Sumerian Clay Tablet Recording Lamb Sacrifice

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Sumerian Clay Tablet Recording Lamb Sacrifice

Place of OriginIraq, Puzriš-Dagan (modern Drehem)

Dateabout 2040 BCE

DimensionsH: 1 in. (2.5 cm); W: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm); Depth: 7/16 in. (1.1 cm)

MediumClay

ClassificationUtilitarian Objects

Credit LineGift of Carl Spitzer

Object number

1932.34

Not on View

Collections

Decorative Arts

Published References

Kang, S.T., Sumerian Economic Texts from the Drehem Archive, Urbana, 1972, pp. 89-113.

Van der Meiroop, Marc, "Cuneiform Tablets from The Toledo Museum of Art," Revue d'Assyriologie, no. 1, 1985, p. 18, repr. p. 27. “RA 079, 027 19 Artifact Entry.” 2001. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). December 20, 2001. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P128044. http://bdtns.filol.csic.es/catalogo_directo_new.php?numBDTS=028722 https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/epsd2/P128044

Label TextThis clay tablet, dating to the Ur III period (ca. 2100–2000 BCE), originates from Puzriš-Dagan (modern Drehem, Iraq). Inscribed in Sumerian cuneiform, it records the receipt of a slaughtered ewe-lamb, delivered by an official named En-dingir-mu and received by Shulgi-irimu in the Tummal sanctuary in Nippur, where the goddess Ninlil was venerated. The text follows the standard format of Ur III administrative documents, listing the commodity, date, involved officials, and location. It references the 4th regnal year of Amar Sin (“the year after the throne was built”).