MDP 06, 242

~3000 BCE·Uruk Period·P008039

Translation · reference

Experimental

Source: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P008039.

Translation · AI engine

read from photo

Low confidence

Obverse: [Commodity sign M157(?)], [Signs M195+M038~a | M153+M106~a] M288, 1(N45) 2(N34) [...] [...] M288, 1(N14) 4(N01) M066 M352~o M387~a M110 M380, [...] [x] M218(?) M223 M314 M096 M288(?), 1(N14) [...] [...] x M288(?), 1(N14) [...] [...], 1(N45) 8(N14) 2(N01) [...] Reverse: [Impressed circular and dot-cluster notations; no legible sign sequence recoverable from photograph]

7 uncertain terms ↓

M157# — Damaged/uncertain in transliteration (# flag). Proto-cuneiform sign identity not securely readable from photo. May be a commodity classifier.
|M195+M038~a| |M153+M106~a| — Compound/ligated sign groups. These are proto-cuneiform lexical identifiers whose semantic value remains debated or unknown; they likely identify a commodity category or institutional context.
M288 — Appears repeatedly; in proto-cuneiform contexts often functions as a qualifier or commodity sign, but its exact semantic value is not established for this text.
1(N45) — N45 is the largest standard round impression in the sexagesimal system at Uruk/Susa; its precise numerical value (often interpreted as 3600 in the sexagesimal system, or a high-order unit in other metrological systems) is context-dependent and uncertain here.
N14 — Large round numerical impression; conventionally ~10× N01 in sexagesimal contexts, but exact value varies by commodity system (grain, animals, labour, etc.). Cannot determine which metrological system applies without secure commodity identification.
M066 M352~o M387~a M110 M380 — This cluster of signs on one line may represent a heading identifying a sub-category of goods, an official's title, or an institutional designation. Proto-cuneiform sign values for many of these remain undeciphered.
dot-cluster impressions on reverse — The punched circular holes on the reverse tablet face could represent a separate numerical notation (possibly using a different counting system), a commodity tally, or a check/cancellation mark. Their exact function is uncertain.

Reasoning ↓

Photo examined directly. The upper group shows the obverse of an oval/lenticular clay tablet — a characteristic Uruk-period lenticular form consistent with Susa administrative tablets. Several horizontal impressed wedge-groups and circular impressions are visible in the upper half of the obverse, confirming the presence of the N14/N01-class numerical signs noted in the transliteration. A large single circular impression near the centre-lower obverse is visible, consistent with an N45 or large round numerical sign. The reverse (lower tablet in the photo, labelled Sb 15095) shows a cluster of roughly 10–11 small circular dot impressions on the left side and diagonal incised lines (possibly sign traces or surface cracking), with no clearly legible sequence of proto-cuneiform word-signs recoverable at this resolution. The transliteration's sign identifications (M-numbers from the proto-cuneiform sign list) are broadly consistent with what is visible, but the specific lexical signs (M157, M195+M038~a, M066, etc.) cannot be individually verified at photograph resolution — the wedge detail is insufficient to distinguish many of the commodity/qualifier signs with confidence. The numerical signs (circular impressions of varying size) are the most visually confirmable elements. No transliteration-photo discrepancies are positively identifiable, but neither can full agreement be confirmed for the lexical signs. The '#' marks in the transliteration (indicating damaged or uncertain readings) are consistent with the surface pitting and erosion visible throughout the tablet.

Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · prompt 2026-05-12/v4-interpretation · May 14, 2026 · 1978 in / 1223 out tokens

Why it matters

Transliteration

M157# ,
|M195+M038~a| |M153+M106~a| M288 , 1(N45) 2(N34) [...]
[...] M288 , 1(N14) 4(N01)
M066 M352~o M387~a M110 M380 , [...]
x M218# M223 M314 M096 M288# , 1(N14) [...]
[...] x M288# , 1(N14) [...]
[...] , 1(N45) 8(N14) 2(N01) [...]

Scholarly note

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Proto-Elamite (ca. 3100-2900 BC)) — MDP 06, 242. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

Attribution

Image: Louvre Museum, Paris, France (P008039) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P008039..

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