Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CL 255 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 266
In plain English
This record logs two heavy cloaks, weighed out precisely: one weighing 6 minas and 5 shekels, the other 4 and a half minas. The next two lines are broken and illegible. The entry closes by noting that it concerns (or belongs to) a stone-cutter — likely the craftsman receiving or associated with these garments in some institutional transaction.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 bar-dul5 garment, its weight: 6 minas, 5 shekels. 1 bar-dul5 garment, its weight: 4 1/2 minas. [......] [......] It is (for/of) the stone-cutter (bur-gul).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 271 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 269
In plain English
This tablet is a short inventory receipt. It lists cordage and materials issued from storage: one rope of a type called 'dur-ab-sag' weighing 2 mina, a unit of bitumen weighing a third of a mina, four ropes of another type (the name is partly broken), and two more ropes of a type called 'a-an' weighing a combined 26 mina, plus a leather plow-rope. These goods were received by a man named Ili-ahi, who worked as an official under the city governor, and the transaction was returned or settled in connection with the affairs of a seal-cutter (a craftsman who engraved stone seals). The record is dated to the month of Šugar.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 rope: dur-ab-sag (type) its weight: 2 mina 1 (unit) bitumen its weight: 1/3 (mina) 4 ropes: ...-da (type) [n] 2 ropes: a2-an (type) [its weight]: 26 mina 1 leather plow-rope received — by Ili-ahi, servant of the governor. Returned to hand (repaid). It is the matter of the seal-cutter. Month: Šugar.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 110 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 270
In plain English
This record logs the breakdown of an old chariot that once belonged to the governor. Three named parts of the vehicle were removed and weighed together at 2 2/3 minas. They were handed over to a man named Ur-a2, and the handover was confirmed as received. The whole transaction was recorded as falling under the responsibility of a seal-cutter (likely the craftsman who would reuse or work the material). The entry is dated to the month called Ab-e-ziga.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 eš-munsub (a chariot fitting/part); 1 bar-ra of a chariot (a side-piece/rail); 1 šallatum (a chariot part); their weight: 2 2/3 mina; (they are from) an old chariot of the ensi (governor); to Ur-a2 it was given; returned to hand (received/accounted for) — it is (the responsibility/matter) of the seal-cutter. Month: ab-e3-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 122 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 271
In plain English
Two šallatum-items, weighing one mina (about half a kilogram) together, and one ešmunsub-tool were issued. Dadi took charge of them and received them; they were later returned. Dadi is identified by his craft: he is a seal-cutter, a stone- or gem-engraver. This looks like a routine workshop receipt tracking metal handed out to and then returned by a craftsman.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 šallatum-objects, their weight: 1 mina; 1 ešmunsub(-object) (sign corrected from EREN), Dadi — received; returned (to hand); (the) seal-cutter.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 297 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 274
In plain English
This tablet records a distribution of coarse flour (dabin) to workers: 1 gur 4 ban2 goes to the chief smith, and 2 gur 2 barig to the chief carpenter. Smaller, partly broken amounts follow for the assistant carpenter (gala-nagar) and for three individuals named Susi, Ur-edam, and Lugal-ennun. The chief leatherworker receives an amount ending in 1 sila3 (the gur-figure is broken), and finally 1 gur goes to a leatherworker named Dudu. In short: it's a payroll or ration list paying out flour to a small group of craft supervisors and workers.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 gur, 4 ban2 dabin-flour — the chief smith. 2 gur, 2 barig — the chief carpenter. [n] — the gala-nagar (subordinate/attendant carpenter). [n] ban2 — Susi. [n] — Ur-edam. [n] — Lugal-ennun. [n gur], 1 sila3 — the chief leatherworker. 1 gur — Dudu, the leatherworker.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 217 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 275
In plain English
This tablet is a work-crew tally. It lists nine groups of women workers, each entry naming an individual (sometimes standing for a small team) and how many are counted under her: two under Mamummi, two under Geme-Enlil, two under Aštar, one under Taniya, two under Nin-adgal, two under Nig-banda, two under Nin-nigzu (partly broken), two under Sebetum, and one final worker, Me-nigin-ta. Altogether the tablet totals 16 female workers. The record closes by stating that these workers were assigned — 'given' — to a man named Adda, apparently the official now responsible for them.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 female workers (geme2): Mamum[mi] 2 female workers: Geme-Enlil 2 female workers: Aštar 1 female worker: Taniya 2 female workers: Nin-adgal 2 female workers: Nig-banda 2 female workers: Nin-[nigzu] 2 female workers: Sebe[tum] 1 female worker: Me-nigin-ta Total: 16 female workers. (To) Adda were given (i-na-šum2).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 309 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 276
In plain English
This tablet is a labor roster: two female workers are recorded under the supervision of Mama-ummi. Six more pairs of two workers each are then listed, associated with the names Geme-Enlil, Aštar, Tania, Nin-adgal, Nigbanda, and Nin-nigzu. Adding them up gives a total of fourteen female workers. The scribe Ur-Usu recorded the tally, and a final notation — either the phrase 'it was given to him' or the name An-na-šum — closes the account.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 female workers (geme2), overseer: Mama-ummi. 2 — Geme-Enlil, 2 — Aštar, 2 — Tania, 2 — Nin-adgal, 2 — Nigbanda, 2 — Nin-nigzu. Total: 14 female workers. Ur-Usu, scribe. An-na-šum (given to him / personal name).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 041 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 278
In plain English
This tablet is a tally sheet: it counts groups of female workers, entry by entry. Three workers are recorded for Mama-ummi, three for Geme-Enlil, three for Aštar, three for Taniya, two for Nin-adgal, two for Nig-banda, three for Nin-nigzu, and one for Sebetum. No commodity or purpose is stated — it reads as a straightforward headcount or work-assignment list, the kind of routine record an estate or temple office kept to track its female labor force.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“3(asz@c) female workers (geme2) (for/under) Mama-ummi 3(asz@c) Geme-Enlil 3(asz@c) Aštar 3(asz@c) Taniya 2(asz@c) Nin-adgal 2(asz@c) Nig-banda 3(asz@c) Nin-nigzu 1(asz@c) Sebetum”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry