Old Akkadian Clay Tablet with Receipt of Cedar and Amber

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Old Akkadian Clay Tablet with Receipt of Cedar and Amber

Period Akkadian Period (Akkadian, 2350-2150 BCE)

Place of OriginLikely Iraq

DateOld Akkadian period (ca. 2340–2200 BCE)

Dimensions1 5/16 × 1 1/4 in. (3.4 × 3.1 cm)

MediumClay

ClassificationUtilitarian Objects

Object number

1908.83

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DescriptionA small, baked clay tablet with cuneiform inscriptions on both sides. The text records a transaction involving 44 mana of cedar and 9 mana of amber, measured by weight.

Label TextThis small baked clay tablet, dating to the Old Akkadian period (ca. 2340–2200 BC), is inscribed with cuneiform script. It records a receipt for 44 minas of cedar and 9 minas of amber, delivered to an individual called Namhani, who may have been a priest in Ur. Cedar and amber were valuable commodities in Mesopotamian trade, used in construction, perfumery, and ritual. This tablet reflects the extensive commercial networks and record-keeping practices of the Akkadian period.Published ReferencesLangdon, Stephen H., “Miscellanea Assyriaca II,” Babyloniaca, vol. 7, 1914, p. 67.

Van der Meiroop, Marc, "Cuneiform Tablets from The Toledo Museum of Art," Revue d'Assyriologie, no. 1, 1985, pp. 17, 21, repr. p. 20.

“RA 079, 021 01 Artifact Entry.” 1970. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). January 1, 1970. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P216400.