Chapter 04 · 2112 – 2004 BCE
Ur III · Neo-Sumerian
A bureaucratic golden age, the Code of Ur-Nammu.
~2050 BCE · Anonymous 114225 — private: anonymous, unlocated
MVN 05, 005
In plain English
This tablet is a receipt: fifteen gur of fresh fish and three calves were handed over to a man named Puzur-Erra. The transaction was certified with the seal of an official called Ur-Enun. It's dated to 'the year the house of Puzur-Dagan was built' — a local year-name used at Umma. The seal impression itself identifies the sealing official as Ur-Enun, son of Umani.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“15 gur of fresh fish, 3 calves — for Puzur-Erra; under seal of Ur-Enun. Year: "The house of Puzur-Dagan was built." Ur-Enun, son of Umani.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Anonymous 114228 — private: anonymous, unlocated
MVN 05, 008
In plain English
A work crew of female laborers — the number is broken off — was assigned for five days, originating from the city of Umma. A man named Puzur-Iškur is recorded as carrying (delivering or transporting) a quantity of malt-flour. The operation was overseen by the foreman Ur-Nintu and certified under the seal of the scribe Nabasa. The document is dated to the sixth month, in the year that the city of Šašrum was destroyed. The tablet's seal identifies its author: Nabasa, scribe, son of Ugudu.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[x] female laborers, for 5 days, from Umma — Puzur-Iškur carries the malt-flour. Foreman: Ur-Nintu. Under seal of: Nabasa. Month: 'E-iti-6' (the 6th month), year: 'Šašrum was destroyed.' (Seal:) Nabasa, scribe, son of Ugudu.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Anonymous 114235 — private: anonymous, unlocated
MVN 05, 015
In plain English
Record of one habuda-item, weighed out at [a now-illegible number of] shekels, received from Ur-Enlila. The transaction was sealed by the official Warad. Dated to the month of Pa'u'e, in the year 'the en-priestess of Nanna was chosen by omen' (Amar-Suen's fourth regnal year). Written by the scribe Lugal-itida, son of Šeš-kalla.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 habuda(-object) — its weight: ... shekels — from Ur-Enlila — sealed by Warad — month: Pa'u'e — year: 'The en-priestess of Nanna was chosen by (extispicy) omen' — Lugal-itida, scribe, son of Šeš-kalla.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Anonymous 114236 — private: anonymous, unlocated
MVN 05, 016
In plain English
This tablet records a large shipment of reed: 2,247 bundles of good-quality reed and 1,392 bundles of a second type called a-ba-gal reed, both counted out in standard bales (11 bundles per bale for the first type, 19 for the second). The reed was delivered into the storehouse attached to the house of a man named Sagdana, along with an additional 12 units measured in 'gil.' The shipment came from Ur-mes, was authorized, and was formally received. The transaction is dated to the month of Ševsagkud, in the year Simurrum was destroyed for the ninth time — a year-name tied to a Ur III royal military campaign. The document closes with the scribe's authorization and identifies him as the son of La'asa.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“3(gešʼu) 7(geš2) 20 7 [= 2247] bundles of good reed, en-du8-du (reed) — its bales: 11 each. 2(gešʼu) 3(geš2) 10 2 [= 1392] bundles of a-ba-gal reed — its bales: 20 minus 1 (= 19) each. Into the storehouse of the house of Sagdana it was brought in. 12 gil(-bundles). From Ur-mes, by order, received. Month: Ševsagkud ("Grain-harvest"). Year: Simurrum was destroyed for the 9th time. By order — the scribe, son of La'asa.”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Anonymous 114237 — private: anonymous, unlocated
MVN 05, 017
In plain English
A clerk in Umma logged that Lugal-itida received nine minas of gi-wool, supplied from (or by) Halla. The document is dated by the year name 'Simurrum and Lullubum were destroyed for the ninth time,' one of King Šulgi's recurring campaign years used as a calendar marker at this time. In short: a routine wool-issue receipt, dated by reference to a royal military campaign rather than a numbered year.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“9 minas of gi-wool, from Halla, Lugal-itida received. Year: "Simurrum (and) Lullubum were destroyed for the 9th time."”
Source: engine:claude-sonnet-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-sonnet-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · WCMA 20.1.15 — Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
Orient 55, 158-159 no. 4
In plain English
Received: 612 bundles of reed, drawn from Lugal-azida's stores. Purpose: loading out the bread-transport boat and constructing two new boats, chargeable to our bala tax rotation. Receipt sealed by Huwawa; the transfer was handled by Gatie. Dated to the year the city of Šaššūrum was destroyed for the second time. Authorized under the seal of Lu-Ebgal, scribe, son of Ur-gepar.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“612 bundles of reed, for lading the bread-boat and for the building of two boats, for the bala-obligation; from Lugal-azida, sealed tablet of Huwawa, via Gatie. Year: "Šaššūrum was destroyed for the second time." (Seal:) Lu-[Ebgal], the scribe, son of Ur-gepar.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · WCMA 93.1.109c — Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
Orient 55, 159 no. 5
In plain English
Personnel loss report, sealed and filed. Three men from foreman Basa's crew are hereby removed from the roster as deceased: E-ki, gone since the month of Dal; Lugal-daba'an, since the sowing month; and ARAD-hula, since the month E-iti-6. Recorded under the official responsibility of Ur-amma, the scribe, son of Na-silim, who applied his seal. Filed in the year the high priest of Eridu was installed — the eighth year of King Amar-Suena.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 (worker): E-ki, from the month 'Dal' (onward); 1 (worker): Lugal-daba'an, from the month 'Sowing' (Šu-numun onward); 1 (worker): ARAD-hula, from the month 'House-of-the-sixth-month' (E-iti-6 onward); — fallen (deceased/dropped from the roster). Foreman: Basa. Sealed tablet of the šatam-office (accountability) of Ur-amma. Year: 'The en-priest(ess) of Eridu was installed' (Amar-Suena year 8). (Seal:) Ur-amma, the scribe, son of Na-silim.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · WCMA 20.1.14 — Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
Orient 55, 160 no. 6
In plain English
Sixteen laborers were logged as follows: two days towing an empty barge from Umma out to Du-geš-i(ka); two more days threshing barley and loading it onto the barge; one day towing the barge to the Salla canal; and three days unloading the barley, transferring it, and sealing the granary with a coat of mud plaster. The work gang was supervised by the foreman Ur-Šakkan, and the record was authorized under the seal of Ur-Šara. It is dated to the year the high priest of Gaeš was installed. The seal itself reads: Ur-Šara, scribe, son of Šeš-kalla.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“16 workmen for 2 days: towing an empty barge from Umma to Du-geš-i(ka); for 2 days: threshing the barley and loading it onto the barge; for 1 day: towing the barge to the Salla canal; for 3 days: unloading the barley, transferring the barley, and plastering the granary (grain heap) with mud. Foreman: Ur-Šakkan. Sealed tablet of Ur-Šara. Year: "The en-priest(ess) of Gaeš was installed" (Amar-Suen year 9). (Seal inscription:) Ur-Šara, scribe, son of Šeš-kalla.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry