About us
Ea-nasir's Fine Copper is a family trading house in the city of Ur, in southern Mesopotamia. Our founder, Ea-nasir, sails to Dilmun (on the Persian Gulf) to buy copper and brings it home to sell to craftsmen, temples and private customers.
We have been in business since about 1750 BC. We are best known for one customer letter, written on a clay tablet by a man named Nanni, which is now in the British Museum and is often called the oldest written customer complaint in the world.
What we sell
| Product | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fine-quality copper ingots | Our flagship product. Promised to every customer. | Paid in silver, in advance |
| Standard copper ingots | What is usually in the warehouse. | Paid in silver, in advance |
| Mixed lot | Whatever arrived on the last boat from Dilmun. | Take it or leave it |
We do not sell tin, bronze tools, or anything already made. We sell copper ingots only.
How to order
- Send a messenger to our house in Ur with your order and your silver.
- We confirm the order by clay tablet. Please allow time for the clay to dry.
- Your copper is available for collection from our warehouse once the boat returns from Dilmun.
We do not deliver. Customers, or their messengers, collect from the warehouse in Ur.
Shipping and waiting times
Our copper travels by boat from Dilmun to Ur. A round trip takes several weeks and depends on wind, river levels and the mood of the gods. We cannot give an exact collection date.
If your messenger has travelled through enemy territory to reach us and finds the warehouse closed, we recommend coming back another day.
Quality guarantee
Every ingot is described as fine quality at the time of sale. Quality is assessed by Ea-nasir personally. His assessment is final.
Customers may inspect ingots at the warehouse before collection. Customers who are not satisfied are welcome to take the ingots anyway.
Refund and returns policy
- Refunds: we do not currently offer refunds. Silver received is silver kept.
- Exchanges: ingots may be exchanged for other ingots from the same pile.
- Refused deliveries: if you refuse the copper, the copper stays here. So does the silver.
- Disputes: customers who want their money back in full, as Nanni did, should put the request in writing. See the complaints procedure below.
Complaints procedure
- Write your complaint in cuneiform on a clay tablet. Both sides may be used.
- Send it to Ea-nasir's house in Ur by messenger.
- Your tablet will be filed in the house with the other complaints. We keep every one.
- Typical response time: no reply has been found in roughly 3,800 years. We are working on it.
"What do you take me for, that you treat somebody like me with such contempt?" Nanni, customer, c. 1750 BC (translation: A. Leo Oppenheim)
Known complaints on file include Nanni's letter about low-grade ingots and a refused refund, and letters from other customers about copper that was paid for and not delivered.
Frequently asked questions
Where is my copper?
In the warehouse in Ur, or on a boat from Dilmun, or not yet purchased. Please send a messenger to check.
The ingots I received are not fine quality. What can I do?
You may exchange them for other ingots from the same pile, or follow the complaints procedure. We do not offer refunds.
My messenger was turned away empty-handed. Is that normal?
It has happened, more than once, to the same customer. We suggest sending the messenger again.
Can I speak to Ea-nasir directly?
Ea-nasir is often away in Dilmun. Our website assistant can answer questions about products, ordering, waiting times, refunds and complaints at any hour of the day.
Do you accept payment on delivery?
No. Payment is in silver, in advance.
Is any of this real?
Ea-nasir, Nanni, the city of Ur, the Dilmun copper trade and the complaint tablet are real. The tablet was found in what is believed to be Ea-nasir's house, along with other complaints. The shop policies on this page are written for fun.
Contact
Ea-nasir's house, Ur, southern Mesopotamia. Opening hours: when someone is home. For the fastest answer, ask the chat assistant on this page.