r/Cuneiform Mar 16 '24

Meta 🌟 New Rule Announcement: Prohibition of Valuation and Authentication Requests 🌟

33 Upvotes

Dear r/Cuneiform Community,

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for your incredible contributions to our subreddit. Your enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for cuneiform make this community truly special, and we're endlessly grateful for your participation.

As our subreddit continues to grow and thrive, it's important for us to ensure that we maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct. With this in mind, we're implementing a new rule that we believe is long overdue: No requests for valuation or authentication of unprovenanced tablets and other artifacts. All posts requesting valuation of objects will be removed. Posts requesting authentication of objects will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but must provide detailed provenance (ownership history) of the object.

We recognize that many of you are deeply fascinated by ancient artifacts, especially those featuring cuneiform inscriptions. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the potential risks associated with such inquiries. Unfortunately, seeking valuations or authentication for these items can unintentionally facilitate the illicit trade in cultural goods by legitimating an object's illicit origins and increasing market demand. If you're interested in reading more about the links between the authentication or valuation of artifacts and illicit trade, you can check out this article by a leading scholar on the antiquities trade, Dr Donna Yates.

By enacting this rule, we're taking a proactive step to safeguard the integrity of cultural heritage and discourage any activities that may facilitate the illegal trade of antiquities. Your cooperation in adhering to this rule will help us create a safer and more responsible space for exploring the wonders of cuneiform writing together.

Once again, we want to express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of you for your understanding, support, and commitment to preserving our shared passion. Together, we can continue to build a community that celebrates cuneiform in all its glory while upholding the highest ethical standards.

Thank you for being incredible members of our community,

Your r/Cuneiform Mod Team

EDIT: As of 25 January 2026, we've decided to expand the rule to prohibit any post related to an unprovenanced artifact. If you have an unprovenanced artifact in your possession, please don't post about it here; take it to your local museum or university and they will help you get more information on it.


r/Cuneiform Apr 13 '24

Meta User Flairs

10 Upvotes

Request or suggest user flairs! "Inked scribe" is only given to members with cuneiform tattoos but otherwise everything is fair game

r/Cuneiform 9h ago

Translation/transliteration request Cuneiform transliteration attempt+ Cuneiform info request + Akkadian translation attempt

5 Upvotes

1. I want to see the cuneiformof these Sumerian lines from Descent of Inana (ETCSL) 411 and 412:

"Holy Erec-ki-gala -- sweet is your praise."

kug derec-ki-gal-la-ke4
za3-mi2-zu dug3-ga-am3

I assume it is the following:

𒆬 𒀭𒊩𒆠𒃲𒆷𒆤

𒍠𒊩𒍪 𒄭𒂵𒀀𒀭

gramatically: "holy Ereshkigal- ?- of

sweet-praise-great please-bring-is"

Did I get that right? I would love if there was a clear way to verify the cuneiform to romanized transliteration. Is such a resource available?

2. What is the grammatical function of "la" or is it "a" as in "ak"?

3. I want to put this into Akkadian (does anyone know where I can find a copy of this story in Akkadian?) I would approximate it thusly:

Allatum ellūtum

dalīlumki matqum šu

Is that right?


r/Cuneiform 2d ago

Translation/transliteration request Question because of a Translation

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone :),

I am trying to translate a word / two words.

I am an art student so quite new ground for me.

Failing and the shame to fail.

It is quite hard to translate from a non native language ( english ) something into akkadian so i am a bit lost.

This is everything i found.

ḫaṭû
ḫa-ṭu-u₂ 𒄩 𒊹 𒌑

And a version for i failed ( more or less )

aḫ-ṭi 𒀀 𒊹

How can i say the shame to fail thing?

Is this remotly right?

Thank you people so much


r/Cuneiform 4d ago

Help identifying characters

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15 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 5d ago

Rule 1 A Redditor posted this, anyone have any thoughts?

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44 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 6d ago

Translation/transliteration request Gift for my assyriologist friend

17 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I hope someone here find this fun and can give me a hand.

In a couple of weeks its my bestfriend's birthday, who is an assyriology student, and besides other gifts, I'd like to make a clay tablet for her.

Id like to carve in cuneiform, as accurately as possible, something like:

"To my beloved friend:

Nice ass."

Is this remotely possible? Any recommendations on tools I can find to create a somewhat understandable translation/interpretation?

Sorry if this is not allowed in this sub, but she is really important to me and I think she'd like this very much.

Edit: I got this, does it read well? (My name is Elena)

Edit2: I did it! i also added my friends name as well. I hope y'all like it!


r/Cuneiform 6d ago

Translation/transliteration request 'In distant days' translation (shortening of Epic of Gilgamesh opening line)

2 Upvotes

Hello!

I'm looking for a shortening of the second phrase in the beginning of Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld. The first line is 'In those days, in those distant days', which I would like to shorten to just 'in distant days' (removed 'those'). This phrasing doesn't seem to be attested anywhere. I'm wondering what a proper translation/transliteration would look like. So far I've come to ud(𒌓)-su₃(𒋤)-ra₂(𒁺), so 𒌓𒋤𒁺 or 'udsura' pronounced phonetically. Is this correct?


r/Cuneiform 7d ago

Translation/transliteration request Checking Sumerian Sign Choice

3 Upvotes

Hey all! Need some Sumerian translation/sign choice help.

I’m trying to come up with a romantic phrase with simple cuneiform signs. I’ve landed on “in my heart” šag4-ĝa2. (heart-my-locative: šag4-ĝu-a)

I’ve found two attested uses confirming this exact translation:

1.       ETCSLtransliteration : c.6.1.01 (1.95) https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.6.1.01&display=Crit&charenc=gcirc#

2.       Jagersma’s “A Descriptive Grammar of Sumerian” pp 173

At my level, I’m thinking the signs are 𒊮𒂷 in both texts (referencing Kateřina Šašková’s Cuneiform Sign List, EBL, ORACC), but I’m just looking to sanity check that I’m not missing some hidden nuance, logogram, etc. that would impact the sign choice. Basically, checking that my transliteration to sign method is correct.

Thanks in advance for any insight y’all can provide!


r/Cuneiform 8d ago

"Ah" written in Mari Tablet versus font

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33 Upvotes

Hello! I'm hoping someone can help with this! I have included two images. The first is the name Yahqub-Ilum as it appears twice on a tablet from Mari (https://archibab.fr/T3506). The second is the same name written in various fonts. I can get the fonts to match almost completely except for the "ah." It looks like the scribe may have condensed/combined the two symbols shown in the font? Or maybe the font makes "ah" into two separate signs but it is actually supposed to be one. Does anyone know the answer to this? I've tried to find the answer on my own - but I'm spinning my wheels at this point. Thank you!


r/Cuneiform 9d ago

Rule 1 qualcuno può aiutarmi per tradurre questi caratteri? Grazie

2 Upvotes
appaiono su un vecchio medaglione di un'amica.

r/Cuneiform 12d ago

Kharg Island: Achaemenid-era Cuneiform Inscription

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161 Upvotes

“On 14 November 2007, an Achaemenid-era cuneiform inscription in Old Persian, carved on a coral rock, was discovered while constructing a road on Kharg Island, Iran. Construction was halted, and eventually the road was rerouted.

The inscription has been translated in various ways:

"[This] land was wilderness and without water [and] I brought happiness and welfare to it."

"The not irrigated land was happy [with] me bringing out [water]".

"[This] land was a dry area with no water; [I] brought happiness and welfare,... water wells."

———

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_inscription_on_Kharg_Island#


r/Cuneiform 15d ago

Code of Hammurabi Poem

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open.substack.com
7 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 18d ago

Translation/transliteration request Question about translation of this image

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20 Upvotes

Hi i have found this image and since my knowledge is very limited i cant conform if this text is about the oldest dog joke.

Thanks in advance for the help


r/Cuneiform 18d ago

Not cuneiform Found in the outer lobby of a church

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0 Upvotes

Saint Catherine church specifically, not sure of the meaning at all, it doesn't seem to be old at all.

Thanks for any help in explaining what this writing is.


r/Cuneiform 21d ago

Translation/transliteration request What does this character mean?

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56 Upvotes

I read it means soap or cleansing but I want to see if that’s correct


r/Cuneiform 21d ago

Not cuneiform I want to make English Cuneiform and I want your Respond

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10 Upvotes

I want to make English Cuneiform and I want your Respond.

What should I change?


r/Cuneiform 22d ago

Discussion Neo-Assyrian li

9 Upvotes

Hey there, I'm currently trying to learn neo-assyrian as a start. But i can't find a reliable source of syllabograms. Especially for li/le sources vary.

  1. What is the correct version of li/le
  2. Is there one true source i should check out?

vs


r/Cuneiform 23d ago

Translation/transliteration request Name translation

6 Upvotes

Hello! Hopefully this post isn’t disrespectful or anything - because that’s the last thing I want! I’m a huge fan of ancient history…but I only have a minor in classical studies (my college did not have the option to major in it). This is so trivial, but I want to get a very small tattoo on my wrist of an approximation of my son’s name - James - in cuneiform. I find this time period to be incredibly interesting and the fact that cuneiform is the oldest written language is symbolic for me. I know cuneiform isn’t an exact letter for letter match and I don’t want to have just gibberish on my wrist… Is there a good/credible online translator I could use to give me something that would be closest to James in cuneiform? Thank you!!


r/Cuneiform 24d ago

Translation/transliteration request Seal impression text

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26 Upvotes

Hi! Can anyone tell me about the text on this seal impression?

Any info or resources to learn more would be greatly appreciated!


r/Cuneiform 25d ago

Translation/transliteration request Could someone help me parse the cuneiform line of Alexander's death?

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31 Upvotes

This tablet from the British Museum is a Babylonian Astronomical Diary recording the death of Alexander the Great. The translation of the line is simply "The King died. Clouds." However, my cuneiform is so very basic and I cannot determine where the line falls here, nor what the signs are. Could someone help me identify and replicate the signs? I couldn't find any digital rendering of the line, but this would help me massively if someone had a link or was able to provide a rendering. Thank you in advance!


r/Cuneiform 26d ago

Not cuneiform [(Ancient) Unknown > English] - Seal impression

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12 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 26d ago

Art Please rate my handwriting

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55 Upvotes

I have just started learning sumerian from digital Hammurabi on YouTube. Being a wild clay ceramist (one of many many things I do for fun) I thought I would make my first tablet from clay from my backyard. I made my stylus from firewood and a lot of sanding.

How wood you rate my handwriting? I am very much open to critique!


r/Cuneiform 26d ago

Translation/transliteration request Trying to do something funny

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9 Upvotes

r/Cuneiform 27d ago

Art Enūma Eliš in Akkadian (2026 CE)

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29 Upvotes

I tired to copy some lines form Enūma Eliš (BM.93015) to practice the writing. As a dirty egyptology student i have no idea how readable the end result is, it was just practice for my own constructed writing system that uses the same medium.
Please tell me your critisism
(i also should get some proper clay and a better stylus. i used a triangle cut one from bamboo but i want to experiment with different shapes)