The Umma Messenger Texts from the Harvard Semitic Museim and Yale Coll

The Umma Messenger Texts from the Harvard Semitic Museum and Yale Coll, Volume 1, provides a scholarly collection of 240 messenger texts from the ancient city of Umma. Edited by Noemi Borrelli and published by Pennsylvania State University Press, these documents originate from the Yale Babylonian Collection and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. The texts span a chronological range from the fifth month of Amar-Suen 3 to the twelfth month of Ibbi-Sîn.

These Sumerian language texts serve as vital historical sources for studying the Neo-Sumerian period. As administrative records, they detail the allotment of rations and the disbursement of various goods. This volume offers significant data for researchers focusing on the sociology and economics of the Umma region. By examining these Sumerian language texts, historians gain a clearer understanding of the complex social structures and economic activities that defined this extinct city and its surrounding territories.