Position in chronology
TMH NF 1-2, 240
Translation · reference
ExperimentalSource: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P134551.
Why it matters
Transliteration
4(disz) ma-na tug2 ga-rig2 ak 4(disz)-kam us2 1(disz) tug2 ba-tab duh-hu-um |KI.KAL| da-ak-ki-ru-um-sze3 ki-la2-bi 1(disz) ma-na 1(disz) gin2 4(disz) gin2 i3-gesz x? ki um-mi-t,a-bat5-ta lugal-ma2-gur8-re [...] mu szu-suen lugal lugal-me-lam2 ensi2 nibru lugal-ma2-gur8-re dub-sar ARAD2-zu
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — TMH NF 1-2, 240. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format). [year-name] Dated to Šu-Suen y1 — Šu-Suen became king based on canonical year-name formula in the transliteration.
Attribution
Image: Hilprecht Collection, University of Jena, Germany (P134551) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P134551..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.