Excavations at the ancient city of Larsa in southern Iraq have revealed a major administrative archive consisting of over 200 cuneiform tablets. The collection, dubbed the 'Delta Archive,' includes detailed clay maps and blueprints of the Euphrates river's irrigation channels, recording the seasonal water distribution to various temple estates and private farmlands during the Old Babylonian period.
These documents provide an unprecedented look at ancient metrology and hydraulic engineering, showing how Babylonian scribes calculated the volume of water flow and assigned maintenance duties to specific village guilds. The find clarifies the economic relationship between the central palace and the rural agrarian workforce, emphasizing the role of the state in mitigating environmental shifts.