A Sumerian Clay Cuneiform Tablet

Third Dynasty of Ur, Reign of King Shulgi, Circa 2053 B.C.

Height 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm).

Property from the Estate of T.J. Burke, Wheaton, Illinois

Provenance:

Edward J. Waddell, Bethesda, Maryland; where acquired by the present owner, 15 April 1986.

This administrative tablet is a receipt for 5 lambs and a goat, dated to the 19th day of the 9th month of year 42 of King Shulgi's reign.

Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe. Some losses, notably to one corner. Mild deposits present. Cracks and surface wear typical of age. Overall in fine and stable condition. See additional images.

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Mr. Coley joined the Antiquities department in 2021 after working as Managing Director in the Ancient Art department at Colnaghi, the world’s oldest commercial art gallery, where he helped to establish the Ancient Art department and launched Colnaghi New York in 2017. Prior to Colnaghi, Mr. Coley was in the Greek and Roman Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Coley holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.A. in Art Market from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he earned an art-appraisal certificate from New York University.

Antiquities and Ancient Art

A Sumerian Clay Cuneiform Tablet

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