Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CL 276 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 044
In plain English
This tablet records the distribution of dates to a group of named individuals. The top portion is broken, and at least two or three entries are missing or illegible. Of the entries that survive: Ka-[...] received one bariga; Amur-um received two bariga; Giri-gen-na, the house steward, received one bariga and two ban; and Igi-si4 received three ban. The grand total for the full distribution came to 1 gur 3 bariga 1 ban of dates — roughly 490 liters by later Mesopotamian standards. The final two lines are too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[n (barig of)] dates [...]-x-x [n (for)] Lugal-itida [n (for)] Ur-mes 1 barig — Ka-[x] 2 barig — Amur-um 1 barig 2 ban — Giri-gen-na, šabra of the household 3 ban — Igi-si4 Total: 1 gur 3 barig 1 ban of dates [...] kal# [...] [...] x x”
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 · CL 328 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 045
In plain English
The tablet records a delivery of dates: five ban2-measures (roughly 50 liters) loaded into a gurdub basket, counted as one lot. Below that, three ban2 are allocated to a person named Bad-di-NE, and another three to Amurum. At least two more recipients follow — one whose name begins with 'Ti-' and another whose name begins with 'Ur-' — but both are too damaged to read in full. Several lines in the middle are entirely lost. The rest of the tablet is broken.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“5 ban2 of dates — a gurdub-basket, times 1. 3 ban2 — Bad-di-NE. 3 ban2 — Amurum. [n ban2] — Ti-[...] [...] [...] 2 ban2 [n] — Ur-[...]-[...]”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-4-6 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-4-6 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 237 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 047
In plain English
One asz-unit of grain (or similar commodity) goes to Lu-Inanna; one unit to Gissu; one unit to Il. Lugal-nita-zi receives one unit plus one for a dependent. The next entry — for someone whose name begins Lugal-an-dul... — is only partially preserved. Several lines in the middle are too damaged to read, with quantities and parts of names lost. The surviving lower entries show: one unit for Lugal-nam-mah (plus one dependent), one unit for Lu-banda (plus two dependents), and one unit for Ur-Utu (plus two dependents). A final, heavily broken line with the name Igi-si4 cannot be read completely.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (asz-unit) — Lu-Inanna 1 (unit) — Gissu 1 (asz-unit) — Il 1 (asz-unit) — Lugal-nita-zi, 1 (additional unit) Lugal-an-dul[...(?)] [n] — Igi-si4 [n] — Gissu [n] — Lugal-nita-zi, 1 (additional unit) [n] — Lugal-nam-mah, 1 (additional unit) 1 (asz-unit) — Lu-banda, 2 (additional units) 1 (asz-unit) — Ur-Utu, 2 (additional units) [n] — Igi-si4 [...]”
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 · CL 303 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 048
In plain English
This tablet assigns workers to named individuals: two each to Amar-edina, Gissu, Lugal-geš, Ur-erra, and Ur-gu, and one to Lugal-nig — twelve in all, classed as carriers (the designation is uncertain). All fall under the authority of Giri-gen-na, administrator of the estate. A second section, partly damaged, redistributes the same workers in different numbers: two for Lugal-geš, three for Gissu, and one or more for Amar-edina, with the rest of the entries broken off or missing.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[...] x [...] [...]-Inanna, 2 Amar-edina, 2 Gissu, 2 Lugal-geš, 2 Ur-erra, 2 Ur-gu, 1 Lugal-nig: Total: 12 [carriers?]. Giri-gen-na, šabra of the estate. 2 Lugal-geš, 3 Gissu, 1 [n] Amar-edina, [n] Gissu, 2 Lugal-geš.”
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 · CL 222 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 051
In plain English
An unknown number of baskets of dates — one delivery. Two ban2 of dates — two deliveries. One ban2 of dates plus one ban2 of apples in a basket — three deliveries. Two ban2 of dried, split fish in a basket — four deliveries. All of it was given to Amur-um. (The quantity on the first line is missing; the rest of the tablet is readable.)
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[n] dates, basket(s) — [ti]mes 1; 2 ban2 of dates — times 2; 1 ban2 of dates, 1 ban2 of apples, basket(s) — times 3; 2 ban2 of split fish, basket(s) — times 4; for Amur-um, [it was] given to him.”
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 · CL 210 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 052
In plain English
Two monthly food deliveries were made to a man named Amurrum. In the first month — the month of Šuba-nun — he received 2 prime-quality sheep, 30 measures of dates packed in baskets, 30 measures of fish in baskets, and 5 measures of clean garlic in baskets. The following month, the barley-harvest month, the same goods were delivered again, except the fish allotment dropped to 10 measures. All of it was given to him.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 prime-quality sheep 30 dates — in gurdub baskets 30 fish — in gurdub baskets 5 pure garlic — in gurdub baskets [For the] 1st [time] — month: Šuba-nun 2 [+n] prime-quality sheep 30 dates — in gurdub baskets 10 fish — in gurdub baskets 5 pure garlic — in gurdub baskets [For the] 2nd time Month: Barley-harvest For Amurrum: it was given to him.”
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 · CL 068 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 053
In plain English
The tablet records three ration assignments. An uncertain quantity plus one prime sheep and twenty baskets of dates were allocated to the Lady — a senior institutional figure. One prime sheep and ten date baskets went to a man named Li-bi-ad-li. One grass-fed (lower-grade) sheep and ten date baskets went to the temple steward. The tablet closes with entries for two junior brothers and two senior boatmen — either additional recipients or the supervising workers overseeing the distribution. The opening lines are partially broken.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[n+]1 prime sheep, 20 date baskets — [blank/ruling] — (for) the lady. 1 prime sheep, 10 date baskets — (for) Li-bi-ad-li. 1 grass-fed sheep, 10 date baskets — (for) the temple steward of the house. 2 junior brothers, 2 senior boatmen.”
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 · CL 147 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 054
In plain English
Five sheep hides and three units of gu-lul [commodity uncertain], along with five sila each of u2-hab2 herb and gazi spice, were handed over to Lugal-itida for delivery to Akkad. A middle line naming a 'king' and what may be another commodity or title is too damaged to read. The whole transaction was completed in the month of nig2-kiri6.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“5 sheep hides 3 gu-lul 5 sila of u2-hab2 5 sila of gazi Lugal-itida [...] lugal(?) [...] si [x] to Akkad he gave to him month: nig2-kiri6”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-4-6 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-4-6 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry