Evidence · Proto-cuneiform: the archaic texts of Uruk

The SANGA + X slot is filled mostly by offices and units, not names

Of 454 Uruk III administrative entries with SANGA plus another sign group, the other group is a listed title in 109 (24%), a marked name in 63 (14%) and something else, mostly institutions or units, in 278 (61%). Kushim's 4 SANGA entries therefore fit 'SANGA of the KU.ŠIM unit' at least as well as 'SANGA Kushim', and the slot test does not decide between person and office.

Suggestive0

What it means

Key questionWhat language, if any, do the proto-cuneiform texts record?

5 answers, none ahead yet

Openunchanged

Part of itDo the roughly 440 personal names in the archaic texts follow Sumerian, Semitic or some other naming pattern?

5 answers, none ahead yet

Openunchanged

Part of itIs KU.ŠIM ('Kushim') in the Uruk III barley accounts a person's name or an office?

2 answers, none ahead yet

Openunchanged

Answer this evidence bears onAn office or institution

Bears onnone for, none against

Still possiblewas No evidence yet

What it implies

Kushim remains undecided between person and office; the SANGA pattern does not favour a person.For: Is KU.ŠIM ('Kushim') in the Uruk III barley accounts a person's name or an office?

Next steps 2

Slot test: what fills the SANGA + X slot

Could shiftFair odds~2 h

On: Is KU.ŠIM ('Kushim') in the Uruk III barley accounts a person's name or an office?

17score

Details

Collect every Uruk III entry with SANGA and one other sign group. If the other groups are mostly marked names, Kushim in that slot is a name; if they are mostly institutions or goods, it is an office or unit.

Read the Kushim tablets' headers and totals

Adds evidencePoor odds · needs a person~4 h

On: Is KU.ŠIM ('Kushim') in the Uruk III barley accounts a person's name or an office?Set by this evidence

3score

Details

Do a close reading of the MSVO 3 Kushim tablets (photos on CDLI). If KU.ŠIM stands where seal-holders or responsible persons stand, it is a person; if it stands where institutions or recipients stand, it is an office.

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

Sources 1

Texts from the Late Uruk Period

Englund 1998

SRC

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). The SANGA + X slot is filled mostly by offices and units, not names [Evidence EVD0DG37JBBTDSS]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DG37JBBTDSS

@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0dg37jbbtdss,
  title     = {The SANGA + X slot is filled mostly by offices and units, not names},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DG37JBBTDSS},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DG37JBBTDSS}
}