Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Old Babylonian Period, ca. 2000 to 1600 BCE. A pair of ceramic "biscuits" or tablets inscribed with dense lines of cuneiform text. The larger of the two is translated (see below). Cuneiform tablets seem to have been used mainly as a way of tabulating economic concerns. Although it might be more romantic to imagine that these tablets discussed the doings of kings and gods, from a historical standpoint, it is much more interesting to learn about the daily transactions of humanity's first great urban centers. Size of largest: 1.45" W x 2.75" H (3.7 cm x 7 cm)

The larger is a statement of indebtedness, probably from modern day Syria or eastern Iraq. It has six lines written in Sumerian. "2 1/3 sar (unit of measurement) of house, the sha-tuk [untranslatable] of Iabia, Kunurum built. It is against Iabia [meaning Iabia owes the payment for the work]."

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#137754

Both are intact and legible. Lucite display stands for photography purposes only.