Position in chronology
MVN 20, 096
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P143029.
Why it matters
Transliteration
1/2(disz) ma-na ku3-babbar szesz-kal-la dumu na-silim 1/3(disz) ma-na ku3-<babbar> ur-nigar kuruszda 1(u)# gin2 ku3-babbar lu2-kal-la 1(disz) ma-na ki szu-nisaba-ta mu-kux(DU) iti ezem-szul-gi mu us2-sa szu-suen lugal-e bad3 mar-tu mu-du3
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — MVN 20, 096. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Šu-Suen y2 — Year after: Šu-Suen became king based on canonical year-name formula in the transliteration.
Attribution
Image: State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation (P143029) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P143029..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.