Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CST 204 — Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, California, USA
CST 204
In plain English
The first part of the record is lost. What survives begins with a reference to a man who bought a house. It then records the animals: one ox and one donkey for Ur-ga₂; four oxen (the number is slightly damaged) for Ur-pirig-tur; and ten oxen and two donkeys for I-ta-… and Ur-ga₂-…, whose names are partly broken off. The text breaks off after that.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(Beginning destroyed) 1′. [...] 2′. man (who) bought a house (lit. 'man of the purchased house'); 3′. 1 ox, 1 donkey: 4′. Ur-ga₂[?]; 5′. 4[?] oxen: Ur-pirig-tur; 6′. 10 [oxen], 7′. 2 donkeys: 8′. I-ta-[x] (and) 9′. Ur-ga₂-[x]. (Rest destroyed or not provided)”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BM 086299 — British Museum, London, UK
CT 50, 049
In plain English
The ledger records 566 sheep and 303 female goats, entered on the official wide-format tablet. A separate count follows: 135 sheep and 12 lambs, some of which are animals set aside for the current slaughter rotation, the rest designated as pasture stock. The document is dated to the year when the road-team expedition at the drinking-hall was established — the name the scribes gave to that particular year in place of a number.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“566 sheep, 303 female goats — confirmed on the broad tablet. 135 sheep, 12 lambs: these are sheep of the slaughter-rotation. Sheep at pasture. Year: the expedition-yoke at the drinking-hall was established.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-4-6 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-4-6 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CUNES 48-08-156 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 11, 283
In plain English
A field of one bur3 produced 143 gur of barley. The entry is dated to the 7th day of the month of Še-sag-kal. The field is held by Mu-nu11-mah, and [by Gada-gar-Ib]-ni-Suen — this document identifies them as the responsible parties. The opening portion of the final name is damaged and has been reconstructed; the rest of the tablet is intact.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“143 gur of barley — its field-area: 1 bur3. Month of Še-sag-kal, day 7. Field of Mu-nu11-mah; [Field of Gada-gar-Ib]-ni-Suen — it is (this).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-4-6 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-4-6 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CUNES 47-10-005 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 19, 201
In plain English
Dates handed out: Ur-PA, son of A-ni-ta, gets 2 barig. Ur-lu also gets 2 barig, Me-zi gets 1 barig and 3 ban, Ur-barra gets 1 barig, and the shepherd gets 1 ban. All of these are men of the E-miri-KI-a household. The wife of Nita-zi receives 4 ban. The whole amount is booked as an expense of Ili-beli.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse / Reverse (the edition gives no side markers) 1. 2 barig of dates (gur-measure): 2. Ur-PA, 3. son of A-ni-ta; 4. 2 barig: Ur-lu; 5. 1 barig 3 ban: Me-zi; 6. 1 barig: Ur-barra; 7. 1 ban: the shepherd; 8. (these are the) men of E-miri-KI-a. 9. 4 ban: the wife of Nita-zi. 10. Expenditure 11. (of) Ili-beli.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CUNES 47-10-003 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 20, 037
In plain English
Seven minas of flax and two baskets of garlic are here in stock. Adda has sent Ur-Lulu three measures of small peas and one measure of cumin. Then the letter proper: 'To Ur-Lulu, from Adda: please send Lu-gid back.'
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. 7 minas of flax (fibre), 2. 2 gurdub-baskets of SUMASZ@g garlic — 3. (these) are on hand. 4. 3 ban of small peas(?), 5. 1 ban of cumin: 6. to Ur-Lulu 7. Adda 8. has sent (them). 9. To Ur-Lulu 10. speak: 11. Adda 12. says: 13. "Lu-gid 14. let him send back!"”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Anonymous 427633 — private: anonymous, unlocated
CUSAS 26, 078
In plain English
This is a list of Mištiti's animals: 39 ewes, 70 rams, 7 nanny-goats and 5 other goats. They were driven to the capital, Agade, when the governor went there. It was written in the sheep-shearing month, in the year the Meskigala canal was dug.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (no side division marked in the source): 1. 40 minus 1 (= 39) ewes, 2. 1 sixty 10 (= 70) rams, 3. 7 nanny-goats, 4. 5 LAK020 (goats), 5. sheep (and goats) of Mištiti, they are; 6. with the governor 7. to Agade 8. they were driven. 9. Month: Ga-udu-ur ("sheep-shearing"). 10. Year: the canal of Meskigala 11. was dug.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Anonymous 427622 — private: anonymous, unlocated
CUSAS 26, 107
In plain English
The amounts are broken off, but the tablet lists goods and who got them. The first item, called nig-su-a, has lost its recipient. A number of ša-ga-du garments went to Mama-ummi. Something called su-bala went to Geme-Enlila. The next entry reads Sibitum, which may be another person or may be a term for the account as a whole. The record is dated to the twelfth month, the month of the barley harvest.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[...] nig2-su-a; [...] ša3-ga-du3 garment(s): [Ma]ma-ummi. [...] su-bala: [Geme-]Enlila. [Si]bitum. [Month] Še-KIN-ku5 (12th month).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Anonymous 427621 — private: anonymous, unlocated
CUSAS 26, 145
In plain English
Seven gur came out of the Emaḫ and went to Lugal-itida and Ur-nigar. Further amounts were then logged. One gur and one barig came from Ur-nigar, one barig and two ban from a man whose name ends in Iškur, and four ban from someone whose name is damaged. Two gur came from a person whose name begins with AN, and four gur came from Ba-zaza. Fifteen gur are held by Ur-nigar, and nine gur are at the fortress of Ur-abba. The last two lines name the Emaḫ and someone called Nin-something, but they are too broken to say what happened.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse / Reverse (no side division is marked in the supplied transliteration; lines numbered consecutively here) 1. 7 gur: from the Emaḫ, 2. (to/with) Lugal-itida 3. and Ur-nigar. 4. 1 gur 1 barig: from Ur-nigar; 5. 1 barig 2 ban: from x-Iškur; 6. 4 ban: x [...]-x; 7. 2 gur: from AN-x; 8. 4 gur: from Ba-zaza; 9. 15 gur: with Ur-nigar; 10. 9 gur (literally 10 minus 1): (at) the fortress (of) Ur-abba. 11. The Emaḫ (ergative: 'the Emaḫ [did ...]') 12. Nin-x-[(x)]-x.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry