CDLI Literary 000379, ex. 025 (P464308)

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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Metadata history Transliteration history
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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 2.02.02 Lament for Ur (witness))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Witness

tablet
obverse
1. [...]-x er2-ra# ba#-[...]
 en: Urim has initiated lamentation to her detriment(?)
2. [...] ba#-an#-da-gul-la me-ni ba-[...]
 en: Her city is destroyed to her detriment, her cosmic powers are changed to her detriment
3. gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-[im]
 en: It is its gešgigal “response”
4. u4#-ba u4 ne#-en ba-si-si-ga#-[...]
 en: At that time, this time after (the city) was flattened
5. nin-da uru17#{ki}-ni ba-an-da#-[...]
 en: To the detriment of the lady, her city is destroyed
6. iri{ki}-ni ba-an-da-gul# me-ni ba-[...]
 en: Her city is destroyed to her detriment, her me are changed to her detriment
7. u4-ba u4 ne-en ba-dim2-dim2#-[...]
 en: At that time, this time after (the city) was created
8. uru17-gu10 gul-gul-da im-ma#-[...]
 en: When they have spoken (the order for)/ordered(!?) my city to be destroyed
9. uri2{ki} gul-gul-da im-ma#-[...]
 en: When they have spoken (the order for)/ordered(!?) Urim to be destroyed
10. ug3-bi ug5-ge-de3 im-ma#-[...]
 en: When they have ordered(!?) its people to be killed
11. u4-ba me-e uru17-ga2 ga2-la# [...]
 en: At that time I will not be indifferent to my city
12. ka-na-ag2-ga2 IM szub-be2 ba-ra#-[...]
 en: (I) will not neglect my land
13. an-ra i-bi2-ga2 me-e# [...]
 en: For An, I shall pour (the tears!) of my eyes
14. {d}mu-ul-lil2-la2 ni2-gu10 sza3-ne-sza4 he2#-[...]
 en: I shall supplicate myself to Enlil(?)
15. uru17-gu10 nam-ma-gul [...]
 en: I shall say to him “My city must not be destroyed”
16. uri2{ki} nam-ma-gul [...]
 en: I shall say to him “Urim must not be destroyed”
17. ug3-bi nam-usz2-a [...]
 en: I shall say to him “Its people must not be killed(!?)”
18. an-ne2 e-ne-eg3-bi [...]
 en: Despite this An did not rescind his word
19. {d}mu-ul-lil2-la2 i3-sa6-ga he2-a-bi [...]
 en: Despite this (the statement) “It is good, so be it” of Enlil was not soothing my heart
20. uru17-gu10 gul-gul-de3 [...]
 en: Therefore when they have ordered(!) my city to be destroyed
21. uri2{ki} gul-gul-de3 [...]
 en: When they have ordered(!) Urim to be destroyed
22. ug3-bi ug5#-ge#-de3 [...]
 en: When they have ordered(!) its people to be killed
23. 2(disz@t)-kam#-ma#-[...]-uh2#-ru-um ki-sag-ki a#-x-x-[...]-le#?-[...]
 en: For a 2nd time, after they convened an assembly, a “solemn place”
24. {d#}a-nun-na#-ke4#-e#-ne e-ne-eg3# [...] kesz2-da#?-bi# ba#-an-da-dur2-ru-ne#-esz
 en: The Anuna rested on the “organized” (i.e., finalized?) word?
25. ur2# he2-em-ma-BU-BU siki he2-em-ma#-sur5-sur5
 en: Therefore (I?) shall extend(?) (my) limbs/lap and tie up(?) (my) hair
26. an-ra i-bi2-ga2 me-e he2-em-ma-na-de2
 en: For An, I shall pour the tears of my eyes
27. {d}mu-ul#-lil2-la2 ni2-gu10 sza3-ne-sza4 he2-em-ma-ni-in-ne2
 en: I shall supplicate myself to Enlil(?)
28. iri{ki}-gu10# nam-ma-gul he2-em-mi-in-ne-du11
 en: I shall say to them(?) “My city must not be destroyed”
29. uri2{ki#} nam-ma-gul he2-em-mi-in-ne-du11
 en: I shall say to them(?) “Urim must not be destroyed”
30. ug3-bi nam-usz2-a he2-em-mi-in-ne-du11
 en: I shall say to them(?) “Its people must not be killed(!?)”
31. an-e e-ne-eg3-bi ba-ra-ba-ra-gi4
 en: Despite this An did not rescind his word
32. {d}mu-ul-lil2-la2 i3-sa6 he2-a-bi sza3-gu10 ba-ra-ab-sed4-de3
 en: Despite this (the statement) “It is good, so be it” of Enlil was not soothing my heart
33. uru17#{ki}-gu10 gul-gul-de3 he2-em-ma-ag2-esz-a-ba
 en: Therefore when they have ordered(!) my city to be destroyed
34. uri2{ki} gul-gul-de3 he2-em-ma-ag2-esz-a-ba
 en: When they have ordered(!) Urim to be destroyed
35. ug3-bi ug5-ge-de3 he2-em-ma-ag2-esz-a-ba
 en: When they have ordered its people to be killed
36. me-e nig2-KA-gu10 mu-e-de3-szum2-ma-gin7
 en: I, as one who gave my advice(?) to my detriment(?)
37. me-e uru17-gu10#-ta#? he2-en-ga-ba-e-da-ab-la2-e
 en: ... therefore shall also bind me with my city
38. uri2{ki} ga2-da he2-en-ga-ba-e-da-ab-la2-e
 en: ... therefore shall also bind Urim with me
39. an-ne2 e-ne-eg3-bi hur nu-kur2-ru-da
 en: An is never again to change this word
40. mu-ul-lil2-la2-e ka-ta e3-a-ni szu nu-bala-e-de3
 en: That which issues from the mouth of Enlil is not to be changed/Enlil will not change that which issues from his mouth(?)
41. ki-ru-gu2 4(disz)-kam-ma
 en: It is the 4th kirugu
reverse
1. nin-da uru17{ki}-ni ba-an-da-gul-la2
 en: To the detriment of the lady, her city is destroyed
2. uru17{ki}-ni ba-an-da-gul-la me-ni ba-an-da-kur2-ra
 en: Her city is destroyed to her detriment, her cosmic powers are changed to her detriment
3. gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-im
 en: It is the gešgigal “response”
4. {d}en-lil2-le u4-de3 gu3 ba-an-de2 ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: Enlil spoke to the storm, and the people wailed
5. u4 he2-gal2-la kalam-e ba-da-an-kar ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: He deprived the land of(?) days of abundance, and the people wailed
6. u4 du10 ki-en-gi-ra ba-da-an-kar ug3-bi sze am3-sza4
 en: He deprived Sumer of good days, and the people wailed
7. u4 hul gal2 a2 ba-da-ag2 ug3-bi sze am3-sza4
 en: He commanded the malevolent storm, and the people wailed
8. kin2-gal u4-da u4-da gub-ba-ni szu-ni im-ma-an-szum-mu-usz
 en: He gave them to(?) the kiggal official(?) of the storm, his attendant storm/who stood within the storm(?)
9. u4 kalam til-til gu3 ba-an-de2 ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: He spoke to the storm annihilating the land, and the people wailed
10. u4 gal-e an-na-ke4 gu3 ba-an-de2 ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: He spoke to the great storm, the one of An, and the people wailed
11. {d}en-lil2-le {d}gibil6 a2#?-tah-a-ni-a mu-un-na-ni-in-ku4-re
 en: Enlil was making Gibil (fire) into his helper
12. u4 gal an-na-ke4 gu3 ba-an-de2 ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: He spoke to the great storm of An, and the people wailed
13. u4 gal an-ta gu3 im-me ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: The great storm was shouting from above, and the people wailed
14. u4 gal kalam til-til-e ki-a murum mi#-ni-ib2-sza4
 en: The storm annihilating the land roared upon the earth
15. tu15# hul# a mah# [...]-gin7 a2!?-bi nu-ga2-ga2
 en: An evil wind, overflowing like a great flood does not set down its power/wing(?)
16. uru17{ki}-a [...]-gaz#? x-ke3-e tesz2-bi i3-gu7-e
 en: In the city the weapon was murdering and devouring (as if) in a pack
17. an-na ur2-ba tukur2#? [...]-x-DU? ug3-e sze am3-sza4
 en: At the base of heaven (the storm?) gnawed(?), and the people wailed
18. u4-de3 igi-bi izi mu#-[...]-re# ug3#-e sze am3-sza4
 en: The storm was burning with fire at its front
19. u4 mir-mir-re izi-[...]-mu#-un-BI
 en: And therefore the raging storm(?), like a “fire-shade"... at its back/... fire like deep shade(?) at its back
20. an-bar7 im szeg3 il2-[...]-bar7#-re
 en: Noon, (which usually) raises the “rainy wind” (fog?) burned fire
21. an-bar7-GAN2 u4 babbar2 e3#-[...]-an-ku4
 en: Mid-day, (which usually) brings out bright sunlight, brought darkness along with it(!?)
22. kalam-ma u4 zalag# la-ba-ra#-[...]
 en: The shining sun did not come out in the land, it dissipated like the evening
23. ge6 giri17-zal a sed4-de3 x [...]
 en: The southern wind blocked/combined with (to negate) the joyful night which initiates the cooling of water(?)
24. szika bar-bar-ra sahar im-da-x-[...]
 en: Burning(?) sherds combined with the soil, and the people wailed
25. sag-gig2-ga tu15 im-ma#?-[...]
 en: (The storm) blew a wind upon the black-headed people, and the people wailed
26. ki-en-gi gesz-bur2-gin7 i3-[...]
 en: Sumer was tripping(?) as if (in) a snare, and the people wailed
27. ug3-e sag e2-gar8 du3 i3-ak#?-[...]
 en: The people(?) were erecting a wall of heads(?), (the storm) devouring (as if) in a pack
28. u4 gig-ga er2-re na-ag2-bi# [...]
 en: The bitter storm, for which weeping was not decreed as its fate(?), (because of this) the people wailed
29. u4 szu ur4-ur4-re [...]
 en: The eradicating/gathering(?) storm was sweeping the land/making the land tremble
30. u4 a-ma-ru-gin7 [...]
 en: The storm utterly destroyed the city like a flood
31. u4 kalam til-til [...]
 en: The storm that was finishing the land established silence in the city
32. u4 izi-gin7 bar7-a [...]
 en: The storm burning like fire was enraged with/corporeally burned(?) the people(?)
33. u4# [...] u2#-gu# de2-de3 hul gal2#-e#? bi2#-[...]
 en: The storm that is to cause (everything) to be forgotten stood among the malevolent (ones?)
34. [...] du11-ga {d}en-lil2-la2 x [...]
 en: The hateful storm, ordered by Enlil, the storm that ... the land
35. [...]-gin7# im-dul gada-gin7# [...]
 en: It covered Ur like a garment, spread over it like linen
36. [ki]-ru#-gu2 5(disz)-kam#-[ma]
 en: It is the 5th kirugu
37. [...]-ru# [ug3]-e# sze am3-[sza4]
 en: The storm is a lion(?), thrashing(?), and the people wail
38. [gesz-gi4]-gal2-bi-im
 en: It is its gešgigal “response”
39. [...] x du6-du6-da
 en: At that time(!) the storm was placed together with the city, the city was ruin heaps

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 2.02.02 Lament for Ur (witness))
  • Language(s): Sumerian

  • history: UET 6, 0139b

    [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 16900n
  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:44:22 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
2019-06-01 at 14:34:09 Englund, Robert K. Atf Peterson, Jeremiah CDLI approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2014-04-23 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact Peterson, Jeremiah 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 000379 (Lament for Ur) composite (P469681) View the score

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes: -
Cite this Artifact
“CDLI Literary 000379, Ex. 025 Artifact Entry.” (2014) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P464308.
CDLI Literary 000379, ex. 025 artifact entry (No. P464308). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.ucla.edu/P464308 (Original work published 2014)
CDLI Literary 000379, ex. 025 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.ucla.edu/P464308 (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2024-04-25]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000379, ex. 025 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P464308},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P464308},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P464308
LB  - CDLI:P464308
M1  - 2024/4/25/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000379, ex. 025 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.ucla.edu/P464308
ER  -
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