Old Akkadian Clay Tablet with Fish Distribution Record

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Old Akkadian Clay Tablet with Fish Distribution Record

Place of OriginLikely Iraq

DateOld Akkadian period (ca. 2340–2200 BCE)

Dimensions1 3/8 × 1 1/4 × 1/4 in. (3.5 × 3.1 × 0.7 cm)

MediumClay

ClassificationUtilitarian Objects

Object number

1908.85

Not on View

DescriptionA rectangular clay tablet inscribed with cuneiform text on both obverse and reverse. The text consists of an Old Akkadian administrative record, mentioning quantities of fish and other goods, with references to named individuals. The surface shows signs of wear but remains legible.

Published ReferencesVan De Mieroop, Marc, and Tremper Longman, “Cuneiform Tablets from the Toledo Museum of Art,” Revue d’Assyriologie et d’Archéologie Orientale, vol. 79, 1985, no. 2, p. 21.

“RA 079, 021 02 Artifact Entry.” 1970. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). January 1, 1970. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P216401.

Label TextThis Old Akkadian clay tablet, dating to ca. 2340–2200 BCE, records an administrative transaction involving fish and other goods. Written in cuneiform, the text mentions an ensi (a high-ranking official) and a fisherman named Uršu, who delivered a quantity of fresh-water fish. Such tablets provide valuable insight into the economic systems of early Mesopotamian civilizations.