14 TSŠ 50: Conclusion

We saw in Activity 15 that 1 silo is equal to 4 géš’u gur. While TSŠ 50 may simply be an account of how many men can be paid with 1 silo of barley, most Assyriologists agree that it is more likely the solution to the following metrological-mathematical question.

Question: if 1 silo of 4 géš’u gur is used to pay men a wage of 7 sìla of barley each, how many men can be paid?

The solution to this question is to divide 4 géš’u gur by 7 sìla. While TSŠ 50 gives the correct answer, it gives no hint as to how the problem was solved.  Friberg suggests that the method employed by the Sumerian scribe was likely very similar to the one used in Ebla described in Chapter 12.^[1]

In order to apply the Eblaite method to answer this question, we must first identify the steps a Sumerian would have used. There are two important differences between Ebla and Sumer in this regard. First, the two had distinct metrologies for grain capacity. And Second, Sumer used System S rather than System D. Table ? describes the Sumerian system for capacity, which Assyriologists shorten to System C.

Table 9. The Sumerian System C.

Symbol	Transliteration	Relative Value
	gín	1/60 sìla
	sìla	1 sìla
	bàn	10 sìla
	barig	6 bàn
	gur	8 barig