Position in chronology
TMH NF 1-2, 104
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P134416.
Why it matters
Transliteration
2(asz) sze gur ur5-sze3 masz2 gur 1(barig) 4(ban2)-ta ki lugal-a2-zi-da bu-HI-szi szu ba-ti iti sze-sag11-ku5 u4 2(u) 2(disz) ba-zal mu i-bi2-suen lugal bu-uh-szi# ARAD2 nin-lil2 aga3-us2 ensi2
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — TMH NF 1-2, 104. 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: Hilprecht Collection, University of Jena, Germany (P134416) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P134416..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.