CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 (P346135)

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

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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 1.08.01.05 Gilgamesh and Huwawa A ('Decad no. 10') (witness))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Has fragments Witness

tablet
obverse
  beginning broken
column 1'
  beginning broken
1'. [... musz]-sag-kal szeg11#? gi4#?-[...] x [...]
 en: The 5th is ..., a screaming sagkal snake, ...(?), splitting the mountain range
2'. [... a]-ge6-gin7# kur-ra gaba [...]
 en: The 6th is ..., beating its breast against the mountain like a flood
3'. [...] nimx(TUM3)-gin7 i3-gir2-gir2-re da-bi-sze3#? [...]
 en: The 7th is ... flashing like lightning(!), no one will approach its side
4'. [... ur]-sag sul {d}utu {d}gilgames3-ra [...]
 en: The seven heroes, the youth Utu gave to Gilgamesh
5'. [...] x [...] hur-sag-ga2-ke4 hu-mu-ni-in-tum2-tum2#?-[...]
 en: They(?) will bring the boats for portage to the base of the mountain range
6'. [{gesz}]erin#? ku5-ku5#-de3#? hul2-la-gin7 im-ma-na-ni-ib2#?-[...]
 en: It was made pleasing there for the one who cuts the juniper
7'. [... {d}]gilgames3-e hul2-la-gin7 im-ma-na-ni-ib2#-[...]
 en: It was made pleasing there for lord Gilgamesh
8'. [...]-na#? lu2 dili-gin7 si gu3 ba-ni-in-[...]
 en: In his city as a single man he sounded the horn
9'. [...] 2(disz)# tab-ba-gin7 gu3 tesz2 ba-ni-in#-[...]
 en: As two companions (he and Enkidu), (they) shouted together
10'. [...] e2-a-ni-sze3 ama tuku ama#?-[...]
 en: The one who has a household to his household, the one who has (lives with) a mother to his mother
11'. [...]-dili ga2-gin7 ak a2#-gu10#-sze3# hu#?-[...]
 en: May single males acting(?) like me, act on behalf of my power
12'. [...] e2-a-ni-sze3 ama tuku# ama#?-[...]
 en: The one who has a household to his household, the one who has (lives with) a mother to his mother
13'. [...]-gin7 ak# ninnu-am3 a2-ni-sze3 ba-x-[...]
 en: The single males acting(?) like me, fifty of them, have acted on behalf of my power
14'. [...] simug-sze3# giri3-ni bi2#?-[...]
 en: He set out to the house of the blacksmith
15'. [{uruda}]a2#?-asz#?-gar#? aga#?-URUDU-SAL a2 nam-ur-sag-ga2-ka im#-x-[...]
 en: He was pouring (the metal for) the (blade of the) a'ašgar ax, the agasilig axe(!?), the arms of heroism
16'. [...]-na# giri3#-[...]
 en: He set out to the grove of deep shade
17'. [... {gesz}]taszkarin#?-na-ka im-ma#-[...]
 en: He was striking (down) the axe handle(?) of halub wood, apple wood, and boxwood
18'. [...] x [...]
 en: ...
reverse
column 1
  beginning broken
1'. esz2!(TUG2)# esz5 tab-ba [...]
 en: No one can cut a three-ply rope(?)
2'. bad3-da [...]
 en: On a wall, water does not overwhelm a man(?)
3'. e2 gi-sig-ga [...]
 en: Fire cannot be extinguished in a house with a reed fence
4'. za-e ga2-e tah-ma-ab ga2#-[...]
 en: You help me, I shall help you, what is it of ours that someone can take (away)?
5'. ba-su-a-ba# [...]
 en: When it sank, when it sank
6'. u4 ma2 ma2-gan{ki} [...]
 en: When the Magan boat sank
7'. ma2-GI ma2-gi-lum [...]
 en: When the barge(?), Magilum, sank
8'. ma2-<da>-la2 ma2 zi-sza3-gal2-la-ka#? [...]
 en: A raft, a lifeboat, seized ...
9'. ga2-nam!-ma ga-an-szi-re7{+re}-[...]
 en: Come! let us go and have a look!
10'. tukumbi [...]
 en: (But) if we go
11'. ni2 i3-gal2 [...]
 en: There will be an aura, there will be an aura, turn back!
12'. umun2 i3-gal2 [...]
 en: There will be cunning(?) there will be cunning, turn back!
13'. nig2-sza3-zu ga2-nam-ma ga-an-szi#-[...]
 en: (This is) your thought, (but) come, let's go!
14'. usz 1(gesz2) ninda#{+a#}-[...]
 en: After someone has not even approached (within) 3600(?) ninda
15'. hu-wa-wa e2 {gesz}erin-na-ka-ni x-[...]
 en: Huwawa has (already) “seized” (him in) his house of juniper/cedar
16'. igi mu-szi-in-bar igi#? [...]
 en: He has looked, it is the look of death
17'. sag mu-na-tuku4-tuku4 sag#? [...]
 en: He has shaken his head (taking an oath?), its is a head filled with (punishment for?) sin
18'. gurusz# ba#?-da#?-me-en-na iri ama tu-da#?-[...]
 en: You who are a young man to your detriment, you will not return to the city of your mother
19'. [...] giri3#-na ni2 ba-an-ri ni2 [...]
 en: He imposed his aura into his muscles and his feet
20'. [...] li#-bi2#-[...]
 en: He could not turn his foot (i.e., take a step) on the ground
column 2
  beginning broken
1'. hu#-wa#-wa# usu#-ni#-ta#? x [...] x tusz-a mu-na#-x-[...]
 en: Huwawa by means of his own strength ..., he said? to him “sit”
2'. ur-UR-e dur2 im-ma-gar# [er2 im]-ma#-an#-pa3 si12-si12 i3-ga2#-[...]
 en: The hero(!) sat down, wept, and made sobbing noises
3'. hu-wa-wa <dur2> im-ma-gar er2 im#-ma#-an-pa3 si12-si12 i3-ga2#-[...]
 en: Huwawa sat down, wept, and made sobbing noises
4'. hu-wa-wa {d}gilgames3-ra# sza3-ne-sza4 KA [...]
 en: Huwawa ... compassion for Gilgamesh
5'. {d}gilgames3 szu-ba#-mu#?-u8#?
 en: Gilgamesh, release me!
6'. {d}utu inim ga-mu-na-ab-be2#?
 en: So that I may speak a word with Utu
7'. {d#}utu# ama tu-da-ga2 nu-zux(SU) a-a bulug3-ga2-[...]
 en: Utu, (I) do not know the mother that bore me, (I) do not know the father that reared me
8'. [kur]-ra# mu-tu-de3-en za-e bulug3-[...]
 en: I was born in the mountain, you reared me
9'. {d}gilgames3 zi an-na mu-un-pa3 zi ki-a mu-un#-[pa3] zi kur-ra mu-un-[pa3]
 en: Gilgamesh swore an oath by heaven, he swore an oath by earth, he swore an oath by the netherworld
10'. [...]-sze3# mu-un-dab5 ki-za nam-ba-an-[...]
 en: He seized his hand(?), (saying): “you shall not be deprived”
11'. [...]-ba#? {d}gilgames3 dumu-egir sza3-ga-na arhusz ba-an-[...]
 en: At that time, Gilgamesh, the native, had compassion in his heart
12'. [{d}]gilgames3 en-ki-du10-ra gu3 mu-un-na-de2#-e
 en: Gilgamesh was speaking to Enkidu
13'. en#-ki-du10 muszen dab5-ba ki-bi-sze3 ha#-[x]-DU
 en: Enkidu, may the captured bird go (back) to its place for me(?)
14'. gurusz# dab5#-ba ur2 ama-ni-sze3 he2-gi4#-gi4#
 en: May the captured youth be returned to the lap of his mother
15'. [...]-ni en-ki-du10-e gu3 mu-un-ni-ib-[...]
 en: His servant Enkidu was replying
16'. [...]-ra2 dim2-ma [...]
 en: The tall, (if) he lacks intellect
17'. [...] nam-tar [...]-SU#
 en: The Namtar demon/fate will consume him, the Namtar demon/fate having not been revealed
18'. [...] ki#-bi du#-[...]-bi
 en: The caught bird that is to go back to its place
19'. [...]-dam
 en: The caught youth that is to be returned to the lap of its mother
20'. [...]-de3#
 en: You will not return to the city of your birth mother
21'. [...]-hul#?
 en: ...
22'. [...]-de2#-e
 en: Huwawa was speaking to Enkidu
23'. [...]-hul#?
 en: Enkidu is defaming me
24'. [...] x
 en: ...

Consult previous versions and their differences
Consult sign list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Consult word list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

  • Artifact type: Tablet
  • Material: Clay
  • Measurements (mm):
  • Weight:
  • Artifact Preservation:
  • This artifact is composed of fragments.
  • Condition Description:
  • Join Information:
  • Seal no.:
  • Seal information:
  • Artifact comments:

  • Genre(s): Literary (ETCSL 1.08.01.05 Gilgamesh and Huwawa A ('Decad no. 10') (witness))
  • Language(s): Sumerian

  • history: UET 6, 0050 + 0051 + 0053 + 0490 (+) 0489 (+) 0491, 1963, 2006

    [Gadd1963] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966.

  • Composite No.:
  • Museum No.: BM —
  • Accession No.:

  • Provenience: Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
  • Elevation:
  • Stratigraphic Level:
  • Excavation No: U —
  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune approved View
2019-06-11 at 09:35:03 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-05-24 at 21:22:32 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2012-05-14 at 06:00:37 Wagensonner, Klaus Atf Wagensonner, Klaus CDLI approved View
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. CDLI approved View

Consult this artifact as presented on the website of collections and projects:

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

Composite Score
CDLI Literary 000365 (Gilgamesh and Huwawa A) composite (P480190) View the score

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes:

P346135 lead; joins noted by Shaffer UET 6/3, pp. 13, 36P346135 lead; joins noted by Shaffer UET 6/3, pp. 13, 36

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000365, Ex. 024 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P346135.
CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry (No. P346135). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346135 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346135 (Accessed: September 14, 2025).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2025-09-14]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346135},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346135},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346135
LB  - CDLI:P346135
M1  - 2025/9/14/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346135
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000365, Ex. 024 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P346135.
CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry (No. P346135). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346135 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346135 (Accessed: September 14, 2025).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2025-09-14]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346135},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346135},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346135
LB  - CDLI:P346135
M1  - 2025/9/14/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 024 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346135
ER  -
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