SS1 Sippar: Temple Plaque (2450 BCE)

(Dec. 23, 2022) This stone was found in the Sumerian city of Sippar. This text was written on the expensive lapis lazuli stone imported from Afghanistan and would have been placed in a prominent place in a Sippar temple. It has a length: 5.76 centimeters, thickness of 1.60 centimeters, and width of 3.30 centimeters. It was acquired by the British Museum in 1892.(British Museum, number 91013, Online at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1892-1213-9). As usual the translation provided by the British Museum is wrong.

Text Sumerian Sippar 1 (SS 1) reads:

  1. AN is the harvest-chief. BU (Bau) is the fishing-ground
  2. AN is the plant-grower
  3. The Lady (INANNA) reaps with AN
  4. The Fate-Caller (cat-bird?) is submitting to the music-maker (INANNA)
  5. The Fate-caller apportions life
  6. The three are making fearful the streaming
  7. Their words form the earth

Lexicon used for this translation: About This Early-Sign Sumerian Lexicon  

Column 1 (SS 1.1)

Sumerian

  1. AN LUGAL.SIG
  2. BU  X9.ḪA

English Translation

  1. AN is the harvest-chief
  2. BU is the fishing-ground

Comment: An is the life source.  BU is the chaotic storm bull which brings the rains.

Column 2 (SS 1.2)

Sumerian

  1. AN X10

English Translation

  1. AN is the plant-grower (farmer)

Column 3 (SS 1.3)

Sumerian 

(verb at end indicates statement)
  1. NIN AN X10.SIG

English Translation

  1. The Lady reaps with AN

Comment: Innana is the editing power of the life network. She is the musician who selects which network strings are to be vibrated to trigger life form manifestations on earth.

Column 4 (SS 1.4)

Sumerian

(verb in middle indicates ongoing event)
  1. LUGAL GAM SI

English Translation

  1. The Fate-Caller is submitting to the music-maker (INANNA)

Comment: Network vibration motions were the way causation was transferred through the Sumerian conception of the network. Poetically this was harmonious music. This is an alternate view to the northern Akkadian culture which viewed network lines as channels carrying fertility fluids.

Column 5 (SS 1.5)

Sumerian

(verb at end indicates statement)
  1. LUGAL X11 X12

English Translation

  1. The Fate-caller apportions life

Column 6 (SS 1.6)

Sumerian

(verb in middle indicates ongoing condition)
  1. 3 GAL X13

English Translation

  1. The three are making fearful the streaming

Column 7 (SS 1.7)

Sumerian

(verb at end indicates statement)
  1. MU KI DU3

English Translation

  1. Their words form the earth