Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · CL 150 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 291
In plain English
This tablet is a work-crew list. Under the foreman Ura, three men — Kada, A-geština, and Lugal-entarsu — are recorded as leatherworkers. Under the foreman Burgul, two more men — Kaku and Nadurum — are recorded as fullers, the craftsmen who finished and cleaned woven cloth. A closing line notes that all these men are on duty, present and accounted for on the workshop rolls.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1: Kada 1: A-geština 1: Lugal-entarsu [foreman]: Ura they are leatherworkers [1]: Kaku [1]: Nadurum foreman: Burgul they are fullers they are men in attendance / on duty”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 269 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 292
In plain English
This tablet is a work-crew tally from the city of Adab. It records 3 smiths under the foreman Dada, and 3 carpenters under a foreman named E-mah (the title 'foreman' before his name is partly broken but restorable). Next comes an entry for 2 reed-workers, followed by a line naming '1' of some further category whose name is broken away, and then another line lost entirely. The tablet closes with a grand total: 23 workers, described as men 'stationed' or assigned to their posts — meaning the missing lines in the middle must have listed additional workers to bring the count up from 9 to 23.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“3 smiths foreman: Dada 3 carpenters [foreman]: E-mah 2 reed-workers (ad-kup4) 1 ki-[...] (broken) [...] (broken) Total: 23 workers, they are stationed/on-duty workers.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 050 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 293
In plain English
This is a roster of five workers, each listed under the official who supervised him: Lugalka, overseer Dada; Duganli, overseer Ur-a; Amar-ashnan (the line is partly broken), overseer Kiku; Lu-ashgi (also partly broken), overseer presumably Dudu; and Ur-li, overseer Bur-gul. The tally at the bottom counts five craftsmen in total, and the record closes by noting that these are the men who fled — runaway laborers being accounted for, overseer by overseer.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (worker): Lugal-ka — overseer: Dada 1 (worker): Duga-ni — overseer: Ur-a [1 (worker)]: Amar-ašnan — overseer: Kiku [1 (worker)]: Lu-ašgi — [overseer]: Dudu 1 (worker): Ur-li — overseer: Bur-gul Total: 5 geškinti-workers (craftsmen) — they are fugitive men.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 194 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 294
In plain English
This is a short administrative note listing three craftsmen who ran away from their work gangs. Amar-Šuba-be2 was under the overseer Dada; Amar-Ašnan was under the overseer Kiku; and Ur-Ištaran was under the overseer (or foreman) Bur-gul. The record totals three craftsmen and states plainly: these men are fugitives — they have absconded from their assigned labor.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (worker): Amar-Šuba-be2, overseer: Dada. 1 (worker): Amar-Ašnan, overseer: Kiku. 1 (worker): Ur-Ištaran, overseer: Bur-gul. Total: 3, craftsmen (geškinti-workers) — they are fugitive men.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 107 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 295
In plain English
This record lists workers by trade: five cupbearers, one barber, one launderer, one man holding the title (or trade) 'ka-ku3,' five craftsmen, and four men attached to the Iškur temple. Added together that comes to seventeen men. These workers were assigned — or handed over — to a man named Lu-Iškur. It reads like a staffing memo: so many people of each job, a grand total, and the name of the person now responsible for them.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“5 cupbearers, 1 barber, 1 fuller (launderer), 1 ka-ku3 (title/craftsman uncertain), 5 craftsmen (geš-kin-ti), 4 men of Iškur (workers/personnel of the Iškur temple). Total: 20 minus 3 — (i.e.) 17 men. (To) Lu-Iškur — were given / he gave.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 104 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 296
In plain English
Five men — En-zara, E'a-sar, Duraga, Malagar, and Lugal-kuli — were sent off to the city of Agade. Total: five men. This was done under the authority of the palace.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (man): En-zara 1 (man): E'a-sar 1 (man): Duraga 1 (man): Malagar 1 (man): Lugal-kuli Total: 5 men — to Agade were led/dispatched. Palace.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 206 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 299
In plain English
This is a simple headcount list: ten men are named one by one — Inimanizi; a lamentation-priest who is the son of Ur-ba; Edam; Lugal-alkal; Dada; Girine (identified together with another as sons of Lugal-alkal); another lamentation-priest, son of Ur-narua; Ur-Ishtaran; Ur-ur; and Az, son of Aba-muna. At the bottom, the scribe totals them up: ten men, classified together as 'merchants.' It reads like a payroll or duty roster rather than a narrative text — just names, parentage where relevant, and a final tally.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (unit): Inimanizi 1 (unit): gala (lamentation-priest), son of Ur-ba 1 (unit): Edam 1 (unit): Lugal-alkal 1 (unit): Dada 1 (unit): Girine, sons of Lugal-alkal (pl.) [1] (unit): gala (lamentation-priest), son of Ur-narua [1] (unit): Ur-Ishtaran 1 (unit): Ur-ur 1 (unit): Az, son of Aba-muna Total: 10 — merchants (dam-gar3)”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · CL 320 — Carl L. Lippmann Collection, Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain
Lippmann Coll 300
In plain English
This is a short receipt or tally recording sheep handed over as customary offerings (mašdaria). One sheep is charged to Ur-Ašgi, who tends the donkeys. Another sheep, apparently, goes to a man named Ur-Šulpa'e, though his name is partly broken away. A few more lines naming another person — someone called Lu-something — and a man identified as the 'elder brother' are damaged or too fragmentary to read fully. The tablet closes by labeling the whole transaction a mašdaria-offering, the standard term for this kind of periodic tribute payment in livestock.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 sheep: Ur-Ašgi, the herder of donkeys. 1 sheep(?): Ur-Šulpa'e(?) — [......]: ..., Lu-... (name broken), the elder brother — mašdaria-offering.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry