Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · OIM A07881 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 331
In plain English
This is a grain ledger. Subarītum, Tašqītum, Tata, and Tuda-šar-libbiš each received 1 gur and 1 barig of barley from the stock on hand — roughly 360 liters apiece — while Eštar-nuʾid got about 5 gur. The account also lists 12 sheep and one female kid, plus a barley ration of 1 gur, 1 barig, 1 ban, and 5 sila. A further quantity of barley on hand follows, but the line is broken, as is the next; one surviving phrase mentions the wife of Dada. The record is dated to the month of Ḫalūt.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 1 gur 1 barig of barley, principal on hand — 2. Subarītum; 3. 1 (gur) 1 barig — Tašqītum; 4. 1 (gur) 1 barig — Tata; 5. 1 (gur) 1 barig — Tuda-šar-libbiš; 6. 5(?) gur of barley — 7. [Eš]tar-nuʾid; 8. 12 sheep, 1 female kid; 9. barley rations: 1 gur 1 barig 1 ban 5 sila of barley; 10. [n gur of barley], principal on hand; 11. [...] 12. wife of Dada(?); 13. [Month: Ḫa]lūt.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07886 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 334
In plain English
A barley ledger with several entries. An unknown amount of barley went out as rations for the servants of a man whose name is partly broken, perhaps Pusu-gi; another lost amount is booked to Išarum. The largest entry is clear: 15 gur of barley (well over 3,000 liters), measured by the official standard of Agade, issued as servants' rations and received by the merchant Nabium. A further, broken quantity is entered under Ilulu, and the last line records an outstanding debt owed by (or charged to) ME-Ištar. The opening quantities are lost to damage.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. [n] gur of [barley], 2. [for the barley] rations of the servants 3. of [Pu]su-gi(?); 4. [n] gur of barley — 5. [I]šarum; 6. 15 gur of barley 7. for the barley rations of the servants, 8. (measured by the standard) of Agade — 9. Nabium, the merchant, 10. received (it); 11. [n] gur of barley — Ilulu; 12. [that of(?)] ME-Ištar: a debt (ḫubullum).”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 08636 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 002
In plain English
This is a balance note. Two-thirds of a shekel of silver is on the books; against that sum are set one male equid and four oxen. The account still shows a shortfall: 180 gur of barley — reckoned in the official gur-measure of Agade, the capital's standard — remains outstanding. The whole entry is filed under the household of Ḫalum. In other words: Ḫalum's estate has drawn silver and animals, and still owes the administration a large quantity of barley.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 2/3 (shekel) of silver — therefrom: 2. 1 male equid, 3. 4 oxen. 4. Deficit: 5. 180 gur of barley, 6. in(?) the gur-measure of Agade. 7. House(?) of Ḫalum.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 08637 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 003
In plain English
This is a grain tax ledger. Abī-Tišpak owes (or delivered) 4 gur and 2 barig of barley — roughly 1,300 liters. The palace accounts for 16 gur, by far the largest entry. Idada and Pū-ilum are each listed at 3 gur 3 barig. The scribe notes that all of this is the šibšum, the levy taken from the harvest, and that the whole amount is handled by — or charged to — an official named Azaqar.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 4 gur 2 barig of barley — 2. Abī-Tišpak; 3. 16 (gur) — the palace; 4. 3 (gur) 3 barig — Idada; 5. 3 (gur) 3 barig — Pū-ilum. 6. (It is) šibšum-levy, 7. in the hand of (/ credited to) Azaqar.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 10330 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 013
In plain English
This is a distribution list for brewing and kitchen supplies. Ḫal-ilum receives 3 barig (about 180 liters) of fine beer bread and 3 barig of fine groats; Ibbi-ilum, the cook, receives the same amounts. Situm-ki gets a much smaller share — 5 sila (about 5 liters) of fine groats — while Ama-lu-du receives 6 sila and Ama-teš an amount now lost from the tablet. The last lines are too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 3 barig of fine beer bread (bappir), 2. 3 barig of fine groats: 3. Ḫal-ilum; 4. 3 barig of fine beer bread, 5. 3 barig of fine groats: 6. Ibbi-ilum, the cook; 7. 5 sila of fine groats: 8. Situm-ki; 9. 6 sila: Ama-lu-du(?); 10. n sila: Ama-teš; 11. [...] ... 12. [...] ... [...]”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11257 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 019
In plain English
Flock inventory: 32 breeding ewes, 39 rams, 11 young female lambs and 9 young male lambs of good quality; on the goat side, 14 nannies, 5 mature billy goats, 8 female kids and 2 male kids of good quality. That makes 91 sheep and 29 goats in all. The animals belong to Ur-Šara, and the herdsman En-ane is the one keeping them. The sheep that have had their wool plucked are earmarked for E-gud-diš. The record closes with the time notation: 10 years, 8 months.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 32 mother ewes, 2. 40 less 1 (= 39) rams, 3. 11 female lambs, 'fine' (ša-du), 4. 10 less 1 (= 9) male lambs, 'fine', 5. 14 nanny goats, KU, 6. 5 full-grown billy goats, 7. 8 female kids, 'fine', 8. 2 male kids, 'fine'; 9. total: 91 sheep, 10. total: 30 less 1 (= 29) goats. 11. They are the sheep of Ur-Šara; 12. En-ane keeps (lit. 'lives with') them. 13. The plucked sheep are for E-gud-diš. 14. 10 years, 8 months.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11258 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 020
In plain English
Inventory of goats: 47 mother nanny goats, 10 female kids and 10 male kids of standard grade, and 15 full-grown billy goats — 82 goats in total currently on hand. The herd belongs to Ur-Šara and is in the care of the shepherd Utu-mu, with whom the animals are kept. The books on this herd were balanced at Barasiga. The period covered: 11 years and 7 months.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 5(u) la2 3(aš) — 50 less 3 (= 47) mother goats, 2. 10 female kids, šà-du₁₀ (regular-quality/suckling), 3. 10 male kids, šà-du₁₀, 4. 15 full-grown billy goats; 5. total: 1(geš₂) 2(u) 2 — 82 goats on hand (lit. "standing"). 6. It is (the herd) of Ur-Šara. 7–8. They are kept (lit. "live") with Utu-mu, the shepherd. 9. In Barasiga its account was settled (lit. "its account was made"). 10. 11 years, 7 months.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11259 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 021
In plain English
This is an expenditure ledger for barley, measured by the standard 'sag-gal' gur. Ur-Endimgig got 47 gur (written as 60 minus 13); Ur-saga the cupbearer, 15; Ur-nagar the lamentation-priest, 10; Mezu the scribe, 46 gur and 2 barig; Ur-gu of Ur-dudu, 6; Uda, 16; Ama-e'e, 10 — duly received; Id-hinun the nugig-priestess, 5; and Ur-Šubur the fuller, 20. Altogether 175 gur and 2 barig of barley booked out of the stores, apparently under the responsibility of Ur-zu the builder, in the fifth year, fourth month.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 60 less 13(?) gur of barley, (in) the sag-gal (measure): 2. Ur-Endimgig(?); 3. 15 (gur): Ur-saga, the cupbearer; 4. 10 (gur): Ur-nagar, the lamentation-priest; 5. 46 gur 2 barig: Mezu, the scribe; 6. 6 (gur): Ur-gu (of?) Ur-dudu; 7. 16 (gur): Uda; 8. 10 (gur): Ama-e'e — 9. received (šu ba-ti); 10. 5 (gur): Id-hinun, the nugig-priestess; 11. 20 (gur): Ur-Šubur, the fuller. 12. Total: 175(?) gur 2 barig of barley, (in) the sag-gal (measure), 13. barley expended (zi-ga). 14. Ur-zu(?), the builder(?). 15. Year 5(?), month 4.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry