Cuneiform Tablet: Ur III Administrative Text
Neo-Sumerian
Small square shaped clay tablet with cuneiform writing. The tablet is inscribed on obverse and reverse with text written in Sumerian language. There are seal impressions over the text on both sides. The text is a typical administrative document from the Ur III dynasty and it records the receipt of reed bundles for animal fodder. The inscription on the seal indicates that its owner was Alulu, the same official receiving the reeds in the text.The tablet is dated to 9th month of the first year of the reign of Ibbi-Suen (c. 2028-2004 B.C.E.) and probably comes from Umma (?).
Text reads:
1(geš2) 3(u) sa gi zi / gu-kilib-ba 5 sa-ta / šag4-gal udu niga sa2-dug4 / ki Ur-e2-mah-ta / kišib A-lu5-lu5 / iti {d}Li9-si4 / mu {d}I-bi2-{d}Suen lugal
Seal impression: A-lu5-lu5 / dumu Inim-{d}Šara2 / kurušda {d}Šara2-ka
90 bundles of fresh reeds / in each bale are 5 bundles / fodder for the fattened sheep, the regular offerings / (received) from Ur-Emah / Seal of Alulu; month of Lisi, the year Ibbi-Suen (became) king.
Seal impression: Alulu / son of Inim-Šara / animal fattener of the god Šara
Clay
Neo-Sumerian period, Third Dynasty of Ur