Position in chronology
UET 2, 0028
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P005601.
Translation · AI engine
read from photo3 — strong jar — field, mother 1 — [sign AK], sky/heaven, snake 1 — [sign UR?], sinew/cord, egg 1 — mix(?), wood, reed 2 — large(?), head(?), [signs unclear] [...] 1 — head, large, name/year, neck 2 — day/sun, not, divine essence 1 — large, [sign], self/fear, [sign] [...] 1 — [sign BU] [...] [...] — [...]
14 uncertain terms ↓
- N01@f — Archaic numerical notation — tally strokes; the '@f' variant indicates a specific formal shape of the N01 number sign in the Ur corpus.
- KAL~b2 — Sign KAL variant b2; conventionally 'strong' or a type of vessel/strong vessel (DUG following suggests jar determinative context).
- DUG~a — Vessel/jar; variant DUG~a. Could be a jar determinative or lexical entry for 'pot/jar'.
- GAN~d# — Field or garden; '#' indicates damaged/uncertain reading by editor. Could also be read as a different sign.
- AMA~b — Mother; variant b of the AMA sign. Standard reading 'mother' but in a lexical list may simply be the sign name.
- AK~a# — Sign AK, action verb 'to do/make'; '#' indicates editor uncertainty. In a sign list this is the sign entry itself.
- MUSZ3~a — Snake; the sign for serpent/snake. Standard reading but variant designation ~a noted.
- UR~a? — Possibly UR (dog, or a determinative for animals/persons); '?' in transliteration indicates editor uncertainty about this reading.
- NUNUZ~a1 — Egg or spawn; also used as a sign for 'seed' or 'roe'. Variant ~a1.
- HI — To mix, stir; also a musical instrument term. In a lexical list, primarily the sign name.
- ME~a# — Divine essence, divine power (Sumerian 'me'); '#' indicates damaged reading. One of the most theologically significant Sumerian terms, but here likely a lexical sign entry.
- NI2 — Self, own; also 'fear' or 'awe'. Difficult to determine semantic context in a sign list.
- BU~a — Sign BU; multiple meanings including 'to pluck', 'to blow', or a type of plant. Context insufficient to determine.
- GU2 — Neck, bank (of river); could also be a unit of weight (talent). In this lexical context, likely the sign name 'neck/bank'.
Reasoning ↓
Visual examination of the photograph (British Museum 128906, labeled U.12599 on the envelope/case): the obverse (centre-top image) shows a small, roughly square clay tablet approximately 3–4 cm across. The surface is heavily worn and cracked; individual wedge impressions are visible under raking light but resolution is insufficient to confidently isolate individual sign forms. The numerical notches (N01@f tally marks) along the left edge are discernible as short diagonal incisions, consistent with the transliteration's tally-mark notation. The main sign area in the right column shows dense incised marks but individual signs cannot be confirmed at this resolution. The reverse (centre-lower view) appears largely uninscribed or too eroded to read. The tablet is an Early Dynastic lexical or administrative exercise from Ur, and the sign sequences — KAL, DUG, GAN, AMA, AK, AN, MUSZ3, etc. — are consistent with known Early Dynastic Ur sign lists (cf. UET 2 lexical tablets; Englund & Grégoire, MSVO 1). Because this is an early scribal practice/lexical tablet, the 'translation' represents sign names and their referents rather than continuous prose: this is a sign list, not a narrative text. Many signs in the transliteration are flagged with '#' or '?' indicating the editor's own uncertainty, and several positions are marked 'X' (unread) or broken; confidence is accordingly low.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · prompt 2026-05-11/v3-conventions · May 11, 2026 · 3099 in / 1160 out tokens
Why it matters
Transliteration
3(N01@f) , KAL~b2 DUG~a , GAN~d# AMA~b 1(N01@f) , AK~a# AN MUSZ3~a 1(N01@f) , UR~a? MA NUNUZ~a1 1(N01@f) , HI GISZ GI 2(N01@f) , GAL~a# SAG#? X X [...] 1(N01@f) , SAG# GAL~a MU GU2 2(N01@f) , U4 NU ME~a# 1(N01@f) , GAL~a X NI2 X [...] 1(N01@f) , BU~a [...] [...] , [...]
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (ED I-II (ca. 2900-2700 BC)) — UET 2, 0028. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).
Attribution
Image: British Museum, London, UK (P005601) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P005601..
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