Title: Old Babylonian Literary Tablet

Date: Circa 2000 BC

Medium: Clay

Dimensions & Weight: 68mm (2 3/4"), 105 grams

Description:
A rare clay Sumerian stele, lentil-shaped, featuring cuneiform inscriptions with literary significance on both sides. This artifact represents the rich literary tradition of Old Babylonian civilization, where cuneiform script was used for recording myths, hymns, and legal texts. The tablet is punctured, suggesting it may have been hung or stored for reference.

Part of a specialized collection of cuneiform texts, this piece belonged to a London gentleman and was housed in London until 1992, passing by descent to family members. Examined in the late 1980s and early 1990s by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926–2011), a renowned historian, archaeologist, and Assyriology expert. Notably, a bag containing notes believed to have been written by Professor Lambert accompanies the tablet.

Provenance:

• London private collection before 1992
• By descent to family members
• Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA in the late 1980s–1990s
• Accompanied by notes attributed to Professor Lambert