Cuneiform writing on a pottery cylinder
Cuneiform writing on a pottery cylinder 11336
A pottery cylinder belonging to King Sin-Adnam, King of Larsa (1785 - 1778 BC), found in the city of Bazakhina (Tell Abzikh, 25 km west of Sukkar Castle), in which he records, in 70 lines of cuneiform writing, the history of the Tigris River and the restoration of its banks, and indicates that it was “excavated.” The Tigris River and direct it to the marsh land so that water is available for the land / preserved in a private collection in the English Art Market
Translation of the inscription: “I am Sin-edenam, the mighty man, the sustainer of Ur, king of Larsa, king of Sumer and Akkad, the king who built Ebbar, the temple of the god Utu, who restored the rituals of the temples of the gods, when the gods Anu, Enlil, Nanna, and Utu bestowed upon me a good reign of justice that would last forever.” Long, by means of my vast wisdom, achieved at the highest level, which has surpassed, in order to create suitable water for my city (and) land (ha) and to make my methods majestic, glorious (and) bold for the future, I fervently prayed to the gods Anu and Enlil. They agreed to my firm supplications by commissioning (j), by their immutable word, to excavate the Tigris, and to restore (its banks, and) to establish my name for life at that time, and by the command of the gods Anu and Inanna, and by the power of the gods Nanna and (Utu), and by virtue of my victory, I dug. The Tigris River, the river of abundance of the god Utu.
I have connected its entrance with the boundaries, the boundaries I have chosen, and directed (its) great course directly to the marsh land (thus) it will provide perpetual waters, and uninterrupted abundance for the larsa, my land. When I dug the Tigris, the great river, the wages of each worker were: 1 sack of barley, 2 sacks of bread, 4 sacks of beer, 2 shekels of oil, per day, and so they received this. I did not invite anyone to take more or less. By the command (and) decision of the great gods, I restored (the banks of) the Tigris, the broad river, (and) established my name for the distant future.”


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