Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · AO — — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 104
In plain English
The opening lines are badly damaged: the commodities are lost, though two of them are bronze objects. Then come 16 sila of a kind of oil, 2 jars and 3 sila of sheep fat, and 67 jars and 6 sila of sesame oil. The list continues with 26 gur of dates, short by one ban, measured by the official Agade standard, and 11 talents 16½ minas of wool. Next are 50 minas of something described as 'sag šu-kur', whose meaning is unclear, then 47 minas 50 shekels of finished, worked wool and 20 minas of an unreadable item. After another broken line, the account ends with ivory.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. [...] x 2. [...]-ba 3. [...] x x [...] bar 4. [...] x, bronze 5. [...] x, bronze 6. 16 sila of x-oil 7. 2 jars (and) 3 sila of sheep fat 8. 67 jars (and) 6 sila of sesame oil 9. 26 gur less 1 ban of dates, (by the) gur of Agade 10. 11 talents 16 1/2 minas of wool 11. 50 minas, sag šu?-kur 12. 47 minas 50 shekels of wool, finished work 13. 20 minas of x 14. [...] x 15. [...] ivory”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 31194 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 108
In plain English
Receipt: 2 gur of emmer wheat, measured by the official Agade standard; 2 ban and 5 sila of ghee; 1½ measures of large chickpeas and about 2 of small ones; 3 sila of a pulse product whose name is broken off; and 3 sila of a dairy product that is only partly legible. Utu-illat, the official in charge of fruit and provisions, has taken delivery of all of it.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 2 gur of emmer, (by the) Agade (measure); 2. 2 ban 5 sila of ghee; 3. 1 1/2 (gur) of large pulses (chickpeas); 4. 2(?) (gur) of small pulses; 5. 3 sila of pulse-[......]; 6. 3 sila of milk-product ZI-x. Reverse 7. Utu-illat, 8. the man (in charge) of the fruit/provisions, 9. 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 · AO 31389 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 110
In plain English
One large gurgur-vessel of beer came from Ur-gigir of the kārum, and one jar of beer came from Gala-tur, Ka'a's wife. Both have been written off as spent. Dated the 16th day of the month of the Festival of Baba.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 1 gurgur-vessel of beer, 2. from Ur-gigir, 3. the kārum (official); 4. 1 jar of beer, 5. from Gala-tur, 6. wife of Ka'a. Reverse 7. Expended. 8. Month: Festival of Baba, 9. 16 days having passed.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 31379 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 112
In plain English
Issued from stores: 28 loaves of bread and 2 large jars of beer to Šarru-laba, and 18 loaves of bread and 1 large jar of beer to Mesag. Both men are fatteners of the king's livestock. Entered as expended.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 28 (lit. 30 minus 2) breads, 2. 2 gur₄-gur₄ jars of beer: 3. Šarru-laba. 4. 18 (lit. 20 minus 2) breads, 5. 1 gur₄-gur₄ jar of beer: 6. Mesag. 7. Fatteners of the king. Bottom edge 8. Expended. (Reverse uninscribed)”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · high confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO — — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 119
In plain English
Twenty-five gur of barley, with one further unit recorded for Geštul-šum. Lugal-ušumgal and the judge Gin-x had the barley charged to the account of Ur-x, so Ur-x is now responsible for it. En-lu[...], whose name is partly broken, acted as the official commissioner for the transaction.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 25 gur of barley, 2. 1 (unit): Geštul-šum; 3. Lugal-ušumgal, 4. the judge, Gin-x(?), Reverse 5. against Ur-x 6. he placed (it). 7. En-lu[...] 8. (was) the commissioner.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO — — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 123
In plain English
Delivered as regular provisions: an amount of coarse dabin flour (the number is lost), one ban of flour for top-grade bread, one ban and five sila of gu-flour, and two ban of fine flour. Dated on the sixth day of the month Mu-šu-du. Responsible party: Urra-dingir.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. [x] (measures of) dabin flour, 2. 1 ban₂ of sag-ninda flour, 3. 1 ban₂ 5 sila₃ of zi₃-gu flour, 4. 2 ban₂ of fine (sig₁₅) flour: 5. regular provisions (sa₂-du₁₁). 6. Month: Mu-šu-du₈, 7. the 6th day having passed. 8. Urra-dingir.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO — — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 131
In plain English
Beli-bala brought two grain-fed sheep and a lamb. Šarru-ili brought a grain-fed sheep, a billy-goat and a lamb. Mu-sa brought some sheep, though the number is lost, and a lamb. Urkuku brought one sheep and a lamb. A further entry records grain-fed goat stock under Sidu. The whole list is logged as a delivery.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 2 grain-fed sheep, 1 lamb: 2. Beli-bala. 3. 1 grain-fed sheep, 1 billy-goat, 4. 1 lamb: 5. Šarru-ili. 6. [n sheep], 1 lamb: 7. Mu[?]-sa. 8. 1 sheep, 1 lamb: 9. Urkuku. 10. Grain-fed goat(s)(?) — Sidu. 11. Delivery.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO — — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
RTC 132
In plain English
This is a goat count. A broken number of nanny goats, minus three, are marked on the side. An unknown number of young female goats and 12 billy goats are of regular quality and carry no mark. The herd totals 56 goats of mixed kinds. On the back, after a damaged line, the tablet names one animal driver, En-errani, and the herdsman of the flock, Ur-Utu, the governor.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. [...] less 3 nanny goats, marked on the side; 2. [...] female kids, (of) regular (quality); 3. 12 male goats, (of) regular (quality); 4. not marked on the side. 5. Total: 56 goats, various. Reverse 1. [...] 2. the animal driver: 3. 1 En-errani. 4. Their herdsman: 5. Ur-Utu, 6. the governor.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry