Evidence · Proto-cuneiform: the archaic texts of Uruk

Assigning the numerical signs to sexagesimal, bisexagesimal, grain-capacity, area and time systems makes the totals on…

Assigning the numerical signs to sexagesimal, bisexagesimal, grain-capacity, area and time systems makes the totals on hundreds of tablets add up, and new tablets conform.

Established0

What it means

Key questionHow many distinct signs does proto-cuneiform have, and which of the ZATU and CDLI entries are variants or compounds of one sign?

No answer ahead yet

Openwas No evidence yet

Answer this evidence bears onThe numerical systems are read

Supports1 for, none against

Still possiblewas No evidence yet

Next steps 1

Compare Englund's CDLI sign list against ZATU entry by entry and record which ZATU numbers were split, merged or added, as a table.

~10 h

On: How many distinct signs does proto-cuneiform have, and which of the ZATU and CDLI entries are variants or compounds of one sign?

—not judged

Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes

Sources 3

A "New" Proto-Cuneiform Tablet

Nathan 2003

SRC

Archaic Bookkeeping: Early Writing and Techniques of Economic Administration in the Ancient Near East

Nissen et al. 1993

SRC

The Proto-Elamite Texts from Tepe Yahya

D 1989

SRC

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). Assigning the numerical signs to sexagesimal, bisexagesimal, grain-capacity, area and time systems makes the totals on… [Evidence EVD0DEDXNZJVPKR]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEDXNZJVPKR

@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0dedxnzjvpkr,
  title     = {Assigning the numerical signs to sexagesimal, bisexagesimal, grain-capacity, area and time systems makes the totals on…},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DEDXNZJVPKR},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEDXNZJVPKR}
}