c.3000 BC. A single rectangular biconvex clay tablet with impressed grid and pictograms to one face; accompanied by a hand written and signed scholarly note issued by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states in reference to this and a second tablet, formerly presented as a pair with the item offered here: 'Two Pictographic clay tablets (a) 59x49mm mentions '8 sheep' (b) 60x47mm. Both administrative documents c.3000 B.C. from Sumer.' 56.8 grams, 50mm (2"). Part of a specialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman; examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s; this small collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples; collection number T1(a); accompanied by a copy of a hand written and signed scholarly note by W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham 1970-1993; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10248-165043. For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price