Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CL 100 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 246
In plain English
Twenty prepared hides were supplied by Ur-a2, the chief tanner, and twenty-one more prepared hides were supplied by the tanner known as 'Gala.' These hides were designated for a chariot connected with a royal offering, and the transaction was handled by (or given to) An-ne-šum2. The record is dated to the month of Ab-e'zigga.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“20 hides, dag-ga (soaked/prepared) — Ur-a2, the chief tanner (aszgab gal); 21 hides, dag-ga (soaked/prepared) — the gala-tanner (gala aszgab); for the chariot, the royal offering (nidba) — An-ne-šum2 (gave/received). Month: Ab-e'zi-ga.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 200 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 250
In plain English
The storehouse issued a batch of hides — 2 from oxen, 7 from donkeys, 3 or more from lions, and 20 from sheep — plus 3 sila of lard, all processed and set aside as material for war gear. These hides were handed over to the leatherworker Ur-a2. The transaction was recorded in the month of Mutir.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 hides of oxen, 7 hides of donkeys, 3(+n) hides of lions, 20 hides of sheep, 3 sila of pig fat (lard) — having been processed: hides for the equipment of battle — to Ur-a2, the leatherworker, were given. Month: Mutir.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 248 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 251
In plain English
This tablet is a short accounting note from the city of Adab. It records an unspecified amount of lard along with 20 sheep hides, handled under the authority of a governor (his name is broken, only partly preserved as 'Dugan...'), which were then processed. A further 1/3 sila of lard and 1 ox hide were likewise processed. A fragmentary line connects this to a royal food offering involving a donkey. The goods were then handed over to a leatherworker named Ur-a. A closing note marks the fat as an expenditure entry, and the record is dated to the month called Niĝkiri'a, the 'garden month.'
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[n] sila3 of lard (pig-fat). 20 sheep hides — (in) Dugan[...], the governor — he processed (it). 1/3 sila3 of lard, 1 ox hide — he processed (it). ... the donkey — it is the royal offering (nidba lugal). Ur-a — to the leatherworker (aszgab) — he gave (it) to him. The fat/oil: booked out (expenditure). Month: Niĝkiri'a ("garden month").”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 137 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 252
In plain English
The storehouse holds 1 ox-hide and 20 units of bitumen on hand. It also holds 1 ox-hide and 16 units of bitumen on hand. From the surplus stock, 12 hides were weighed out and issued to Ur-a2, the leatherworker. Recorded in the harvest month.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 ox-hide, 20 (units of) bitumen — for the storehouse — is on hand. 1 ox-hide, 16 (units of) bitumen — for the storehouse — is on hand. 12 hides, surplus (nig2-diri), were weighed out (disbursed). Ur-a2 — to the leatherworker — was given. Month: še-KIN-a.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 205 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 253
In plain English
The record lists hide allocations: twenty goat hides went to (a person or place called) Ummu, and ten sheep hides were set aside for a type of leather called 'erina.' A man named Ur-Enlil is noted, possibly in connection with a craft or measuring role ('susi'). One more sheep hide is recorded as bitumen-treated leather, meant to be filled or finished. Finally, two hides of an unspecified material are recorded for a person or place named Dugan. In short, this is a tally of leather issued from storage for various workers and purposes.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 20 hides of goat(s), 2. for Ummu (EDIN.A); 3. 10 hides of sheep, 4. for e-ri-na-leather; 5. Ur-Enlil, 6. (the) susi(-worker/measurer)(?); 7. 1 hide of sheep, 8. bitumen-treated leather, 9. to be filled(?); 10. 2 hides of [...], 11. Dugan.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 294 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 256
In plain English
This record lists supplies issued for leatherworking, probably for fitting out a chariot. It notes 10 units of a type of processed leather, oil that was applied or worked into material, several donkey hides, a quantity of bitumen allocated 'for the house' (a workshop or storeroom), one more donkey hide used as a covering for a chariot, an unspecified amount of liquid measured in sila, some pig fat (lard) also measured in sila, and roughly three more hides of an unclear type that were likewise processed. The tablet breaks off after this, and the remaining lines are too damaged to read except for one final mention of hides.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 10 (units) of ummu-leather(?) (EDIN.A) 2. [oil] was applied/processed 3. [n] hide(s) of donkey 4. [n] (measure of) bitumen — for the house 5. 1 hide of donkey 6. covering for the chariot 7. [...] sila (liquid measure) 8. [n] sila of lard/pig-fat 9. 3(?) hide(s) of ... 10. was made/processed 11. [...] (break) 12. [...] (break) 13. [n] hide(s) [...]”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 305 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 257
In plain English
Five 'bar-dul5' cloaks, made by the weavers, went out: Gigire was the recipient, and Ur-a2 took charge of them; they were then handed over to the leatherworker. The next lines are too broken to read clearly, but they mention another weaver and what looks like a further transfer or delivery — the details are lost. The record closes with the month name: Akiti.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“5(asz@c) bar-dul5 garments — (product of) the weaver(s) — to Gigire — Ur-a2 took in charge — to the leatherworker — [was] given [to him]. [...] weaver [... to] [...] given? Month: Akiti (festival of the equinox).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 144 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 259
In plain English
Twelve units of bitumen, drawn from the household stores, were issued through the courier Giri-gena and booked out by the household manager. A further, now-illegible quantity of bitumen from the same household stock went to two men, Šeš-šeš and Lu-am-GIŠGALxIGI. Separately, five units of bitumen were allotted to the governor and recorded as settled or accounted for, with a man named Ur-a2 apparently responsible for the transaction. The record is dated to the month of Šu-gar.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“12 (units) bitumen — the household ration — via Giri-gena (the courier), the household manager: was disbursed. [n] (units) bitumen — the household ration — (for) Šeš-šeš, (and) Lu-am-GIŠGALxIGI. 5 (units) bitumen — (for) the governor — returned/accounted for (in hand): it is (the charge of) Ur-a2. Month: Šu-gar.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry