According to his seal inscription Ur-Bau was a „scribe“ (dub-sar) and „son of Da’aga“ (dumu da-a-ga). The presence of his seal inscription confirms Ur-Bau’s role as the recipient in these transactions. As such, he managed, among others, the work of the „ploughmen of sesame“ (engar ĝeš-i3) and of the „fishermen“ (šukud2) in Umma from the end of the reign of Šulgi (JCS 24 154 25, Šu.44.12.00) until at least the reign of Šu-Suen (MVN 14 0298, ŠS.02.00.00; Nisaba 31/2 064, ŠS.05.04.20).

A certain Ur-Bau is also attested as „overseer“ (ugula) of the „ploughmen of sesame“ (engar ĝeš-i3) and of the „fishermen“ (šukud2) in Umma from the reign of Amar-Suena (CUSAS 39 133, AS.05.07.15) until the reign of Šu-Suen (SNAT 498, ŠS.04.06.00; SNAT 502, ŠS.05.08.00).

The name Ur-Bau without title or patronymic occurs in transactions dealing with the production of sesame and payments in silver related to sesame on behalf of the „ploughmen of sesame“ (engar ĝeš-i3) and the provincial administration in Umma from the end of the reign of Šulgi until at least the beginning of the reign of Šu-Suen.

Ur-Bau scribe and Ur-Bau overseer, as well as Ur-Bau without title or patronymic, are attested in Umma from the end of Šulgi’s or the beginning of Amar-Suena’s reign until at least the beginning of Šu-Suen’s reign. Their transactions regarded either the management of sesame, its production and its related payments and/or the supervision of the „ploughmen of sesame“ and the fishermen, as well as their duties towards and on behalf of the provincial administration. We assume, therefore, that these attestations pertain all to one individual named Ur-Bau, who was a scribe and son of Da’aga as well as overseer of the „ploughmen of sesame“ and of the fishermen.

In particular, Ur-Bau took over a certain Ninunkene, son of Bulu (JCS 24 154 25, Šu.44.12.00), who is very likely to be identified with the Ninunkene, who delivered sesame to Ur-Bau three years later, according to the balanced account on sesame fields ( UCP 9/2/1 078, Šu.47.00.00). According to this balanced account Ur-Bau received sesame from the „ploughmen of sesame“ and from various individuals as well as delivered silver to the provincial administration as „repaid arrears of the ploughmen of sesame“ (la2-ni su-ga engar ĝeš-i3-ka-ke4-ne Santag 6 078, Šu.47.00.00; UCP 9/2/1 078, Šu.47.00.00).

An Ur-Bau also provided the government’s official Lukala with silver “to buy sesame” (še-ĝeš-i3 sa10-sa10-de3), silver then to be set on the account of the merchants (a-gu3 dam-gara3-ne ĝa2-ĝa2-dam) (AAICAB 1/2 Ashm. 1971-393 r. 1-3, AS.03.00.00; for the relation between sesame, silver and the merchants in Umma see dossier A.1.1.05). Moreover, silver related to sesame was paid to the provincial administration either by the „ploughmen of sesame“ themselves or by an Ur-Bau (see table 1 below). Eventually, an Ur-Bau delivered up to 2,280 litres of sesame seeds to Ur-Sulpae 1[individual=Ur-Sulpae 1] as „rent for ploughmen“ (a2 engar), no specific time frame is attested (e.g. Nisaba 09 191, AS.09.00.00). Ur-Bau also gave over the barley wage of two „ploughmen returned from the sesame (fields)“ (engar ĝeš-i3-ta gur-ra: BPOA 6 0897; AS.01.00.00). Moreover, the workdays („their work(days)“ a2-bi) of 20 „fishermen“ (šukud2) were transferred on the account of Ur-Bau (a-gu3 ur-^dba-u2-ka ĝa2-ĝa2-dam) in the year Šu-Suen 05 (Nisaba 31/2 064, ŠS.05.04.20).

On the activity of Ur-Bau in Umma, see Greco 2022 and Ouyang 2013: passim.

On the production and management of sesame and sesame oil in Umma, see Dossier A.1.1.05 and A.1.1.07.