Tablet

Classification/Broad: Writing

Classification/Specific: Tablet

Material/Broad: Clay

Material/Specific: Clay (Clay)

Measurements: 100 x 98 x 30 mm

Description: Fragment of a large tablet inscribed with a list of various comestibls and animals expended for cultic purposes. Portions of four columns are preserved on the reverse; the obverse is completely destroyed. How much of the original, complete tablet is missing is uncertain. The preserved surface of the reverse appears only slightly convex, and so the full tablet may have been very large. The list is divided into subsections where, following a blank space, a term explains the occasion or location of the expentiture. These can refer to temples or shrines (e.g. ii' 7': e2 barag si-ga ḫu-rim3{ki} or cultic events (e.g. iii' 9: sizkur2 lugal, "a royal ritual). Such descriptions also occur within subsections, (e.g. ii' 3', e2-ta izi-la2, "letting (purifying) fire go over the temple"). Although Oriental Institute records assign a provenience from Adab, this tablet fragment certainly comes rather from Girsu, based on the mentions of "the temple of Nindara" (iii' 21'), the husband of Nanše and part of the pantheon of Lagash, and of the toponym Ḫu-rim3{ki}, which is only otherwise attested on Girsu tablets. Most likely the fragment was purchased by Banks while excavating at Adab, having been looted from Girsu.

Region: Dhi Qar governorate

Country: Iraq

Place/site: Telloh

Place/other: --

Locus: --

Period: Ur III

Date: --

Culture: Mesopotamian

Dynasty: Third Dynasty of Ur

King/Ruler: --

Inscribed: Yes

Inscription Sequence Number: 1

Inscription Language: Sumerian

Script: Cuneiform

Dialect: --

Inscription Description: --

Inscription Subject: List of comestibles and animals expended for cultic purposes

Inscription Type: Administrative

Inscription Location: Obverse and Reverse

Translation:

--

Transliteration One:

--

Transliteration Two:

--

Transliteration Three:

--

Registration Number: A1176

Accession Number: 83

Field Number: --