Position in chronology
MVN 13, 729
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P117502.
Why it matters
Transliteration
1(gesz2) 2(u) 3(asz) la2 1(disz) sila3 gur sze-ba x x-sze3 e2-kiszib3-ba-ta ur?-[x] e2#? szah2 szu ba-an-ti iti sze-sag11-ku5 mu us2-sa i-bi2-suen lugal-e nibru uri5[] bad3-gal-bi mu-du3
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — MVN 13, 729. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Ibbi-Suen y2 — Year after: Ibbi-Suen became king based on canonical year-name formula in the transliteration.
Attribution
Image: Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (P117502) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P117502..
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Related sources
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Marks the boundary between proto-writing and writing. We can see signs being used systematically — but not yet phonetically. The leap to recording speech itself comes a few centuries later.
The earliest historical document in human history. Before this, we have lists, accounts, and dedications. Here, for the first time, a ruler tells us what happened — with names, places, and consequences.