Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CL 091 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 112
In plain English
A total of 143 talents of thread were distributed among temple workers: the chief lamentation priest received 60, a man named Ulux-di-gal received 20, E2-zi received 33, and two different men both named Lugal-itida — told apart here by their fathers, Ur-ga and Utu-a — each received 10. A fifth recipient, Ur-dam, received [10], though that part of the tablet is damaged. The final lines close the account: these are the thread workers, and the goods were officially issued to them.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“60 [talents of] thread — [for the] chief lamentation priest; 20 — Ulux-di-gal; 33 — E2-zi; 10 — Lugal-itida, son of Ur-ga; 10 — Lugal-itida, son of Utu-a; [10] — Ur-dam [...]; Total: 143 [talents of] thread. [These are] the thread workers — ba-ḫa (distributed/issued?), it was given to them.”
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 127 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 115
In plain English
This is a delivery record for 2,190 bundles of twisted cord with a combined weight of 40 talents, measured using one-talent stone weights as the standard. The goods were given to the lord — a senior official, likely at a temple administration. The scribe designated this as a principal document in the filing sequence and dated the transaction to the month of the barley harvest.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2,190 (bundles of) twisted cord — its weight: 40 talents; stone weight: 1 talent each. To the lord it was given. For the primary tablet. Month: še-sag₁₁-ku₅-a.”
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 149 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 116
In plain English
Eighty-six bundles of thread were weighed out on the stone-weight scales, coming to 2 minas in total. They were given to the lord and recorded as received in his hands — disbursed and done. The transaction took place during the barley-harvest month.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“86 [bundles of] thread-cord — from stone[-weight] minas, 2 minas' [worth], was weighed out. To the lord was given to him. The thread is in his hand — was disbursed. Month: [barley-]harvest.”
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 177 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 118
In plain English
This record shows several separate allocations of rope or fiber: 120 units are listed under Ur-a, the supervising officer (nubanda). Below him, 30 units go to Ur-ašgi, described as an assigned worker; 120 units to Kin-gal; and 600 units to the chief scribe. All of this has been formally received and accounted for. Adda is the scribe who drew up the document.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“120 gu [sa] Ur-a, the nubanda; 30: Ur-ašgi, the assigned man; 120: Kin-gal; 600: the chief scribe — received / returned. Adda is the scribe.”
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 108 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 119
In plain English
Five talents and seven minas of wool have been brought into the storehouse. The wool belongs to the governor. Lugal-amu weighed it out on his behalf. Dated to the month of Du₆-kù.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“5 talents (and) 7 minas of wool — wool that was brought into the storehouse (é-níg-gur₁₁-ra); it is the governor's wool. Lugal-amu weighed it out for him. Month: Du₆-kù.”
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 295 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 125
In plain English
The record shows two batches of garments: 168 pieces still owed or outstanding from personal property accounts, and 176 pieces already registered as personal property — coming to a grand total of 344 garments in the personal property ledger. The document then confirms current locations: a stock of garments is on hand at the quay, and another stock is present in the palace. The precise quantities for those two locations are not given in the surviving lines.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“168 garments — outstanding balance [from] personal property; 176 garments — personal property. Total: 344 garments — personal property. Garments of the quay — they are present. Garments of the palace — they are present.”
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 306 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 130
In plain English
The tablet records six batches of garments held in a storeroom: 40 standard body-wraps, verified in one basket; then two further lots of roughly 30 garments each (both entries are too damaged to read in full), each in its own basket; then 35 more standard garments in a basket; then 70 fine šà-ga-dù garments in a basket; and finally 80 fine šà-ga-dù garments together with 10 standard ones, all sharing a single last basket. Each entry closes with the note that the basket is present and accounted for.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“40 nig2-la2 garments — nig2-su-a [type] 1 basket — in stock 30 [...] 1 basket — [in stock] 30[+?] [...] 1 basket — in stock 35 nig2-la2 garments 1 basket — in stock 70 šà-ga-dù garments 1 basket — in stock 80 šà-ga-dù garments 10 nig2-la2 garments 1 basket — [in stock]”
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 235 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 135
In plain English
Two garments of the šagadu type and two garments of the šage-dab type were given to the governor. Ur-Šupa-sikil is the one who gave them to him. The tablet then begins a running total — something like 'Grand total: [n] garments of various kinds' — but the number is lost in a gap, and the rest of the tablet is too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 garments of šagadu-type — [for the] governor 2 garments of šage-dab-type — [for the] governor Ur-Šupa-sikil gave to him [Total: n garment(s),] various [...]”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-4-6 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-4-6 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry