Chapter 04 · 2112 – 2004 BCE
Ur III · Neo-Sumerian
A bureaucratic golden age, the Code of Ur-Nammu.
~2050 BCE · Kress 294 — private: anonymous, Germany
Kress 294
In plain English
A shipment of barley — 1 gur, 1 barig, and 3 ban2 by the royal measure — was handed over as rations for the palace or temple craftsmen. Lu-kalla supplied the grain, and Lu-Ningirsu signed for it. The transaction is dated to the year the en-priest of Eridu was installed. Below, the same entry is repeated and formally sealed: Lu-kalla is again named as the source, and the document carries the seal of Lu-Ningirsu, identified here as a scribe, son of a man whose name is now broken off.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 gur 1 barig 3 ban2 barley, royal measure, rations (šagal) for the craftsmen (gaszam), from Lu-kalla, Lu-Ningirsu received. Year: "the en-priest of Eridu (was installed)." [1 gur 1 barig 3 ban2] barley, royal measure, [rations for] the craftsmen, [from] Lu-kalla, seal of Lu-Ningirsu. Lu-Ningirsu, the scribe, son of x-[...].”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0229 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0229
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0229 (P388763), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Receipt: eight billy-goats, delivered by Lu-dingira and signed for under the seal of Lu-Lagaš. Dated to the year after the city of Kimaš was destroyed. The seal reads: "Lu-Lagaš, scribe, son of Ur-Nanše", and the last word is damaged but may give the father's title as captain.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 8 billy-goats, 2. from Lu-dingira; 3. sealed document of Lu-Lagaš. Reverse 4. Year after Kimaš was destroyed. Seal 1. Lu-Lagaš, 2. scribe, 3. son of Ur-Nanše, [captain?].”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0233 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0233
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0233 (P388767), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Receipt for 1 gur, 1 barig and 8 sila (368 sila, roughly 368 litres) of a commodity whose name can no longer be read. The next line names the official responsible, probably as the holder of the seal, but his name and title are too damaged to make out. The amount covers the period from the month of Baba's festival through the month mu-šu-du7. Dated to the year the house of Puzur-Dagan was built.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 1 gur 1 barig 8 sila of ... ; 2. sealed document(?) of ... ... [...]; 3. from the month Festival of Baba 4. to the month mu-šu-du7. 5. Year: "The house of Puzur-Dagan was built."”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0236 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0236
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0236 (P388770), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Three workmen got one barig (about 60 litres) of barley each from the king's stores. Two more workmen, possibly from an earlier list, are also counted, along with two units of something called i'a-TAR, the meaning of which is unclear. All of this concerns a garden whose name is no longer legible. E-hegal sealed the receipt. It is dated to the month of the Festival of Šulgi, in the year the king destroyed Kimaš, Hurti and their lands.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 3 workmen, 1 barig of barley (each), from the king's (stores); 2. 2 workmen, old (?); 3. 2 (units?) i'a-TAR (?); 4. garden of ...; Reverse 5. sealed document of E-hegal; 6. month: Festival of Šulgi; 7. year: Kimaš, Hurti and their territory were destroyed.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0239 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0239
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0239 (P388773), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Receipt: 1 gur, 2 ban and 6 sila of baked bread, measured by the royal standard, supplied by Namhani. Lu-gula, son of Ur-igizibarra, received it and seals this document as proof. Dated the barley-harvest month, in the year after the city of Kimaš was destroyed. Seal: Lu-gula, scribe, son of Ur-igizibarra.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 gur 2 ban 6 sila of baked bread, (measured by the) royal gur, from Namhani; sealed document of Lu-gula, son of Ur-igizibarra. Month: Še-sag-ku ("Barley-harvest"), year following (the year): "Kimaš was destroyed." Seal: Lu-gula, scribe, son of Ur-igizibarra.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0241 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0241
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0241 (P388775), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Received: 3 gur and 4 barig of barley, measured by the royal standard. This is grain lent out to the work crew, now coming in from Du-sabara through Bazi. Sealed by Ur-Baba, the merchant. The supervising officer is Ur-dun, and Atu handled the delivery. Dated the month of Amar-a-a-si, in the year Kimaš was destroyed.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 3 gur 4 barig of barley, royal (measure), 2. loan barley of the workers, 3. from Du-sabara, 4. from Bazi. Reverse 5. Sealed document of Ur-Baba, the merchant; 6. overseer: Ur-dun; 7. via Atu. 8. Month: Amar-a-a-si. 9. Year: Kimaš was destroyed.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0243 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0243
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0243 (P388777), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Receipt for 12 gur and 2 ban (the ban figure is uncertain) of wheat, received from Lu-igimaše and sealed by Ka'a, son of Atu. It covers the months of Mušudu and Amar-ayasi. Ur-tur handled the transaction. Dated to the year after the city of Kimaš was destroyed. Sealed: Ka'a, son of Atu.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 12 gur 2 ban (?) of wheat, 2. from Lu-igimaše; 3. sealed document of Ka'a, son of A[tu]. 4. Month: Mušudu, 5. and (month:) Amar-ayasi; Reverse 6. via Ur-tur. 7. Year after (the year): "Kimaš was destroyed." Seal 1. Ka'a, 2. son of Atu.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · LB 0244 — de Liagre Böhl Collection, Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden, Holland
LB 0244
De Liagre Böhl Collection, NINO, Leiden / CDLI — LB 0244 (P388778), photographic montage of the clay envelope; converted to WebP without cropping
In plain English
Receipt: 9 gur and 4 barig of barley, measured by the royal standard, was received from Lu-Ninšubur on behalf of Lu-DU, apparently as a loan. Dated in the month of the Barley-Carrying Festival, in the year a throne was made for a deity. The rest of the date is too damaged to read with certainty.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 9 gur 4 barig of barley, (by the) royal (measure), 2. from Lu-Ninšubur, 3. on behalf of Lu-DU, 4. as an interest-bearing loan(?), received. Reverse 5. Month: Festival of Carrying the Barley. 6. Year: the throne [......] ...... was [fashioned(?)].”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry