AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE (SECOND STAGE PICTOGRAPHS ON CLAY)

MS 4551
MS Short Title AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE (SECOND STAGE PICTOGRAPHS ON CLAY)
Text ACCOUNT OF GRAIN PRODUCTS, BREAD, BEER, BUTTER OIL FROM ONE GOAT, AND SHEEP
Description MS in Old Sumerian on clay, Sumer, Uruk IV, 32nd c. BC, 1 tablet, 5,0x5,7x2,1 cm, 17+14 compartments of pictographic script
Context For disk type tokens, see MS 4522/2-8.
Commentary 6 different disk type tokens, actually drawn to represent real counting tokens. This represents the second stage in the development from counting tokens to actual pictographic writing on tablets. The first stage was to depress actual tokens into the wet clay on a bulla or tablet. Apart from the sheep token (cross within the circle, group 3:51), none of these tokens have been found so far, cf. Denise Schmandt-Besserat. How writing came about, group 3 disks, listing about 80 different types. Cf MS 2963 that might be even older.
Exhibited The Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology (PHI), Oslo, 13.10.2003-06.2005.
Place of origin Sumer
Dates ca 3200 BC