Position in chronology
Lippmann Coll 099
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P472399.
Why it matters
Transliteration
3(asz@c) gesz-hum mes 1(u@c) gesz za-ar-da nu2 kiri6# ur#-gibil#? 2(asz@c) asznan-gam# tur 2(asz@c)# erin# za3-us2 kiri6 ur-nin#-pirig 3(asz@c) erin# za3-us2 ur-su# 2(asz@c) gesz#-hum mes# ur#-sud3-da# 2(asz@c)# gesz x ma lugal-kar-re2 gesz ab-x-am3 mu-ni
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Akkadian (ca. 2340-2200 BC)) — Lippmann Coll 099. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).
Attribution
Image: Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain (P472399) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P472399..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.