Position in chronology
RA 009, 054 SA 212
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P127556.
Why it matters
Transliteration
1(disz) udu niga 1(disz) udu u2 1(disz) udu a-lum u2 1(disz) sila4 en-lil2-i-zu u4 1(u) 2(disz)-kam mu-kux(DU) lugal in-ta-e3-a i3-dab5 giri3 nu-ur2-suen dub-sar iti ki-siki-nin-a-zu mu us2-sa szu-suen lugal-e si-ma-num2 mu-hul 4(disz) udu
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — RA 009, 054 SA 212. 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: Couvent Sainte-Anne, Jerusalem (P127556) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P127556..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.