CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 (P346260)

Literary letter and letter-prayer 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

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 > Literary letter and letter-prayer (ETCSL 3.03.09 Letter from Lugal-nesage to Enlil-massu (witness) Letter from Lugalnisag to Enlilmassu (B 16))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Witness

Text

tablet
obverse
1-3. [{disz}{d}]en#-lil2#-mas#?-su inim du10 ad gi4 sa6# ka# lal3 inim#? ENGUR?-ENGUR?-ra u3-ne-du11
 en: After you speak to Enlilmassu, (the provider of) sweet words and good advice, the (possessor of) a “honey mouth, who ... speech
4-5.a. dumu dingir-ra-a-ni-ir gub-ba a-a ama-a-ni-ir
 en: To the son who serves his god, one who his father and mother
5b. ni2 te-ge26!?-ra u3-ne-de3-tah
 en: fears, after you repeat,
6-7. a-la-ad {d}alad {d}lamma dingir kal-la-gu10 sza i-di uludin2 alan zil2-zil2-e
 en: My alad spirit, my lamma spirit, my valued (personal) god (Akkadian, the one of the side(?)), with good features and stature
8-9.a. me-te nam-dub-sar ur-sag sza3-tam-e-ne
 en: Embodiment of the scribal art, hero of the šatam officials,
9.b. he2-du7 e2#-gal-la a2 ag2 ki-bi gi4
 en: ornament of the palace. Who restores commands to their place
10-11. sza3 lugal-la-na du10-du10-ge-ra u3-ne-de3-pesz
 en: Who sweetens the heart of the king, after you (say) a third time to him
reverse
1-3. {disz}lugal-nesag#-e nu-esz3 {d}en-lil2-la2 lu2 zu2 bir9 lugal-la
 en: Lugalnesage, the nu'eš priest of Enlil, the jester of the king
4-6. dumu {d}en-lil2-la2-al-sa6 um-mi-a nibru{ki}-ke4 ad-da-zu na-ab-be2-a
 en: Son of Enlilalsag, master (scribe) of Nibru, your father, it is (him who) speaks (thusly)
7. u4 DA-na-gu10 ba-hu-hu-bu-usz2-en
 en: When I was abandoned, (I) was “cut down"(?)
  double ruling
  possibly spurious?
8-9. sza3-gu10 mu-da-szub im-ta-qu2-<ut> immen2{+e-me-en} sza3-gar-gu10 ba-tur-e?-me-en
 en: My heart fell, I am one whose (interest in) eating and drinking diminishes
10-11. nam-zu ib2-gu7-en i-si-isz-zu ib2-si-ge ta-az-me-tu-ka
 en: Your destiny? consumed me, your laughter! (Akkadian: complaint?) silenced me(?)
12. mah-zu ib2-sur-en is-qu2-ka
 en: Your greatness (i.e., arrogance) (Akkadian your lot(?)) has twisted(?) me
13. [...] sag5 sza?-la su ib2-bu-usz2-en t,u-pu-ul-ka
 en: (Your) slander/complaining(?) and (feigned) compassion(!?) has killed me
14. [...] ke#-gu10-ta szu be2-dagx(KA2) ab-tu-uq
 en: (For the time being) I have abandoned (Akkadian cut off) my attentiveness (to you)
15. [...]-te-gu10-ne sza3-gu10 mud2 lugud2 ab-si
 en: When(?) I was afraid, my heart filled with blood and pus
16. [...] x-tar-de3 zi ba-ir a-ta-szu#?-[...]
 en: (I) have been distressed to inquire after (you)
17. [...] nam# tar-ka nu-mu-ub-GA2 la ASZ-x-[...]
 en: (But) because(?) ... has not yet ... it into the “place of fate"(?)
left
1. du11-ga {d}en-lil2-ka musz2-me-zu igi he2#-[...]-du
 en: By the command of Enlil, may I(?) see your face (again).

Text content

Genre(s) Literary > Literary letter and letter-prayer (ETCSL 3.03.09 Letter from Lugal-nesage to Enlil-massu (witness) Letter from Lugalnisag to Enlilmassu (B 16))
Language(s) Sumerian

Chronology

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

Composites

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

Composite Composite Number Score
CDLI Literary 000581 (Letter from Lugal-nesage to Enlil-massu) composite (P473740) Q000581 View the score

Record

LOD URI https://cdli.network/entity/P346260

Physical information

Artifact type Tablet
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s) Clay
Preservation

Provenance

Provenience Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
Written In
Archive
Excavation Number U 16272bis
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

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

External resources

External Resource Identifiers
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature transliterations (ETCSL transliterations) 3.3.9
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature translations (ETCSL translations) 3.3.9
Ancient Records of Middle Eastern Polities (ARMEP) P346260

References

  • history: UET 6, 0175

    [Gadd1963UET6] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966, 2005. Ur Excavations Texts Vol. VI.

Revisions and credits

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact metadata Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune Approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Englund, Robert K. CDLI Approved View
2014-11-21 at 08:56:29 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Englund, Robert K. CDLI Approved View
2011-10-07 at 08:23:41 Wagensonner, Klaus Transliteration Wagensonner, Klaus CDLI Approved View
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact metadata Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. CDLI Approved View

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000581, Ex. 003 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P346260.
CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry (No. P346260). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346260 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346260 (Accessed: June 14, 2026).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-06-14]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346260},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346260},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346260
LB  - CDLI:P346260
M1  - 2026/6/14/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346260
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000581, Ex. 003 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.earth/P346260.
CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry (No. P346260). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P346260 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P346260 (Accessed: June 14, 2026).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-06-14]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P346260},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P346260},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346260
LB  - CDLI:P346260
M1  - 2026/6/14/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000581, ex. 003 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P346260
ER  -
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