Ur-Nanshe (, ; ) also Ur-Nina, was the first king of the First Dynasty of Lagash in the 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.[ 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
A part of the inscriptions, in front of the seated king, reads: “Boats from the (distant) land of Dilmun carried the wood (for him)”.
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" (𒈣𒆳𒋫𒄘𒄑𒈬-𒅅, ma2 dilmun kur-ta gu2 giš mu-gal2).
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 (?)" (𒈣𒆳𒋫𒄘𒄑𒈬-𒅅, ma2 dilmun kur-ta gu2 giš mu-gal2). Door socket of Ur-Nanshe.[Full transcription: ]
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 them
[Cole, 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 (?)" (𒈣𒆳𒋫𒄘𒄑𒈬-𒅅, ma2 dilmun kur-ta gu2 giš mu-gal2). Tablet of Ur-Nanshe (Urn 24).[Full transcription: ]
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
See also
-
History of Sumer
-
Chronology of the ancient Near East
