Chapter 04 · 2112 – 2004 BCE
Ur III · Neo-Sumerian
A bureaucratic golden age, the Code of Ur-Nammu.
~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-02-024 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0486
In plain English
This is a receipt: ten liters of barley were issued to a woman named Nin-lulu. Abu-du, acting as the supervising official, signed off on the disbursement. It happened during the month of the Ninazu festival, in the year when the great magur-boat was caulked. The record closes by noting that Abu-du worked for Šu-Kabta. One line near the end is too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 ban2 barley, for Nin-lulu; Abu-du, the commissioner (maškim); booked out (ba-zi). Month: "Festival of Ninazu"; year: "The great magur-boat was caulked." Abu-du, [...], servant of Šu-Kabta.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-06-033 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0487
In plain English
This receipt logs a series of small food disbursements: 1 ban2 and 2 sila3 of an unspecified item, and 5 sila3 of fine bread made from dabin-flour, both issued to the leatherworkers' workshop — apparently allotted there and purchased(?) for that purpose. A further 1 ban2 of fine flour went out under the name of Šat-ilī. The text breaks, then resumes with another small amount, 2 sila3 of an unnamed item, processed through the scribe Ea-šar and charged out from the account of Iškur-illat. The record is dated to the month of the Ninazu festival, in the year 'the great barge was built,' and is marked as a copy of the original document.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 ban2 2 sila3 [of ...] 5 sila3 of fine bread (of) dabin-flour, for the leatherworkers, their workshop — placed/allotted (there), purchased(?) ... 1 ban2 of fine flour (esza), for/in the name of Šat-ilī. [...gap...] 2 sila3 of [...], via Ea-šar, the scribe, from Iškur-illat it was disbursed. Month: 'Festival of Ninazu.' Year: 'The great barge was built.' Copy.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 50-03-032 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0492
In plain English
This is a receipt: two sila of a soap-plant (used for making cleaning agents) were issued to the barbers' workshop. The transaction was overseen by the official Baba-idab, acting as commissioner, and the material was drawn from the stock or account of Iškur-illat. The record is dated to the month of the Ninazu festival, in the year when the great ceremonial barge was caulked (Šu-Suen's second year).
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 sila3 of ...-naga(?) (soap-plant/alkali) — for the house of the barbers, via Baba-idab, the commissioner (maškim); from Iškur-illat it was withdrawn (ba-zi). Month: 'Festival of Ninazu.' Year: 'The great magur-boat was caulked.'”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 49-04-001 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0540
In plain English
This tablet records payroll accounting: 23 skilled workmen and 'du'a-ku' laborers were paid at a rate of 2 shekels 3 grains of silver each, while a smaller, separate group of junior or lower-grade workmen received only 1/6 shekel 3 grains each. Adding these up, the total silver value came to 10 1/2 shekels 12 grains. Out of that total, a portion — 1/2 shekel and 10 1/2 grains — was instead booked as an outstanding debt owed by a man named Lu-Haya. The whole record is filed as part of the account for mustard (mun-gazi) tied to the gardeners of Apisal, and the tablet is dated to the year the high priestess of Inanna was chosen by omen — Amar-Suena's second year. The text breaks off after this and nothing further survives.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“23 workmen: (of the categories) 'ummia' (expert/craftsman) and du'a-ku workers, at 2 shekels 3 grains of silver each — [n] workmen, (of the) 'green/junior' (SIG7-a) category, at 1/6 shekel 3 grains of silver each — its silver: 10 1/2 shekels 12 grains. From within it: [n] 1/2 shekel 10 1/2 grains of silver was placed as a debt against Lu-Haya. Account of the mun-gazi (mustard/condiment), (concerning) the gardeners of Apisal. Year: 'the high priestess of Inanna was chosen by extispicy' (Amar-Suena Year 2). [...] (text breaks off)”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-09-011 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0556
In plain English
The beginning of the tablet is too damaged to read. What survives is a ration list: 15 hired male laborers each get 1 sila3 of beer plus bread and about 2/3 sila3 of soup; 30 hired female laborers each get 2/3 sila3 beer, bread, and 1/3 sila3 soup; 3 overseers of the hired workers get 2 sila3 beer, bread, and 1/2 sila3 soup each; 3 scribes get the same as the overseers, while 2 other scribes get a smaller share (1 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3 sila3 soup); a single smith gets 1 sila3 beer, bread, and 1/3 sila3 soup; one worker in an unclear role gets the same; a woman in another unclear role gets 2/3 sila3 beer, bread, and roughly 1/3 sila3 soup; and 5 porters each get 2/3 sila3 beer, bread, and 1/3 sila3 soup. The tablet ends with a broken summary line and further illegible text.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[...] ... [...] [...] AN-[...] (broken) 15 hired male workers (gurush hunga): 1 sila3 beer, bread, 2/3 sila3 soup(?) each. 30 hired female workers (geme2 hunga): 2/3 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3 sila3 soup(?) each. 3 men, overseers of the hired workers (ugula lu2 hunga): 2 sila3 beer, bread, 1/2 sila3 soup(?) each. 3 men, scribes: 2 sila3 beer, bread, 1/2 sila3 soup(?) each. 2 men, scribes: 1 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3 sila3 soup(?) each. 1 man, smith: 1 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3 sila3 soup(?). 1 man, SIG7(?) (occupation uncertain): 1 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3 sila3 soup(?). 1 woman, ...-nesag(?): 2/3 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3(?) sila3 soup(?). 5 men, porters (ug3-il2): 2/3 sila3 beer, bread, 1/3 sila3 soup(?) each. [...] its (total?) [...] ... [...]”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 49-02-023 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0558
In plain English
This tablet is a payroll-style list: a series of people each received a set amount of grain, about 22 to 25 liters per person. The first entry is broken, missing both the exact amount and the recipient's name. The following people are named — one whose name is only partly preserved (something like 'A-shi...'), then Ili-ashranni, Turam-ili, a person called Ingatum (though that reading isn't fully certain), and three more individuals whose names are cut off by damage (Ga-..., Meza-..., and I-...). The tablet breaks off after this, so we don't know if there was a total or further entries.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 2 ban2 2 sila3 [...] (commodity and recipient broken away) 2. 2 ban2 5 sila3 — (for) A-[...]ši-[...] 3. 2 ban2 5 sila3 <each> — (for) Ili-ašranni 4. 2 ban2 5 sila3 <each> — (for) Turam-ili 5. 2 ban2 5 sila3 <each> — (for) Ingatum(?) 6. 2 ban2 5 sila3 <each> — (for) Ga-[...] 7. 2 ban2 5 sila3 <each> — (for) Meza-[...] 8. 2 ban2 5 sila3 <each> — (for) I-[...] (rest of tablet lost)”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-02-025 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0588
In plain English
This record notes that five garments were handed over: one standard nig2-lam2 cloth, one tufted guz-za garment belonging to Šu-Kabta, one second-quality bar-dul5 garment also belonging to Šu-Kabta, and three woven garments made from a particular grade of wool. These were issued so that they could be reinforced or finished, coming from someone named La-ša-... (the rest of the name is broken off). A man named Lu-ba took delivery of them. The transaction is dated to the month of Akiti, in the year the great stele was erected. The tablet carries the impression of Lu-ba's own seal, which names him as a physician and servant of Šu-Kabta.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 nig2-lam2 garment, standard (quality), 1 guz-za (tufted) garment of Šu-Kabta, 1 bar-dul5 garment, second quality (us2), of Šu-Kabta, 3 usz-bar (woven) garments, wool of the gir2-gul (grade), in order to make (them) strong (kal-kal-ge2-de3), from La-ša-[...] (broken name) — Lu-ba received them. Month: Akiti. Year: 'The great stele was erected' (year-name). (Seal legend:) Šu-Kabta — the physician (a-zu) — Lu-ba is his servant.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · CUNES 48-06-038 — Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
CUSAS 03, 0623
In plain English
This record logs a wool transfer at the Garšana estate. Iškur-illat took delivery of wool from Apillumma in several allotments: 2 talents earmarked for a certain grade of finished (du8-a) cloth, 6 talents for tufted (guz-za) cloth, 20 talents of plain wool, and 28 containers of specially bound or treated wool. The foreman Agua oversaw the handover. The transaction is dated to the month called 'u5-bi2-gu7' in the year that 'the land of Zabšali was destroyed' — a known year-name from the reign of Šu-Sin. The document itself is marked as a copy of the original record.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“2 talents wool, for du8-a cloth, 4th (grade), second quality; 6 talents wool, for guz-za (tufted) cloth, standard quality; 20 talents wool, standard quality; 28 gurdub-containers of wool, ka-tab-treated (bound/sealed) wool; from Apillumma, Iškur-illat received; via Agua, the foreman (overseer of sixty); month: "u5-bi2-gu7"; 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