Administrative tablet excavated in Umma (mod. Tell Jokha), dated to the Ur III (ca. 2100-2000 BC) period and now kept in Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Image
© [see publications]
Transliteration
tablet
obverse
column 1
1. 3(gesz2) 4(asz) 4(barig) 4(ban2) sze gur lugal
en: 184 gur, 4 barig 4 ban2 barley (measured according to the royal standard),
2. 3(u) 5(asz) ziz2 gur
en: 35 gur emmer,
3. 1(u) 6(asz) 1(barig) 5(ban2) gig gur
en: 16 gur, 1 barig 5 ban2 wheat,
4. ki ARAD2-ta
en: from ARAD;
5. 3(asz) sze gur
en: 3 gur barley,
6. la2-ia3 su-ga bi2-da
en: deficit restored by Bida;
blank space
7. szunigin sze-bi 4(gesz2) 1(u) 5(asz) 3(barig) 2(ban2) gur
en: total, barley involved: 255 gur, 3 barig 2 ban2;
calculation: 3.04;4,4 + 35 + (16;1,5 × 2 =) 32;3,4 + 3;0,0 = 4.15;3,2
blank space
8. 3(u) 6(disz) geme2 3(ban2)
en: 36 female laborers, (at) 3 ban2 (per month),
9. iti nesag
en: from month “First-offering,” (month 4)
some text moved to next line
10. mu ha-ar-<szi> ki-masz{ki} ba-hul-ta
en: year “Harši and Kimaš were destroyed,”
11. iti {d}dumu-zi u4 2(u)-am3 zal-la-asz
en: to month “Dumuzi” (month 12), the completed day 20,
12. a2-bi 2(szar2) 3(gesz'u) 6(gesz2)-kam
en: labor involved: 9360 (workdays);
calculation: 36 × 8 2/3 (months) × 30 (days per month) = 9360
blank space
column 2
1. sag-nig2-gur11-ra-kam
en: it is the debit;
2. sza3-bi-ta
en: Therefrom:
3. 2(gesz'u) 6(gesz2) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: 1560 female laborer workdays,
calculation: 9360 ÷ 6 = 1560
4. a2 geme2 u4-du8-a
en: labor of the female laborers, “free” days;
5. 2(gesz2) 4(u) 5(asz) 4(barig) 4(disz) sila3 dabin gur
en: 165 gur, 4 barig 4 sila3 dabin flour
6. 1(asz) 1(barig) 4(ban2) 7(disz) sila3 dabin gur
en: 1 gur, 1 barig 4 ban2 7 sila3 dabin flour
7. bi2-gu7-sze3 e2-a si-ga
en: for the loss (?) into the household filled;
8. 1(u) 6(asz) 4(ban2) zi3 sig15 gur
en: 16 gur, 4 ban2 rough ground flour,
9. 1(u) 7(asz)! 4(barig) 5(disz) sila3 zi3 gazx(KUM) gur
en: 17 gur, 4 barig 5 sila3 “pounded” flour,
10. 3(asz) 1(barig) 9(disz) sila3 sze gur
en: 3 gur, 1 barig 9 sila3 barley,
11. a2-bi 1(szar2) 4(gesz'u) 3(u) 3(disz) 1/2(disz) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: labor involved: 6033 1/2 female laborer workdays,
calculation: 2.45;4,0,4 + 1;1,4,7 + 16;0,4 + 17;4,0,5 = 3.21;0,3,6 = 60336 sila3 ÷ 10 sila3 per day = 6033.6
12. kiszib3 lu2-dingir-ra
en: under seal of Lu-dingira;
13. 2(u) 2(disz) 1/2(disz) sar sahar
en: 22 1/2 sar of soil,
14. al-e 1(u) gin2-ta
en: per “hoe” 10 (volume-)shekels (per day),
15. a2-bi u4 4(gesz2) 3(u)-kam
en: labor involved: 270 days;
calculation: 22 1/2 ÷ 10/60 (sar per day) = 135; 135 × 2 = 270 (?)
16. kiszib3 ur-{d}nam2-nun-ka
en: under seal of Ur-Namnunka;
17. 4(gesz2) 4(u) 3(disz) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: 283 female laborer workdays,
18. geme2 sze zi-ga
en: female laborers who lifted barley,
19. kiszib3-bi 3(disz)-am3
en: sealed tablets involved: 3,
20. kiszib3 ARAD2
en: under seal of ARAD;
reverse
column 1
1. 2(u) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: 20 female laborer workdays,
2. in-u ga6-ga2
en: straw carried
3. e2 {d}szul-gi-ra-sze3
en: to the house of Šulgi,
4. kiszib3 a-kal-la nu-banda3
en: under seal of Akalla, the nubanda;
5. 3(gesz2) 5(u) 4(disz) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: 234 female laborer workdays,
6. geme2 ar-za-na-sze3
en: female laborers for arzana-flour,
7. kiszib3 lugal-nig2-lagar-e
en: under seal of Lugal-nig-lagare;
rest blank
column 2
1. szunigin 2(gesz2) 4(u) 7(asz) 5(ban2) 1(disz) sila3 dabin gur
en: total: 167 gur, 5 ban2 1 sila3 flour,
calculation: 2.45;4,0,4 + 1;1,4,7 = 2.47;0,5,1
2. szunigin 3(u) 3(asz) 4(barig) 4(ban2) 5(disz) sila3 zi3 sig15 gur
en: total: 33 gur, 4 barig 4 ban2 5 sila3 sig-flour
calculation: 16;0,4 + 17;4,0,5 = 33;,4,4,5 (sig15 + gaz)
3. szunigin 3(asz) 1(barig) 9(disz) sila3 sze gur
en: total: 3 gur, 1 barig 9 sila3 barley
blank space
4. sze-bi 3(gesz2) 5(u) 8(asz) 1(barig) 3(ban2) gur
en: barley involved: 238 gur, 1 barig 3 ban2
calculation: 2.47;0,5,1 + (33;4,4,5 × 2 =) 1.07;4,3 + 3;1,0,9 = 3.58;1,3
5. szunigin 2(szar2) 2(gesz'u) 1/2(disz) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: total: 8400 1/2 female laborer workdays
calculation: 1560 + 6033.5 + 270 + 283 + 20 + 234 = 8400.5 female workers
6. zi-ga-am3
en: booked out;
7. la2-ia3 1(u) 7(asz) 1(barig) 5(ban2) sze gur
en: the deficit: 17 gur, 1 barig 5 ban2 barley,
calculation: 4.15;3,2 - 3.58;1,3 = 17;1,5
8. 1(gesz'u) 6(gesz2) la2 1/2(disz) geme2 u4 1(disz)-sze3
en: 960 minus 1/2 female laborer workdays,
calculation: 9360 - 8400.5 = 959.5
9. la2-ia3-am3
en: are the deficit;
10. nig2-ka9-ak
en: account of
11. dingir-ra-ka
en: Dingira,
12. a2 geme2-ka
en: labor of the female laborers;
13. iti {d}dumu-zi
en: Month: “Dumuzi” (month 12),
14. mu ha-ar-szi ki-masz{ki} ba-hul
en: year: “Harši and Kimaš were destroyed.”