The Font Collection Sumerian3D
by Carsten Peust
Introduction
Cuneiform is a three-dimensional script. The wedges are impressed into clay tablets and often
overlap one another. All previous cuneiform fonts have rendered the wedges as simple black shapes
and do not give a good impression of what authentic cuneiform signs actually look like. The present
TrueType fonts attempt to reflect the three-dimensional appearance of original cuneiform signs as
closely as possible.
The fonts have been designed for laying out Sumerian texts and are modelled on the sign shapes
current in the Gudea and Ur III periods (around 2000 BC). The characters are distributed over
subfonts distinguished by index numbers (Sumerian3D_1.ttf, Sumerian3D_2.ttf, etc.). Out of the
theoretically possible 255 characters per font, only 109 have been used, namely those which can
easily be typed on most western keyboards. All characters needed are directly available on familiar
English, German, French, Spanish and many additional keyboards (but note that for English
keyboards on Windows operating systems, the option "US International Keyboard" should be
enabled to activate the functionality of the right Alt key). Only on some more exotic keyboards, a
few characters cannot be typed. Most text editors have a function "Insert Symbol" or the like which
can be used in that case. When keying the characters, it should be made sure that any autocorrect
functions of the text editor, in particular functions that automatically replace simple quotes by
typographical quotes, have been disabled.
Although Sumero-Akkadian cuneiform has been included in Unicode since version 5.0, I have
decided not (yet) to implement a Unicode font. Several details of the code point assignment are
disputed, so that it does not seem quite clear yet whether the current code table is really the
definitive one. It is also true that not all distinctions that I consider relevant are presently
implementable. For a writing system such as cuneiform, the decision as to which form varieties
represent distinct characters and which ones are merely minor variations of one sign, as well as the
distinction between single complex characters and sequences of two characters, is notorically
difficult and could only be solved pragmatically and probably inconsistently, to some degree, also
in the design of the present fonts.
In the present version, four fonts are provided that cover 388 characters altogether. The first font
(Sumerian3D_1.ttf) contains 109 signs of particularly high frequency and should suffice for typing
most of the characters in a running text. Additional glyphs are provided in Sumerian3D_2.ttf,
Sumerian3D_3.ttf, and Sumerian3D_4.ttf.
1
Character overview Sumerian3D_1.ttf
key
!
"
#
$
%
&
'
(
)
*
+
,
.
/
0
1
2
3
cuneiform sign
!
"
#
$
%
&
'
(
)
*
+
,
.
/
0
1
2
3
transliteration
4
KAL
5
UD
6
GAL2
7
ŠU
8
ŠA3
9
SAG
:
ITI
;
EN
<
NIN
=
AN
>
IZ
?
KID
@
LA2
A
LU2
B
ŠE
C
UN
D
DIŠ
E
MIN
F
EŠ5
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
:
;
<
=
>
?
@
A
B
C
D
E
F
GU4
IA2
AŠ3
IMIN
USSU
ILIMMU
LUGAL
ŠE3
TUR
NAM
GAL
GAN
DUB
A2
BI
KU
DI
IM
NE
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
GI
[
HI
\
IN
]
IGI
^
KI
_
LI
`
MI
a
NI
b
GU
c
PI
d
GA2
e
RI
f
SI
g
TI
h
U2
i
NU
j
TU
k
SU
l
RU
m
ZI
n
3
[
\
]
^
_
`
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
AD
TE
AMA
GI4
NIG2
IB2
A
BA
HU
DA
E
ME
GA
HA
I
ŠA
KA
LA
MA
NA
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
{
}
~
°
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
{
}
~
°
BU
à
PA
â
SILA3
ä
RA
è
SA
é
TA
ê
U
ì
MU
î
DU
ò
ZU
ô
LU
ö
ZA
ù
UŠ
û
MUNUS
ü
UR
€
à
â
ä
è
é
ê
ì
î
ò
ô
ö
ù
û
ü
€
AB
MAN
MAH
AG
E2
EŠ
AL
NIMIN
AR
NINNU
DU3
U3
MAŠ
KU3
TUG
DIGIR+EN
Character overview Sumerian3D_2.ttf
key
!
"
cuneiform sign
!
"
transliteration
#
DAR
$
NUMUN
4
#
$
URU
NIM
%
&
'
(
)
*
+
,
.
/
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
%
&
'
(
)
*
+
,
.
/
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
KALAM
9
AB2
:
NUN
;
ARAD
<
ARAD2
=
SA6
>
ŠU+NIGIN2
?
UB
@
HUŠ
A
LUM
B
TUG2
C
GAN2
D
AŠ
E
MIN5
F
EŠ6
G
LIMMU2
H
IA7
I
AŠ4
J
IMIN2
K
USSU2
L
5
9
:
;
<
=
>
?
@
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
ILIMMU2
MAŠ2
AM
SIKI
APIN
EREN
BUR
SAR
ANŠE
BAR
SIG5
DAM
EL
ME3
GU2
HUL2
INNIN
EDIN
KAM
LUH
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
[
\
]
^
_
`
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
[
\
]
^
_
`
UM
a
NINA
b
UR3
c
ZU+AB
d
KIN
e
ENGUR
f
SUD
g
TAG
h
BULUG3
i
GIN2
j
GIR2
k
ŠEŠ+KI
l
ŠIR
m
ALAM
n
U8
o
KU4 (REC56)
p
UZ3
q
SIG4
r
SIG
s
KAŠ4
t
6
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
AMAR
BAL
ŠIM
DIB
DU6
ERIM
GIM
HAR
IL2
IR
KUR
LAGAB
MA2
NIR
UR2
LAM
AG2
BAD
SUM
TAR
u
v
w
x
y
z
{
}
~
°
à
â
ä
u
v
w
x
y
z
{
}
~
°
à
â
ä
UL
è
TUM3
é
UG
ê
ŠEŠ
ì
PAB
î
NA2
ò
KAB
ô
ZAG
ö
MUŠ
ù
KA2
û
GAB
ü
NIMIN3
€
è
é
ê
ì
î
ò
ô
ö
ù
û
ü
€
GUR
DE2
NIEŠ
KAR2
AŠ2
MAR
BANLIMMU
ŠANABI
EZEN
BANIA
KINGUSILI
SILA4
ŠUŠANA
Character overview Sumerian3D_3.ttf
key
!
"
#
$
cuneiform sign
!
"
#
$
transliteration
%
DIM
&
MIR
'
KASKAL
(
AŠGAB
)
7
%
&
'
(
)
BUR2
LAL3
UR4
LA2+DIŠ
LA2+AŠ
*
+
,
.
/
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
:
;
<
=
*
+
,
.
/
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
:
;
<
=
MUL
>
URUDU
?
ŠAR+UGUNU2
@
GARADIN9
A
ŠAR+U
B
IŠ
C
DIŠ+U
D
AŠ11
E
TAB(var.)
F
EŠ23
G
LIMMU2(var.)
H
IA9(var.)
I
LX
J
LXX
K
LXXX
L
LXXXX
M
LAGAR
N
TUR3
O
LA2+MIN
P
TAB
Q
8
>
?
@
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
LA2+MIN5
URI
ŠEN
GIR3
BARA2
SUG
GEŠTIN
DUB2
BIL2
GIGIR
GIL
IDIGNA
KUN
GU7
ŠUD3
MUG
NAGAR
ŠITA2
NIGIN
MEN
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
[
\
]
^
_
`
a
b
c
d
e
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
[
\
]
^
_
`
a
b
c
d
e
ENME
f
GIR
g
GUL
h
UKKIN
i
DUL3
j
DUN4
k
HUB2
l
BANŠUR
m
AZ
n
LA2+EŠ5
o
KU4(REC145)
p
LA2+LIMMU5
q
SUHUR
r
SUR
s
DAR3
t
ALIM
u
LUL
v
U5
w
DIN
x
IL
y
9
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
ŠUL
GAR3
HAL
IB
KUM
EME
PU3
MUN
NAG
ŠITA
PIRIG
GAZ
UŠ2
SISKUR
UNUG
UGUNU2
TAH
LAH4
EŠEMIN5
NINDA2
z
{
}
~
°
à
â
ä
è
é
z
{
}
~
°
à
â
ä
è
é
ŠAM2
ê
KID2
ì
GEME2
î
BALAG
ò
NUNUZ
ô
AH
ö
MES
ù
URU18
û
GAD
ü
KISAL
€
ê
ì
î
ò
ô
ö
ù
û
ü
€
DAG
BAPPIR
NAGA
BAD3
BANLIMMU(var.)
GUR8
KEŠ2
BANIA(var.)
GUG2
SIG7
Character overview Sumerian3D_4.ttf
key
!
"
#
$
%
&
'
cuneiform sign
!
"
#
$
%
&
'
transliteration
(
LIŠ
)
UD(var.)
*
GURU5
+
,
KIB
.
UD(gunû)
/
10
(
)
*
+
,
.
/
GUR7
KUŠU2
SU7
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
:
;
<
=
>
?
@
A
B
C
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
:
;
<
=
>
?
@
A
B
C
HAŠHUR
D
AŠ(var.)
E
TAB(var.2)
F
EŠ6(var.)
G
DIŠ(var.)
H
U(var.)
I
MAN(var.)
J
EŠ(var.)
K
L
M
N
O
P
BURU5
Q
R
S
T
ADDA(var.)
U
BURU14
V
SAG5
W
11
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
DUR
MURU2
GIŠGAL
GUKKAL
GIR16
ŠEG9
MURGU2
PAN
GAZI
ESIR2
SU4
UBUR
TUN3
AD2
X
Y
Z
[
\
]
^
_
`
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
X
Y
Z
[
\
]
^
_
`
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
ZI2(var.)
m
ZUM2
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
ADDA
u
v
ŠID
w
DUG
x
EGER
y
ŠUBUR
z
GAM
{
ZAH3
}
~
ŠARA2
°
KIŠ
à
12
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
{
}
~
°
à
LULIM
MUZUG5
NIGIN4
PEŠ2
KUNGA2
SUHUŠ
TUL2
USAN3
URI3
ZI2
ZUM
ASARI
ARHUŠ
KU7
â
ä
è
é
ê
ì
î
â
ä
è
é
ê
ì
î
ò
AD3
ô
ö
ù
û
ü
€
ò
ô
ö
ù
û
ü
€
DIN+GAD
Index transliteration > key
The following index indicates for a given sign in transliteration which key in which of the fonts is
to be used to type it. The transliteration follows R. Borger, Mesopotamisches Zeichenlexikon
(AOAT 305), Münster 2005. The three columns represent (1) transliteration – (2) font number – (3)
key to type. Entries such as "am3 = a-an" indicate that a sign is a concatenation of two elementary
glyphs which are to be typed separately.
(1)
(2) (3)
a
1 a
a2
1 A
a3
1 P
agrig = igidub
ab
1 à
ah
2 &
ab2
ad
1 [
ag
1 è
an
1 *
aš4
2 6
ag2
2 q
an+en
1 °
aš11
3 1
angur
2 R
aša5
2 0
anše
2 A
3 à
ašgab
3 $
apin
2 =
aka
1 è
az
3 Z
ar
1 ò
al
1 ì
ba
1 b
arad
2 (
alam
2 Z
bad
2 r
arad2
2 )
alan
2 Z
bad3
3 ò
arhuš
4 }
alim
3 a
bal
2 b
asari
4 {
2 ;
balag
3 ~
aš
2 1
ban2
1 û
aš(var.)
4 1
baneš
2 î
bania
2 û
bania(var.)
3 û
banlimmu
2 ô
ad2
4 W
ad3
4 ä
ad6
4 a
am
ad6(var.)
4 A
am3 = a-an
adda
4 a
ama
1 ]
aš2
2 î
adda(var.)
4 A
amar
2 a
4 ä
aš3
1 6
adda2
ambar
3 C
13
banlimmu(va 3 ô
r.)
din+gad
4 €
banmin
1 p
diš
1 1
bansur
3 Y
diš(var.)
4 4
ensi3 = enmeli
banšur
3 Y
3 0
eren
2 >
bappir
3 ì
du
1 w
erim
2 f
bar
2 B
du3
1 ö
erin
bar3
3 ê
bara2
3 B
du6
2 e
2 à
dir = si-a
diš+u
engur
2 R
garadin9
3 -
enme
3 R
gaz
3 q
gazi
4 Q
ge23
3 1
geme2
3 }
geštin
3 D
2 >
gi
1 G
erin2
2 f
gi2
1 ,
esir2
4 R
gi4
1 ^
eš
1 ê
gibil
3 F
eš(var.)
4 7
eš2
1 ;
gig = minunuz
be
2 r
du8
bi
1 B
dub
1 @
bil2
3 F
dub2
3 E
bu
1 o
dug
4 d
3 l
dug3
1 H
eš5
1 3
2 3
bu3
gigir
3 G
gil
3 H
gim
2 g
bulug3
2 U
dug4
1 k
eš6
bur
2 ?
dul3
3 V
eš6(var.)
4 3
gin
1 w
bur2
3 %
dul4
3 W
eš18
3 1
gin2
2 V
buru5
4 =
dumu
1 <
eš23
3 3
gir
3 S
buru14
4 B
dun
3 f
eše3
2 r
gir2
2 W
da
1 d
3 W
ešemin5
3 x
gir3
3 A
dab
2 d
dun4
2 ù
gir16
4 K
3 ê
4 D
ezen
dag
dur
1 g
giš
1 +
1 ]
1 e
ga
dagal
e
gišgal
4 G
3 v
2 e
1 Q
dah
e11
ga2
gab
2 à
gišimmar
2 *
gab2
2 {
gu
1 O
gad
3 è
gu2
2 G
2 D
e11 = du6-du
dar
2 !
e2
dar3
3 `
e3 = ud-du
gag
1 ö
2 é
gu4
1 4
de2
ed2 = ud-du
gal
1 >
gu7
3 K
de3
1 F
ed3
2 e
gal2
1 #
gub
1 w
di
1 D
edin
2 J
gam
4 g
gub3
2 {
dib
2 d
eger
4 e
gan
1 ?
gug = za-gul
digir
1 *
el
2 E
gan2
2 0
1 °
gug2
3 ü
digir+en
eme
3 k
gar
1 _
dim
3 !
en
1 (
gukkal
4 H
gar2 = sa-ni
din
3 d
engar
2 =
gul
3 T
gum
3 j
dam
1 é
gar3
14
3 g
gun4
3 t
ig
1 #
gur
2 è
igi
1 J
keš3 = u-andin+gad
2 0
ki
1 K
3 e
kib
4 %
2 i
kid
1 ,
kid2
3 {
kil
gur4
2 l
iku
gur7
4 *
il
gur8
3 ö
il2
guru5
4 #
guz
2 .
ha
1 h
ilimmu
1 9
ilimmu2
2 9
im
1 E
imin
1 7
hab
2 l
hal
3 h
imin2
2 7
har
2 h
in
1 I
4 0
inanna
2 I
1 ?
inim
1 k
innin
2 I
ir
2 j
ir3
2 (
iri
2 #
iš
3 /
iti
hašhur
he2
hi
hu
hub2
1 H
1 c
3 X
hul = ši-ur
hul2
2 H
hun
1 ;
hur
2 h
huš
2 -
i
1 i
i3
1 N
ia2
1 5
ia4 = ni-ud
la2+diš
3 (
la2+eš5
3 [
la2+limmu5
3 ]
la2+min
3 <
la2+min5
3 >
lagab
2 l
2 l
lagar
3 :
kin
2 Q
lah4
3 w
kingusili
2 ü
lal
1 -
kisal
3 é
lal3
3 &
kiš
4 k
lam
2 p
kiša2
4 W
li
1 L
kišib3
1 @
libir = igi-še3
ku
1 C
lid
2 &
ku2
3 K
lil2
1 ,
ku3
1 ü
limmu2
2 4
ku4(REC145) 3 \
limmu2(var.) 3 4
ku4(REC56)
2 \
limmu5
1 z
1 '
ku5
2 t
liš
4 !
iz
1 +
ku7
4 à
lu
1 y
ka
1 k
kud
2 t
lu2
1 .
ka2
2 °
kug
1 ü
lugal
1 :
ka5
3 b
kum
3 j
luh
2 L
kab
2 {
kun
3 J
lul
3 b
kal
1 !
kunga2
4 q
lulim
4 l
kalam
2 %
kur
2 k
lum
2 .
2 y
lunga3
3 ì
LX
3 6
LXX
3 7
LXXX
3 8
LXXXX
3 9
ma
1 m
ma2
2 m
mah
1 ä
man
1 â
ia7
2 5
kam
2 K
kur2
ia9(var.)
3 5
kar = te-a
3
ib
3 i
kar2
2 ì
kurum7 =
igi+nig2
ib2
1 `
karadin9
3 -
kuš
1 X
id
1 A
kaskal
3 #
kušu2
4 .
kaš4
2 `
la
1 l
id2 = a-engur
idigna
3 I
ke4
1 ,
la2
1 -
idim
3 r
keš2
3 ù
la2+aš
3 )
15
man(var.)
4 6
nagar
3 N
nunuz
3 °
sig
2 _
mar
2 ò
nam
1 =
pa
1 p
sig2
2 <
maš
1 û
nanše
2 N
pa3 = ši-ru
sig4
2 ^
maš2
2 :
nar
3 b
pab
2 C
me
1 f
ne
1 F
sig5
pad = u-nig2
2 F
ni
1 N
pad3 = ši-ru
sig6
2 *
me3
1 _
3 €
3 Q
ni3
sig7
men
2 <
3 â
nieš
siki
mes
sikil
2 E
mi
1 M
sila3
1 q
mi2
sila4
2 €
2 y
pan
4 P
2 ê
par3
3 ê
nig2
1 _
peš
3 S
1 }
nigidaeš
2 ê
peš2
4 p
min
1 2
nigidamin
2 â
pi
1 P
min5
2 2
nigin
3 P
pirig
3 p
silig5
3 Y
2 l
pirig3
2 w
1 =
3 "
nigin2
sim
mir
mu
1 v
nigin4
4 n
piš
3 S
mu2
2 @
nim
2 $
pu
1 o
mug
3 M
nimgir
3 "
pu3
mul
3 *
nimin
1 î
mun
3 m
nimin3
munu4
2 U
nin
munus
1 }
mur
2 h
nin9 =
munus-ku
mur7
2 ^
murgu
2 ^
murgu2
4 M
muru2
sipa = pa-lu
sir3
2 ù
3 l
siskur
3 s
qa
1 q
su
1 X
2 â
ra
1 r
su3
2 S
1 )
ra2
1 w
su4
4 S
ri
1 R
su7
4 /
ri2
2 #
su8
3 w
nina
2 N
ru
1 Y
sud
2 S
ninda
1 _
sa
1 s
sug
3 C
ninda2
3 y
sa2
1 D
suhur
3 ^
ninnu
1 ô
suhuš
4 s
4 E
nir
2 n
sukkal
2 L
muš
2 ~
nisag2
4 C
sul
3 f
muš3
2 I
niš
1 â
sum
2 s
sun2
3 T
sur
3 _
ša
1 j
ša3
1 %
2 *
sa6
2 *
1 {
sag
1 &
2 (
sag5
4 C
sal
1 }
sam2
3 z
sar
2 @
si
1 S
ša6
si4
4 S
šab = pa-ib
mušen
1 c
nita
muzug5
4 m
nita2
na
1 n
nu
1 V
na2
2 z
nu2
2 z
num2
2 .
na4 = ni-ud
sa4 = hu-na2
~ na2-hu
nag
3 n
numun
2 "
naga
3 î
nun
2 '
šah
16
3 f
šam2
3 z
ta
1 t
u5
3 c
urudu
3 +
šanabi
2 ö
tab
3 =
u6 = ši-e
3
usan3
4 u
šar+u
3 .
tab(var.)
3 2
u8
2 [
ussu
1 8
šar+ugunu2
3 ,
tab(var.2)
4 2
ub
2 ,
ussu2
2 8
šar2
1 H
tag
2 T
ubur
4 U
uš
1 {
šara2
4 j
tag4
3 {
ud
1 "
uš2
3 r
še
1 /
tah
3 v
ud(var.)
4 "
uš2 also = be
še3
1 ;
tar
2 t
ud(gunû)
4 '
1 \
ušu3
4 L
te
ud5
2 ]
ti
1 T
udu
1 y
tim
3 !
ug
2 w
tin
3 d
ug3
1 0
ugunu2
3 u
ukkin
3 U
ul
2 u
um
2 M
un
šeg9
šen
šeš
3 @
2 x
šeš+ki
2 X
ši
1 J
šid
4 c
šilig5
3 Y
šim
tir = še-nir
tu
1 W
tug
1 €
2 c
tug2
2 /
šir
2 Y
tuku
1 €
šir3
2 ù
tul2
4 t
šita
3 o
tum
šita2
3 O
šu
1 ê
uz = še-hu
uz3
2 ]
uz5
2 [
uzug5
4 m
za
1 z
za2 = ni-ud
za3
2 }
1 0
zadim
3 M
unken
3 U
zag
2 }
1 `
unug
3 t
zah3
4 h
tum3
2 v
ur
1 ~
zalag2
2 f
1 $
tun3
4 V
ur2
2 o
zi
1 Z
šu+nigin2
2 +
tur
1 <
ur3
2 O
zi2
4 y
šub
1 Y
tur3
3 ;
ur4
3 '
zi2(var.)
4 Y
šubur
4 f
tuš
1 C
uri
3 ?
zi3
1 ;
šud3
3 L
u
1 u
uri3
4 x
zu
1 x
šul
3 f
u(var.)
4 5
uru
2 #
zu+ab
2 P
šum
2 T
u2
1 U
zum
4 z
3 _
uru4
2 =
šur
uru5
3 ö
zum2
4 Z
2 ä
u3
1 ù
šušana
u4
1 "
uru18
3 ä
Version history
General policy: Signs may be added and sign forms may be modified/ corrected in future versions.
Signs available in older versions will not be moved to different keys in future versions.
17
Version 1 released on 12 Oct 2006: 218 signs in two TrueType fonts for Windows.
Version 2 released on 8 Dec 2006: Numerous corrections, particularly corrections of wedge
sequences following W. Sallaberger in F. Ismail et al., Administrative Documents from Tell Beydar
(Subartu 2), Brepols 1996, p. 33ff.
Version 3 released on 17 Jan 2007: Third font added, now 327 signs altogether; sign forms
corrected.
Version 4 released on 15 Mar 2009: Fourth font added, now 388 signs altogether; sign forms
corrected.
Version 5 released on 8 Nov 2009: Technical bug fixed.
Copyright License
These fonts are freeware. They are free of charge for personal or academic use. Permission is also
granted for non-profit redistribution of the unchanged fonts, provided that this readme file
containing the copyright information is included.
It is not allowed to modify, to rename, or to resell the fonts, or to create derivative fonts, or to
redistribute the fonts under a different license, unless an explicit specific permission is given by the
author.
These fonts are provided "as is", without any warranty of any kind. In no event shall the copyright
holder be liable for any claim arising from the use of this font software.
© Carsten Peust, 2006-2009
18