Cuneiform tablet collection
Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: L632
Scope and Contents
The collection includes simplified, wedge-based strokes with word concepts, rather than signs. They were found in southern Mesopotamia (modern day southern Iraq) and created by the ancient civilization of Sumer.
Collection consists of 6 cuneiform tablets. Tablet 1 is a temple record of offerings found at Jokha dated to around 2350 bc. Tablet 2 contains a long list of produce, probably used for tax purposes and comes from Jokha from about 2350 to 2100 bc. Tablet 3 is a simple business document from Senkereh, about 2200 bc. Tablet 4 is a butcher's bill found at Drehem, dated about 2350 bc. Tablet 5 is a votive cone, made by priests at the temple of Ishtar and sold to visiting pilgrims. It served as a prayer for the king and bears an inscription which reads, "For Sin-ga-shid, the mighty hero, King of Erech, King of Amanu, in the temple of the Goddess Ishtar which he built in the royal residence of his kingdom." The tablet was found at Warka and dates to about 2100 bc. Tablet 6 is a school-boy writing exercise tablet. It was found at Warka and dates to 2000 bc.
For more information, visit the Indiana State Library's blog post, titled "Cuneiform Tablets": http://blog.library.in.gov/cuneiform-tablets/
Collection consists of 6 cuneiform tablets. Tablet 1 is a temple record of offerings found at Jokha dated to around 2350 bc. Tablet 2 contains a long list of produce, probably used for tax purposes and comes from Jokha from about 2350 to 2100 bc. Tablet 3 is a simple business document from Senkereh, about 2200 bc. Tablet 4 is a butcher's bill found at Drehem, dated about 2350 bc. Tablet 5 is a votive cone, made by priests at the temple of Ishtar and sold to visiting pilgrims. It served as a prayer for the king and bears an inscription which reads, "For Sin-ga-shid, the mighty hero, King of Erech, King of Amanu, in the temple of the Goddess Ishtar which he built in the royal residence of his kingdom." The tablet was found at Warka and dates to about 2100 bc. Tablet 6 is a school-boy writing exercise tablet. It was found at Warka and dates to 2000 bc.
For more information, visit the Indiana State Library's blog post, titled "Cuneiform Tablets": http://blog.library.in.gov/cuneiform-tablets/
Dates
- circa 2350-2000 bc
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Historical Note
Cuneiform script is one of the earliest known systems of writing. Developed in Mesopotamia around 3500-3000 bc, a stylus or scribe is pressed into soft clay to produce wedge impressions, called pictographs or phonograms.
Extent
1 Cubic Feet (1 cubic foot box)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a purchase from Edgar J. Banks, antiquarian and archaeologist, on 1927/04/25.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and EAD finding aid completed 2017/10/30 by Bethany Fiechter.
- Title
- Cuneiform tablet collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
