UET 6, 0074 (P346159)

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

Cite

Photo

Lineart

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 (NinÅ¡ubur C)

Language(s)

Measurements

Text

tablet
obverse
(surface unclear)
beginning broken
1'. [...] LUH#? x [...] dingir#? na#-me# e#-ne-gin7 nu-mu-ni-in-dim2 [...]
en: ..., no (other) god acts like him
2'. [...] ba#-an-gi4 gal-an-zu gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|)#!? bad a-ra2 sag2 ka ba-ni x [...]
en: ..., wise (with his) responses, open minded one, (his) way <cannot be?> dispersed(!?), his utterance ...
3'. [...] x musz3# hi-li su3 TAB-NIG2 sikil-la# alan nir-nir alan gar-ra x [...]
en: ... (possessor of a) face exuding allure, pure ..., stretched-out form(?), a statue(?) inlaid with(?) ...
4'. [...] x me-lam2-ma hu-hu-ul su3#?-ag2#?-bi u4-gin7 i-lim kar2-kar2 [...]
en: ... in an aura, lighting up with an aura brightly like the day
5'. [...] x mah me-te e2 an-ka#? dingir gal#-gal-e-ne-er gesz-la2-ni x [...]
en: Supreme ..., ornament of the temple of An(?), for the great gods his (attentive) silence(?) ...
6'. [sag]-en3#-tar barax(|BARA2xIGI|)-bara2-ke4-ne inim-ma-ni gu2-an an-ki-a za3 nu-sza4 TUR MUSZ3 [...]
en: Supervisor of the (mortal) rulers, his word is unreachable within the heights(?) of the universe, ...
7'. [...] x DU? ur-sag AN sa2-e KA lagar? ku3 a2? ag2# igi zu-zu x x [...] ga2? [...]
en: ... hero, god who regularly (furnishes offerings!?) ..., holy lagar vizier(?), bringing attention to the command(?) ...
8'. [...] di? u6 di du7-a me-dim2-bi# la-la gur3 sukud sa6-ge#? [...] nu#?-ub!?-du11
en: ... suitable for admiration, whose limbs bearing happiness ..., a beautiful stature that has not(?) ...
9'. [du11]-ga dugud sza3#? bar# tam-me inim u3#!?-tu tak4 ad-hal an-ki sza3 an me nun [...]-sa6#
en: Examining the content of important speech(?) (and then) begets (additional) words (i.e., revises?) while leaving (the message intact), who betters(?) the secret of the universe (which reside?) in the mind of An(?), and the foremost cosmic powers
10'. ka#?-mud-gal2 kingal {d}a-nun-na-ke4-ne {d}en-ki? ku3-zu nig2-nam [...] sag#-e-esz rig7#-[...]
en: Advocate and kingal overseer of the Anuna gods, who was bestowed knowledge of everything by Enki
11'. za3#-e3 nun-gal-e-ne umun2#? diri dab e-ne-da nu {d}en-lil2#?-le#? dingir gal-gal-e-ne-er a2 ag2 nu-szum2-szum2-mu#
en: Foremost of the great princes (Igigi), (possessing) excessive and surpassing knowledge, without him An and Enlil(?) do not issue orders to the great gods
12'. dingir#? zi ki ag2 an ku3-ga du5?-e gesz tuku uri3#? zi-sza3#-gal2#?-ka#? ti-le-de3 ki ag2# [...]
en: True god, beloved by holy An, paying attention to ...(?), guardian of life-giving force who loves to sustain(?), ...
13'. {d#}nin-szubur# en {d}lammax(DAG)-{d#}lammax(DAG) dingir-sze3 tuku arhusz sza3 gur#!?-ru mu-un-zu-a lugal-gu10-ur2 u3#-[ne-de3-tah]
en: Ninšubur, lord whom the lamma protective spirits have as (their) (personal) god(?), who has known compassion and mercy, to my king, when you repeat(?) to him
14'. sza3#? {d}inanna inim sa6-ge igi# an ku3-ga-sze3!? ka ba-ni dingir gal-gal-e-ne gizzal im-[...]
en: Putting a good word to the heart of Inanna, before An the great gods have paid attention to(?) his utterance
15'. [{gesz}]gidri il2 a2 ag2 di-ir-ga za3 kesz2 musz3 ad gal2-bi ul hi-li inim? gun3
en: Raising the scepter, issuing commands, clad in(?) the ritual arrangements(?), his(?) advice giving(?) face charming(?) with pleasure and allure
16'. [...] GIRI16 me-ni me-ta szen a-ra2 galam-ma-bi mah dab?-ba kilib3-sze3 nig2-nam# x x x [...]
en: ..., his cosmic powers are purer than (other) cosmic powers(?), (its) skillful way/decree supremely surpassing(?), ... in totality everything ...
17'. [...] {d#}nin-szubur sza3# kusz2#-u3 {d}inanna szul-a-lum du8-du8 szu-a-ra mur gig-ga sag x [...]
en: Holy? Ninšubur, taking counsel (with) Inanna, undoing punshment, the one “struck upon the hand,” murgig disease(?) ...
18'. [...] x [...] gesz# tuku inim sa6-ge-bi nu-kar2-kar2 nam-tag#? [...]
en: ... listening to ..., his(!) praying/good words never disparaging(?), ... sin(?)
19'. [...] x x zi#-zi lugal#?-gu10#?-ur2#? u3#-ne-de3#-[pesz]
en: ... when you (say it) a 3rd time(?) to my king

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)

Text content

Genre(s)	Literary (NinÅ¡ubur C)
Language(s)

Chronology

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

Record

CDLI number	P346159
Permalink	https://cdli.network/entity/P346159

Physical information

Artifact type	Tablet
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s)	Clay
Preservation

Provenance

Provenience	Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
Written In
Excavation Number	U —
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

Collection(s)	British Museum, London, UK
Museum Number	BM —
Accession Number

References

primary: UET 6, 0074

[Gadd1963UET6] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966, 2005. Ur Excavations Texts Vol. VI.
history: ZA 106 (pp. 33-41), 33-41

[Peterson2016ZA106] Peterson, Jeremiah. 2016. “UET 6/1, 74, the Hymnic Introduction of a Sumerian Letter-Prayer to Ninšubur.” Zeitschrift Für Assyriologie 106: 33–41.
citation: Iraq 44 (pp. 71-86), 079

[Kramer1982Binning] Walker, Christopher B. F., and Samuel N. Kramer. 1982. “Cuneiform Tablets in the Collection of Lord Binning.” Iraq 44 (1): 71–86.
citation: id., RlA 09, 490–500

[sec87669] N.d.
citation: JEOL 29, p.3-34

[Wiggermann1985–1986staff] Wiggermann, Frans A. M. 1985–1986. “The Staff of Ninšubura. Studies in Babylonian Demonology, II.” Jaarbericht van Het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch Genootschap “Ex Oriente Lux” 29: 3–34.

Revisions and credits

Created	Creator	Type	Authors	Reviewer	Status
2024-09-04 at 07:38:42	Firth, Richard	Artifact metadata, Other metadata	Firth, Richard	Firth, Richard	Approved
2024-07-25 at 13:21:34	Firth, Richard	Artifact metadata, Other metadata	Firth, Richard	Firth, Richard	Approved
2019-06-01 at 14:34:09	Englund, Robert K.	Transliteration	Peterson, Jeremiah	CDLI	Approved
2019-05-29 at 21:02:01	Englund, Robert K.	Transliteration	Peterson, Jeremiah	CDLI	Approved
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00	CDLI	Artifact metadata	Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N.	CDLI	Approved

Cite this Artifacts

“UET 6, 0074 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). September 4, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P346159.

UET 6, 0074 artifact entry (No. P346159). (2024, September 4). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346159 (Original work published 2006)

UET 6, 0074 artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346159 (Accessed: April 8, 2026).

@misc{2024UET,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-04-08]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {sep 4},
	title = {UET 6, 0074 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346159},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346159},
}

TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/9/4/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P346159
LB  - CDLI:P346159
M1  - 2026/4/8/
TI  - UET 6, 0074 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346159
ER  -

Cite this Artifacts

“UET 6, 0074 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). September 4, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P346159.

UET 6, 0074 artifact entry (No. P346159). (2024, September 4). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346159 (Original work published 2006)

UET 6, 0074 artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346159 (Accessed: April 8, 2026).

@misc{2024UET,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-04-08]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {sep 4},
	title = {UET 6, 0074 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346159},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346159},
}

TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/9/4/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P346159
LB  - CDLI:P346159
M1  - 2026/4/8/
TI  - UET 6, 0074 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346159
ER  -