TS 085 (P498240)

Purchase and sale contracts tablet & envelope excavated in Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr), 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 033196 & BM 033196a

Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr)

Artifact Type

Tablet & envelope

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Business / Contracts > Purchase and sale contracts

Language(s)

-

Measurements

-

Has seal impression(s)

Text

tablet
obverse
1. 1(disz) _sar e2 ki-szub-ba_
2. _da e2_ s,i-li2-isz8-tar2
3. _da e2 ha-la dumu-mesz_ u-bar-{d}suen
4. _sag e-sir2
5. u3 _sag e2_ {d}suen-a-zu
6. _ki_ mi-na-ni _dumu_ mi-ig-ra-at-{d}suen
7. u3 i3-li2-tu-ra-am _dumu-ni_
8. {disz}s,i-li2-isz8-tar2 _dumu_ i3-li2-sukkal
9. u3 a-wi-il-i3-li2 _szesz-ni_
10. _in-szi-sa10_
11. 3(disz) 1/2(disz) _gin2 ku3-babbar sa10 til-la-ni-sze3_
12. _in-na-an-la2_
reverse
1. _u4-kur2-sze3 u4 na-me-a-ka_
2. _nu-mu-un-da-bala-e_
3. _mu lugal-bi in-pa3_
4. _igi_ na-bi-i3-li2-szu _dub-sar_
5. _igi_ i3-li2-ip-pa-al-sa3-am ra-bi-a-nu-um
6. _igi_ i3-li2-i-qi2-szam _dumu_ im-me-rum
7. _igi_ i3-li2-i-qi2-szam _dumu_ i-nun-e2-a
8. _igi_ i-din-{d}utu _dumu_ u-bar-{d}suen
9. _igi_ i-ri-ba-am-{d}suen _szesz-ni_
10. _igi_ {d}utu-mu-sze-zi-ib _szesz-ni_
11. _igi_ {d}iszkur-i-din-nam _dumu_ a-na-pa-ni-dingir
12. _igi_ AN-KA-{d}nin-szubur _dumu_ a-pil-i3-li2-szu
13. _kiszib-ba-a-ni u3 kiszib lu2-inim-ma-bi-mesz ib2-ra_
14. _iti udru{duru5} u4 2(u) 6(disz)-kam_
15. _mu_ {d}ri-im-{d}suen _lugal lu2-kur2 lu2-hul-gal2_
  (seal impressions)
envelope
obverse
1. 1(disz) _sar e2 ki-szub-ba_
2. _da e2_ s,i-li2-isz8-tar2
3. _u3 da# e2 ha-la dumu-mesz_ u-bar-{d}suen
4. _sag e-sir2
5. u3 _sag e2_ {d}suen-a-zu
6. _ki_ mi-na-ni _dumu_ mi-ig-ra-at-{d}suen
7. u3 i3-li2-tu-ra-am _dumu-ni_
8. {disz}s,i-li2-isz8-tar2 _dumu_ i3-li2-sukkal
9. u3 a-wi-il-i3-li2 _szesz-ni_
10. _in-szi-sa10-mesz_
11. 3(disz) 1/2(disz) _gin2 ku3-babbar_
12. sa10 til-la-ni-sze3_
13. _in-na-an-la2-mesz_
14. _u4-kur2-sze3 nu-mu-un-da-bala-e-esz_
15. _inim-gar-ra in-na-ab-gi4-gi4-mesz_
16. _mu {d}ri-im-{d}suen lugal_
17. _in-pa3-mesz*_
reverse
1. _igi_ i3-li2-ip-pa-al-sa3-am ra-bi-a-nu-um
2. _igi_ i3-li2-i-qi2-sza-am _dumu_ im-me-rum
3. _igi_ i3-li2-i-qi2-sza-am _dumu_ i-nun-e2-a
4. _igi_ i-din-{d}utu _dumu_ u-bar-{d}suen
5. _igi_ ma-ri-ir-s,i-tim _szesz-ni_
  line omitted in Jean's copy
6. _igi_ i-ri-ba-am-{d}suen _szesz-ni_
7. _igi_ {d}utu-mu-sze-<zi>-ib _szesz-ni_
8. _igi_ {d}iszkur-illat-su2 _dumu_ a-na-pa-ni-dingir
9. _igi_ AN-KA-{d}nin-szubur _dumu_ a-pil-i3-li2-szu
10. _igi_ na-bi-i3-li2-szu _dub-sar_
11. _kiszib_ i-ri-ba-{d}suen
12. _kiszib_ i-din-{d}utu
13. _kiszib-a-ni u3 kiszib lu2-inim-ma-bi-mesz ib2-ra_
  lines 11-12 written small
14. _iti udru{duru5}_
15. _mu_ {d}ri-im-{d}suen _lugal {d}nin-mah-e e2 kesz3{ki} temen-an-ki-bi-da-ta nam-lugal kalam kisz gal2-la-sze3 gal-bi-ta ba-an-il2-a lu2-kur2 lu2-hul-LI-ta kur-kur-sze3 gaba-bi nu-gi4-a_
  (seal impressions)
seal 1
1. mi-ig-ra-at-{d}suen
2. _dumu_ {d}suen-sze-mi
3. _ARAD_ {d}mar-tu
seal 2
1. i3-li2-ip-pa-ap-sa3-am
2. _dumu_ qi2-isz-ti-{d}er3-ra
3. _ARAD_ {d}nergal
seal 3
1. i3-li2-i-qi2-sza-am
2. _dumu_ na-ra-am-{d}iszkur
3. _ARAD_ {d}iszkur
seal 4
1. i-nun-e2-a
2. _dumu_ il3-szu-ba-ni
3. _ARAD_ {d}en-ki
4. u3 {d}nirah
seal 5
  (uninscribed seal impression)
1. _kiszib_ i-din-{d}utu
seal 6
  (uninscribed seal impression)
1. _kiszib_ i-ri-ba-{d}suen
seal 7
1. {d}iszkur-illat-su2
2. _dumu_ a-na-pa-ni-dingir
3. _ARAD_ {d}iszkur
seal 8
1. AN-KA-{d}nin-szubur
2. _dumu_ a-pil-i3-li2-szu
3. _ARAD_ {d}nin-szubur
seal 9
1. na-bi#-[i3]-li2-szu
2. _dumu_ a-ap-pa-dingir
3. _ARAD_ {d}[nin]-si4-an-na
4. u3 {d}nisaba

Text content

Genre(s) Business / Contracts > Purchase and sale contracts
Language(s)

Chronology

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

Seals

MVS 17, 27

This artifact is impressed by the following seal(s):

Seal Seal Number Provenience Period Date
CDLI Seals 013733 (composite) (P513742) S013733 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Seals 013758 (composite) (P513774) S013758 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Seals 013759 (composite) (P513775) S013759 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Seals 013761 (composite) (P513777) S013761 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Seals 013790 (composite) (P514353) S013790 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Seals 013792 (composite) (P514355) S013792 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Seals 013793 (composite) (P514356) S013793 Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
dummy composite seal for unidentified seals (P533185) S999999 - -
dummy composite seal for unidentified seals (P533185) S999999 - -

Record

LOD URI https://cdli.network/entity/P498240

Physical information

Artifact type Tablet & envelope
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s) Clay
Preservation

Provenance

Provenience Kutalla (mod. Tell Sifr)
Written In
Archive
Excavation Number
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

Collection(s) British Museum, London, UK
Museum Number BM 033196 & BM 033196a
Accession Number B 039

External resources

External Resource Identifiers
Electronic Babylonian Library (eBL) BM.33196
British Museum Collection (BM) W_B-39

References

  • primary: Archives familiales, 85

    [Charpin1980Archivesfamiliales] Charpin, Dominique. 1980. Archives Familiales et Propriéte Privée En Babylonie Ancienne : Étude Des Documents de “Tell Sifr.” Vol. 12. Hautes Études Orientales.

  • history: MVS 17, no. 27

    [Colbow1995MVS17] Colbow, Gudrun. 1995. Die Spätaltbabylonische Glyptik Südbabyloniens. Münchener Vorderasiatische Studien 17. München, Wien: Profil Verlag.

    (seals)

  • history: MVS 17, Taf. I no. 2

    [Colbow1995MVS17] Colbow, Gudrun. 1995. Die Spätaltbabylonische Glyptik Südbabyloniens. Münchener Vorderasiatische Studien 17. München, Wien: Profil Verlag.

    Photo lower edge

  • history: Tell Sifr, 85

    [Jean1931TellSifr] Jean, Charles-François. 1931. Tell Sifr : Textes Cunéiformes Conservés Au British Museum. Paris : Librairie orientaliste Paul Geuthner.

  • history: Strassmaier Warka, 011-012

    [Strassmaier1882Warka] Strassmaier, Johann N. 1882. Texte, Altbabylonischer Verträge Aus Warka. Orient. Congr. Abhandll.

Revisions and credits

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2025-11-28 at 17:07:04 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2025-09-02 at 15:01:29 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2025-07-31 at 13:34:46 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2024-07-16 at 10:33:12 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata, Other metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2023-09-09 at 18:41:45 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact metadata Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune Approved View
2023-01-20 at 12:10:25 Pagé-Perron, Émilie Artifact metadata Földi, Zsombor J.; Jiménez, Enrique; Pagé-Perron, Émilie Electronic Babylonian Library Pagé-Perron, Émilie Approved View
2019-05-23 at 09:08:09 Foxvog, Daniel A. Transliteration Foxvog, Daniel A. CDLI, CDLI Approved View
2016-04-23 at 00:00:00 CDLI, CDLI Artifact metadata Wagensonner, Klaus CDLI, CDLI Approved View

Cite this Artifact

“TS 085 Artifact Entry.” (2016) 2025. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). November 28, 2025. https://cdli.earth/P498240.
TS 085 artifact entry (No. P498240). (2025, November 28). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P498240 (Original work published 2016)
TS 085 artifact entry (2025) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P498240 (Accessed: October 23, 2026).
@misc{2025TS,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-10-23]},
	year = {2025},
	month = {nov 28},
	title = {TS 085 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P498240},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P498240},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2025/11/28/
PY  - 2025
ID  - P498240
LB  - CDLI:P498240
M1  - 2026/10/23/
TI  - TS 085 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P498240
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“TS 085 Artifact Entry.” (2016) 2025. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). November 28, 2025. https://cdli.earth/P498240.
TS 085 artifact entry (No. P498240). (2025, November 28). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P498240 (Original work published 2016)
TS 085 artifact entry (2025) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P498240 (Accessed: October 23, 2026).
@misc{2025TS,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-10-23]},
	year = {2025},
	month = {nov 28},
	title = {TS 085 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P498240},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P498240},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2025/11/28/
PY  - 2025
ID  - P498240
LB  - CDLI:P498240
M1  - 2026/10/23/
TI  - TS 085 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P498240
ER  -
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