Position in chronology
Nisaba 30, 55
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P332375.
Why it matters
Transliteration
2(disz) masz2-gal babbar niga 4(disz)-kam us2 2(disz) asz2-gar3 babbar niga a-ri-a e2 lugal-gu4-si-su-sze3 giri3 la-ma-har sagi dah-ga-ri maszkim iti u4 4(disz) ba-zal ki be-li2-i3-li2-ta ba-zi giri3 lu2-suen dub-sar iti masz-da3-gu7 mu us2-sa szu-suen lugal 4(disz) udu
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — Nisaba 30, 55. 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: private: anonymous, New York, New York, USA (P332375) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P332375..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.