Ur-Nanshe

Ur-Nanshe (, ; ) also Ur-Nina, was the first king of the First Dynasty of Lagash in the Sumerian Early Dynastic Period III. He is known through inscriptions to have commissioned many building projects, including canals and temples, in the state of Lagash,Louvre
Pouysségur, Patrick , ed. "Perforated Relief of King Ur-Nanshe." Louvre Museum. Louvre Museum. Web. 13 Mar 2013. and defending Lagash from its rival state Umma.CDLI Wiki
University of Oxford, 14 Jan 2010. Web. 13 Mar 2013. He was probably not from royal lineage, being the son of Gunidu () who was recorded without an accompanying royal title. He was the father of Akurgal, who succeeded him, and grandfather of Eannatum. Eannatum expanded the kingdom of Lagash by defeating Umma as illustrated in the Stele of the Vultures and continued the building and renovation of Ur-Nanshe's original buildings.Hansen, Donald
"Royal Building Activity at Sumerian Lagash in the Early Dynastic Period." Biblical Archaeologist. 55.4 (1992): 206-11. Print.

He ascended after Lugalshaengur (lugal-ša-engur), who was the ensi, or high priest of Lagash, and is only known from the macehead inscription of Mesilim.

Temples

According to the Perforated Relief of King Ur-Nanshe, temples attributed to Ur-Nanshe include Ningirsu's temple in Girsu, Nanshe's temple in Nina, and Apsubanda. He is known to have originally built the Ibgal of Inanna, because of Eanatum's honorary inscriptions left after temple renovation. The Ibgal of Inanna is located in modern-day al-Hiba (ancient city of Lagash). An oval wall surrounds the main mud brick temple and it is located on the southwest edge of the city. This placement within the city is different because temples were usually centrally positioned in ancient Sumer.

Inscriptions

Ur-Nanshe has left behind many inscriptions and plaques that depict him, his family, and court.

The Perforated Relief

The Perforated Relief of King Ur-Nanshe is on display at the Louvre. The king is portrayed as a builder of temples and canals, thus a preserver of order perceived to be bestowed upon them by the gods. It is a perforated limestone slab that was probably part of a wall as a votive decoration and is inscribed in Sumerian:

The carved illustration is in two registers, top and bottom, both depicting Ur-Nanshe in different roles as king. In the top register he is dressed in a '' kaunakes'' (tufted wool skirt), carrying a basket of bricks on his head while surrounded by other Lagash elite, his wife, and seven of his sons (though it is possible female figure is instead the king's daughter). Inscriptions on their respective garments identify each person. On the bottom register, Ur-Nanshe is at a banquet, which is to celebrate the building of the temple. He is seated on a throne wearing the same outfit as the top register surrounded by other court members. In both registers Ur-Nanshe is shown using hierarchical proportion in which he is considerably larger than everyone surrounding him.

A part of the inscriptions, in front of the seated king, reads: “Boats from the (distant) land of Dilmun carried the wood (for him)”. This is the oldest known written record of Dilmun and importation of goods into Mesopotamia.

File:Ur-Nanshe relief (B&W).jpg, The relief at time of discovery
File:Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Ur-Nanshe on the relief. He is also depicted wearing a basket for the construction of a temple.
File:Ur-Nanshe perforated relief The ships of Dilmun, from the foreign lands, brought him wood as a tribute.jpg, Inscription in front of Ur-Nanshe: "The ships of Dilmun, from the foreign lands, brought him wood as a tribute" (𒈣𒆳𒋫𒄘 𒄑𒈬-𒅅, '' ma₂ dilmun kur-ta gu₂ giš mu-gal₂'').
File:Akurgal as son of Ur-Nanshe, on the votive relief of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Ur-Nanshe's son Akurgal () on the relief
File:Detail, wall or door votive plaque. The largest figure on left (with a basket on his head is Ur-Nanshe, ruler of Lagash). Cuneiform text. Early Dynastic period, 2550-2500 BCE. From Girsu, Iraq. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul, Turkey.jpg, Perforated relief of Ur-Nanshe at the Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul, Turkey. Very similar to the Louvre's plaque. From Girsu, Iraq

Door socket

An inscribed door socket from Ur-Nanshe is also known, now in the Louvre Museum. The full inscription of the door socket has been translated as:

File:Door socket of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, The door socket of Ur-Nanshe at the time of discovery
File:Ships from Dilmun brought wood tribute from foreign lands.jpg, "The ships of Dilmun, from the foreign lands, brought him (Ur-Nanshe) wood as a tribute (?)" (𒈣𒆳𒋫𒄘 𒄑𒈬-𒅅, '' ma₂ dilmun kur-ta gu₂ giš mu-gal₂''). Door socket of Ur-Nanshe.

The Plaque of Ur Nanshe

The Plaque of Ur Nanshe is a limestone plaque currently located at the Louvre Museum that honors Ur Nanshe. The figures displayed are the king and his court standing rigid and wide eyed, paying homage to the god Nanshe. They are dressed in ''kaunakes'' with their hands clasped together over their chest. Hierarchical scale of the king and the use of cuneiform on the figures to identify themCole, Karl. "Plaque of Ur Nanshe." SchoolArts. 100.1 (2000): 33. Print. are employed as in the Perforated Relief.

Plaque of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Plaque of Ur-Nanshe at time of discovery
Ur-Nanshe King of Lagash in the limestone votive relief of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Ur-Nanshe himself
File:Akurgal as a child in the limestone votive relief of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Akurgal () as a child in the limestone votive relief of Ur-Nanshe

Additional inscriptions

There are many other inscriptions found by or mentioning Ur-Nanshe. Some of them include a listing of rulers of Lagash and a hymn to Nanshe.

Excerpt from Ruler of Lagash:

“Ur-Nanše, the son of ......, who built the E-Sirara, her temple of happiness and Niĝin, her beloved city, acted for 1080 years. Ane-tum, the son of Ur-Nanše”E, J.
translation : t.2.1.2." rulers of Lagaš (2003): n.pag. Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature. Web. 13 Mar 2013.

Excerpt from A Hymn to Nanshe:

“There is perfection in the presence of the lady. Lagaš thrives in abundance in the presence of Nanše. She chose the šennu in her holy heart and seated Ur-Nanše, the beloved lord of Lagaš, on the throne. She gave the lofty scepter to the shepherd.”C, G.
Translation: t.4.14.1." hymn to Nanše (Nanše A) (2003): n.pag. Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature. Web. 13 Mar 2013.

File:Tablet of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Tablet of Ur-Nanshe (Urn 24): "Ur-Nanshe, King of Lagash, son of Gunidu, the son of Gurmu, built the house of Nanshe, fashioned (the statue of) Nanshe (...) Boats from the land of Dilmun carried the wood".Full transliteration:
File:Boats from the land of Dilmun carried the wood.jpg, "The ships of Dilmun, from the foreign lands, brought him (Ur-Nanshe) wood as a tribute (?)" (𒈣𒆳𒋫𒄘 𒄑𒈬-𒅅, '' ma₂ dilmun kur-ta gu₂ giš mu-gal₂''). Tablet of Ur-Nanshe (Urn 24).
File:Fragmentary votive inscription-AO 3866-IMG 9163-gradient.jpg, Inscription in the name of Ur-Nanshe, an incantation to the reed and to Enki, before the foundation of the Girsu sanctuary for god Ningirsu.
File:Goddess Shul-utul, foundation peg, 'Ur-Nanshe, King of Lagash, son of Gunidu, built the shrine Girsu', probably Girsu, Tell Telloh, Iraq, mid 3rd millenium BC - Harvard Semitic Museum - Cambridge, MA - DSC06074.jpg, Goddess Shul-utul, foundation peg, with inscription "Ur-Nanshe, King of Lagash, son of Gunidu, built the shrine Girsu", probably Girsu, Tell Telloh, Iraq, mid 3rd millennium BCE. Harvard Semitic Museum, Cambridge, MA
File:Akurgal king of Lagash son of Ur-Nanshe on the Stele of the Vultures.jpg, " Akurgal king of Lagash, son of Ur-Nanshe" () on the Stele of the Vultures
File:Relief Im-dugud Louvre AO2783.jpg, Votive relief of Ur-Nanshe, king of Lagash, representing the bird-god Anzû (or Im-dugud) as a lion-headed eagle. Alabaster, Early Dynastic III (2550–2500 BC). Found in Telloh, ancient city of Girsu.
Temple foundation figurine of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Temple foundation figurine in the name of Ur-Nanshe. Inscription "Ur-Nanshe, King of Lagash, has built the shrine of Girsu". British Museum, BM 96565.
File:Stele or obelisk of Ur-Nanshe with goddess Nisaba, ruler of Lagash, from Lagash, Iraq, 26th century BCE. Iraq Museum.jpg, Stele of Ur-Nanshe with goddess Nisaba, ruler of Lagash, from Lagash, Iraq, 26th century BCE. Iraq Museum.

See also

* History of Sumer
*Chronology of the ancient Near East

References

{{Rulers of Sumer

Kings of Lagash
26th-century BC Sumerian kings
3rd-millennium BC births
3rd-millennium BC deaths