1. Introductory Remarks
OB Urra is the modern title of a monolingual Sumerian lexical compilation dealing with terms for objects. It was widely used in the schools of the Old Babylonian period and is known from large compilations on prisms and large multi-column tablets or also from smaller school exercises. The Nippur manuscripts show a fixed sequence of topics organised in six “tablets” or chapters. Although the single manuscripts share a general organisation, they regularly offer variants such as adding or omitting lines or changing the sequence if compared to other manuscripts (see the introduction by Veldhuis 2014: 149-157). The degree of variation becomes even larger with manuscripts that were not written at Nippur but at other sites. Therefore, the division into chapters or tablets is generally used only for the Nippur tradition.
Oils and fats are listed in OB Urra tablet VI, dedicated to the Sumerian terms for foodstuffs and related objects. The foodstuffs start with those made from barley and other grains, namely (1) soups, (2) beer and (3) bran, (4/5) flour and (6) bread. Then follow (7.1) the oils and fats, leading directly to (7.2) aromatic woods and plants. (8) Milk and dairy products take up the topic of fatty substances. The list returns to the basic foodstuffs with (9) pulses, (10) wheat, and then (11) barley and its straw. The next large section is devoted to fruit, including (12) apples, (13) figs, (14) pomegranates, (15/16) vines, (17) dates, and (18) cucumbers or other curbaceae, all including related terms. This section of OB Urra terminates with (19) salt and spices and (20) bitumen (list after Reiner/Civil 1974: 110).
The pertaining Old Babylonian manuscripts were first edited by Reiner/Civil (1974: 109-128), then under the designation as “Nippur Forerunners” to ḫar-ra XXIII-XXIV. This designation reflects the fact that the later bilingual Sumerian-Akkadian version was developed out of the Old Babylonian monolingual text; there, the foodstuffs are dealt with in tablet XXIV (see Dossier A.3.02 Ur₅-ra XXIV 13-65 and 78-83). Niek Veldhuis re-edited the Old Babylonian manuscripts in a digital edition of DCCLT (http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/dcclt/), and this edition forms the basis of the present discussion.1 The sources were also discussed in the Munich BA thesis of F. Küster (2022)..
2. Oils and Fats: Section 7.1
2.1. Primary Nippur Source
The four-sided prism SLT 015 is a key manuscript to reconstruct the outline of Urra VI together with the six-column tablet SLT 012 (Reiner/Civil 1974: 110 A), and it includes most entries related to oil.
2.1.1. SLT 015 side a3 col. i = MSL 11, 110: B = CDLI P227657 = CBS 11082 + N 7737
| a3
col. i |
Transliteration | Translation | line OECT 4 154 |
| 1-3 | […] | ||
| 4 | […]-⸢ga⸣ | […] | |
| 5 | [i3] udu | sheep tallow | 293 |
| 6 | [i3] šaḫa2 | lard | 294 |
| 7 | [i3]-ĝeš | sesame oil | 295 |
| 8 | [i3] ḫab2 | stinking/rancid oil | 297 |
| 9 | [i3] ke4 | applying oil | 298 |
| 10 | [i3] {ĝeš}eren | oil (aromatised with) cedar (wood) | — |
| 11 | i3 biz šem {ĝeš}eren | dropping oil (on) cedar resin | — |
| 12 | i3 du10-⸢ga⸣ | scented oil | 301 |
| 13 | i3-saĝ | first-class (sesame) oil | 302 |
| 14 | i3-saĝ du10-ga | scented first-class (sesame) oil | 303 |
| 15 | i3-saĝ dug? gurud-da | first-class (sesame) oil in a fallen jar(?) | — |
| 16 | i3-nun | butter | 280 |
| 17 | i3-nun du10 | scented butter | 281 |
| 18 | i3-nun la2 | spread butter | — |
| 19 | i3 ši!-iq-dum | almond oil | — |
| 20 | i3 ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) | oil with euphorbia | — |
| 21 | ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) | euphorbia | — |
| 22 | šem | aromatic substance | cf. 305 |
Philological commentary
9: i3 kid (sign is clear on photo) is not known as a kind of oil; therefore, it is interpreted as an imperfective stem of the Sumerain verb ak, often written ke4, which is a standard term for “to apply” in regard to oil.
10: DCCLT translates “cedar oil”, but we deal here (as often in this list) with scented oils.
11: The dropping of oil (on) cedar resin apparently refers to the preparation of scented oil (Ḫḫ XXIV 25 in Dossier A.3.02). DCCLT instead translates as “oozing oil of cedar resin”, thereby implying that a resin was called the “oil” of a tree.
12: i3 du10-ga is the standard term for scented oil (DCCLT instead “good oil” here and in line 14).
13: The “first-class sesame oil” is a variety known from OB archival sources (see rūštum[glossary=rūštum]). DCCLT translates as “top quality oil”.
15: Reiner/Civil (1974: 121) 7.1:11 and DCCLT identify the sign after saĝ as bi, DCCLT thus translates as “oil with its head fallen”. The sign may be identified as dug, however.
16: For the translation “butter” instead of “ghee”, see i3-nun[glossary=i3-nun].
18: Reiner/Civil (1974: 121) 7.1:9 reads i3-nun-“me” (repeated by DCCLT, translating it “washed butter?”); la2 is certain in N 03957 ii 4 (see below); source MSL 11, 112T: N 5543 ii 1′ is not well preserved but does not contradict this reading.
19: A sign which could be ši is inserted between i3 and ig, and the parallel lists (see below) suggest reading ši-iq-dum. The scribe’s uncertainty explains the phonetically motivated passage from ši-iq-dum to nikibtum/ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) (on this aromatic, see (Brunke/Sallaberger 2010: 50). i3 ši-iq-dum “almond oil” is known from third-millennium administrative documents (DCCLT “almond extract”).
20: ligidba is well-attested as an aromatic substance used to prepare scented oils (Brunke/Sallaberger 2010: 50, 55-58; see also Maul 1994: 462-463; DCCLT instead “juice of the spurge”, i. e. euphorbia). It remains unclear which kind of euphorbia was known and used in ancient Iraq.
2.2. Other Nippur Sources
N 03957 r.ii = CDLI P230586
MSL 11, 112T: N 5543 o.i: CDLI P228488
SLT 036 r.i = MSL 11, 112 source U = CBS 06451+CBS 06318 = CDLI P229357
SLT 012 r.i = MSL 11, 110 source = CBS 03918+CBS 03928 = CDLI P227925
| SLT 015 a3 i | N 03957 r.ii | MSL 11, 112 T: N 5543 o.i | SLT 036 r.i | SLT 012 r.i | |
| MSL 11, 110 source B | — | T | U | A | |
| 1-3 […] | |||||
| 4. […]-⸢ga⸣ | |||||
| 5. [i3] udu[glossary=i3 udu] | |||||
| 6. [i3] šaḫa2[glossary=i3 šaḫa2] | |||||
| 7. [i3]-ĝeš[glossary=i3-ĝeš] | |||||
| 8. [i3] ḫab2 | |||||
| 9. [i3] ke4 | |||||
| 10. [i3] {ĝeš}eren | |||||
| 11. i3 biz šem {ĝeš}eren | |||||
| 12. i3 du10-⸢ga⸣ | |||||
| 13. i3-saĝ | |||||
| 14. i3-saĝ du10-ga | |||||
| 15. i3-saĝ dug? gurud-da | 1. i3 ⸢saĝ dug? gurud⸣ | ||||
| 16. i3-nun | 2. i3-nun | ||||
| 17. i3-nun du10 | 3. i3-nun du10-ga | ||||
| 18. i3-nun la2 | 4. i3-nun la2 | 1′. ⸢i3-nun la2⸣ | |||
| 1′. i3 […] | 1′. i3 […] | ||||
| 2′. i3 šem ⸢x⸣ | 2′. i3 […] | ||||
| 5. ir […] | 3′. i3 tab ze2-er | 3′. i3 ⸢dam?⸣-[…] | |||
| 19. i3 ši!-iq-dum[glossary=i3 ši-iq-dum] | 7. i3 šem ⸢ši-iq-dum⸣ | 2′. i3 ši-iq-du-um | 4′. i3 ši-iq-dum | 4′. i3 […] | |
| 6. ir {ĝeš}⸢eren⸣ | 3′. i3 eren! | 5′. i3 eren | 5′. i3 […] | ||
| 20. i3 ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) | (rest broken off) | 4′. i3 šem ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) | 6′. i3 šem ⸢ligidbaₓ⸣ (dn[in.urta]) | 6′. i3 ⸢šem⸣ [ligidba] | |
| 21. ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) | 5′. šem ligidbaₓ(dnin.urta) | 7′. šem ligidbaₓ (dnin.ur [ta]) | 7′. šem [ligidba] | ||
| 6′. i3 da[m-ši-l]um | |||||
| (rest broken off) | 8′. šem ḫi-ib | ||||
| 22. šem | 8′. ⸢i3?⸣ […] | 9′. šem ḫe-a | |||
| Etc. | (rest broken off) | etc. |
Philological commentary
N 03957 r. ii 7: DCCLT reads i3 ⸢ši-ig-dum⸣, but the šem sign is present, even if probably an error from above.
Reiner/Civil MSL 11, 112T: N 5543 o. i 3′. The editions (Reiner/Civil 1974: 121 and DCCLT) read “az”, but this identification is excluded by the photo (CDLI P228488), and the sign represents eren without the concluding (broken) vertical where the surface is damaged. 
o. i 6′ is read i3 gu-[la] in the editions (Reiner/Civil 1974: 121; DCCLT), but the photo from CDLI P228488 suggests i3 da[m-ši-l]um:
SLT 012 r.i 3′: DCCLT reads i3 ⸢ḫi×bad?⸣.
2.3. Sources from Other Sites
2.3.1. RA 32 168 = AO 6447 = Forerunner 1 in MSL 11 p. 134 = CDLI P492452
| col. | Transliteration | Translation | Entry2According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| ix 30 | i3-ĝeš | sesame oil | 277 |
| 31 | i3-ĝeš du10-ga | scented sesame oil | |
| 32 | i3-ĝeš para10-ga | sesame oil (from) hulled (sesame seeds) | 278 |
| 33 | i3-ĝeš za3-ga | sesame oil (of the) sanctuary(?) | 279 |
| 34 | […] ⸢šem⸣ ⸢eren?⸣ | […] (with) scents (and) cedar | |
| 35 | [i3] ⸢šur⸣-[mi]n3 | oil (scented with) cypress | |
| 36 | […] ḫi x | […] | |
| x 1 | i3-ĝeš ḫi ⸢ĝeš?⸣ | sesame oil … | |
| 2 | i3-ĝes ḫi ri.ra | sesame oil … | |
| 3 | i3-ĝes ḫi-nun-na | fragrant sesame oil | |
| 4 | i3-ĝeš ka.ne | sesame oil for grilled meat | |
| 5 | i3-ĝeš ⸢saĝ⸣ | first-class sesame oil | |
| 6 | i3-ĝeš ⸢saĝ⸣ lugal | first-class sesame oil of the king | |
| 7 | i3-ĝeš ki x | sesame oil […] | |
| 8 | i3-ĝeš igi saĝ5(šid)-ĝa2 | exquisite sesame oil | |
| 9 | i3-ĝeš se12 | greenish sesame oil | |
| 10 | i3 šem ⸢x x⸣ | oil (with) scents | 305? |
| 11 | ⸢x x x x⸣ | […] | |
| 12 | […] ⸢x⸣-⸢na⸣ | […] | |
| 13 | […] x-x-na | […] | |
| 14 | i3 […] na | oil […] | |
| 15 | [šem?] ⸢bur⸣ | scent (in) the magnificent bowl |
Philological Commentary
These passages are not well preserved on the tablet (anymore?), and the available pictures do not allow their detailed collation. The copy of Jean (1935: 168-174) might reflect a better state of conservation of the tablet, but that cannot be traced back anymore.
ix 33 See the commentary on OECT 4 154 l. 279.
x 3 See commentary on OECT 4 154 l. 299.
x 8 See Attinger 2021: 560, 883 on igi-saĝ5 “de choix, trié” and igi saĝ5 “de choix, choisir”.
2.3.2. Copenhagen 10086 Va = MSL 11 p. 164 Forerunner 19 (collations and copy by A. Westenholz on pl. IV)
| Col. | Copenhagen 10086 Va | Translation | Entry3According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| ii 5 | i3-ĝeš | sesame oil | 277 |
| 6 | i3-ĝeš para10-ga | sesame oil (from) hulled (sesame seeds) | 278 |
| 7 | i3-nun | butter | 280 |
| 8 | i3-⸢nun⸣ gibil | new butter | |
| 9 | i3-⸢nun⸣ sumun | old butter | |
| 10 | i3-⸢nun⸣ la2 | spread butter | |
| 11 | i3 saĝ | first-class (sesame) oil | 302 |
| 12 | i3 ⸢du10⸣-ga | scented oil, fat | 301 |
| 13 | i3 ⸢gu-la⸣ | “great” oil | 300 |
| 14 | i3 {ĝeš}eren | oil (scented with) cedar | 286? |
| 15 | i3 ḫi-nun-⸢na⸣ | fragrant oil | |
| 16 | i3 a ⸢x⸣ [x] | oil […] | |
| 17 | i3 [x] ib [x] | […] | |
| 18 | i3 […] | […] | |
| 19 | i3 […] | […] | |
| 20 | i3 […] | […] | |
| 21 | i3 […] | […] |
ii 13 The sign traces correspond to gu-la according to the copy of Westenholz in Reiner/Civil (1974: plate IV); i3 gu-la probable designates a kind of almond oil. Note that Reiner/Civil MSL 11, 112T: N 5543 o. i 6 was read by Reiner/Civil (1974: 112) as i3 gu-la, but the photograph instead suggests dam-ši-lum.
ii 15 See commentary on OECT 4 154 l. 299.
2.3.3. VAT 682 = MSL 11 p. 165-166 Forerunner 22
For the „entry“ column, see the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157); see below.
| Col. | VAT 682 | Translation | Entry |
| iii’ 3’ | i3-ĝeš | sesame oil | 277 |
| 4’ | i3-ĝeš para10-ga | sesame oil (from) hulled (sesame seeds) | 278 |
| 5’ | i3-ĝeš i3 du10-ga | scented sesame oil | |
| 6’ | i3 du10-ga | scented oil | |
| 7’ | i3 du10-ga ⸢i3⸣ [x] | scented oil … | |
| 8’ | i3 du10-ga [x] ga | scented oil … | |
| 9’ | i3 du10-ga a-ra2 7-bi | 7-times scented oil | |
| 10’ | i3-⸢saĝ⸣ | first-class (sesame) oil | 302 |
| 11’ | i3 ⸢saga10⸣ | good quality oil | |
| 12’ | i3 lum a-zu | oil … | |
| 13’ | i3 ga-nu11mušen | ostrich fat | |
| 14’ | i3 kur-ge4mušen | crane fat | 290 |
| 15’ | i3 bebad(uz.tur)mušen | goose fat | 291 |
| 16’ | i3 gambi(munus.uš.sa2.kid).⸢30⸣mušen | fat (of the) gambi-bird | 289 |
| 17’ | i3-šaḫa2 | lard | 294 |
| iv’ 1 | i3-ku6 | fish oil | |
| 2 | i3 zaḫan(u.ga.du10?) | oil (for the) zaḫannu-sweet-dish | |
| 3 | i3-udu | sheep tallow | 293 |
| 4 | i3.udu gud | tallow from cattle | |
| 5 | i3-udu udu | tallow from sheep | |
| 6 | i3-udu šaḫa2 | tallow from pigs | |
| 7 | i3-udu ga-nu11mušen | tallow from ostrichs | |
| 8 | i3-udu kur-ge4mušen | tallow from cranes | |
| 9 | i3-udu bebadmušen | tallow from gooses | |
| 10 | i3-udu mušmušen | tallow from the muš-bird | |
| 11 | i3 šeš4 |
oil for anointing | 286 |
| 12 | i3 šeš4 diĝir-ra | oil for anointing of the god | 287 |
| 13 | i3 šeš4 lugal | oil for anointing of the king | 288 |
| 14 | i3-nun-na | butter | 280, 296 |
| 15 | i3-n[un …] | butter … | |
| 16 | i3-n[un …] | butter … | |
| rest of the column broken |
Philological commentary
Unfortunately, there isn’t any picture of this tablet available in the online databases that would allow a collation of the relevant passages.
iii’ 9 see Brunke/Sallaberger (2010: 52-53).
iii’ 16’ See commentary on OECT 4 154 l. 289.
iv’ 2 Reiner/Civil (1974: 165) reads zaḫan that would correspond to the signs combination u.ga(.du10) according to CAD Z p. 13 s.v. zaḫannu “a sweet dish made with milk”. About u.ga with reading utaḫ and corresponding to Akkadian šamû “sky” see Charpin (1986: 199, 202); about u.ga corresponding to d/tiktum see CAD d s.v. diktu “a dairy product” p. 138 and AHw. “ein Mehl” p. 1357.
iv’ 4-10 These lines are structured according to the Akkadian term lipû “tallow”, which in Akkadian it is usually followed by the animal from which the tallow is obtained.
2.3.4. Kish: OECT 4 154 = Ashm. 1923-371 = Forerunner 15A in MSL 11 p. 156 = CDLI P452250
| Col. | OECT 4 154 | Translation | Entry4According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| vi 41 | i3 | oil, fat | 276 |
| 42 | i3-ĝeš | sesame oil | 277 |
| 43 | i3-ĝeš ⸢para10⸣-ga | sesame oil (from) hulled (sesame seeds) | 278 |
| 44 | i3-ĝeš za3-ga | sesame oil (of the) sanctuary(?) | 279 |
| 45 | [i3]-⸢nun⸣ | butter | 280 |
| 46 | [i3-nu]n ⸢du10⸣-[ga] | scented butter | 281 |
| 47 | i3 […] | oil … | 282 |
| 48 | i3 […] | oil … | 283 |
| 49 | i3 […] | oil … | 284 |
| vii 1 | i3 […] | oil … | 285 |
| 2 | [i3] ⸢šeš4⸣ | oil for anointing | 286 |
| 3 | [i3] šeš4 diĝir-ra | oil for anointing (of) the god | 287 |
| 4 | [i3] šeš4 lugal | oil for anointing (of) the king | 288 |
| 5 | [i3] gambi⸢mušen?⸣ | fat (of the) gambi-bird | 289 |
| 6 | ⸢i3⸣ kur-ge4mušen | crane fat | 290 |
| 7 | i3 ⸢bebad(uz.tur)⸣mušen | goose fat | 291 |
| 8 | i3 gud | cattle fat | 292 |
| 9 | i3 ⸢udu⸣ | tallow | 293 |
| 10 | ⸢i3⸣ ⸢šaḫa2⸣ | lard | 294 |
| 11 | i3-[ĝeš] | sesame oil | 295 |
| 12 | i3-⸢nun⸣ | butter | 296 |
| 13 | i3 ⸢ḫab2⸣ | stinking oil | 297 |
| 14 | i3 ⸢ke4⸣ | to apply oil | 298 |
| 15 | i3 ⸢ḫi-nun-na⸣ | fragrant oil | 299 |
| 16 | i3 gu-la | “great” oil | 300 |
| 17 | i3 ⸢du10⸣-ga | scented oil | 301 |
| 18 | i3-⸢saĝ⸣ | first-class (sesame) oil | 302 |
| 19 | i3 ⸢saĝ⸣ [du10-ga] | scented first-class (sesame) oil | 303 |
| 20 | i3-saĝ [x] | … first class (sesame) oil | 304 |
| 21 | i3 š[em] | oil (with) scents | 305 |
Philological commentary
279 This entry likely refers to za3-g „sanctuary“ (translation following Attinger 2021: 1145), as an attraction of para10 „throne, podium, platform, pedestal“ (translation following Attinger 2021: 836) on the previous line.
286-288: Read instead i3 eren „oil scented with cedar“ in the edition.
289 See Attinger (2021: 379 and fn. 955) on gambimušen “un oiseau aquatique («grue»?)”.
295 Reiner/Civil (1974: 156) reads i3-ku6. Though, ku6 is a misreading of the sign for counting the 10th line.
299 See Attinger (2021: 527-528 + fn. 1455-1456) about ḫi-nun “parfum, senteur, effluves odorantes, parfumées” and about i3 ḫi–nun-na-k “huile parfumée (une huile très précieuse)”. In documents, however, it apparently refers to almond oil.
300 See the commentary on Copenhagen 10086 Va col. ii 13.
302 See the commentary on SLT 015 side a3 col. i 13.
3. Dairy Products: Section 8
3.1. Nippur Sources
3.1.1. SLT 015 (CBS 11082) = OIP 011, 015 = MSL 11 p. 110 Source B = CDLI P227657
| Col. | Transliteration | Translation | Entry5According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| c ii/viii 1 | ga[glossary=ga] | milk | 335 |
| c ii/viii 2 | gara₂[glossary=gara₂] | cream | |
| c ii/viii 3 | ga ud5 ge₄ | goat milk sent | |
| c ii/viii 4 | ga-se12-a[glossary=ga-se12-a] | sour/fermented milk | 340 |
| c ii/viii 5 | ga ur4!-a | collected milk | |
| c ii/viii 6 | ga taka₄-a | milk left over | |
| c ii/viii 7 | ga kiĝ2 ĝal2-la | milk ready to be processed | 343 |
| c ii/viii 8 | ga i-te-er-da[glossary=ga i-te-er-da] | buttermilk | |
| c ii/viii 9 | ga nunus(-)te | milk mixed with eggs | 341 |
| c ii/viii 10 | ga u₂ | milk (flavoured with) herbs | |
| c ii/viii 11 | ga-ara₃[glossary=ga-ara₃] | sour milk cheese | 347 |
| c ii/viii 12 | ga-ara₃ gal | large sour milk cheese | 348 |
| c ii/viii 13 | ga-ara₃ tur-tur | small sour milk cheese | 349 |
| c ii/viii 14 | ga-ara₃ gazi[glossary=ga-ara₃ gazi] |
gazi-sour milk cheese | 350 |
c ii/viii 3 Cf. Copenhagen 10086 Vb l. 12 featuring ga ge4-a.
c ii 5 Reiner/Civil (1974: 122) reads ur4, but the sign does not have the second oblique wedge at the end, forming the triangle. The sign might also resemble ir, also used in line c ii 8, but with little space. Ur4 refers to “collected milk” from the verb ur4 “to collect” (Attinger 2021: 1119); ir-a could refer to odorous milk (Attinger 2021: 574).
c ii 7 see also the similar expression ga (…) kiĝ₂ (loc.) ĝar “to curd milk” (Attinger 2021: 472 + fn. 1271). ga (…) kiĝ₂ (loc.) ĝar «faire cailler le lait» DI X 67-70 (Attinger 2021: 472 + fn. 1271). ga kiĝ₂-ĝa₂ ĝar corresponds to Akkadian šizba kasāmum (Attinger 2021: 472 fn. 1271) where kasāmu means, according to CAD K p. 240, “to cut down trees, to cut wood, to cut weeds, to cut or chop herbs”.
c ii 9 Cf. the composition “Enlil and Sud” l. 115 (= ECTSL c.1.2.2) featuring “milk mixed with eggs (and) cooked” (ga nunuz-te šeĝ6-ĝa2) and “Lugalbanda 1” l. 93 (= ECTSL c.1.8.2.1) featuring “oil/fat mixed with eggs, mixed with eggs (and) cooked” (i3 nunuz-te nunuz-te-a šeĝ6-ĝa2). Civil (1976: 75) suggested that the unclear element te-a could mean “mixed with”, literally “to which eggs are brought” as the past participle of the verb te. Thus, it would describe a mixture of fat, oil or milk with eggs. Wilcke (2015: 231) translates l. 93-94 also in this direction “Omletts, mit Eier gebraten”. See also Attinger (2021: 367 fn. 915) for recent literature. Ludwig (2015: 264 ad 12-14 + fn. 74-79), following in part Peterson (2007: 607), suggests instead that nunuz-te could be a kind of room or vessel where, or a spice with which, “oil, fat” (i3) and “milk” (ga) was “cooked” (šeĝ6-ĝa2) when referring to Lugalbanda 1 l. 93. She hence suggests i3/ga nunuz-te could be an attributive word linking: “nunuz-te fat, nunuz-te milk”.
c ii 10 Attinger (2021: 367) interprets it as milk scented, flavoured with herbs and as a dairy product of lower quality. Stol (1997: 192) translates u2 as “poured” but points out (p. 200) that the verb “to pour” cannot fit in the case of cheese.
3.1.2. N 4844 = MSL 11 p. 112, 122 Source D1
| Col. | Transliteration | Translation | Entry6According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| o. ii 1′ | ga ⸢x⸣ | […] milk | |
| o. ii 2′ | ga ud5-⸢da⸣ | goat milk | 337 |
| o. ii 3′ | ga ⸢u₈⸣ | sheep milk | |
| o. ii 4′ | ga ab₂ | cow milk | 336 |
| o. ii 5′ | ga-se12-a | sour/fermented milk | 340 |
| o. ii 6′ | ga guru₃⸢ru⸣ | milk carrier | |
| r. i 1 | ga ⸢nunuz?⸣-[te?] | milk mixed with eggs | 341 |
| r. i 2 | ga i-⸢te⸣-[er-da] | buttermilk | |
| r. i 3 | ga ⸢lugal⸣ […] | (…) milk (for/of the) king | |
| r. i 4 | ga […] | (…) milk | |
| r. i 5 | ⸢ga⸣ […] | (…) milk |
o. ii 6 According to the Umma administrative sources, the individuals recorded as “milk carriers” (ga guru3) often delivered animals, wool, and/or goat hair and also were either cow, sheep or goat herders (e.g., Nisaba 06 20 o. iii 21-30, according to which Ur-Šara supplied goat hair as milk carrier, and he is listed among the goat herders in the year Šulgi 48; he is very likely the same Ur-Šara as the well-documented goat herder of the Šara temple in Umma attested from at least Šulgi 42 until Ibbi-Suen 02, see Stepien (1996: 51, 184-186)). Stol (1997: 192) refers to the milk carrier transporting milk or milk products. Heimpel (1981: 109) refers to the milk carrier as a rarely mentioned profession in Ur III Ĝirsu and Ur when commenting upon the milk carrier in a Nanše hymn and other literary compositions. Stol (1997: 192) refers to “Dumuzi and Enšukešdanna”, where Dumuzi is portrayed as carrying milk and dairy products.
r. i 1 see commentary in OIP 011, 015 sub c ii/viii 9.
r. i 3 Reiner/Civil (1974: 122) reads ga kiĝ2 ĝal2-la, but the line traces on the tablet speak more in favour of lugal according to the picture available.
3.1.3. UM 29-15-641 = MSL 11 p. 112, 122 Source W = CDLI P228663
| Col. | UM 29-15-641 | Translation | Entry7According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| ii‘ 10‘ | […] | ||
| 11‘ | […] | ||
| 12’ | ga ⸢ud5⸣?-[da?] | goat milk | 337 |
| 13’ | ga ⸢x⸣ […] | milk … | |
| 14’ | ga-se12-[a] | fermented milk | 340 |
| 15’ | ga x x | milk … |
3.1.4. A 07895B = Forerunner 17 in MSL 11 p. 161 = CDLI P230257
| Col. | Transliteration | Translation | Entry8According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| vi‘ 13 | ga-ara3 | sour milk cheese | 347 |
| 14 | ga-ara3 ar-za-na | sour milk cheese (with) arzana-groats | |
| 15 | ga-ara3 niĝ2-gal-gal se12 | greenish? sour milk cheese in big pieces | |
| 16 | ga-ara3 gu2 niĝ2-ar3-ra | sour milk cheese (with) pulse’s/broad bean’s groats | |
| 17 | ga-ara3 niĝ2-ar3-ra | sour milk cheese (with) groats | 355 |
| 18 | ga-ara3 duru5 gazi | fresh?/moist? sour milk cheese (with) gazi-ingredient | 350? |
| 19 | ga-ara3 kuš8 | sour milk cheese (with) cucumber/pumpkin | |
| 20 | ga-ara3 lu-ub2sar | sour milk cheese (with) beet | |
| 21 | ga-ara3 da-la2sar | sour milk cheese (with) da-la2-plant | |
| 22 | ga-ara3 gan2-nas[ar] | sour milk cheese (with) gan2-na-plant | |
| 8 more lines, only ga-ara3 preserved, rest of the column broken | |||
vi’ 15 The sign sig7 is very likely to be interpreted as se12-g “to be/become green, yellow” (Attinger 2021: 915-916).
vi’ 18 Cf. „gazi-sour milk cheese“ (ga-ara3 gazi) in the administrative documents of the third mill. BCE (Paoletti forthcoming).
vi’ 19 kuš8 (Akk. qiššû) “cucumber/pumpkin” (Attinger 2021: 660).
vi’ 20 lu-ub2sar (Akk. laptu) “beet” (AHw. p. 537 s.v. laptu II „Speiserübe“; CAD L p. 96 s.v. laptu A “turnip”).
3.2. Sources from Other Sites
3.2.1. Copenhagen 10086 Vb = Forerunner 21 in MSL 11 p. 165 (collations and copy by A. Westenholz on pl. IV)
| Line | Copenhagen 10086 Vb | Translation | Entry9According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| 10 | ga | ||
| 11 | ga i-te-er-tum | buttermilk | |
| 12 | ga ge4-a | milk sent | |
| 13 | ga taka4-a | milk left over | |
| 14 | ga šu si-il-la2 | … milk | |
| 15 | ga ri-a | delivered(?) milk | |
| 16 | ga saĝ ĝal2-la | milk available as capital | |
| 17 | ga ud5 se12-se12 | fermented goat milk | |
| 18 | ga-ara3 | sour milk cheese | |
| 19 | ga-ara3 x | sour milk cheese … | |
| 20 | ga-ara3 x | sour milk cheese … | |
| col ii 10 lines only še preserved |
12 Cf. SLT 015 c ii/viii 3 with ga ge4.
14 Cf. ḫar-ra ḫubullu XXIV 93 ga si2-il-la2 = eldu. si la2 corresponds to Akkadian piqittu, that J.-M. Durand (1983a: 2, n°5) interprets as “de fait l’opération administrative par laquelle un bien est remis à quelqu’un d’autre, non point pour qu’il en use ou le consomme, mais plutôt pour qu’il en ait la garde ou pour le faire fructifier”. See also Attinger (2021: 904) who translates the verb si-il as “être expulsé, chassé” and “fendre; déchirer”. After a private communication of Walther Sallaberger, si-il is interpreted as “to verify” in the administrative sources of the third millennium BCE. Yet Attinger (2021: 905) does not translate šu si-il and refers (fn. 2792) to M. Civil (1993: 74) “it must describe some way of immobilizing the forelegs(?) of a wild animal, perhaps ‘forcibly spread’?”. See also Sjöberg (1973: 114: 167, 141): “mit dem Finger zeigen auf”.
15 ri-a is to be interpreted here as the past participle of the verb ri “to direct toward something, to through, to settle“ (Attinger 2021: 850).
3.2.2. Kish: OECT 4 154 = Ashm. 1923-371 = Forerunner 15A in MSL 11 p. 157 = CDLI P452250
| Col. | Transliteration | Translation | Entry10According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| viii 9 | ga | milk | 335 |
| 10 | ga ab2 | cow milk | 336 |
| 11 | ga ud5 | goat milk | 337 |
| 12 | ga ud5 ⸢se12⸣[(-a/ga)?] | sour/fermented goat milk | 338 |
| 13 | ⸢kisim6⸣(ga. ⸢lagab⸣) duru5 | fresh clotted (fully sour) milk | 339 |
| 14 | ga se12-a | sour/fermented milk | 340 |
| 15 | ga ⸢nunuz⸣-te | milk mixed with eggs | 341 |
| 16 | ga ⸢nunuz⸣-te ti-a | milk mixed with eggs | 342 |
| 17 | ga kiĝ2 ĝal2-la | milk ready to be processed | 343 |
| 18 | ga bil-la | hot milk | 344 |
| 19 | ga am3 ⸢us2⸣ | it is milk of second quality | 345 |
| 20 | ga am3 ĝen (du) | it is milk of ordinary quality | 346 |
| 21 | ga-ara3 | sour milk cheese | 347 |
| 22 | ga-ara3 gal gal | big sour milk cheeses | 348 |
| 23 | ga-ara3 tur tur | small sour milk cheeses | 349 |
| 24 | ga-ara3 gazi | gazi-sour milk cheese | 350 |
| 25 | ga-ara3 [si?] ⸢li?⸣ | sour milk cheese … | 351 |
338 Reiner/Civil (1974: 157) reads after Gurney’s collations ga ud5 sig7-ga; the copy has ga ud5 ⸢se12(sig7)⸣. According to the picture, the passage is not well preserved, and it is not possible to determine if there was a sign after sig7 and, if so, if it was a or ga. But judging after the position of sig7 with respect to the column width, there does not seem to be room for a sign afterwards.
339 ga(-)pa(-)a according to the copy; the sign on the tablet is not well preserved according to the picture. However, according to Reiner/Civil (1974: 129), the published copy has proved so unreliable that Gurney’s collations of the manuscript “consisted of recopying most of the signs”, and we, therefore, follow his version. To interpret this line see the commentary on the canonical list ḫar-ra ḫubullu XXIV col. v 101 (Reiner/Civil 1974: 81 source G).
341-342 see commentary at OIP 011, 015 sub c ii/viii 9. Yet the difference between the two lines expressed by adding the past participle te-a remains unclear.
344 Attinger (2021: 208) translates the verb bil₂, bil as “to be very hot, burning”, “to warm, to heat“ or bil₂(-la₂), bil(-la₂) as adj. “hot, burned”.
345-346 The copulative suffix -am3 is unexpectedly written directly after the noun ga “milk” and not after its descriptive adjective us2 “of second quality” or ĝen “ordinary”. Therefore, while being the only meaningful, the translation “it is milk of second/ordinary quality” is not entirely consistent.
351 According to the available picture, the traces on the tablet do not allow for a clear identification of the signs.
3.2.3. Kish: OECT 4 158 = Ashm. 1932-154 = Forerunner 16 in MSL 11 p. 159-160 with collations of Gurney
| Col. | Transliteration | Translation | Entry11According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| v 6 | ga | milk | 335 |
| 7 | ga za3 | milk (of the) sanctuary? | |
| 8 | ga za3 gal-gal | big cheeses (of the) sanctuary? | |
| 9 | [ga za3 tur-tur] | small cheeses (of the) sanctuary? | |
| 10 | ga […] | milk […] | |
| 11 | ga [saĝ ĝal2-la] | milk filled to the brim | |
| 12 | ga nu saĝ ĝal2-[la] | milk not filled till the brim | |
| 13 | ga ke4 | to apply/smear milk | |
| 14 | ga [ab2] | cow milk | 336 |
| 15 | [ga bil-la] | hot milk | 344 |
v 7-9 See the commentary on OECT 4 154 l. 279 featuring i3-ĝeš za3-ga.
v 11-12 See Attinger (2021: 466) under saĝ ĝal2 “filled to the brim” and the same expression in Copenhagen 10086 Vb l. 16.
3.3. Canonical list ḫar-ra ḫubullu XXIV col. v 90-123
| Col. v | Si 21 = Scheil ZA 8 18 (= MSL 11 p. 81 source G)12The tablet has been published 1893 by Scheil in copy and pictures are not yet available to collate possibly damaged or unclear passages. | Akkadian | Translation |
Entry13According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| 90 | ga | ši-iz-bu | milk | |
| 91 | gara10 (gaar.ni) | lil-du | cream | |
| 92 | ga šu nu-bu-ul | el-du | milk not carried away? | |
| 93 | g[a si2(zi)-i]l-la2 | el-du | verified milk | |
| 94 | [ga x]-ra | MIN | […] | |
| 95 | ga ud5 | ši-zib en-zi | goat milk | |
| 96 | ga ud5 se12-se12-g[a] | MIN ar2-qa-a-ti | yellowish goat milk | |
| 97 | ga ab2 ku3-ga | ši-zib la-a-ti il-le-te | milk of the pure cow | |
| 98 | ga nunuz-te | u2-qu-ru | milk mixed with eggs | |
| 99 | ga [k]u7 | mat-qu | sweet milk | |
| 100 | ga ku7 ku7 | mat-qu | sweet milk | |
| 101 | [ga].ki-si-imlagab | ki-si-im-mu | clotted (fully sour) milk | |
| 102 | [ga kiĝ2] ĝal2-la | i-ṣ[u] | milk ready to be processed | |
| 103 | [ga ta]ka4-a | ḫi-i?-[x-(x-x)] | milk left over | |
| 104 | [ga x]-x | […] | ||
| Gap of ca 15 lines | ||||
| 120 | ga-ara3 | […] | cheese | |
| 121 | ga-ara3 gal-gal-la | […] | big cheeses | |
| 122 | ga-ara3 tur-tur | […] | small cheeses | |
| 123 | ga-ara3 du10du–dudu10 | […] | soft cheeses |
92 bu-ul likely refers to bul (lagab×eš) “to blow” or “to take, carry something away” and the equation with the Akkadian eldu is still unclear. eldu stems from eṣdu “harvested” (CAD E p. 338; AHw. p. 250). See also Civil (2005: 238) mentioning bu-ul-la “dried”.
93 Cf. Copenhagen 10086 Vb l. 14 with ga šu si-il-la2 “verified milk”.
96 The adjective “yellowish, greenish” (si12-ga) indicates that the goat milk fermented and is getting sour. The terms ga-še-a or ga-se12-a express in the Old Babylonian list Urra VI l. 340 (according to the line numbering of OECT 4 154) and in the administrative sources of the third mill. BCE fermented milk.
97 See lītum “cow” (AHw. p. 557-558; CAD L p. ); elēlum “to be pure” (AHw. p. 197-198; CAD E p. ).
98 For the interpretation of ga nunuz-te see the commentary at OIP 011, 015 sub c ii/viii 9, yet the equation with uqūru (CAD U p. 205 “the heart of the date palm“; AHw. p. 1427 “Palmkohl“) remains unclear, and u2-qu-ru might refer to a second still unknown term.
101 The diri-compound ga.lagab is read kisim6. For the Akkadian correspondence, see kisimmu in CAD K p. 421 “soured milk, casein glue?” and in AHw. p. 486 “ein Kraut” jB. Attinger (2021: 618 + fn. 1743) translates it as “un produit lacté liquide («versé») de bonne qualité”. ga ki-si-im-(ma) is attested in Umma in three Ur III administrative documents among goods like sesame oil and barley, all products defined as “commodities of the ‘spice-miller’? (lu2 ur3-ra)” (OrSP 47-49 403; AnOr 01 064), who was also a cook (Nisaba 15/2 0953: listed among the cooks) inter alia responsible for producing fish sauce (ku6 al-us2-sa, e.g., CUSAS 3 1162: Garšana, see also CUSAS 5 (2009) 168 fn. 194; e.g., TCTI 2 0456: Ĝirsu; CUSAS 40-2 0069: Irisaĝrig; Iraq 41, p. 130 no. 9: Umma?), collecting spices (mun-gazi, sullim, e.g., Nisaba 15/2 0118 and CUSAS 40-2 0868: Irisaĝrig) and also requiring fuel for making fire (OLP 4, p. 17-70 no. 60: Umma; CUSAS 3 1218: Garšana). Regarding ga ki-si-im, Attinger (2019: 46) refers to Bottéro (Bottéro, Jean 1995 : 38), according to whom kisimmu „devait être un ‚produit nauséabond du lait‘ [cf. le sumérogramme ga.ḫab] — fermenté, ou peut-être plus ou moins caséifié — comestible par lui-même […] et sans doute assez humide et triturable pour que l’on pût le ‚presser‘, afin d’en tirer un extrait liquide, ou une purée […]“ (cf. the passage at no. 25 col. vii 19 ki-ṣi2-im-ma ṭe-ṭe-ri. In the Old Babylonian Sumerian composition Dumuzi and Enkimdu (ETCSL c.4.08.33, ll. 40-54), ga ki-si-im-[ma] occurs (l. 50) as second in hierarchical order at the same level as good beer (kaš saga10), just after the best beer (i.e., the strong one: kaš saĝ) latter corresponding to sour/fermented milk (ga se12-a). Jacobsen (1983: 196) interprets it as “clabber”, i. e., sour milk. Nevertheless, “sour/fermented milk” (ga-se12-a) already occurs in the Umma Ur III texts parallel to ga ki-si-im and also as first in rank in the preceding sequence of Dumuzi and Enkimdu (ETCSL c.4.08.33) l. 48; hence ga ki-si-im, yet still being a valuable product, must be differentiated from ga-se12-a “sour/fermented milk”. In the sequence of Dumuzi and Enkimdu (ETCSL c.4.08.33, ll. 40-54), ga ki-si-im is followed by the weaker beer (i.e., second sparging beer after Civil 2005: 239; kaš sa ge4) corresponding to “shaken milk” (ga tuku4-a). kisim6 / ga ki-si-im-(ma) could be identified with fully sour/fermented milk that curdled, formed clots and likely begins to smell due to too high levels of lactic acid produced by the natural bacteria when transforming the sugars (lactose) present in the milk. While it is not yet fully spoiled and it is still a precious product for dairy manufacturing and cooking, precisely for its higher acidity, it differs from sour/fermented milk (ga se12-a) because of its clots of curdled milk and possibly also its strong sour smell as the fermentation process reached and possibly just crossed the line between sour/fermenting and spoiled stinking milk. The same entry is also attested in the Old Babylonian Urra VI manuscript from Kish OECT 4 154 (= Ashm. 1923-371) col. viii 13/l. 339 featuring ⸢kisim6⸣ duru5 “fresh clotted (fully sour) milk”. See also Stol (1997: 192) referring to ga ki-si-im-ma as a dairy product associated with cheese in Ḫargud and Uruanna.
102 See also Fritzsche (2011) on the Sumerogramm ga.kiĝ2.ag “sour milk cheese“ and the Akkadogram emṣu ”sourdough“ in Hittite.
4. Sesame: Section 11
4.1. Nippur Sources
4.1.1. UM 29-15-641 = MSL 11 p. 123 Source W = CDLI P228663
| Col. | UM 29-15-641 | Translation | Entry14According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| ii’ 2’ | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 3’ | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 4’ | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 5’ | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 6’ | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 7’ | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 8’ | tuḫ [še-ĝeš-i3] | sesame press cake | 334 |
| 9’ | tub2-t[ub2 …] | threshed [sesame?] |
4.2. Sources from Other Sites
4.2.1. HS 1736 (not in MSL 11) = P229925
| Col. | HS 1736 | Translation | Entry15According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| i 9 | še-⸢ĝeš⸣-[i3 …] | sesame … | |
| 10 | ⸢še-x⸣-[..] |
4.2.2. RA 32 168 = AO 6447 = Forerunner 1 in MSL 11 p. 134 = CDLI P492452
| Col. | RA 32 168 | Translation | Entry16According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| x 25 | še-ĝe[š-i3 …] | sesame … | |
| 26 | še-ĝeš-⸢i3⸣ […] | sesame … | |
| 27 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 28 | tuḫ še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame press cake | 334 |
| 29 | k[a] še-ĝeš-i3 | … sesame | |
| 30 | be5 še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame residues |
Philological commentary
These passages on the tablet are not well preserved (anymore?), and the pictures available do not allow their collation in detail. The copy of Jean (1935: 168-174) might reflect a better state of conservation of the tablet, but that cannot be traced back anymore.
x 30 be5 (ku) corresponds to Akkadian zûm “excrement, faeces, dung, waste product”; see CAD Z s.v. zû p. 150-151 and AHw. s. v. zûm p. 1535. In this context, the „sesame residue“ is another term for the “sesame press cake” (tuḫ še-ĝeš-i3).
4.2.3. Copenhagen 10086 Vb = Forerunner 21 in MSL 11 p. 165 (collations and copy by A. Westenholz on pl. IV)
| Col. | Copenhagen 10086 Vb | Translation | Entry17According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| i 6 | še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame | 322 |
| 7 | še-ĝeš-i3 para10-ga | hulled sesame (seeds) | |
| 8 | še-ĝeš-i3 za3-ga | sesame of the shrine(?) | |
| 9 | tuḫ še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame press cake | 334 |
i 8 See the commentary on OECT 4 154 l. 279 featuring i3-ĝeš za3-ga.
4.2.4. VAT 682 = Forerunner 22 in MSL 11 p. 165-166
| Col. | VAT 682 | Translation | Entry18According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| iii 1 | ⸢še-ĝeš-i3⸣ […] | sesame … | |
| 2 | še-ĝeš-i3 ⸢x⸣ […] | sesame … |
4.2.5. BM 15279 = Forerunner 13 in MSL 11 p. 151
| Col. | BM 15279 | Translation | Entry19According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| v 278 | še-ĝeš-[i3] | sesame … | 322 |
| 279 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 280 | še-ĝeš-i3 [x] | sesame … | |
| 281 | še-ĝeš-i3 de2-de2 | (oil)-yielding sesame | |
| 282 | š[e-ĝeš-i3] ⸢nu-de2⸣-d[e2] | ||
| 283 | š[e…] |
v 281 de2 “to pour” from the perspective of the sesame indicates the production of oil from the sesame seeds. About de2, see Attinger (2019: 240-242).
4.2.6. Schülertexte aus Susa 293 = NMI BK 00515 (not in MSL 11) = CDLI P524925
| Col. | Schlülertexte aus Susa 293 | Translation | Entry20According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| ii 6 | še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame | 322 |
| 7 | še-ĝeš-i3 tub2-tub2 | threshed sesame | |
| 8 | še-ĝeš-i3 para10-ga | hulled sesame seeds | |
| 9 | še-ĝeš-i3 ru? šem? ba | sesame … | |
| 10 | še-ĝeš-i3 x x | sesame … | |
| 11 | še-ĝeš-i3 x ra | sesame … |
4.2.7. Kish: OECT 4 154 = Ashm. 1923-371 = Forerunner 15A in MSL 11 p. 157 = CDLI P452250
| Col. | OECT 4 154 | Translation | Entry21According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| vii 39 | [še-ĝeš]-i3 | sesame | 322 |
| 40 | [še-ĝeš-i3] babbar | white sesame | 323 |
| 41 | [še-ĝeš-i3] gegge | black sesame | 324 |
| 42 | [še-ĝeš-i3] ⸢ḫad2⸣-da | dehydrated sesame | 325 |
| 43 | [še-ĝeš-i3 …] | sesame … | 326 |
| viii 1 | še-ĝeš-[i3 …] | sesame … | 327 |
| 2 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | 328 |
| 3 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | 329 |
| 4 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | 330 |
| 5 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | 331 |
| 6 | [še]m ⸢še-ĝeš-i3⸣ | scent (and)? sesame | 332 |
| 7 | šem al-⸢x-x⸣ | scent … | 333 |
| 8 | tuḫ še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame press cake | 334 |
vii 42 For ḫad2(ud)-da „dehydrated“ see Steinkeller (2022: 30-31).
4.2.8. Kish: OECT 4 162 = Ashm. 1923-405 = MSL 11 p. 146 Forerunner 10
| Col. | OECT 4 162 | Translation | Entry22According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| v 19 | še-ĝeš-[i3] | sesame | 322 |
| 20 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 21 | še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame … | |
| 22 | še-ĝeš-i3 š[em] | sesame (and) scents? | |
| 23 | še-ĝeš-i3 para10-[ga2] | hulled sesame seeds | |
| 24 | še-ĝeš-i3 gana2-⸢x⸣ | sesame fields … | |
| 25 | še-ĝeš-i3 ⸢x⸣-[…] | sesame … | |
| 26 | tuḫ še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame press cake | 334 |
| 27 | ĝeš še-ĝeš-i3 […] | sesame plant |
4.2.9. Kish: OECT 4 158 = Ashm. 1932-154 = MSL 11 p. 160 Forerunner 16 (collations of Gurney)
| Col. | OECT 4 158 | Translation | Entry23According to the line numbering of OECT 4 154 = Forerunner 15, Reiner/Civil (1974: 157). |
| v 1 | še-ĝeš-i3 li-bu | sesame … | |
| 2 | še-ĝeš-i3 igi-saĝ-ĝa2 | exquisite sesame | |
| 3 | im še-ĝeš-i3 | clay tablet (about/on) sesame | |
| 4 | im-dub še-ĝeš-i3 | sesame replenishment? | |
| 5 | para10-a še-ĝeš-i3 | hulled sesame seeds |
v 4 About im-dub see Attinger (2021: 572), who translates it as “accumulation (of earth, sometimes marking a boundary between fields), demarcation (between fields)”.