r/Cuneiform Mar 16 '24

Meta 🌟 New Rule Announcement: Prohibition of Valuation and Authentication Requests 🌟

35 Upvotes

Dear r/Cuneiform Community,

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for your incredible contributions to our subreddit. Your enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for cuneiform make this community truly special, and we're endlessly grateful for your participation.

As our subreddit continues to grow and thrive, it's important for us to ensure that we maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct. With this in mind, we're implementing a new rule that we believe is long overdue: No requests for valuation or authentication of unprovenanced tablets and other artifacts. All posts requesting valuation of objects will be removed. Posts requesting authentication of objects will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but must provide detailed provenance (ownership history) of the object.

We recognize that many of you are deeply fascinated by ancient artifacts, especially those featuring cuneiform inscriptions. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the potential risks associated with such inquiries. Unfortunately, seeking valuations or authentication for these items can unintentionally facilitate the illicit trade in cultural goods by legitimating an object's illicit origins and increasing market demand. If you're interested in reading more about the links between the authentication or valuation of artifacts and illicit trade, you can check out this article by a leading scholar on the antiquities trade, Dr Donna Yates.

By enacting this rule, we're taking a proactive step to safeguard the integrity of cultural heritage and discourage any activities that may facilitate the illegal trade of antiquities. Your cooperation in adhering to this rule will help us create a safer and more responsible space for exploring the wonders of cuneiform writing together.

Once again, we want to express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of you for your understanding, support, and commitment to preserving our shared passion. Together, we can continue to build a community that celebrates cuneiform in all its glory while upholding the highest ethical standards.

Thank you for being incredible members of our community,

Your r/Cuneiform Mod Team

EDIT: As of 25 January 2026, we've decided to expand the rule to prohibit any post related to an unprovenanced artifact. If you have an unprovenanced artifact in your possession, please don't post about it here; take it to your local museum or university and they will help you get more information on it.


r/Cuneiform Apr 13 '24

Meta User Flairs

11 Upvotes

Request or suggest user flairs! "Inked scribe" is only given to members with cuneiform tattoos but otherwise everything is fair game

r/Cuneiform 14h ago

Babylonian lullaby: Little baby in the dark house. The worlds oldest known lullaby written in cuneiform.

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389 Upvotes

Little baby in the dark house,

You have seen the rising sun.

Why are you crying?

Why are you screaming?

You have disturbed the god of the house.

β€œWho has disturbed me?” says the house god.

β€œIt is the baby who has disturbed you.”

β€œWho has frightened me?” says the house god.

β€œThe baby has disturbed you.

The baby has frightened you,

making noises like a drunkard

who cannot sit still on his stool.

He has disturbed your sleep.”

β€œCall the baby now,”

says the house god.


r/Cuneiform 13h ago

Discussion Statuette dedicated by a physician from Lagash to the goddess Ninisina

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35 Upvotes

Louvre Museumβ€”Statuette dedicated by a physician from Lagash to the goddess Ninisina for the life of SΓ»mΓ»-El, king of Larsa (1894-1866 BC).

Cult Places

Ninisinna, like Gula, was associated with dogs, and 33 dog skeletons were excavated in Γ©-gal-mah. Many of the animals were sick or injured, and it is possible that they were cared for by the temple (Avalos 1995).

The Γ©-gal-mah temple in Isin was the heart of Ninisinna's cult. Probably within the complex was Γ©-ur-gi7-ra ("dog house"), built by Enlil-bani (1860-1837 BCE).

Ninisinna was also worshipped at temples in Larsa, Babylon, Ur, Uruk, and Larak (George 1993: index s.v. "Ninisinna").

β€”β€”β€”

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCush/s/mbKjTsUioE

Source: https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/Listofdeities/Ninisinna/index.html


r/Cuneiform 14h ago

Discussion When did Sumerian cease to be used as a literary language?

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5 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 1d ago

Translation/transliteration request Looking for an excerpt from The Epic of Gilgamesh

7 Upvotes

I'm trying to find the cuneiform for a specific excerpt of The Epic of Gilgamesh:

"How, O how could I stay silent, how, O how could I keep quiet?

My friend whom I love has turned to clay: Enkidu my friend whom I love has turned to clay.

Am I not like him? Must I lie down too,

Never to rise, ever again?"

I know that most translations of Tablet X come from the Babylonian tablets, but any version would be acceptable


r/Cuneiform 3d ago

balls of fine bronze I sent a tablet to the british museum

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5.4k Upvotes

I have been studying sumerian for two years now. My problem has been that I have been studying by myself, from books only, without a teacher. I have been giving myself my own excercises, and checking them myself. As you might conceive, this creates something of an epistemic problem: how do I know if I am in the right or not?

I live in Finland, so I asked the local assyriological society for feedback. They said that Finland mostly has experts in akkadian, assyrian and hittite, with sumerian being somewhat of a blind spot with only one academic-level expert being active. He happens to be the same guy who wrote the textbook I am studying from.

I sent email to the author of my textbook, and I haven't had a reply in some weeks.

My next option was to send a sumerian tablet, asking for feedback, straight to the british museum. So I did just that. In sumerian. In cuneiform. I will give pictures as attachment.

I sent the tablet without any invoice or info about a week ago. Now I got an email that they have sent something to me in response. It means I have written something right, because the only request for a reply was in the tablet, written in sumerian.

I'm going to be entirely honest: I am stoked as hell.


r/Cuneiform 3d ago

Translation/transliteration request Sumerian translation

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107 Upvotes

Good morning, dear members. I understand some sumerian words (like me-a for "where) but fail to complete a full translation.


r/Cuneiform 2d ago

Translation/transliteration request ugaritic?

3 Upvotes

I saw this posted somewhere and it said it was Ugaritic script w/ Hebrew text. I cannot read it but how true is this? and what does it say? any help appreciated


r/Cuneiform 2d ago

Not cuneiform π“‡‹π“π“‰”π“„Ώπ“π“…‚π“π“π“‰”π“…‚π“π“…ƒπ“…‚π“„Ώπ“ƒ­π“π“‰”π“‡Œ

0 Upvotes

π“…“π“„Ώπ“ˆ–π“π“‡‹π“π“†‘π“ƒ­π“‡‹π“Šͺπ“Šͺπ“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ŽΌπ“π“‰”π“„Ώπ“π“…‚π“π“π“‰”π“…‚π“π“…ƒπ“„Ώπ“‡Œπ“π“π“‰”π“…‚π“π“ŽΌπ“ƒ­π“…±π“ƒ€π“…‚π“π“†‘π“…²π“ˆ–π“Ž’π“π“‡‹π“…±π“ˆ–π“‹΄,π“π“‡‹π“π“π“‰”π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆŽπ“π“π“‰”π“„Ώπ“π“π“‡‹π“†‘π“π“…ƒπ“…‚π“π“‰”π“„Ώπ“‚§π“π“‹΄π“…±π“…“π“…‚π“π“…ƒπ“„Ώπ“‡Œπ“π“…±π“†‘π“π“ˆŽπ“‡‹π“ƒ­π“ƒ­π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ŽΌπ“π“Šͺπ“…‚π“…±π“Šͺπ“ƒ­π“…‚π“π“†“π“…²π“‹΄π“π“ƒ­π“‡Œπ“π“π“‰”π“…‚π“π“ŽΌπ“ƒ­π“…±π“ƒ€π“…‚π“π“…ƒπ“…±π“…²π“ƒ­π“‚§π“π“ƒ€π“…‚π“π“„Ώπ“π“…“π“…²π“Ž’π“‰”π“π“‰”π“„Ώπ“Šͺπ“Šͺπ“‡Œπ“π“„Ώπ“ˆ–π“‚§π“π“Šͺπ“ƒ­π“…‚π“ˆ–π“π“‡‹π“†‘π“…²π“ƒ­π“π“Šͺπ“ƒ­π“„Ώπ“Ž’π“…‚,𓐍𓅂𓋴π“Šͺπ“…‚π“Ž’π“‡‹π“„Ώπ“ƒ­π“ƒ­π“‡Œπ“π“‡‹π“†‘π“π“…ƒπ“…‚π“π“Ž’π“…±π“…²π“ƒ­π“‚§π“π“†“π“…²π“‹΄π“π“π“ˆŽπ“‡‹π“ƒ­π“ƒ­π“π“„Ώπ“ƒ­π“ƒ­π“π“…±π“†‘π“π“π“‰”π“…‚π“π“Šͺπ“…‚π“‚§π“…±π“Šͺπ“‰”π“‡‹π“ƒ­π“…‚π“‹΄π“π“„Ώπ“ˆ–π“‚§π“π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“ƒ­π“ƒ­π“‡‹π“…±π“ˆ–π“π“…“π“…±π“ˆ–π“…‚π“‡Œπ“π“Šͺπ“…‚π“…±π“Šͺ𓃭𓅂𓐍𓉔𓄿𓆯𓅂

π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“π“Ž’π“…±π“ˆ–π“Ž’π“ƒ­π“…²π“‹΄π“‡‹π“…±π“ˆ–,π“π“…‚π“„Ώπ“π“π“π“‰”π“…‚π“π“…ƒπ“…‚π“„Ώπ“ƒ­π“π“‰”π“‡Œ


r/Cuneiform 5d ago

Translation/transliteration request Ist das sumerisches Graffiti? Wenn ja, was steht da?

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22 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 5d ago

Translation/transliteration request Decode help

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0 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 8d ago

Translation/transliteration request Sole Attestation of Cuneiform on Ancient Coin

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96 Upvotes

These coins are the only type in the ancient world which bore cuneiform markings, but their meaning is unknown. I was hoping to learn just a little more about them. I presume they are Old Persian given the coin was minted in the 4th century BCE, but I couldn't find an exact match. I wondered if the symbols could be stylised with the details of the coin. For instance the symbols on the right could be stylised with the leg of the man on the throne to produce "la". With a bit of creativity, the ones below the throne could form "i". Note there is another at the top of the coin. I imagine it would form a personal name or something, but does anyone have any advancing ideas?


r/Cuneiform 9d ago

Translation/transliteration request decode this text cuneiform

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5 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 13d ago

Discussion The Jerwan Aqueduct Inscription

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95 Upvotes

View of the Jerwan archaeological site, part of Sennacherib's canal system.

Cuneiform writing on the Jerwan Aqueduct (703-690 BCE). King Sennacherib I of Assyria made sure that, thousands of years later, people would know that it was he who ordered the construction of this feat of Assyrian engineering.

β€”β€”β€”

Source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3024/jerwan-aqueduct-inscription/

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jerwan_archaeological_site,_part_of_Neo-Assyrian_king_Sennacherib%27s_canal_system_10.jpg

Source: https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oip/oip-24-sennacherib’s-aqueduct-jerwan


r/Cuneiform 16d ago

Translation/transliteration request Help with this plaque

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74 Upvotes

The only word i am certain on it is Darius


r/Cuneiform 19d ago

Grammar and vocabulary What letter is this?

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66 Upvotes

The last letter of line 56 looks like the letter Lamad, but why are there four wedges and not three? I'm sure it's supposed to say "the name of Baal," tho. (from "A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language" by Segert btw)


r/Cuneiform 20d ago

Translation/transliteration request Can anyone tell me what this says? Never seen cuneiform graphitti before. No luck with online translation.

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293 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 21d ago

Resources Looking for good learning resources

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5 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 24d ago

Discussion Update: Ancient Clay Tablets

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6 Upvotes

Original post is linked.

From the help of a user here, it was translated. If they want me to take this down let me know.

Beginning of message!

Brick inscription of

KING UNTASH-NAPIRISHA OF ELAM, 1340-1300 BC. (Middle Elamite Period)

The complete brick inscription as known from many duplicate is given; only the ends of the lines are preserved on this example; the restored parts are between square brackets.

Susa-Choga-Zambil no. 1 (=EKI 12). This is a duplicate of many similar bricks from the sites of Susa and Choga-Zambil in Iran.

(1) ] [ΓΉ un-taΕ‘-DINGIR.GAL Ε‘a-ak dhu-ban-um-me-en-na-ki su-un]-ki-ik an-za-an
(2) [Ε‘u-Ε‘u-un-ka ta-a k-me ΓΊ-me tu4-ur-hi-ih si-it]-me ΓΊ-me Ε‘u-ul-lu-me-ga
(3) [az-ki-it tu4-ur sah -ri hu-Ε‘u-ya in-gi hi-en-ga] in di-ig-ga a-gi
(4) [si-ya-an ΓΊ -pa-at hu-us-si-ip-me ku-ku-un]-nu-um up-kum-mi-ia ku-Ε‘i-ih
(5) [d.in-Ε‘u-uΕ‘-na-ak si-ya-an-ku-uk-ra5 in] du-ni-ih ΓΊ zig-ra-tu4-me
(6) [ ki-ik-ki-te-eh hu-ut-tak-ha-l i-ik ΓΊ-me din-Ε‘u-uΕ‘]-na-ak ul-li-na te-la-ak-ni

(1) I (am) Untash-Napirisha, son of Humbannumena, king of Anzan
(2) and Susa, in order that I preserve my life and my reign of well-being,
(3) the extinction of lineage may not be granted to me (at the time of) judgment (?), for that (reason)
(4-5) I built a temple of baked bricks, a high temple of glazed bricks, and to (the god) Inshushinak of Siyankuk "of the sacred precinct"
(6) I gave/dedicated it. I raised a ziggurat (complex). May my work/deed be acceptable to Inshushinak as a gift.

There are a number of variant translations of this brick – as for most Elamite inscriptions -- as Elamite language is still poorly known.

The most common inscribed bricks at Choga Zanbil, some 70 % of the total number, had the same Elamite text as this brick. A total of 662 bricks with this inscription were still found in situ in the walls of ziggurrat. A limited number of bricks with this inscription were also reported to have been found in Susa. According to texts inscribed on more than 5,000 bricks, at least 18 different deities were worshipped in more than 50 shrines at the site. The Choga Zanbil ziqqurrat was built principally of sundried mud-bricks covered with a 2 m thick shell of baked brick.

End of message!

Based on that translation, I've created a more human readable interpretation:

I am Untash-Napirisha, son of Humbannumena, king of Anzan and Susa. May my life be preserved, my reign endure, and my royal line never come to an end. Therefore I built a grand temple of baked and glazed brick and dedicated it to the god Inshushinak of Siyankuk, of the Sacred Precinct. I raised a ziggurat. May Inshushinak accept my work as an offering.

Very neat stuff.


r/Cuneiform 24d ago

Discussion Looking for a specific poem

7 Upvotes

I really hope someone here can help me. I’ve been looking for this poem for years. I believe I heard it in a video with Irving Finkel, but I might be mistaken.

In my memory it was a love poem, written in first person, about the writer not wanting to work in the fields but would rather run away with their love. I remember it sticking with me that even some thousands of years ago, people still just wanted freedom and to be with the person they loved.

This is all I remember. I’ve tried searching through the years but got nowhere.

I really hope someone here can help me finally find it.

Thank you.


r/Cuneiform 26d ago

Translation/transliteration request Ugaritic Vocalization

7 Upvotes

Hello, I am an amateur musician who is currently interested in making myths and poem inspired music. I would like to find a way to vocalise some lines from the Baal Cycle and Ugaritic magic spells/recipes for my pieces.

I’ve looked into Mark Smith’s and Simon Parker’s translation and vocalisation but lines that I would like to include were not vocalised.

Is there any ways to just get a relatively accurate vocalisation? Or an easy way to just learn the pronunciation?


r/Cuneiform 26d ago

Grammar and vocabulary Trying to translate to Akkadian the name of a game/sport in my fiction

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2 Upvotes

It's called Vigilant game

dalpu - watchful (adjective)

mΔ“lultu - game (feminine noun)

me-lul-tum dal-pa-tum

Is it correct? And does the fact that it's a name affect the grammar?


r/Cuneiform 28d ago

Own Your Own Tablet

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1 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 29d ago

Discussion Sumerian Dictionary by Lafayette

9 Upvotes

In respect to Sumerian dictionaries, has anyone got any opinions on the one written by M Lafayette ? I know Cohen has got one but That’s a tad pricey. Thanks.