Chapter 04 · 2112 – 2004 BCE
Ur III · Neo-Sumerian
A bureaucratic golden age, the Code of Ur-Nammu.
~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-06-032 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0401
In plain English
A quantity of beer — the amount and quality are lost where the tablet is broken — was issued to a crew of builders, who drank it. The cost was charged against Ili-uznani's account and formally written off as an expenditure. The transaction was handled by Iškur-illat, the chief steward, and recorded by the scribe Puzur-Ninkar, at the estate of Garšana. It is dated to the month of Akiti in a year named for King Šu-Suen, though the rest of the year name is broken away.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[n (units of) beer, du(-quality/delivered)], for the builders, they drank. From Ili-uznani it was withdrawn (booked as expenditure). Via Iškur-illat, the chief steward, and Puzur-Ninkar, the scribe, in Garšana. Month: Akiti. Year: Šu-Suen [...].”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-06-017 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0420
In plain English
One grain-fattened sheep was handed out on the 10th day of the month as a gift for a builder working on the estate. Ea-šar signed off on the transaction as the responsible official, and the sheep was charged against Šu-Kabta's accounts, drawn from the holdings of a man named Iškur-illat. The record is dated to the month of the Ninazu festival, in the year the land of Zabšali was destroyed — and this copy of the receipt was kept for the files.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 sheep, grain-fed; month, day 10 having passed; (as) the gift-allotment for the builder(s); Ea-šar was the responsible official (maškim); expenditure (zi-ga) of Šu-Kabta; withdrawn (ba-zi) from Iškur-illat; month: 'festival of Ninazu'; year: 'the land of Zabšali was destroyed'; copy (gaba-ri).”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-02-004 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0421
In plain English
The livestock office issued 3 sheep and 1 milk-fed kid, a black pig set aside for statue-work (or a craftsman called KID2-ALAN), and 2 grass-fed sheep. These were charged out of the account of Ili-bilani for Ummi-Kabta, daughter of the household. The transaction is dated to the month of the Ninazu festival, in the year Zabšali was destroyed. The document carries the seals of three men: Adalal the cook, a servant of Šu-Kabta; Šu-Kabta the physician, son of Naram-ili; and Iškur-illat the scribe, son of Abiya, described as 'your servant.'
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“3 sheep, 1 milk-fed kid, a black pig — for the KID2-ALAN (statue-work/craftsman), 2 grass-fed sheep, (for) Ummi-Kabta, daughter of the household, from Ili-bilani, disbursed (booked out). Month: "Festival of Ninazu." Year: "the land of Zabšali was destroyed." Adalal, the cook, servant of Šu-Kabta. Šu-Kabta, the physician, son of Naram-ili. Iškur-illat, the scribe, son of Abiya, your servant.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-04-039 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0423
In plain English
Seven female laborers worked for one day. They were paid three sila of barley each as wages for grinding grain into flour, under the supervision of the foreman Lila'a. The record is dated to the month of the Ninazu festival, in the year the land of Zabšali was destroyed. It was handled by Malik-bani, servant of Naram-ili.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“7 female workers, for 1 day; barley, 3 sila each, was disbursed (as wages/hire); assigned to grind flour; [foreman]: Lila'a; [month]: "Festival of Ninazu"; year: "the land of Zabšali was destroyed." Malik-bani, servant of Naram-ili.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-06-031 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0443
In plain English
Forty male workers were hired for one day, each paid 3 sila (about 3 liters) of barley as wages. Their job was hauling hay from the field called Gili to the town of Garšana. The crew was overseen by the foreman Šu-Dumuzi. The record is dated to the month of the Šulgi festival, in the year that the land of Zabšali was destroyed (a year-name marking a military campaign of King Šulgi). This particular tablet is noted as a copy of another record.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“40 male laborers, for 1 day, barley, 3 sila each, was disbursed (as hire/wages). Field Gili, to Garšana — hay having been brought. Foreman: Šu-Dumuzi. Month: "festival of Šulgi." Year: "the land of Zabšali was destroyed." Copy.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · high confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 49-12-038 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0446
In plain English
This is a supply record: 2 gur and 4 ban2 of barley, 1 gur 2 barig 3 ban2 of coarse flour, about 3 2/3 sila of sesame oil, and 7 sheep carcasses were issued, along with some further quantity tied to '35 days' whose meaning is unclear, plus three more small measured amounts of unnamed goods that are now lost to damage. The entry also mentions barley rations and oil, though the text breaks off there. The goods were withdrawn from the account of Iškur-illat, with the scribe Puzur-Ninkar overseeing the transaction. It is dated to the month of the Šu-Suen festival, in the year that the land of Zabšali was destroyed — and the tablet notes it is a copy of another record.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 gur 4 ban2 barley, 1 gur 2 barig 3 ban2 dabin (coarse flour), 3 2/3 sila sesame oil, 7 sheep carcasses, 35 days [...] (al-dar-ra), 1/2 sila 5 gin [...], 2 2/3 sila [...], 1 sila 10 gin [...], barley rations, oil-[...], from Iškur-illat it was disbursed. Via Puzur-Ninkar, the scribe. Month: 'Festival of Šu-Suen.' Year: 'The land of Zabšali was destroyed.' Copy.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-02-006 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0450
In plain English
One sheep was taken out of the flock that had been in Ili-bilani's keeping; the transaction was handled by Puzur-Ninkar. It happened in the month of the Great Festival, in the year that the land of Zabšali was destroyed (a year-name referring to a royal military campaign). The document is sealed by Iškur-illat the scribe, son of Abi'a, who identifies himself as the servant of Šu-Kabta — apparently called 'the physician' here — son of Naram-ili.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 sheep — by Puzur-Ninkar, from Ili-bilani, was withdrawn (booked out). Month: "Great Festival" (ezem-maḫ). Year: "the land of Zabšali was destroyed." (Seal:) Šu-Kabta, physician(?), son of Naram-ili; Iškur-illat, scribe, son of Abi'a, is your servant.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 50-03-035 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0467
In plain English
This tablet is a receipt: 20 gur of barley were on the books, and 1 gur 5 ban2 of it was paid out — converted at a rate of 5 sila3 of fine flour per unit — to cover the wages of the female mill workers. The grain came from Iškur-illat, and a man named Malik-bani signed for it (his name is partly restored due to damage on the tablet). The record is dated to the month called "Harvest," in the year after "the land of Zabšali was destroyed" — a year-name that ancient scribes used instead of numbered years, referencing a known military campaign of the reign of Šu-Sin.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“20 gur barley; 1 gur 5 ban2 [of it] disbursed, at the rate of 5 sila3 of fine (sig15) flour [per gur], as the wages of the female mill-workers, from Iškur-illat, [Malik-ba]ni [received]. Month: "Harvest" (Sze-sag11-ku5), Year following: "the land of Zabšali was destroyed."”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry