An Introduction to Feedback

The complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir (UET V 81) is a clay tablet that was sent to the ancient city-state Ur, written c. 1750 BC. The tablet, which measures 11.6 centimetres (4+9⁄16 in) high and 5.0 centimetres (1+15⁄16 in) wide, documents a transaction in which Ea-nāṣir, a trader, allegedly sold sub-standard copper to a customer named Nanni. Nanni, dissatisfied with the quality, wrote a cuneiform complaint addressing the poor service and mistreatment of his servant. Discovered by Sir Leonard Woolley in Ur, it is usually kept in the British Museum. Written in Akkadian cuneiform, this tablet is recognized as the "Oldest Customer Complaint" by Guinness World Records. The tablet's content and Ea-nāṣir in particular gained popularity as an internet meme, due to its relatable subject matter in expressing dissatisfaction with goods. In 2025 the tablet was sent on loan to the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi and is expected to be there until 2027.