Position in chronology
Aleppo 226
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P100558.
Why it matters
Transliteration
1(disz) SIG7-a nir-i3-da-gal2 dumu lugal-nesag-e a bala-sze3 szara2-a-mu i3-dab5 iti min-esz3-ta mu i-bi2-suen lugal szara2-a-mu [dumu] szesz-kal#-[la]
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — Aleppo 226. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Ibbi-Suen y1 — Ibbi-Suen became king based on canonical year-name formula in the transliteration.
Attribution
Image: National Museum of Syria, Aleppo, Syria (P100558) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P100558..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.