Cuneiform Tablets at Bridwell Library
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Note to the Readers from
the Curator The A. V. Lane Museum purchased
a number of cuneiform tablets
over the course of several years beginning in 1929, mostly from Dr.
Edgar James Banks. In 1933, Professor I. H. Hicks sent twelve of the tablets to Samuel I. Feigin
at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago for translations. For
many years, the Tablets were on display as part of the A.V. Lane Museum collection. They were
relocated to Bridwell Library when the Lane Museum merged with the library's
own collection. Several of these tablets are of special historical interest,
as they originate from the site of Abu Jamous, near Babylon; comparatively
few tablets have been found at this site. Over the years the tablets
have been exhibited and moved many times and identifications are no
longer certain. Please email comments or corrections to
Special Collections. Thank you.
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[Tablet No. 1.] Abu Jamous, 1900 B.C. Clay
Tablet. |

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Bibliographic
description:
Tablet from a
ruin called Abu Jamous, near Babylon, where but few tablets have been
discovered. They are of a greater historical value than those from ruins
like Drehm or Jokha, where many tablets have been found. 2000 B.C. Cuneiform
writing is very distinct. Tan in color, 9 cm. long by 5 cm. wide by 3 cm. thick.
Summary:
Hammurabi-rim-[i1i?], the
son of Sin-magir, bought 3
1/2(?) sar of built house from Ilushu-naeir,
the son of Ingur-Shamash, for 6 1/2 shekels of silver. The seller and
all his heirs swore never to contest the sale. Seven witnesses, the
first of them an “anointer.”
For full
transcription (link)
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[Tablet No. 2.] Abu Jamous, 2214 B.C. Clay Tablet. |
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Bibliographic
Description:
Tablet from a ruin called Abu Jamous, near
Babylon.(see note on one above)
This one is almost a lead color on one side and the other has a streak
of lead color and the other corner is much lighter. 6 cm. long by 5 cm. wide
by 2.5 cm. thick
Summary:
The farmer Zurnakum borrows 1 kor 180 qas of barley fran the shepherd
Siya to pay the wages of his five worbuen for one day. The farmer Belier’i
seals
it in the name of Zumakuin, The debt is to be paid in harvest iime• Three
witnesses.
1. 1 + 180 še-gur |
1 kor 180 (qas) of barley |
2. kal-bi 5 u4-l-šè |
its workmen are five for one day; |
3. se-gur10-dè |
in the harvest of barley, |
4. sag-bi ge-ge-dam |
its capital he will return |
5. ki Si-a-a na-qad-ta |
fran Siya, the shepherd, |
6. Zu-ma-ku-um engar |
Zumakum, the farmer |
7. šu-ba-ti |
has borrowed for himself. |
8. mu Zu-ma-ku-um-šè |
For the name of Zumakun |
9. kišib Be-1í-re’i engar |
the seal of Beli-re’i, the farmer. |
10. Ilu-ta-bi |
Ilu-tâbi; |
11. ur-dSul-pa-è aškab |
Ur-Shulpae, the shoemaker; |
12. A-da-làl |
Adalal |
13. lù-inim-ma-bi-me |
are its witnesses |
14. mu dGimil-dSin
|
the year in which the deified Gimil-Sin,
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15. lugal uriki-ma |
the king of Ur, |
16. ma-da Za-ab-ša-li |
in which the land of Zabshali |
17. im-mu-hul-a |
has devastated. |
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[Tablet No. 3.] 2221-2213
B.C. Clay Tablet. |
Bibliographic description:
4cm. long by 4 wide by 1.5 cm thick
Summary:
Gjjujl-Njnshubur borrows 10
shekels of silver from Si â. Three witnesses.
1. 10 gìn kù-babbar
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10 shekels silver, |
2. ki Si-a-a-ta
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from Siya
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3. Gimil-dNin-Šubur
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Gimil-Ninshubur |
4.
šu-ba-ti
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has borrowed. |
5. igi Ga-zu-a hum |
Before Gazua, the grinder; |
6. igi Nu-úr-ì-1í |
before Nûr-ili; |
7. igi Gimil-Ma-ma |
before Gimil-Mama. |
. itu Gi-dug-ga |
The month “the good reed.”
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Note: The provenance is according to the statement of the dealer
Abu-Jamous. |

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[Tablet No. 5.] First Half of the Third Millenium. Clay Tablet.
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Bibliographic description:
Inventory Tablet belonging to the ear1ier part of the Ur
III
Dynasty
or the latter part of the Dynasty of Akkad (the first half of the third
millenium B.C.) 8.5 cm long by 5 cm wide by 2.5 cm thick.
Summary:
The tablet consists
of an inventory
of sheep and lambs. The first eight
lines
(the first line is completely broken) list a number
of
sheep and lambs which had been received from various individuals; the
total is
stated in the especially spaced line following. The tablet then continues with a detailed description of the uses
to which these animals were put; thus: 9 were taken as royal tax; others
were set aside for individuals or places mentioned. The following
is the transliteration and translation of the legible portions of the
tablet (dots indicate either a break or illegibility due to the condition
of the tablet)
Obverse |
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1.
...................................... |
...................................... |
2.
3...................................... |
...................................... |
3. 2 silaki-......................... |
2 lambs from
................ |
4. 1
silaki-........................ |
1
lambs from ................ |
5. 2
sila4
ki-AŠ.KU ............ |
2 lambs from ................. |
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30 sheep from .............. |
7. 6 udu mu-tum GÌR ki ....... |
6 sheep brought by the official from
....... |
8. 1 sila4 ki-la-te -ni(?)-?-ta |
1 lamb from .......... |
9. 60 + 30 + 3 |
93(total) |
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From their midst (the following were
removed for specialized purposes) |
11. 3 udu sá-du |
3 sheep, the satuqqu offering |
12. 3
sila4
dnin-kù-nu-na |
3 lambs for dninkununa |
13. 1
sila4 ?-ka |
1 lamb for ........... |
14. 2 Sila4 dlugal-
u4- da |
2 lambs for dLugaludda |
15. 10-lal-l |
9 (total) |
Reverse |
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1. zi-ga lugal |
royal tax |
2. 10 udu
šà-é-gal-še AS.KU-da (?)-lum(?) |
10 sheep to the palace .......... |
3. ... udu.ká.nanna(?) |
... sheep to the gate of Nanna(?) |
4. 2 udu ... dam(?) a-la-mu |
2 sheep ... the wife? of Alamu |
5. 1 udu lal-ni a-la-mu... |
1 sheep... |
6. 10 + 3 |
13 |
7. 16 ....da.......gub-ba |
......stationed at ........ |
8. 5 ........... |
.............. |
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18 sheep |
10. 17 ...... šabra ....... |
17 sheepp |
uncertain whether the last
line and lower edge were inscribed.
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[Tablet No. 6.] 2222 B.C. Clay
Tablet. |
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Bibliographic
Description: 2 cm long by 2 cm wide by 1 cm thick.
Summary:
Shulgi-urtmiu
receives from Zubaga three killed sheep, namely, one goat, one lamb, and one
milk lamb for the 16th day.
Obverse.
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1. l uz |
one goat
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2. 1 silá |
one lamb |
3. 1
silá-ga |
one milk
lamb |
4. ba-úš
u4 16-kam |
killed ones,
(for) the 16th day |
3. ki
Zu-ba-ga-ta |
from Zubaga |
Reverse.
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dŠul-gi-uru-mu
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Shulgi-urumu |
7. šu-ba-ti
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has
received. |
8. itu Maš-dù-kú
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The month
Mashduku (1st) |
9. mu en
dNannar |
year: the
high priest of Nannar |
10.
kar-zi-da ba-túg
|
of Karzida
was invested |
Left edge.
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udu |
3 sheep.
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Note: : For the
same men see G. Contenau, Contribution a l’histoire
Economique d' Umma No. 78:4-5. |
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[Tablet No. 7.] 2235 BC. Clay Tablet.
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Bibliographic description: 4 cm
long by 4 cm wide by 1.5 cm thick. Summary:
ob. |
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(1)1 Pi zì-gu-lugal
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60 royal qa of gu-flour |
(2) ki šeš-a-ni-ta
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from his brother |
(3) kišib
Igi-uru-šu-dù(?)
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The seal of Igi-urushudu(?); |
(4) šà-bal-a
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In the store house(?) |
rev. |
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(5) mu en dNannar |
The year: The high priest of Nannar |
(6) maš-e
ì-pà
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by a sign was chosen. |
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[Tablet No. 9.] 2233 B.C. Clay Tablet.
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Bibliographic
description:
Smallest tablet,
almost white and very clear writing. 3 cm long by 3 cm wide by 1 cm thick.
Summary:
Eri-du, which he has
apparently leased from its owner for a certain amount of barley.
(1) 1
+ 90 še-gur lugal |
1 kor
90 qa barley in the royal gur |
(2)
lal-ni še
a-šà
Eri-du7 |
the
balance of the barley of the field of Eridu, |
(3) Lú-dingir-ra
dumu |
Lu-dingirra,
the son of |
(4)
He-ti |
Heti |
(6)
su-su-dam |
he
shall add (pay) |
(6)
mu Ur-bi (l)- |
the
year Urbillum |
(7)
lum ba-hul |
was
devastated.. |
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[Tablet No. 10.] 2294-2187
B.C. Clay Tablet.
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Bibliographic Description:
Almost white. The small one at the left goes inside the broken one at right.
3 cm long by 3.5 cm wide by 1 cm thick.
Summary:
Abil-Ati borrowed from Lu-Innini 4 kors barley, the
wages of a hireling.
(1) 4
še-gur
lugal
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4 kors
barley in the royal measure |
(2) ki Lú-dInnini-ka |
Lu-Innini |
(3)
á lú hun-gá |
the wages of a hireling |
(4) A-bil-A-ti |
Abil-Ati |
(5)
šu-ba-ti |
he borrowed for himself.
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(6)
itu Ki-síg-dNin- |
The month Kisig-Ninazu.
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(7) a-zu |
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Case: |
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(i) [4]
še gur lugal
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4 kors of barley in
the royal measure |
(2) [ki] Lú-Innini-ka |
fran Lu-Innini |
(3)
á lú hun-gá |
the wages of a hireling |
(4) A-bil-A-ti |
Abil-Ati |
(5)
šu-ba-ti |
has borrowed, |
Seal:
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A-bil-A-[ti] |
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[Tablet No. 12.] 2213 B.C. Clay Tablet.. |
Bibliographic
Description:
Grayish tan on one side and a good deal of tan showing through on the other.
1-1/2" long by 1-1/4" wide
Summary:
An apple, as a sacrifice, covered in a bowl(?), entered the palace for five
days beginning with the morning of the eighth day of the month of
Shekarragalla.
1. giš hašhur sá-dug4 |
an apple, a sacrifice |
2. bur-e-šú-a |
in a bowl, covered, |
3. itu Še-kar-ra-gál-la-ta |
from the month of Shekarragalla |
4. u4 8 ba-ra-zal-la-ta |
from the 8th day in the morningg |
5. u4 5-šè é-gal-la |
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6. tur-ra |
entered |
7. gír Ab-ba-gir |
the "foot" (man) Abbagur |
8. itu Še-kar-ra-gál-laq |
the month of Shekarragalla |
9. mu dGimil-dSin |
the year Gimil-sin |
10. lugal Uri-ki- |
the king of Ur |
11. ma |
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12. mà-gur8-mah |
the lofty sail(?)-boat |
13. dEn-lil dNin-lil-ra |
for Enlil and Ninlil |
14. mu ne-dim |
he built for them.. |
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