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Tablet listing quantities of various commodities, with circles
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Tablet listing quantities of various commodities, with circles
AMQ113702 Tablet listing quantities of various commodities, with circles and half circles indicating numerals, proto-cuneiform, Jemdet Nasr, Iraq 3000 BC (clay) by Sumerian; height:11 cm; Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK; (add.info.: recto, for verso see 113701
This clay tablet is one of over a hundred similar examples found at the site of Jemder Nasr in Iraq. They represent some of the earliest writing in the world (slightly more archaic texts are known from Uruk to the south of Jemdet Nasr). All the tablets list quantities of various commodities using an early form of the cuneiform (wedge-like) script which was employed later to record Sumerian and other languages of Mesopotamia; circles and half circles indicate numerals. The signs in the bottom left register include a human head in profile and a bowl, the combined meaning of which is ration. Such early tablets were used for administrative purposes to record the storage and distribution of goods, animals and people. It would take another five hundred years and developments in the script, as well as changes in society, before writing was used to record literature and poetry.
); eAshmolean Museum; out of copyright
Media ID 23370088
© Ashmolean Museum / Bridgeman Images
Artefact Artifact Commercial Commodities Cuneiform Fragment Goods Inventory Iraq List Mercantilism Mesopotamian Sumer Tablet
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases a remarkable artifact from ancient civilization. The image features a clay tablet, known as AMQ113702, which dates back to 3000 BC and was discovered at the archaeological site of Jemdet Nasr in Iraq. This tablet is one of many similar examples found at the site and represents some of the earliest forms of writing in human history. The tablet itself measures 11 cm in height and displays an early version of cuneiform script, characterized by wedge-like markings. These markings were used to list quantities of various commodities, with circles and half circles indicating numerals. In the bottom left register, intriguing symbols such as a human head in profile and a bowl can be observed, symbolizing ration. These tablets served administrative purposes during their time, documenting the storage and distribution of goods, animals, and even people. It is fascinating to note that this form of writing was primarily utilized for practical matters rather than recording literature or poetry. Displayed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford University, UK; this particular clay tablet offers us a glimpse into humanity's early attempts at written communication. Its significance lies not only in its age but also in its role as evidence for the development of language systems throughout Mesopotamia. Bridgeman Images has beautifully captured this historical artifact through their lens while preserving its intricate details for generations to appreciate.
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