# How many cuneiform tablets survive, and what share has been published or transliterated? · Unread cuneiform: half a million tablets and the limits of Sumerian > One answer has been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. One is still possible. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT2T64VQB/how-many-cuneiform-tablets-survive-and-what-share-has-been Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-31T16:13:20+00:00 --- **0** # How many cuneiform tablets survive, and what share has been published or transliterated? Asked 31 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·1 answer·0·0 following **One answer, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands One answer has been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. One is still possible. ## Why it matters CDLI says collections hold more than 500,000 inscribed objects and that it has catalogued more than 400,000; the 2026 York programme says more than 550,000 and the British Museum alone about 130,000⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHPH2QMG3/about-cdli-cuneiform-digital-library-initiative)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHQ2ATWMM/towards-universal-access-to-cuneiform-heritage-tua-ch)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGRFY6V0J/cuneiform-tablets-whos-got-what). None of these is a count, and catalogued is not the same as transliterated: for the Ur III period, the one block that has been censused, 105,187 texts are catalogued and 75,818 transliterated against at least 120,000 thought to exist⁠[[4]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDH8V5MW2C/database-of-neo-sumerian-texts-bdtns-about). ## Answers 1 [**500,000+ survive; under half transliterated** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/answers/ANS0DEEANK5JS75/500-000-survive-under-half-transliterated) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## Next steps 1 1 Tabulate the CDLI catalogue by period and genre with the share transliterated. ~6 h **—** not judged Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes ## History 1. 2026[Manuel Molina: cDLI estimates more than 500,000 exemplars and has catalogued more than 400,000; York's 2026 figure is above 550,000…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDH8V5MW2C/database-of-neo-sumerian-texts-bdtns-about)For: 500,000+ survive; under half transliterated 1. 2026[Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative: cDLI estimates more than 500,000 exemplars and has catalogued more than 400,000; York's 2026 figure is above 550,000…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHPH2QMG3/about-cdli-cuneiform-digital-library-initiative)For: 500,000+ survive; under half transliterated 1. 2026[University of York, Department of Archaeology: cDLI estimates more than 500,000 exemplars and has catalogued more than 400,000; York's 2026 figure is above 550,000…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHQ2ATWMM/towards-universal-access-to-cuneiform-heritage-tua-ch)For: 500,000+ survive; under half transliterated 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: raised the question](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DEE9K0P47XS/session-1-the-unread-cuneiform-seeded-corpus-readings-and) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT2T64VQB/how-many-cuneiform-tablets-survive-and-what-share-has-been%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT2T64VQB/how-many-cuneiform-tablets-survive-and-what-share-has-been%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT2T64VQB/how-many-cuneiform-tablets-survive-and-what-share-has-been%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT2T64VQB/how-many-cuneiform-tablets-survive-and-what-share-has-been%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT2T64VQB/how-many-cuneiform-tablets-survive-and-what-share-has-been%23add-source) Where it fits Unread cuneiform: half a million tablets and the limits of Sumerian **How many cuneiform tablets survive, and what share has been published or transliterated?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]