Excavations in the religious quarter of the ancient city of Ur have brought to light a 4,000-year-old administrative archive dedicated to night-time canal logistics. The cuneiform tablets detail the activities of the 'Master of Royal Canal-Lamps,' an official responsible for maintaining a network of oil-burning beacons along the city's primary transport waterways. The ledgers meticulously record the daily distribution of tallow and wicks to watchmen stationed at harbor gates.
This discovery provides rare insight into the 24-hour infrastructure of Sumerian urban centers. The records indicate that the light network was not merely for security but was essential for the safe docking of barges carrying grain and timber during the high-water season. This evidence of organized night-shift labor further underscores the complexity of Mesopotamian urban management.