Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · FLP 0024 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 024
In plain English
This is a supply ledger. Six people each receive a measured amount of barley: Urda-UR gets 3 barig (about 180 liters), Ilī-aḫī and Amurrum each get a full gur (about 300 liters), Ilī-ilī gets 2 barig, and Tammil and Warassuni each get 1 barig and 1 ban (about 70 liters). On top of that, one gur of barley is earmarked for beer bread — the brewing cakes from which beer was made — nine loaves of beer bread are counted, and the account closes with 2 barig of fish.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 3 barig of barley: Urda-UR, 2. 1 gur of barley: Ilī-aḫī, 3. 1 gur of barley: Amurrum, 4. 2 barig of barley: Ilī-ilī, 5. 1 barig 1 ban of barley: Tammil, 6. 1 barig 1 ban (of barley): Warassuni (ARAD₂-zuni), 7. 1 gur of barley: beer bread(?), 8. 9 (loaves of) beer bread, 9. 2 barig of fish.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0025 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 025
In plain English
Here is the full payment for the field. In the first year Sumu-nerah paid 3 gur of barley, taken from the regular offerings. In the third year he paid 2½ shekels of silver, and in the fourth year another ½ shekel. He also paid 1 gur of barley at the time when the grain was clean, plus 2 barig of barley that had been measured out. All of these came from the household of NI. From the household of Zamu came a further 2 gur of barley in a first instalment and 1 gur in a second. Sumu-nerah handed all of this over to Lugal-anna-tum as the price of the field.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 3 gur of barley from the regular offerings, 2. year 1; 3. 2 1/2 shekels of silver 4. of the 3rd year; 5. 1/2 shekel of silver of the 4th year; 6. 1 gur of barley, when the barley was clean; 7. 2 barig of barley (gur-measure), measured out; 8. from the house of NI. 9. 2 gur of barley, the 1st time; 10. 1 gur of barley, the 2nd time; 11. from the house of Zamu. 12. As the purchase price of the field, 13. Sumu-nerah 14. to Lugal-anna-tum 15. gave (it).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0030 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 030
In plain English
One person each: Bubu, Kulatum, Beli-laba, SI-A-um, Išma-il and Bilzum. That makes six people listed by name. A line follows that seems to begin "man" or "men of", but the rest of it is lost. The next line may mention the city of Uruk, but it is too damaged to read with confidence. The end of the tablet is broken away.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (person): Bubu 1 (person): Kulatum 1 (person): Beli-laba 1 (person): SI-A-um [1 (person)]: Išma-AN (Išma-il?) [1 (person)]: Bilzum man? [......] [(...)] Unu(g)? [......] (rest destroyed)”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0031 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 031
In plain English
Dida-beer, by the jar: Šuna has 25 jars, Nigar has 10 and Urzu has 10. That makes 45 jars in all, and they are currently in Lugal-anne's keeping.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (no section markers in source): 1. 25 jars of dida-beer: 2. Šuna. 3. 10 jars of dida-beer: 4. Nigar. 5. 10 jars of dida-beer: 6. Urzu. 7. Total: 45 jars of dida-beer; 8. with Lugal-anne 9. they are (held).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0033 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 033
In plain English
Dates measured out: 17 gur of ordinary dates, 1 gur of good-quality dates, and another gur of good-quality dates of the 'white wood' kind. There are also 3 barig of dates described as 'DUG', perhaps meaning stored in jars, and 4 ban of a lot labelled 'gipar' (the reading is uncertain). Eabi measured all of it out.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 17 gur of dates; 2. 1 gur of good-quality dates; 3. 1 [gur] of good-quality dates, of 'white wood' (variety?); 4. 3 barig of dates, DUG; 5. 4 ban of giparx(KISAL)(?) (dates?); 6. Eabi 7. measured (them) out.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0034 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 034
In plain English
A field of 5 bur and 2 eše (about 36 hectares), known as Ningirsu-kepada's, was handed over to Unap. A second plot, of 5 [units; the exact measure and the field's name are partly broken], was taken over by Dada. Both belong to Lugal-itida's land, the land that goes with the oxen he took charge of.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 5 bur 2 eše of field (of / called) Ningirsu-kepada: 2. to Unap it was taken (over). 3. 5 [......] of field [......]-x-ZI.ZI-a: 4. Dada took (it over). 5. (This) is the field of Lugal-itida, 6. (land) of the oxen that he took over.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0035 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 035
In plain English
One ordinary jar and one gur₄-gur₄ jar go to Lugu'ak. Another jar goes to someone or something whose name is damaged (it ends in '-geš'). A third jar, with a description that can't be read, is put on the fire. A gur₄-gur₄ jar is given out as an allotment. In total, three jars and two gur₄-gur₄ jars are booked out as spent.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse (?) 1. 1 jar, 1 gur₄-gur₄ (jar): 2. Lugu'ak. 3. 1 jar: 4. ......-geš (broken name or purpose). 5. 1 jar ...... : 6. placed on the fire (?). 7. 1 gur₄-gur₄ jar: 8. as allotment (lu₂-ba). 9. Total: 3 jars, 2 gur₄-gur₄ (jars), 10. expended (?).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0038 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 037
In plain English
Ur-Enlil acknowledges these receipts. He took 1 gur 3 barig of barley from the household of Almu and 1 gur 1 barig from the household of Zamu. Lugal-anne gave him 2 barig and about 5 sila more, and then 2 ban of dates, 1 ban of speckled barley and 2 barig of another commodity, possibly wool. The total is roughly 3 gur 3½ barig 5 sila, and it is entered as Lugal-anne's. Ur-Enlil signs for it as received.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (sides not marked in the transliteration): 1. 1(?) gur 3 barig of barley 2. from the house of Almu 3. received. 4. 1 gur 1 barig from the house of Zamu 5. received. 6. 2 barig 5(?) sila, Lugal-anne 7. gave to him. 8. 2 ban of dates, 9. 1 ban of 'speckled' barley, 10. 2 barig of wool (?) TUM 11. he gave to him. 12. Their total: 3 gur 3 ½(?) barig 5(?) sila, also(?) 13. it is Lugal-anne's. 14. Ur-Enlil 15. received.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry