Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · FLP 0060 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 059
In plain English
Dates harvested from the orchard of Enlil-anna, the temple administrator: forty gur, minus two gur and three ban. Here is where they went: thirty gur to Arab-tasi; one gur and five ban onto the Nippur boat; three gur used up as food provisions; and one gur of dates set against a shekel of silver. The closing lines seem to label the account as belonging to the 'bank of Enlil' and to mark it as the total, though their exact sense is unclear.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (not distinguished in the source) 1. 40 gur less 2 gur 3 ban: dates, 2. (from the) orchard of Enlil-anna, the temple administrator (sanga). 3. From it: 4. 30 gur: 5. Arab-tasi; 6. 1 gur 5 ban: the boat of Nippur; 7. 3 gur: provisions (consumed); 8. 1 gur of dates: 9. for (?) a shekel of silver. 10. Bank of Enlil (?); 11. it is the total (?).”
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 0064 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 063
In plain English
Item: one unit of garlic or onions. Item: two barig of barley. Item: one barig and three ban of barley set aside for wine. Item: six tongues. Item: thirty pegs. Item: four fish of the a-gu₂ kind. The last two lines are damaged. One lists twenty of something, the other sixty of something, and both are counted in gu₂, which may mean loads or talents.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. 1 (unit of) garlic/onions; 2. 2 barig: it is (that) of barley; 3. 1 barig 3 ban of barley: it is (that) of wine; 4. 6 tongues; 5. 30 pegs; 6. 4 a-gu₂ fish; 7. 20 x [...] gu₂; 8. 60 [...] gu₂.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0072 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 071
In plain English
Lugal-ma-DU's orchard produced about 18 and a half gur of dates, and Lu-gula has checked the figure. Of that total, Ur-Enlil issued 11 gur, and the amount he spent is included in that figure. Another quantity of dates, whose amount is lost, went to Lu-gula in exchange for a number of shekels of silver. The next lines are badly broken. They mention further quantities in gur, another amount that was measured out, and more dates. The last legible entry concerns dates that were deposited in some way that cannot be made out, and the account ends with Lu-gula's name.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 18 gur 1 barig 3 ban of dates (written: 20 minus 2 gur, 1 barig, 3 ban), 2. the orchard of Lugal-ma-DU; 3. Lu-gula has counted (it) up. 4. From this: 5. 11 gur of dates 6. Ur-Enlil measured out, 7. and his expenditures are counted in it. 8. [n] gur of dates 9. for [n] shekels (of silver): Lu-gula; 10. [......]-da?-gal 11. [......] x gur 12. [......] measured out; 13. [......] x gur of dates 14. dates ... šu-a-la x [(x)] placed; 15. Lu-gula. (End of the supplied transliteration)”
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 0073 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 072
In plain English
Urni still owes 16 measures of ghee and 8 goats of the sza3-du10 grade. This is the unpaid part of the quota he was assigned, and it remains charged to him. Amar-abzu still owes 3 measures of ghee and 8 goats of the same grade. This too is the unpaid part of his assigned quota, and it remains charged to him.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (no section markers given in the source): 1. 16 (units of) ghee, 2. 8 sza3-du10 goats: 3. (this) is of Urni. 4. It is the deficit of the assigned (goods); 5. it is outstanding against him. 6. 3 (units of) ghee, 7. 8 sza3-du10 goats: 8. (this) is of Amar-abzu. 9. Deficit 10. of the assigned (goods); 11. it is outstanding against him.”
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 0077 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 076
In plain English
Five kinds of flour make up this delivery: 3 ban of coarse barley meal, 3 ban and 5 sila of zigu-flour, 2 ban of flour for top-quality bread, 4 ban of zatum-flour, and a third of a sila of zikum-flour. The note files all of it under the regular offering, the standing allotment set aside for the gods.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 3 ban (Sargonic measure) of dabin-flour; 2. 3 ban 5 sila of zigu-flour; 3. 2 ban of flour for 'head' bread; 4. 4 ban of zatum-flour; 5. one-third (sila) of zikum-flour: 6. regular offering (sa-du).”
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 0079 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 078
In plain English
Wool distribution: 7 kaš(?) and 13 minas of wool go to the servants as their rations. Forty minas of wool are listed under Rubātum. Another 39 minas are set aside for making guzi-garments, under Isarum's name.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. 7 kaš(?) (and) 13 minas of wool 2. for the rations of the servants; 3. 40 minas of wool: 4. Rubātum; 5. 40 minus 1 (= 39) minas 6. for guzi-garments: 7. Isarum.”
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 0080 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 079
In plain English
Copper sickles: Laya, 2; Ilu-ilum, 3; Ṭāb-aḫī, 1. The next phrase ('ki-bi ir-da-ba-an') is obscure. It may refer to replacing the sickles, or it may be another name. The note ends by saying these sickles have not been received.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (sections not marked in the source): 1. Laya: 2. 2 copper sickles; 3. Ilu-ilum (written I-lu₅-DINGIR): 4. 3 copper sickles; 5. Ṭāb-aḫī: 6. 1 copper sickle. 7. ki-bi ir-da-ba-an (meaning uncertain; perhaps 'their place/replacement' plus a verb or personal name Irdaban); 8. not received (lā maḫirūtum).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · FLP 0081 — Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MVN 03, 080
In plain English
3 gur and 4 barig of barley were valued at 6 shekels of silver and set against a purchase involving Ilum-nāṣir, Eštar-qar(?) and Abu-su-IM(?). A second lot of 4 gur and 4 barig of barley follows, but the line naming its recipient or purpose is broken. All of this is old barley taken from the granary, apparently the one belonging to the elders.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 3 gur 4 barig of barley, 2. purchase (price): 6 shekels of silver, 3. for the purchase (from/by) Ilum-nāṣir, 4. Eštar-qar(?) (and) Abu-su-IM(?). 5. 4 gur 4 barig of barley, 6. [...]-x. 7. Old barley, that of the granary 8. of the elders(?). (End of supplied text)”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry