CDLI Literary 000383, ex. 001 (P346227)

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

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Chemical Data

Seal Chemistry

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Metadata history Transliteration history

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 (ETCSL 2.02.06 Lament for Eridu (witness))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Witness

tablet
obverse
1. iri me nun-na a gal-la diri-ga a-e ba-da-ri x x [...]
 en: The city of the princely me floating in the flood water was set/sailed upstream(?) in the water ...
2. sug dagal-bi giri3 ba-an-ga2-ga2 sza3-ba {gesz}ad2 kur-ra KA x [...]
 en: (One could?) set foot in its broad marsh (as if it was dry land?), in its midst the thornbush of the mountain ...
3. ma2 giri17-zal-la ma2-durah-abzu a-e ba-da-ab-tak4#? sumur3-bi pesz10#? bi2-ib2-te#?
 en: The boat of joy, the ibex of the Abzu, abandoned(?) the water, its reed cabin(?) was brought near(?) to the riverbank(?)
4. {d}sirsir {d}ab-ba-u2 lu2 ma2-u5 na-nam ma2 sag-ga2 x igi-bi-da ba-e-szu2-bu-usz
 en: Sirsir (and) Abba'u, who are indeed the men of the barge, at the prow of the boat they ... both eyes(?)
5. e2-a lu2-erim2-e mu-un-hul-usz me-bi szu suh3-a ba#-ab-du11
 en: Within the temple the enemy destroyed, its me were thrown into confusion
  blank space
6. gi-gun4-na eb e2-a lu2-erim2-e ba-ab-gul gesz-hur {gesz}esi? ba#?-ab#?-kur2#?-[...]
 en: The enemy destroyed the giguna structure and the oval of the temple, they (irreparably) changed(?) (its) plans ...
7. e2-u6-nir esz3 an-gin7 sag-bi mu-un-il2 gissu x x ab?-te?-ga2? IM#? [...]
 en: The Eunir temple, the shrine that had raised its head like heaven(?), (its) protective aegis(?) ...
  blank space
8. ka2 gu-la ka2 igi pirig-ga2 ki# nam tar-ra lu2-erim2-[...] {gesz}ig-bi-ne ba-ab-[...]
 en: The greatest gate, the “face of a lion” gate, where fate is determined, the enemy tore out? the doors
9. {d}ka-he-gal2 {d}igi-he-gal2 i3-du8 e2-a a? [...]
 en: Kahegal and Igiḫegal, the doorkeepers of the temple ...
  blank space
10. [e2]-mah#? {d}en-ki-ke4 ki u3#-di du7-a gesztu2 kalam-ma#? [...]
 en: (At) the Emah temple of Enki, a place suitable for awe, the wisdom of the land ...
11. [...] ki#-szu-pesz zu-zu ME {d}a-nun-x [...]
 en: ... who made the cultic place known(?) ... of the Anuna(?) ...
12. [...]-bi# bi2-ib2-de2-a kalam-ma x [...]
 en: The one who shouted(?) ... in the land
13. [...] x-gin7 x-ga x [...]
 en: ...
14. [...] x sza3 gur-x x [...]
 en: ... exuberant? ...
  rest broken
reverse
  beginning broken
1'. eridu#{ki#}-ga# [...]
 en: In(?) Eridu ...
2'. iri gesz-gi izi [...]
 en: The marshland (of?) the city fire(?) ...
3'. eridu{ki}-ga gu4 du7#?-[...]
 en: In Eridu a goring(?) ox ...
4'. szah2 gesz-gi nu-me-a# [...]
 en: (Although?) ... was not a marsh boar ...
  blank space
5'. eridu{ki}-ga gu4-gin7 x [...]
 en: In(?) Eridu like a bull ...
6'. nin iri-ke4 e2-gu10 im-me iri#? [...] me#-li#-e-[a ...]
 en: The lady of the city says “my city” the city ... alas! ...
7'. ki#-ru#-gu2# 3(disz)-kam#-ma-[am3]
 en: It is the 3rd kirigu
8'. a-a {d}en-ki a e2-zu a iri-zu a nam-lu2-lu7-zu kur-ra [...]
 en: Father Enki, alas, your temple, alas, your city, alas, your people! In the land ...
9'. gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-[im]
 en: It is the gešgigal “response”
  blank space

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)

  • Artifact type: Tablet
  • Material: Clay
  • Measurements (mm):
  • Weight:
  • Artifact Preservation:
  • Condition Description:
  • Join Information:
  • Seal no.:
  • Seal information:
  • Artifact comments:

  • Genre(s): Literary (ETCSL 2.02.06 Lament for Eridu (witness))
  • Language(s): Sumerian

  • history: UET 6, 0142

    [Gadd1963] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966.

  • Composite No.:
  • Museum No.: BM —
  • Accession No.:

  • Provenience: Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
  • Elevation:
  • Stratigraphic Level:
  • Excavation No: U —
  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune approved View
2019-06-11 at 15:37:49 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-06-11 at 11:03:51 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. CDLI approved View

Consult this artifact as presented on the website of collections and projects:

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

Composite Score
CDLI Literary 000383 (Lament for Eridu) composite (P469685) View the score

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes: -
Cite this Artifact
“CDLI Literary 000383, Ex. 001 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346227.
CDLI Literary 000383, ex. 001 artifact entry (No. P346227). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346227 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000383, ex. 001 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346227 (Accessed: March 15, 2025).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2025-03-15]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000383, ex. 001 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346227},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346227},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346227
LB  - CDLI:P346227
M1  - 2025/3/15/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000383, ex. 001 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346227
ER  -
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