Cuneiform Collection – SMM 7

For transliteration, translations, and discussions on the individual texts, click on the links below.

Museum #:	SMM 14/24 (14/7)	Period:	Ur III dynasty, ca. 21st cen. BCE
Publ. #:	SET 266	Date:	Amar-Suen, year 7, month 1; ca. 21st cen. BCE
Acquired from:	C. Ames, 1915	Provenience:	Umma (Jokha), Iraq Sumer-Southern Mesopotamia (view map)
Measurements:	H 40, W 42, Th 14 mm*	Culture:	Sumerian
Condition:	Intact; baked	Language:	Sumerian
Description:	Cuneiform tablet, with seal impression. Record of field to be harvested

Transliteration:	Translation:
obv. 1. 3 gán še še-gur₁₀-a	1. 3 acres barley, for harvest,
2.a-šà ^gišma-nu	2. Field of the Ash Trees
3. Dada sipa ša	3. Dada, the swineherd
4. kišib Lugal-é-ma- e lo.e. (Blank)	4. Seal(Ed by) Lugal-emae
rev. 5. iti še-gur₁₀-ku₅ (seal impression)	5. Month of barley harvest,
6. mu u-u-nu-ri ki BAUL	6. year Huhnuri was destroyed.

Seal legend:
1. Lugal-é-ma-e	1. Lugal-emae,
2. dub – sar	2. scribe,
3. dumu Lugal-kù-ga-ni	3. son of Lugal-kugani

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Discussion

According to this tablet, Dada the swineherd was responsible for harvesting three acres planted in barley, located within a tract of arable land in the area of Umma which was called "Field of the Ash-Trees."** Lugal-emae, son of Lugal-kugani, sealed this and many other tablets concerning agricultural work.†

* Measurements of seal impression:

height of seal impression – 25.5 mm.
height of seal legend – 24.5 mm.
width of seal legend – 15 mm.

** Attestations of this tract are collected in G. Pettinato, Untersuchungen zur neusumerischen Landwirtschaft I (Napoli: Instituto Orientale di Napoli, 1967), Part 2, no. 567, pp. 81-3; identification of ^gišma-nu as the Syrian ash courtesy M. Civil, personal communication.

† See the list under seal no. 442.1 in R. Mayr's catalogue, Seal Impressions of Ur III Umma, pp. 345-7.

Cuneiform Collection – SMM 7

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