Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · AO 11363 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 124
In plain English
Ur-e-AB (Tutuda) owes three-quarters of a shekel of silver, that is, one shekel less a quarter, and Lugal-KA is the one holding the claim against him. The witnesses to this are x-gi the smith, whose name is partly unreadable, and Ur-zu the leatherworker. Dated in the twelfth month of year four.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (as given, without side markers): 1. 1 shekel minus 1/4 (shekel) of silver, 2. Ur-e-AB, Tutuda — 3. Lugal-KA 4. holds (it as a claim) against him. 5. x-gi, the smith, 6. Ur-zu, the leatherworker: 7. they are the witnesses. 8. 4th year, 12th month.”
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 11367 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 128
In plain English
Received: some sheepskins (the number is lost) from Ama-e, and some ewe skins (again, the number is lost). One further line is missing. The skins came from Asar-antila, and the recipients took delivery of them. The tablet ends with a damaged date: the number 23, followed by a year name and a month that can no longer be read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. [...] sheep(?) skin(s), 2. Ama-e (or: the 'house-mother'), 3. [...] ewe skin(s), 4. [......] 5. [from A]sar[-antil]a, 6. they received (them). 7. 23 ... year [......], month [......]”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · AO 11371 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 132
In plain English
Two men, Ur-Šara and Dada, were taken by Ur-saga, the captain. Ur-KU-ma was taken by Šubur, the scribe. Ur-teš was taken by Dada, the shepherd's son. Gala was taken by Ikuku, the merchant. That accounts for all the men withdrawn from the team, whose foreman is E-ur.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (no section markers given in source): 1. 1 (man): Ur-Šara; 2. 1 (man): Dada — 3. Ur-saga, the captain (nu-banda), took them away. 4. 1 (man): Ur-KU-ma — 5. Šubur, the scribe, took him away. 6. 1 (man): Ur-teš — 7. Dada, son of the shepherd, took him away. 8. 1 (man): Gala — 9. Ikuku, the merchant, took him away. 10. (These are) men who were taken away. 11. E-ur is their foreman.”
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 11372 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 133
In plain English
Five he-goats and two rams belonging to Ur-Šara, and three breeding ewes belonging to Lugal-KA, were led away by Utu-mugi the shepherd, starting at the time the sheep were plucked for their wool. The note ends with a span of four years and eight months.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 5 he-goats, 2. 2 rams: 3. (these are) of Ur-Šara. 4. 3 mother ewes: 5. (these are) of Lugal-KA. 6. From (the time of) the plucking, 7. Utu-mugi, 8. the shepherd, 9. led (them) away. 10. 4 years (and) 8 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 11373 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 134
In plain English
Garlic issued as payment: 5 units went to E-ku, the wife of Ur-šer; 2 units to Kurra; and 1 unit to Ur-du. They received it as wages. The garlic is charged as an outgoing expense to Ama-e, the wife of Ur-Šara. The final line notes '3 years', a time reference whose exact purpose is unclear.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 5 (units of) garlic: 2. E-ku, 3. wife of Ur-šer; 4. 2 (units): Kurra; 5. 1 (unit): Ur-du. 6. Garlic (as) wages(?), 7. received. 8. Garlic expended (zi-ga), 9. (by) Ama-e, 10. wife of Ur-Šara. 11. 3 years.”
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 11374 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 135
In plain English
This is an inventory of Lugal-KA's sheep. There are 26 breeding ewes, 26 rams, 7 ewe lambs and 6 ram lambs, and the lambs are marked as regular-delivery stock. The whole flock is currently kept at the ox-house.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 26 sheep: mother ewes, 2. 26 rams, 3. 7 female lambs, regular (delivery), 4. 6 male lambs, regular (delivery): 5. (these) are the sheep of Lugal-KA; 6. at the ox-house 7. they are kept.”
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 11375 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 136
In plain English
This is a harvest record. It lists 186 gur and 2 barig of barley, measured by the large standard gur, together with 10 gur less 2 barig of emmer and 4 gur 2 barig of wheat. All of it is grain that has been threshed. The account is tied to Šara-andul and to the field of Lagaš. It closes with the note '4 years, 5 months', which is either the length of time covered or the date of the record.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (sides not distinguished in the supplied transliteration): 1. 186 gur 2 barig of barley, by the large gur (gur sag-gal₂), 2. 10 gur less 2 barig of emmer, gur, 3. 4 gur 2 barig of wheat, <gur>: 4. threshed grain; 5. Šara-andul; 6. field 7. of Lagaš. 8. 4 years, 5 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 11377 — Louvre Museum, Paris, France
MAD 4, 138
In plain English
One ram, possibly only one, is entered against Ur-Šara. The sheep belonging to Ur-Suen was slaughtered. Two billy-goats and one nanny-goat were returned to the sheep-house by Utu-mugi'e. The whole entry is booked as sheep withdrawn from stock, apparently on the king's account. The final line gives a date: a figure of 22 (probably a count of years), and the ninth month, written as 'ten minus one'.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. 1(?) ram, 2. Ur-Šara; 3. [the sheep] of Ur-Suen 4. was slaughtered. 5. 2 billy-goats, 6. 1 nanny-goat: 7. to the sheep-house 8. Utu-mugi'e 9. returned (them). 10. Sheep expended, 11. by the king(?). 12. 22 (years?); year … ; month 10 minus 1 (= 9th month).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry