MCT 038, Plimpton 322 (P254790)

Mathematical tablet excavated in Larsa (mod. Tell as-Senkereh), dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period and now kept in Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

Cite

Photo

Lineart

Museum Collection(s)

Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

Museum Number

CULC 460

Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

Larsa (mod. Tell as-Senkereh)

Artifact Type

Tablet

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Scholarly or scientific > Mathematical (table)

Language(s)

Measurements

Text content

Genre(s)	Scholarly or scientific > Mathematical (table)
Language(s)

Chronology

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

Record

CDLI number	P254790
LOD URI	https://cdli.network/entity/P254790

Physical information

Artifact type	Tablet
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s)	Clay
Preservation

Provenance

Provenience	Larsa (mod. Tell as-Senkereh) [uncertain]
Written In
Archive
Excavation Number
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

Collection(s)	Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Museum Number	CULC 460
Accession Number	(Plimpton) 322

External resources

External Resource	Identifiers
Wikidata (Wikidata)	Q1470425

References

primary: MCT, 038, Plimpton 322

[Neugebauer1945MCT] Neugebauer, Otto E., and Abraham J. Sachs. 1945. Mathematical Cuneiform Texts. American Oriental Series 29. American Oriental Society.
history: Remarkable Collection, p. 433-452

[Friberg2007remarkable] Friberg, Jöran. 2007. A Remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection. Cuneiform Texts, I. New York, etc.: Springer.
history: HM 28, p.167-206, p. 167-206

[Robson2001Plimpton322] Robson, Eleanor. 2001. “Neither Sherlock Holmes nor Babylon: A Reassessment of Plimpton 322.” Historia Mathematica 28: 167–206.
history: American Mathematical Monthly 109, 105-120

[Robson2002AMM109] Robson, Eleanor. 2002. “Words and Pictures: New Light on Plimpton 322.” American Mathematical Monthly 109: 105–20.
citation: NABU 2017/084

[Phillips2017NABU84] Phillips, Anthony. 2017. “The Numbers on Plimpton 322.” NABU, Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires 2017 (3): 152–53.

Revisions and credits

Created	Creator	Type	Authors	Project	Reviewer	Status	Action
2024-11-06 at 19:23:20	Willighagen, Lars	Artifact metadata	Willighagen, Lars	Wikidata	Willighagen, Lars	Approved
2005-02-01 at 00:00:00	CDLI, CDLI	Artifact metadata	Friberg, Jöran; Guerra, Dylan; Middeke-Conlin, Robert; Peterson, Jeremiah		CDLI, CDLI	Approved

Cite this Artifact

“MCT 038, Plimpton 322 Artifact Entry.” (2005) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). November 6, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P254790.

MCT 038, Plimpton 322 artifact entry (No. P254790). (2024, November 6). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P254790 (Original work published 2005)

MCT 038, Plimpton 322 artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P254790 (Accessed: September 10, 2026).

@misc{2024MCT,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-09-10]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {nov 6},
	title = {MCT 038, {Plimpton} 322 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P254790},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P254790},
}

TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/11/6/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P254790
LB  - CDLI:P254790
M1  - 2026/9/10/
TI  - MCT 038, Plimpton 322 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P254790
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“MCT 038, Plimpton 322 Artifact Entry.” (2005) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). November 6, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P254790.

MCT 038, Plimpton 322 artifact entry (No. P254790). (2024, November 6). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P254790 (Original work published 2005)

MCT 038, Plimpton 322 artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P254790 (Accessed: September 10, 2026).

@misc{2024MCT,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-09-10]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {nov 6},
	title = {MCT 038, {Plimpton} 322 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P254790},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P254790},
}

TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/11/6/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P254790
LB  - CDLI:P254790
M1  - 2026/9/10/
TI  - MCT 038, Plimpton 322 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P254790
ER  -