Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · AO 11339 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 100
In plain English
Receipt for animal skins. Two goat skins are from Ur-Šara's account, one ewe skin is from Lugal-KA's, and two goat skins are from Ur-Suen's. The shepherd Utu-mu delivered all of them. Dated year 4, month 12.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 2 goat skins: 2. (they are) of Ur-Šara. 3. 1 ewe skin: 4. (it is) of Lugal-KA. 5. 2 goat skins: 6. (they are) of Ur-Suen. 7. Utu-mu, the shepherd, brought (them) in. 8. Year 4, month 12.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11342 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 103
In plain English
Receipt: 63 gur of barley, measured by the large standard gur, credited to Ur-a-lu-za. This is threshed barley from the farm district of the field called Enlila. Lugal-KA has received it. Supervising officer: Ra-bala. Dated the fourth month.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (no side division given in the transliteration) 1. 63 gur of barley, (by the) great gur (sag-gal₂), 2. (from) Ur-a-lu-za; 3. threshed barley 4. of the agar-district of the field Enlila. 5. Lugal-KA 6. received it. 7. Overseer: Ra-bala. 8. Month 4.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11343 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 104
In plain English
Ninety-nine gur of barley, measured by the sag-gal2-dul3 standard, and five gur of emmer wheat: this is Lugal-TAR's grain. Lugal-KA-e has received it. Also noted are the gala and the scribe, and the palace of U.EDIN. Dated year 6, month 6.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (as given): 1. 99 (literally 1 sixty 40 minus 1) gur of barley, (by the) sag-gal2-dul3 (gur measure); 2. 5 gur of emmer — 3. it is the barley of Lugal-TAR. 4. Lugal-KA-e 5. received (it). 6. The gala, the scribe; 7. palace of U.EDIN. 8. Year 6, month 6.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11350 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 111
In plain English
Ur-Šara handed over two ewe skins and one goat skin, and Ur-Suen handed over one goat skin. Lugal-e-ge took the skins to Gurgulum. Recorded in year 22, with all 12 months of the year completed.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 2 ewe skins, 2. 1 nanny-goat skin: 3. Ur-Šara; 4. 1 nanny-goat skin: 5. Ur-Suen. 6. Lugal-e-ge 7. to Gurgulum 8. took (them). 9. 22nd year, 12 months completed.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11352 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 113
In plain English
Received: four whole goat skins and two that are not whole, for the governor's offering. Mutila and Dumuzi-andul brought them in. Dated year 3, month 10.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 4 goat skins, whole (za3-šu4); 2. 2 goat skins, not whole (za3 nu-šu4); 3. for the governor's offering, 4. Mutila, 5. Dumuzi-andul 6. brought (them). 7. Year 3, month 10.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11353 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 114
In plain English
One goatskin. The goat died, apparently at a threshing floor nearby. Aḫuḫu handed the skin over to Asar-antila. The name Ur-Šara follows. The tablet ends with a count of 23 years and 2 months. It does not say what that figure measures, though it may be an elapsed period or a dating notation.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 1 goat skin: 2. at the threshing floor (?) adjoining (?), 3. it (the goat) died. 4. Aḫuḫu 5. to Asar-antila 6. handed (it) over. 7. Ur-Šara. 8. 23 years, 2 months.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11355 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 116
In plain English
Ur-Šara: one kid without the marking and one kid with it. Ur-Suen: one kid without the marking, plus one ewe skin and one nanny-goat skin, both with the marking. These items are for the festival of Dumuzi, under Utu-mu. Dated year 8, month 1.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 kid, za3 not šu4 (unmarked?); 1 kid, za3-šu4 (marked?): (from/for) Ur-Šara. 1 kid, za3 not šu4 (unmarked?); 1 ewe skin, za3-šu4 (marked?); 1 nanny-goat skin, za3-šu4 (marked?): (from/for) Ur-Suen. Festival of Dumuzi. Utu-mu (responsible official?). Year 8, month 1.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11359 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 120
In plain English
Receipt: 349 gur of barley, measured with the standard large gur and checked as correct. The account is under Ur-ankinu. This is threshed barley from the farmland of the Enlila field. Lugal-KA-e has received it. Dated the fourth month.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (single continuous text as given): 1. 349 (lit. 360 minus 11) gur of barley, by the standard (sag-gal2) gur, correct (measure); 2. Ur-ankinu: 3. threshed barley 4. (from) the meadowland of the field Enlila. 5. Lugal-KA-e 6. received (it). 7. Month 4.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry