Clay Tablet, with 28 Lines of
Sumerian Cuneiform writing
This is an administrative document of the period
of the Third Dynasty of Ur, dated to the 21st day
of a month not now identified of the second year
of Ibbi-Sin, last king of the dynasty, c. 2027 BC.
The day of the month is inscribed down the left-
hand edge.
The tablet is well written and well preserved,
though there is some hard incrustation on a few
lines obscuring a few words.
Translation
1…………………..5 sila of bun:
Mr Ur-Shu-Sin…, chief herald:
when he went to the inspector…Mr …-
Nanna 1…………………..., 3 sila of bun, 2 fish:
Mr
Laqipum, cup bearer, king’s messenger
when he went to the royal offering
1 sila of bun, 1 fish: Mr Shu-Ishtaran, king’s
messenger
1 sila of bun, 1 fish: Mr Izzaz-Meshar, king’s
messenger
when he went from Der to the king
1 sila of bun, 1 fish: Mr Ahu-Baqar, king’s
messenger,
when he went to the inspector Lugal-didaka
1 sila of bun, 1 fish: Mr Puzur-Sin, king’s
messenger
when he went to the governor
2 sila of bun, 2 fish: Mr Chu-…, kings
messenger
when he went to arrest the 7 serfs of Ir-
Ninhursag
1 sila of bun, 1 fish: Mr Bululu, groom
when he went to grasp the foot of Enzi
A disbursement. Month: Ni-Enlilla; year: the high
priestess of Inanna of Uruk was chosen by
divination.
*****
This is a kind of “messenger tablet” which
records the provisions given out to official
messengers. But this is unusual in the kinds of
provisions listed. The word translated here as
“bun” is uncertain, but since it occurs next to
“bread” elsewhere, we have hazarded the
translation “bun” for the present. But it and fish
(probably dried!) do not occur on the previously
known messenger texts. And they do not
regularly specify that they are the kings
messengers, nor do they state the occasion as
happens here with the majority of the men
named. Some of the circumstances are in
difficult Sumerian and the translations here may
need improvement in the future.
- (LSO.25)
|
