Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · OIM A00968 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0968
In plain English
Barley account: 45 gur, 2 barig, 3 ban, 3 sila and 15 shekels of barley, figured per gur, plus a further 1 ban and 5 sila, though the rest of that line is lost. This grain is recorded as out on account, not held in store. The person responsible is Ug-IL₂.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 45 gur, 2? barig, 3? ban, 3 sila, 15 shekels of barley, per gur [each]; 2. 1 ban, 5 sila [...] 3. placed outside (i.e. outstanding). 4. Ug-IL₂.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00972 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0972
In plain English
Expenditure note: Ur-Ištaran, the rider, received 1 barig 4 ban 5 sila of large chickpeas, roughly 105 litres. Lugal-mah received 3 ban and Lugal-itida 2 ban, and the scribe and Ur-nigar are also listed. The total is 2 barig 3 ban 5 sila of large chickpeas, about 155 litres, all of it written off as issued.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 1 barig 4 ban 5 sila of large chickpeas: 2. Ur-Ištaran, 3. the rider. 4. 3 ban: Lugal-mah, 5. 2 ban: Lugal-itida, 6. the scribe, 7. and Ur-nigar. 8. Total: 2 barig 3 ban 5 sila of large chickpeas; 9. it is expended.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00973 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0973
In plain English
Issued: 29 gur, 1 barig and 5 sila of barley; 3 barig, 1 ban and 6 sila of coarse barley flour; 1 ban and 2 sila of large pulses; an amount of small pulses that is now lost; and 3 sila of coriander. The withdrawal is entered under the name of Enanatum, in the month of Later Bahir.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 29 gur, 1 barig, 5 sila of [barley], 2. 3 barig, 1 ban, 6 sila of dabin-flour, 3. 1 ban, 2 sila of large pulses, 4. [n sila] of small pulses, 5. 3 sila of coriander: 6. disbursed; 7. Enanatum. 8. Month: Later Bahir.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00979 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0979
In plain English
Received: two baskets of dates, marked with the name E-un and described as choice. Also fifty fish and ten gamgam-fish, the provisions of the fishermen. Also one ban minus one sila of flour from Akkade. One line is too damaged to read. All of this is logged as a delivery.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 gurdub-baskets of dates, E-un, select quality; 50 fish (of the) water(?), 10 gamgam-fish: provisions of the fishermen; 1 ban minus 1 sila of flour [of Ak]kade; [...] delivery.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00982 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0982
In plain English
Lugal-namah received 80 great gur of barley and E-sukkal-gesi received 10 great gur. Together that makes 90 great gur of barley, all taken from the barley of Urrani, the envoy. The tablet records that the grain was received and assigns the transaction to the current year.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse [80 great gur of barley]: Lugal-namah; 10 (great gur): E-sukkal-gesi. Reverse Total: 90 great gur of barley, barley of Urrani, the envoy, received. (It is) of this year.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00985 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0985
In plain English
Six sila of coarse barley flour, measured by the Agade standard; three sila of zi-gu flour; two sila of coarse flour; one sila of another grain product whose name is broken; and six and two-thirds sila of a further item that is lost. The names Ka-enene(?) and Igizi follow, then one gur and three ban of beer, received from Utu.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“6 sila of dabin-flour, (by the) Agade (standard); 3 sila of zi-gu flour; 2 sila of dabin-flour; 1 sila of še-[...]; 6 2/3 sila of ... [...]; Ka-enene(?); Igizi; 1 (gur) 3 ban of beer; from Utu.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00988 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0988
In plain English
In the month of the Festival of Nin-mug, six days in, the barley was found to be damaged. The GI×U barley was written off as lost, and it died. The ama-ga was tied up at the gate of the city wall. On the seventh day, the day was released. Several of these phrases are obscure, and their exact meaning is uncertain.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. Month: ezem-Nin-mug (Festival of Nin-mug). 2. When 6 days had passed, 3. (it was found that) damage to the barley existed. 4. The barley of the GI×U was taken away (zi-ga); 5. it died. 6. The ama-ga (was what) they tied up at the gate of the (city-)wall. Reverse 7. On the 7th day, 8. the day was released.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A00989 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Adab 0989
In plain English
The tablet lists grain handed out to a group of workers, nearly all of them women. The first entry is 3 ban for someone whose name is lost, and Nin-urdu follows. Ama-sukkal, Nin-hili and Nin-ušurmu get 4 ban each. The amounts for Kuburina and Igidudu are broken away. A second Nin-hili receives 3 ban, Nam-ušur, Nin-amamu and Nin-šerzi get 4 ban each, and Geme-gigir gets 3 ban. The total at the end comes to 5 gur and 2 barig, and the rest of that line is lost.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“3 ban [......]; Nin-urdu; 4 ban: Ama-sukkal; 4 ban: Nin-hili; 4 ban: Nin-ušurmu; [n (ban)]: Kuburina; [n (ban)]: Igidudu; 3 ban: Nin-hili; 4 ban: Nam-ušur; 4 ban: Nin-amamu; 4 ban: Nin-šerzi; 3 ban: Geme-gigir. [Total]: 5 (gur), 2 barig [......]”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry