to/against another man,' giri3-ni in-kud is 'cut off his foot/leg,' and the apodosis prescribes payment of 10 shekels of silver by weight (ì-lá-e). The ellipsis in the transliteration marks a lacuna visible on the tablet. Cross-check: The photo confirms a multi-line inscribed surface consistent with a legal code tablet, and the line density is consistent with the compact Ur III scribal hand, but individual signs cannot be verified at this resolution.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · prompt 2026-05-11/v2 · May 11, 2026 · 2514 in / 815 out tokens
Why it matters
The oldest surviving law code in human history. The principle that the state — not the wronged family — defines and enforces justice begins here.
Transliteration
tukum-bi lú-ù lú-ra giri3-ni in-kud … 10 gín kù-babbar ì-lá-e
Scholarly note
Predates Hammurabi by three centuries. Already monetary compensation, not 'eye for an eye' — a striking detail, since Hammurabi later moved closer to retributive justice.
Attribution
Image: Istanbul Archaeological Museums, via Wikimedia Commons. source
Translation excerpted from Roth, Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.
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