Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CL 198 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 220
In plain English
This tablet is a stock count from a textile workshop: 44 second-grade fine garments, 5 more fine garments associated with weaving, 20 garments of one type and 20 of another — 89 pieces of cloth in all. The batch has been checked back in and accounted for, and it's recorded under the responsibility of the fuller (the worker who washed or finished cloth). The record is dated to the month called Šugar.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“44 nig-lam garments, standard (second) grade, 5 nig-lam garments, weaver-quality, 20 šagadu garments, 20 šagedab garments, total: 89 assorted garments, returned/accounted for, belonging to the fuller. Month: šugar.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 238 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 221
In plain English
Inventory count: 22 'deficit-type' garments, and 18 šagadu-cloth garments (finished goods) are on hand in the House of the Scepter storeroom. Separately, 13 more deficit-type garments and 20 šagadu-cloth garments are on hand with the chief fuller. The account also notes an old garment still to be weighed in, and is attributed to a weaver. Recorded in the month of the barley harvest.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“22 nig-la2 garments, 18 (20 less 2) šagadu-garments, nig-su-a type, old garment(s) to be weighed/balanced — (recorded) in the House of the Scepter: there is (this much). 13 nig-la2 garments, 20 šagadu-garments, nig-su-a type, with the chief fuller — is present (with him). Weaver. Month: "Harvest" (barley-cutting).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 082 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 223
In plain English
This tablet records that 29 pieces of sorted leather — part of the current stock of hides — were delivered and received by a man named Ur-Enlil, on behalf of or destined for the fullers' workshop. The delivery was logged in the month of Šuba-nun, and the entry was finalized or witnessed by an official named Lugal-a. In short: a routine receipt confirming that a batch of hides reached the laundry/fulling house and was checked into the books.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“29 (30 minus 1) hides, selected/sorted leather — leather, current (daily) goods, received (returned to hand): Ur-Enlil, (the) tenth / Susi(?), (from/for) the house of the fullers, delivery, month: Šuba-nun, Lugal-a.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 316 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 224
In plain English
A batch of bronze weighing just under some number of minas (two shekels short of the round figure) and seven nails were weighed out and logged. The metal went to Lugal-amu, the priest in charge of the Iškur temple. Dada the smith did the weighing and handed it over. Recorded in the month of Abe'eziga.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[n and] 1/3 mina minus 2 shekels of bronze; 7 nails. Its total was recorded (set down). [For] Lugal-amu, [the temple administrator] of Iškur; Dada, the smith, weighed it out to him. Month: Abe'eziga.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 012 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 225
In plain English
A record of metal issued to the smith Dada: four mina of muš-metal, plus a third of a mina of a special grade — possibly linked to the far-off city of Aratta — was weighed out to him, checked against a measuring rod marked to the fifteenth unit. The transaction is dated to the month of Šugar. In short: this is a receipt confirming that a specific weight of metal left the storehouse and reached the craftsman's workshop.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“4 mina of muš (a metal or material), 1/3 (mina) of Aratta-quality ..., ni-na — according to its measuring-rod: the 15th (unit) — Dada, the smith: it was weighed out to him. Month: Šugar.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 311 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 226
In plain English
This tablet logs two issues of metal from an unnamed official's stores. First, four minas of an unclear material and two-thirds of a mina of something associated with Aratta (or a person/place called Nina) were handed over — the record names Dudu and then Dada as involved, closing with 'it was given to him.' Separately, nine units of copper worth a third of a shekel each were also given to Dada, again closed with the same formula. In short: a short receipt or issue-voucher for metal rations to two workers or officials, Dudu and Dada, written by an anonymous administrator at Adab.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“4 minas of muš-[...], 2/3 mina of Aratta-a-nina(?), (to) Dudu, (to) Dada — it was given to him. 9 sugan-units of copper, at one-third shekel [each], (to) Dada — it was given to him.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 099 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 228
In plain English
This tablet is a payout record: 3 and a half minas of one commodity (called here 'numun-kalga,' something 'strong' or hardened — possibly a type of metal) and a bit over 6 minas and 6 shekels of a second commodity ('muš') were weighed out and handed over to a man named Ax-kù-pa'e, who is tied in some way to the king or royal household. The transaction is dated to the month known as 'ab-e-zi-ga.' It reads like a routine receipt or disbursement note from an ancient accounting office — precise about weights and names, but silent on the broader reason for the payment.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“3 1/2 minas of 'numun-kalga' (a strong/hardened seed-commodity, possibly a metal type); 6[+x] minas, 6 shekels of 'muš' (another commodity, possibly a metal or material); (for) Ax-kù-pa'e, the king (or: a royal official/dependent), was weighed out for him. Month: 'ab-e-zi-ga' (the going-forth of the ab).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 120 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 229
In plain English
The record notes two batches of metal handed over for smithing: just under one full mana (53 shekels) of one grade — described as 'strong' raw material — and one mana ten shekels of a second, cleaned or polished grade. Two more lines recording quantities are broken and lost. What survives afterward specifies the purpose: metal for a heavy, thick-bladed axe, entered as part of a running total. It was issued to the smith AxKU3-pa-e3, and the tablet closes with the standard notation that the metal was weighed out and delivered into his hands.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 mana less 7 shekels of 'strong seed' (raw metal?), 1 mana 10 shekels of polished/cleansed muš-metal, [......] [......] for the thick-necked axe (ḫazi), for the total account (sagšu), (to) AxKU3-pa-e3, the smith — it was weighed out to him.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry