Archaeologists excavating the ancient city-state of Lagash in southern Iraq have discovered a specialized cuneiform archive belonging to the Master of the Royal Barge. The collection of over 40 clay tablets, dating back to the late 3rd millennium BCE, provides the most detailed record yet of riverine logistics, including tax assessments for the transport of exotic timbers and livestock across the Mesopotamian marshlands.
Among the artifacts is a remarkably preserved river-navigation map etched into clay, detailing specific depths and sandbar hazards along the Tigris. Researchers noted that this archive offers a rare glimpse into the administrative oversight of maritime traffic, revealing a complex system of tolls and pilotage fees that sustained the city's wealth during the Neo-Sumerian period.