Position in chronology
MVN 13, 270
Translation — curated editorial
EditorialEditorial entry — translation cited from: CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P117042.
Transliteration
2(gesz2) 3(u) 3(disz) muszen tur 2(u) 8(disz) buru5 8(szar2) 3(gesz'u) 5(gesz2) 3(u) 8(disz) buru5 gi masz2 tul2-sze3 [ki]-ta ur-szul-pa-e3# szu ba-ti iti ki-siki-nin-a-zu mu en nanna kar-zi-da ba-hun
Scholarly note
Catalogue entry from CDLI (Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC)) — MVN 13, 270. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).
Attribution
Image: Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (P117042) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative. source
Translation excerpted from CDLI raw catalogue, no published translation. P-number P117042..
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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The earliest historical document in human history.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.