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====== ED IIIb metrology: texts from Lagaš ======

 

The following charts are based on the Lagaš royal inscriptions, and on the body of ED IIIb administrative texts mainly originating from the e<sub>2</sub>-mi<sub>2</sub> / e<sub>2</sub>-<sup>d</sup>Ba-U<sub>2</sub> Girsu archive (approximately 1700 tablets). For an overview of the metrological systems used in the ED IIIb texts from Lagaš, see notably Powell, RlA 7, Selz AWEL, pp. 21-22. Contemporary metrological systems in usage in Nippur or Umma show many differences with those from Lagaš.

 

**Bibliography.**

  * Bauer, J. (1972). //Altsumerische Wirtschaftstexte aus Lagash//, Studia Pohl 9
  * Powell, M. (1971). //Sumerian Numeration and Metrology//, Ph.D thesis
  * Powell, M. (1987-1993) “Masse und Gewischte”, RlA 7, pp.
  * Selz, G. (1989). //Die altsumerischen Wirtschaftsurkunden der Eremitage zu Leningrad//, FAOS 15/1

 

 

===== Units of length =====

 

| šu-si                | {{Lagasimage002.jpg?75x38}}  | ca. 1,6 cm  |
|  ↓ ×10                                                          |||
| šu-du<sub>3</sub>-a  | {{Lagasimage004.jpg?86x45}}  | ca. 0,16 m  |
|  ↓ ×1 ½                                                         |||
| šu-bad               | {{Lagasimage006.jpg?68x45}}  | ca. 0,25 m  |
|  ↓ ×2                                                           |||
| kuš<sub>3</sub>      | {{Lagasimage008.png?42x30}}  | ca. 0.5 m   |
|  ↓ ×6                                                           |||
| gi                   | {{Lagasimage010.jpg?66x23}}  | ca. 3 m     |
|  ↓ × 2                                                          |||
| ninda-DU             | {{Lagasimage012.jpg?73x30}}  | ca. 6 m     |
|  ↓ × 10                                                         |||
| 1 eš<sub>2</sub>     | {{Lagasimage014.png?24x38}}  | ca. 60 m    |

 

Note also the existence of the gi si-sa<sub>2</sub>, mentioned in a few texts((Powell, RlA 7, p. 463:  “it is not clear whether this denotes the reed of six cubits ot the nindan-reed of 12 cubits”.)).

 

 

** **

===== Units of surface =====

 

| giĝ<sub>4</sub>((Also transliterated gin<sub>2</sub>.))  | {{Lagasimage016.jpg?48x34}}                             | ca. 0,6 m<sup>2</sup>  |
|  ↓ ×60                                                                                                                                    |||
| sar                                                      | {{Lagasimage018.jpg?40x34}}                             | ca. 36 m<sup>2</sup>   |
|  ↓ ×100                                                                                                                                   |||
| iku (GAN<sub>2</sub>)                                    | ⅛ iku = 1 ubu {{Lagasimage020.jpg?26x23}}               |            ca. 0,36 ha |
| :::                                                      | ¼ iku  {{Lagasimage022.jpg?20x25}}                      | :::                    |
| :::                                                      | ½ iku{{Lagasimage024.jpg?23x19}}                        | :::                    |
| :::                                                      | 1 iku {{Lagasimage026.jpg?63x26}}                       | :::                    |
|  ↓ ×6                                                                                                                                     |||
| eše<sub>3</sub> (GAN<sub>2</sub>)                        | {{Lagasimage028.jpg?42x26}}{{Lagasimage029.jpg?56x38}}  | ca. 2,16 ha            |
|  ↓ ×3                                                                                                                                     |||
| bur<sub>3</sub> (GAN<sub>2</sub>)                        | {{Lagasimage030.png?30x26}}{{Lagasimage031.jpg?56x38}}  | ca. 6,48 ha            |
|  ↓ ×10                                                                                                                                    |||
| burʾu (GAN<sub>2</sub>)                                  | {{Lagasimage033.jpg?38x38}}{{Lagasimage034.jpg?56x38}}  | ca. 64,6 ha            |
|  ↓ 6                                                                                                                                      |||
| šar<sub>2</sub> (GAN<sub>2</sub>)                        | {{Lagasimage035.jpg?47x41}}{{Lagasimage036.jpg?56x38}}  | ca. 388,8 ha           |
|  ↓ ×10                                                                                                                                    |||
| šarʾu (GAN<sub>2</sub>)                                  | {{Lagasimage038.png?47x48}}{{Lagasimage039.jpg?56x38}}  | ca. 3888 ha            |

 

 

===== Units of capacity =====

** **

Lagaš gur saĝ ĝal<sub>2</sub>:

 

| sila<sub>3</sub>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | {{Lagasimage041.jpg?36x30}}  | ca. 1 l      |
|  ↓ ×6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |||
| ban<sub>2</sub> ((1(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage043.png?39x30}}; 2(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage044.png?26x26}}; 3(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage046.png?32x26}}; 4(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage048.jpg?30x26}}; 5(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage050.jpg?31x26}}))  | {{Lagasimage043.png?39x30}}  | ca. 6 l |
|  ↓ ×6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |||
| bariga ((1(bariga) {{Lagasimage052.png?22x34}} ; 2(bariga) {{Lagasimage054.png?30x45}} ; 3(bariga) {{Lagasimage056.png?33x57}}))                                                                                                                            | {{Lagasimage052.png?22x34}}  | ca. 36 l     |
|  ↓ ×4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |||
| gur (saĝ ĝal<sub>2</sub>)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | {{Lagasimage058.jpg?90x53}}  | ca. 144 l    |
|  ↓ ×3600                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |||
| guru<sub>7</sub>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | {{Lagasimage060.jpg?72x26}}  | ca. 5185 hl  |

 

Aside from the gur saĝ ĝal<sub>2</sub>, the ED IIIb texts from Lagaš show the use of the 72 sila<sub>3</sub> gur “of 2 ul” (2 bariga).

| sila<sub>3</sub>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | {{Lagasimage041.jpg?36x30}}  | ca. 1 l    |
|  ↓ ×6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |||
| ban<sub>2</sub>((1(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage061.png?39x30}} ; 2(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage044.png?26x26}} ; 3(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage062.png?32x26}}, 4(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage048.jpg?30x26}} ; 5(ban<sub>2</sub>) {{Lagasimage050.jpg?31x26}}))   <sub> </sub>  | {{Lagasimage061.png?39x30}}  | ca. 6 l    |
|  ↓ ×6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |||
| bariga                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | {{Lagasimage063.png?22x34}}  | ca. 36 l   |
|  ↓ ×2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |||
| gur                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | {{Lagasimage065.png?87x52}}  | ca. 144 l  |

 

 

 

===== Units of weight =====

 

| giĝ<sub>4</sub>  | {{Lagasimage067.jpg?59x45}}   | ca. 500 g   |
|  ↓ ×60                                                       |||
| ma-na            | {{Lagasimage069.jpg?108x38}}  | ca. 8,33 g  |

 

 

 

 

 

Fractions of ma-na:

{{Lagasimage061.png?39x30}},{{Lagasimage071.jpg?94x49}} ,{{Lagasimage073.jpg?109x38}}.

Fractions of giĝ<sub>4</sub>: {{Lagasimage061.png?39x30}}and igi 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 ĝal<sub>2</sub> f {{Lagasimage075.jpg?69x64}}

Use of the sign NINDA<sub>2</sub>+KUR<sub>2</sub>+1 or 2, as noticed by Powell ((Powell 1971: 217-18; cf. also Powell RlA 7, p. 510, “little mina”.)) : VS 14, 175, respectively ⅓ and ⅔ of the giĝ<sub>4</sub>.

{{Lagasimage077.jpg?80x60}} and  {{Lagasimage079.jpg?115x49}}

 

 

Unlike later periods, amounts of ma-na superior to 60 in Lagaš are seemingly represented by the numeral 1(ĝeš<sub>2</sub>), instead of gu<sub>2</sub>, cf. VS 14, 183 (AWL 127). Rs. i. 1. 1(geš<sub>2</sub>) 2(u) 6(aš) ma-na sig<sub>2</sub>-mug siki u<sub>2</sub>-ka

 

As evidenced by several documents, diverse standards seem to have existed.

Two weights belonging to the sanga administrator Du-du give an idea of the value of the ma-na:

1<sup>st</sup> weight: ma-na, “regular” ma-na: 497.5 g

2<sup>nd</sup> weight: ma-na sig<sub>3</sub>-ba, “wool allocation”: 680.485 g ((Powell RlA 7, p. 508.))

 

According to the administrative documents, the ma-na unit is measured by means of the following weight stones:((Selz AWEL 301, p. 530.))

  * ma-na na<sub>4</sub> sig<sub>2</sub>-ba, “weight of wool allocation”
  * ma-na na<sub>4</sub> si-sa<sub>2</sub>, “regular weight stone”
  * ma-na na<sub>4</sub> ša<sub>3</sub>-tug<sub>2</sub>, “weight for clothes”
  * ma-na na<sub>4</sub> Der<sup>ki</sup>, “weight of the city of Dēr”



 Page prepared by Camille Lecompte.