Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · OIM A00825 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0825
In plain English
Merchant's account. Just over 2 gur of barley (2 gur, 2 barig, 1 ban and 5 sila) was handed over, plus 5 sila to pay the boatman for the transport. Ur-mes, the su-da-um, is named in connection with the shipment at the Nin-mudu canal. Enlila, a priest of the nu-eš rank, signed for the receipt.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. Merchant. 2. 2 gur 2 barig of barley, 1 ban 5 sila; 3. 5 sila: hire of the boatman (ferry/boat fee); 4. Ur-mes, the su-da-um; (Reverse) 5. (at) the Nin-mudu canal; 6. Enlila, the nu-eš priest, 7. received (it).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00826 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0826
In plain English
Allocation list: the ensi-gal gets 2 barig, as do the chief boatman and the chief smith. Ur-kal the smith also receives 2 barig. En-šu the barber receives 1 barig, recorded with a slightly different measure sign. Diku the donkey herder receives what was probably 1 barig, though the number is damaged. Kaš-da-tuš-a, Igi-du and Su-si receive 2 barig each.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 2 barig: the ensi-gal (chief governor?) 2. 2 barig: the chief boatman 3. 2 barig: the chief smith 4. 2 barig: Ur-kal, the smith (Bottom edge) 5. 1 barig (variant notation): En-šu, the barber Reverse 6. [1 barig]: Diku, the donkey herder 7. 2 barig: Kaš-da-tuš-a 8. 2 barig: Igi-du 9. 2 barig: Su-si”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00828 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0828
In plain English
Lu-sa the plowman is charged 5 gur and 3 ban of barley, plus a fee of 1 ban. Bara-nam, a temple functionary, is charged 2 gur, 2 barig, 1 ban and 5 sila of barley, plus a fee of 5 sila. The total line reads '1 barig of barley.' I₇-Nin-mudu and Enlila, the temple functionary, took receipt of it.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 5 gur 3 ban of barley, 2. 1 ban (as) fee (addir), 3. Lu-sa, the plowman; 4. 2 gur 2 barig 1 ban 5 sila of barley, 5. 5 sila (as) fee (addir), 6. Bara-nam, the nueš. Reverse 7. Total: 1 barig of barley. 8. I₇-Nin-mudu 9. (and/of) Enlila, the nueš, 10. received (it).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00830 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0830
In plain English
To my lord, from Mezi. Last year, my king granted him a field of 20 bur, but the grant was never confirmed. Since he has now looked into the matter, and because the field has to be compensated for, I write about it. If [...], my king [...], the year [...]. The rest of the letter is badly broken. It mentions the field's barley, perhaps five [measures (gur)], and ends with something like "let me repay it."
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. To my lord: 2. thus (says) 3. Mezi: 4. 20 bur of field, last year(?), 5. my king 6. gave to him. 7. He did not confirm (it). 8. Because he looked into it, 9. for the sake of its restitution, Reverse (division inferred from the photo) 10. if [......] 11. my king [......] 12. year [......] 13. its barley, 5(?) [...... gur], 14. let me re[pay(?)].”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00839 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0839
In plain English
Still outstanding: the chief scribe's share. Also outstanding: Ur-Ištaran, the rider who belongs to the chief scribe's staff, and the surveyor. A stretch of 3½ rods is listed as work done outside the main section, though the start of that line is lost. Another partly broken entry records the work still left to do. All of this concerns the Eš-peš-ša canal, and the report is for the third day.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. Outstanding: the chief scribe. 2. [Outstanding]: Ur-Ištaran, the rider, 3. (man of) the chief scribe. 4. [Outstanding]: the surveyor. 5. [...] 3 1/2 nindan: work outside (kin bar-ra). 6. [...] work outstanding. Reverse / edge 7. Canal Eš-peš-ša. 8. It is the 3rd day.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00842 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0842
In plain English
Barley payments: just under 2 gur (2 gur less 3 ban 6 sila) went out to the gal5-gal official; 2 gur to Meme, Enannatum's mother; 1 barig to the man of the E-dam household; 1 gur, by the standard measure, to A-tag, the storehouse man; 1 gur to the surveyor; and 1 gur to Lugal-e. One line is broken. Then 3 gur went to Maš-šu, 1 barig 2 ban for regular deliveries (partly lost), something for the man in charge of the bala barley, and 3 ban to Dingir-igi-du-mu. The grand total comes to 27 gur 2 ban 4 sila of barley, measured by the great gur.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 2 gur minus 3 ban 6 sila (of barley): the gal5-gal, expended. 2. 2 gur: Meme, mother of Enannatum; (PAP). 3. 1 barig: the man of the E-dam; (PAP). 4. 1 gur of barley, si-sa2 (measure), A-tag, 5. the man of the storehouse. 6. 1 gur: the man of the measuring-rope (surveyor); (PAP). 7. 1 gur: Lugal-e; (PAP). 8. dub-[...] 9. 3 gur: Maš-šu [...], expended. 10. 1 barig 2 ban: regular deliveries [...] 11. the man of the barley of the bala-[...] 12. 3 ban: Dingir-igi-du-mu, expended. 13. Total: 27 gur 2 ban 4 sila of barley, (by the) great gur.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00845 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0845
In plain English
The note lists who is involved: the household of Lugal-gešu, the household of Ur-eš-peš-ša, a man named Ur-Ištaran, and someone who may be Lu-dannam. The words after each name are worn away. Next comes an entry about long reeds, whose amount and recipient are lost. One line is completely unreadable. The list ends with a boatman whose name cannot be made out.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(The supplied transliteration carries no obverse/reverse markers; lines are numbered as given.) 1. [House of] Lugal-gešu, 2. house of Ur-eš-peš-[ša], 3. Ur-Ištaran, ... [...], 4. Lu-dannam(?), ..., 5. [...] ..., long reed(s), 6. (illegible) 7. ... ... ..., boatman.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00846 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0846
In plain English
Grain issued, counted by the standard measure: [10] gur of barley went to the [regular offerings] for the gods, apparently brought to the shrine. Sipa-anne the cook received 2 gur of barley. About 1 barig, 3 ban and 5 sila went to feed the ducklings, handled by Ur-zigumma the scribe and Lugal-magure. Zuzu received 2 ban of coarse barley flour. The tablet ends with the total, which reads 12 gur 3 barig 4 ban of barley plus a further 3 ban 5 sila by the standard measure. All of it was issued, under En-anatum.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. [10] gur of barley, (by the) standard (gur measure), 2. [regular offerings] of the gods, 3. brought to the shrine (?). 4. 2 gur of barley: 5. Sipa-anne, the cook. 6. 1 barig 3 ban 5 sila (of barley for) ducklings: 7. Ur-zigumma, the scribe, 8. (and?) Lugal-magure. 9. 2 ban of dabin-flour: Zuzu. Reverse 10. Total: 12 gur 3 barig 4 ban of barley, gur, 3 ban 5 sila, (by the) standard (measure): 11. issued. 12. En-anatum.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry