Old Babylonian Terracotta Cuneiform Tablet for the Loan of Money During the Reign of Sin-iqišam King of Larsa

Pillow-shaped tablet with dense cuneiform text to two broad faces and one edge, concerning the listing of 146 sheep and their owners or shepherds:

Column I	Column II	Column III
5 sheep, Pirigni, Kor 2? 6 male sheep, Ur-ur of Umma 3 sheep, Zag-mu, ki ni mu zu 5 sheep, x x-gi 4 male sheep …	Ur-Ishkur, herder of Abdu 4 sheep, Urgu (of) E-RU 2 … , herder IL, scribe 3 Gimni, herder chief galla-official 5 male sheep, Ur-lu, .. 2 sheep Lu-ra, herder…	…, herder 2 male sheep, Akadu, son of Lugal-sanga 2 Shesh-zimu 3 Zagmu, Akadu 2 Ekalsi 1 Gimdu, son of Ekal 2 Mashda 1 … Guzi… 2 …kam … NA
Column IV	Reverse Column V	Column VI
2 Ur-…dua 6 Zagmu, herder of Mesanne 1 Urtul 3 GISH.MI, herder of Ilum-su?ni 4 Lugal-shalasu Adda, singer? 5 Almu 2 Ur-Ezida IGI MI ZI SI	3 Lueshla 2 Ur-… NE-RA 8 Azuzu 2 Adda, captain 1 En…du, nuesh-officiant 3 Sheshpadda, overseer 2 … ki-bi … … 6 E…	1 Ur… … 1 Ur … 1 … 3 Dingir-urmu 1 Pirigni Da… 1 Ur-Ninshaza, wife of U-u 4 Lugallu, herder of Lugalla…, majordomo 5 …igi-en … 1 Lugal-E…nisi
Column VII	Column VIII	Total
4 E-gish MI bi?, .., farmer 1 Ur-dingir, …si-TExESZ3 1 … 1 Lugal-nuduga 1 Aba-Enlil 1 Lugal … 2 Urmes 1 Urdam 1 Akadu, Adda… 1 U-u, … Umunene	2 … -niE-u? (space)	Its total: 146 sheep, … Pirigni (is) kush-official.

202 grams, 78 mm



with Laemmle Gallery, San Vicente Boulevard, Los Angeles, USA. Acquired from the above in the early 1970s. with Bonhams, London, 13 April 2011, no.133. Private central European collection. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. Accompanied by a copy of the translation for this tablet. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12121-218147.

Lentoid in section with dimple base and tall conical pipe; applied trails to the shoulders. 45.5 grams, 13.8 mm



Private collection, UK.

Matched pair of bovine-head mounts, each formed as a pair of D-shaped wings and a tail with low-relief feather detailing and holes to accept rivets; central head and neck of a bull with prominent horns, bands of curly hair to the pate and throat, large scaphoid eyes, incised contour detailing to muzzle, socket to reverse. 790 grams total, 8-13 cm wide



From the warehouse of Lane Hope Ltd, London, UK, 1980s (company dissolved December 1991). Private collection, UK; anonymous sale, Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Auction 206, 20 June 2012, no.85. European private collection, acquired at Gorny & Mosch, 2012. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.6210.AM. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Gorny & Mosch catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12696-234610.

The fitting would have been one of four to the rim of a large bronze cauldron. Urartu was centered in eastern Anatolia, around Lake Van; the capital, Tushpa, was located on the eastern shore of the lake, situated on a high and elongated rock outcrop. Most sites boasted a well-built temple situated at the highest point, as well as a number of large storage rooms containing rows of large vessels for storing oil and grains, and massive well-built fortification walls.