Ukush, also sometimes Uu or Bubu (Sumerian: , which can be read u
2-
kuš3 or u
2-u
2; died 2358 BC) was a
Sumer
Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...
ian ruler (
ensi) of the
city-state
A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world throughout history, including cities such as Rome, ...
of
Umma
Umma () in modern Dhi Qar Province in Iraq, was an ancient city in Sumer. There is some scholarly debate about the Sumerian and Akkadian names for this site. Traditionally, Umma was identified with Tell Jokha. More recently it has been sugges ...
.
He was the father of
Lugal-zage-si who took control over all of
Sumer
Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...
.
Ukush is known from the ''
Nippur vase inscription'' of
Lugal-Zage-Si:
Other inscriptions, such as an inscription on a brick with a central hole in the
Bible Lands Museum, also mention Lugalzagesi as "son of Ukush" (𒌉 𒌑𒌑, ''dumu u
2-u
2''). Another dedicatory inscription is also known.
It is thought that he played an important role in making Umma a strong city with a powerful army, which allowed his son to achieve the defeat of neighbouring and traditional rival
Lagash
Lagash (; cuneiform: LAGAŠKI; Sumerian language, Sumerian: ''Lagaš'') was an ancient city-state located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Al-Shatrah, Iraq. Lagash ( ...
and its king
Urukagina
Uru-ka-gina, Uru-inim-gina, or Iri-ka-gina ( ; died 2370 BC) was King of the city-states of Lagash and Girsu in Mesopotamia, and the last ruler of the 1st Dynasty of Lagash. He assumed the title of king, claiming to have been divinely appointe ...
, and then the conquest of all
Sumer
Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...
.
See also
*
History of Sumer
The history of Sumer spans through the 5th to 3rd millennia BCE in southern Mesopotamia, and is taken to include the prehistoric Ubaid period, Ubaid and Uruk period, Uruk periods. Sumer was the region's earliest known civilization and ended with ...
References
{{Rulers of Sumer
Kings of Umma
24th-century BC Sumerian kings
3rd-millennium BC births
24th-century BC deaths
