CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 (P346228)

Literary tablet excavated in Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar), dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period and now kept in British Museum, London, UK

Museum Collection(s)

British Museum, London, UK

Museum Number

BM —

Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)

Artifact Type

Tablet

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Literary (ETCSL 2.02.04 Lament for Nippur (witness))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Witness

Text

tablet
obverse
  beginning broken
1'. [...] x [...]
 en: ...
2'. [...] x# lu-a gurun# [...]
 en: Teeming ..., fruit ...
3'. [...] x tug2-gin7 im-mi-[...]
 en: ... covered(?) like a garment
4'. [...]-ni-in-suh3 x [...]
 en: ... threw ... into confusion there(?) ...
5'. [...] x-ba-bi? igi-bi x [...]
 en: ..., its front/face/eye ...
6'. [...] ba#-ni-in-tuku4 dingir kalam-ma# x [...]
 en: ... shook ..., the god of the land ...
7'. [...] ba-tuku4 UN ur2 x [...]
 en: ... shook, ...
8'. [...] kukku5 ug3-e li# [...]
 en: ... dark ... the people ...
9'. [{d}]en#-lil2-le# [...] x za3 hul <<im-mi>> mu-ni-[...] nam-ra-bi ba-ab-[...]
 en: Enlil ... an evil ..., ... its booty
10'. dumu nibru{ki}-a muszen dab5-ba-gin7 szu-ni-a bi2-[...]
 en: The citizens of Nippur, like caught birds, he ... in his hand
11'. nam-lu2-lu7#-bi ur-gin7 gu2-na gesz ba-ab-gar-x [...]
 en: like dogs, he put yokes on the necks of its people
12'. {d}en-lil2-le nibru{ki}-a ki-tusz-bi im-mi-in-kur2 x [...]
 en: Enlil changed the settlement of Nippur, ...
13'. e2-kur-sze3 x x ba-an-ku5#? lu2 nu-mu-un-szi-in#-[...]
 en: Towards the Ekur, he cut ..., no one entered? towards him
14'. {d}lamma {d}x e2-a ba-ra-e3 u3-ku-ku#{muszen} sza3 [sag3-ga-ke4] gud3-bi ba-ni-in-[us2]
 en: The lamma and alad/šedu(?) spirits of the temple went out, the ukuku bird, the bird of despair, made its nest there
15'. {d}en-lil2-le iri-ni nibru{ki}-a iri-ni nu-me-a erim2-e igi bi2-ib2#-[...]
 en: Enlil made the enemy look at(?) his city Nippur, his city that was no more
16'. e2-kur-ke4 ki-tusz he2-em-mi-in-hu-luh e2 x [...]
 en: And therefore he terrified the Ekur, the dwelling, the temple ...
17'. itima ku3 unu6# nam-dingir-ra-na sag-ki mu-ni-in-[...] a-ga-ni-sze3 nu-[...]
 en: He frowned at the holy shrine, the inner sanctum of his divinity, behind him ...
18'. {d}en-lil2-le x im-hul-hul-e a x bi2-in-[...]
 en: Enlil was destroying ..., ...
19'. iri ni2-te-na szu# bala ba-ni-ib2-ak kur-kur-re [...]
 en: The city threw itself over, the lands ...
20'. {gesz}ig e2-kur-ra#?-[...] x-an#?-szu2-szu2 si-gar-bi#? [...]
 en: The door of the Ekur temple ... covered, its bolt ...
21'. nig2-gur11-ra-ni [...] x a#? x [...]
 en: His property ...
22'. {d}en-lil2-le iri# [...]-mi-in-x-[...]
 en: Enlil ... the city
23'. {d}en-lil2-le [...]
 en: Enlil ...
24'. x [...]
 en: ...
  rest broken
reverse
  beginning broken
1'. x [...]
 en: ...
2'. ka2 sze nu-ku5#-[...]
 en: The “gate where grain is not cut/diverted” (gate of the Ekur complex) ...
3'. {d}en-lil2-le x [...]
 en: Enlil ...
4'. GAN2-ni zi-de3 x [...]
 en: His fertile field ...
5'. pu2 {gesz}kiri6 gurun nu-il2 {d#}en#-[lil2-...]
 en: The well and orchard that did not bear fruit, Enlil ...
6'. szegx(|IM.A|) an-na-ke4 im-mi-in-[...]
 en: He ... the rain of heaven
7'. nig2-ur2-limmu masz2-ansze {d#}szakkan#-ke4 MASZ im-da-[...] u2 gu7 nu-me-a-bi im-BAD-[...]
 en: The wild and domestic herds of Sumuqan ... in a state of non-eating they came to an end(?)
8'. {i7}idigna {i7}buranun-na ka-bi im-[...] a-esztub idim-bi x [...]
 en: The intake of the Tigris and Euphrates was blocked(?), the carp flood ... its spring
9'. i7 tur-tur-re sahar im-ma-ab-si pesz10-[...]
 en: All the smaller waterways filled up with silt, the banks ...
10'. ab nig2-dagal-ba en-nu-ug3 ba-ab-gar ambar-ra ku6# [...]
 en: A watch was set on the broad sea, in the marsh the fish ...
11'. in-di har-ra-an-na# li-bi-ir ba-e-[...]
 en: The libir demon/policeman(?) ... on the paths and roads
12'. lu2-du kaskal-bi ni2 nu-te-te-en ZI x x [...]
 en: The highway traveler did not relax, ...
13'. {d}en-lil2-le abul iri-na {gesz}ig IM-ma [...] abul kur-kur-ra-ke4 {gesz}ig x ba-da-x-[...]
 en: Enlil stood open the door at the gate of his city (open) in the wind(?), at(?) the gate of the lands, ... the door
14'. nibru{ki}-a lu2 u2-<zug4?>-bi ba-an-de6 lu2 a si-ga nu-ub-[...]
 en: He brought(?) the impure person(?) into Nippur, no one could ... clear water
15'. [...] x ba-e-szub nam-lu2-lu7-bi ki [...]
 en: You abandoned ..., its people ...
16'. [...]-tuku sza3 ka tab-ba ba-[...]
 en: ... lay fasting
17'. [...]-tusz? er2 i3-szesz2-szesz2 a [...]
 en: ... sat down(?) and wept ...
18'. [...] x-ni-sze3 a gig-ga [...]
 en: ... on account of his ... a pained cry ...
  double ruling
19'. [... n]-kam-[ma]
 en: It is the nth kirugu
20'. [...] x a x [...]
 en: ...
  rest broken

Text content

Genre(s) Literary (ETCSL 2.02.04 Lament for Nippur (witness))
Language(s) Sumerian

Chronology

Period Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Accounting Period

Composites

This artifact is a witness to the following composite(s):

Composite Composite Number Score
CDLI Literary 000381 (Lament for Nippur) composite (P469683) Q000381 View the score

Record

LOD URI https://cdli.network/entity/P346228

Physical information

Artifact type Tablet
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s) Clay
Preservation

Provenance

Provenience Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
Written In
Archive
Excavation Number U —
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

Collection(s) British Museum, London, UK
Museum Number BM —
Accession Number

External resources

External Resource Identifiers
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature transliterations (ETCSL transliterations) 2.2.4
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature translations (ETCSL translations) 2.2.4
Ancient Records of Middle Eastern Polities (ARMEP) P346228

References

  • history: UET 6, 0143 + 0515

    [Gadd1963UET6] Gadd, Cyril John, and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966, 2005. Ur Excavations Texts Vol. VI.

Revisions and credits

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact metadata Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune Approved View
2019-06-11 at 10:54:12 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Englund, Robert K. CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-06-01 at 14:34:09 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Peterson, Jeremiah CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Englund, Robert K. CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 CDLI, CDLI Artifact metadata Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. CDLI, CDLI Approved View

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000381, Ex. 011 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P346228.
CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry (No. P346228). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346228 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346228 (Accessed: October 29, 2026).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-10-29]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346228},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346228},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346228
LB  - CDLI:P346228
M1  - 2026/10/29/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346228
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000381, Ex. 011 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P346228.
CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry (No. P346228). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346228 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346228 (Accessed: October 29, 2026).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-10-29]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346228},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346228},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346228
LB  - CDLI:P346228
M1  - 2026/10/29/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000381, ex. 011 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346228
ER  -
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