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
Image
© [see publications]
Transliteration
tablet
obverse
1. abul# 5(disz)-kam-ma ku4-ku4-da-ni-ta#
en: As Inanna was entering the5th gate
2. tu-di-tum lu2 ga2-nu ga2-nu lu2 ba-da-an-zi
en: The man removed the toggle pin/pectoral (that says) “Come, man, come!”
3. a-na-am3 e-ne
en: What? How?
4. si-a {d}inanna me! kur-ra-ke4 szu al-du7-du7#
en: Be satisfied, Inanna! This is the rite of the netherworld that is being completed
5. [{d}]inanna# garza kur-ra-ke4 inim-zu na-be2-e
en: Inanna! This is the procedure of the netherworld, you should not speak aloud (to anyone to interrupt it)
6. [abul] 6(disz)#-kam-ma ku4-ku4-da-ni-ta
en: As Inanna was entering the 6th gate
7. [...] sag-ki-na lu2 ba-da-an-zi
en: The man removed the allure(?) from upon her forehead
8. [a-na]-am3# e-ne
en: What? How?
9. [si-a {d}]inanna# me kur-ra#-ke4 szu al-du7-du7#
en: Be satisfied, Inanna! This is the rite of the netherworld that is being completed
10. {d#}inanna# garza# kur-ra-ke4 inim-zu na-be2-e
en: Inanna! This is the procedure of the netherworld, you should not speak aloud (to interrupt it)
11. abul 7(disz)-kam-ma ku4-ku4-da-ni-ta
en: As Inanna was entering the 7th gate
12. tug2 palax(|NAM.EN.NA|) tug2 nam-eresz-a lu2 ba-da-an-zi#
en: The man removed the pala garment, the garment of queenship
13. a-na-am3 e-ne
en: What? How?
14. si-a {d}inanna me kur-ra-ke4 szu al-du7-du7
en: Be satisfied, Inanna! This is the rite of the netherworld that is being completed
15. {d}inanna garza kur-ra-ke4 inim-zu na-be2-e
en: Inanna! This is the procedure of the netherworld, you should not speak aloud (to interrupt it)
16. gir-gir-ma-ni ugu za3-ga?-sze3#
en: When she bent over, upon the shoulder(?) ...
17. ze2-ze2-la#?-ni lu2 ma-an-de6
en: When she split apart(?), the man brought ... away
18. nin9-x-[...]-za#-ta im-ma-an-zi-ga
en: He sister raised her up from her throne
19. [...] nin9?-a-ni dur2 bi2-in-gar#
en: She sat upon the throne of her sister
reverse
1. [...] imin#-bi di mu-un-da-ku5-ru-ne
en: The seven judges of the Anuna were judging her
2. x [...]-in#-e3-a inim gig-ga in-e#?
en: The one who brought out .../appeared in ... was speaking a bitter word(?)
3. gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e gu3 nam-tag-ga-ka
en: They(?) shouted at her, it was a(n accusatory) cry of wrongdoing
4. nig2-lil2? dal-la2#-gin7 dal-la2 lu2#? [...]-ta#? ba-ni-in#-[...]
en: The man(?) ... her from ... as something ... hung(!?) like ...
5. iti imin-kam zal-la-ta#?
en: After seven months had passed
6.a. sukkal-a-ni {d}nin-szubur-ra
en: Her vizier Ninšubur
6.b. inim ga-sza-an-na-ke4 gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|)# [...]-szi-in-[...]
en: paid attention to the word of the lady
7. er2 du11-du11-dam ba-gar-ra-x
en: She made “the lament of ruin heaps” for her(?)
8. szem3#!? gu3-en-na ma#?-x-x
en: She played(?) the šem drum of the assembly/throne room for her
9. e2# dingir-re-e#-ne# x-x-nigin#?
en: She circled(?) the temples of the gods for her
10. igi mu-un-hur#? giri17#? mu#-un#-hur#
en: She scratched her face, she scratched her nose
11. ki lu2-da nu-u6?-di# hasz2#? gal#? mu#?-un#?-hur#?
en: The place unseen (when) with a man, she scratched her (inner) thigh
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