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NUMERALS 121
for 1/3 and 2/3 followed by the phonetic complement sa. l.. =1(6 is not
found, but using this as a basis 2/6 was indicated by fJ., a sign frequently
followed by sa '. We should expect the pronunciation to have
been min-sus, 'two sixths'. The sign «has the value sussana in
Sumerian, probably a transcript of the Semi tic dual sussan. « is in this
case derived from the ancient IX = 1/6 doubled. 3/6 being identical
in value with 1/2 (mas), the scribes did not invent a sign based upon
the sign X for this fraction. Nevertheless a sign XXX = 1/6 thrice,
must have existed since the late sign «< actually means 1/2 míslu.
4/6 or 2/3 is written .l.f = 1tr in the late script. This sign is also
followed by sa in a few instances'. \Ve should expect the pronunciation
to be lam-sus.
This fraction was also expressed by XXXX = 1/6 four times, a trace
of which remains in