Formatting and Family Compositions of Parent Supporters in Ur III Texts

Formatting and Family Compositions of Parent Supporters in Ur III Texts Author: Andrew PottorfDate of Release: October 26, 2026License: CC BY 4.0 Recommended Citation APA Format: Pottorf, A. (2026). Formatting and Family Compositions of Parent Supporters in Ur III Texts [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23173154 Chicago Format: Pottorf, Andrew. “Formatting and Family Compositions of Parent Supporters in Ur III Texts.” Zenodo, October 26, 2026. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23173154. If you use or refer to this dataset, please cite it as above and, when appropriate, also cite Pottorf forthcoming. Abstract / Description This dataset compiles quantitative and contextual data on parent supporters in Ur III administrative texts. The data were assembled from all relevant texts accessible in BDTNS up to mid-2026. Each entry includes references to text editions, transliterations, and citations following BDTNS conventions, with occasional simplification. Entries record any combination of the notations, allotments, and terms for parent supporters according to proveniences or the family compositions of parent supporters according to their status groups. These data permit the reconstruction of several important patterns for parent supporters during the Third Dynasty of Ur. Scope and Methodology ● Corpus Coverage: All known Ur III texts with identifiable parent supporters searchable in BDTNS up to mid-2026. ● Transliteration Standards: BDTNS, except where otherwise indicated. All Sumerian words are written with extended spacing or small capitals. ● Assumptions: Male citizens can be identified by juxtaposition to male un-il2 or when they are notated with ½c in many contexts. ● Limitations: Some people cannot be identified according to their status groups, especially women and their children. ● Uncertainties: Entries marked (?) when interpretation or restoration is uncertain; see dataset comments. Future versions will include more people. Data Format ● File Type: PDF ● Primary Fields of Table 1. Notations, Allotments, and Terms for Father Supporters according to Provenience: Notation, Allotment, and Term; Translation; Provenience; Number; Citation(s). ● Primary Fields of Table 2. Notations, Allotments, and Terms for Mother Supporters according to Provenience: Notation, Allotment, and Term; Translation; Provenience; Number; Citation(s). ● Primary Fields of Table 3. Family Compositions of Parent Supporters according to the Types of Parent Supporters and Status Groups: Family Composition with Bolded Parent Supporter; 1st Gen.; 2nd Gen.; 3rd Gen.; Status Group, Type of Parent Supporter; Number (Citations). ● Primary Fields of Table 4. Text Concordance according to BDTNS and CDLI Numbers: Text Citation; BDTNS No.; CDLI No. ● Source Metadata: CDLI and BDTNS identifiers provided where available. Acknowledgements I thank Adam Anderson for guidance on FAIR-compliant data publication and repository best practices. I am grateful to the British Museum for the opportunity to view BM 106132; CM 26 113; CT 1 pl. 6 94-10-15 5; Nisaba 11 15; 23 2; 26 17; PPAC 5 14; 309; and SAT 1 440, the Princeton University Library for photographs of Nisaba 33 746, and the Yale Babylonian Collection for photographs of YOS 4 211. Introduction Tables 1–2 includes data regarding the formatting of father and mother supporters, respectively, specifically their notations, allotments, and terms according to proveniences in Ur III texts searched up to mid-2026. Table 3 includes data regarding the family compositions of these parent supporters according to the types of parent supporters and status groups. Text citations, dates, proveniences, and transliterations follow Database of Neo-Sumerian Texts (BDTNS), unless otherwise stated, though citations are sometimes simplified, and abbreviated book and journal titles are italicized. Note that BDTNS transliterations do not always reflect widely accepted readings but are useful for searchability. Abbreviations that are not provided here are according to Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). In transliterations of full lines, “/” indicates continuous lines. Otherwise, “/” separates alternatives or is utilized in text citations regarding publication volumes according to BDTNS. “–––” indicates indentations. “~” indicates that a number is approximated, and “N” indicates an unknown number. For collations (“coll.”) and edits (“ed.”), see Pottorf 2026b, and for a text concordance according to BDTNS and CDLI numbers, see Table 4. Barley from allotments is measured in sila3 (ca. 1 liter), and wool from allotments are measured in ma-na (ca. 0.5 kilograms). Comments or questions can be sent to apottorf21@gmail.com. Bibliography Pottorf, Andrew Richard. 2022. “Social Stratification in Southern Mesopotamia during the Third Dynasty of Ur (ca. 2100–2000 BCE).” PhD diss., Harvard University. ———. 2025. “UN-il2 (‘Menials’) as a Serflike Social Stratum during the Ur III Period.” Pages 83–113 in Beyond Slavery and Freedom in Ancient Mesopotamia. Edited by Vitali Bartash and Andrew Pottorf. JANEH 12.1. ———. 2026a. “Selected Multiply Attested Male Citizens in Ur III Umma Texts.” Zenodo, January 27. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18386403. ———. 2026b. “Ur III Text Collations and Edits.” Zenodo, October 26. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23675084. ———. Forthcoming. “Caring for the Elderly in Third-Millennium Mesopotamia: Temporary Conscription Exemption during the Ur III Period.” In Aging, Old Age, and Constructions of Old Age in the Ancient Near East. Edited by Alison Acker Gruseke and Carol Meyers. Kasion. Münster: Zaphon. Pottorf, Andrew, and Andrew A. N. Deloucas. 2024. “The Groton School Cuneiform-Text Collection.” CDLB 2024.2. https://cdli.earth/articles/cdlb/2024-2. Steinkeller, Piotr. 2018. “Care for the Elderly in Ur III Times: Some New Insights.” ZA 108.2:136–42. Versioning and Future Updates ● Version 1 (March 2, 2026): Initial public release. ● Version 2 (July 20, 2026): “Edited readings” was simplified to “edits.” There are minor formatting and grammatical edits, and pagination was added. CBT 2 BM 19982; 3 BM 25066; CUSAS 3 1015; and MVN 15 158 were added. There are minor edits regarding CUSAS 39 133; Nisaba 23 2; OrSP 47-49 488; SAT 1 420; and SET 252. ● Version 3 (October 26, 2026): There are minor formatting and grammatical edits. “Order(s)” was edited to “status group(s).” There are edits regarding CBT 2 BM 19982; 3 BM 25066; MVN 5 158; PPAC 5 309; and SET 252. Table 4 and related text were omitted, meaning that Table 5 is now Table 4. Pottorf 2026b was added. ● Planned Version 4 may include more parent supporters. ● The most current version will always be available via the Zenodo DOI landing page. Keywords Mesopotamia • Ur III period • Sumerian • cuneiform • BDTNS • CDLI • eldercare • family compositions Contact Andrew Pottorf 📧 apottorf21@gmail.com ORCID: 0000-0002-7842-5979