Gudea

Gudea
𒅗𒌤𒀀
Gudea; 𒅗𒌤𒀀
	Diorite statue of Gudea, prince of Lagash, dedicated to the god Ningishzida, Louvre Museum
King of Lagash
Reign	c. 2144 – c. 2124 BC
Predecessor	Ur-Baba
Successor	Ur-Ningirsu II
Died	c. 2124 BC
Spouse	Ninalla
Issue	Ur-Ningirsu II

Lagash

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Location of Lagash

Gudea (/ɡuː.ˈdeɪ.ə/, goo-DAY-ə; Sumerian: 𒅗𒌤𒀀, Gu₃-de₂-a; died c. 2124 BC) was a Sumerian ruler (ensi) of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia, who ruled or c. 2144–2124 BC (MC). Though most likely not a native of Lagash, he married Ninalla, the daughter of its ruler Ur-Baba, which enabled him to enter the royal family. He was succeeded by his son, Ur-Ningirsu II. Gudea ruled during a period when the Gutian dynasty Mari.^[1] Under Gudea, Lagash experienced a golden age, with seemingly considerable independence from the Gutians, a language isolate populace who had came from northeastern regions beyond Mesopotamia.^[2]

Inscriptions

Gudea chose the title of énsi (town-king or governor), not the more exalted lugal (Akkadian šarrum). Gudea did not style himself "god of Lagash" as he was not deified during his own lifetime, this title must have been given to him posthumously^[4] as in accordance with Mesopotamian traditions for all rulers except Naram-Sin of Akkad and some of the Ur III kings.^[5]

The 20 years of his reign are all known by name; the main military exploit seems to have occurred in his Year 6, called the "Year when Anshan was smitten with weapons".^[6]

Although Gudea claimed to have conquered Elam and Anshan, most of his inscriptions emphasize the building of irrigation channels and temples, and the creation of precious gifts to the gods.^[7]

Materials for his buildings and statues were brought from all parts of western Asia: cedar wood from the Amanus mountains, quarried stones from Lebanon, copper from northern Arabia, gold and precious stones from the desert between Canaan and Egypt, diorite from Magan (Oman), and timber from Dilmun (Bahrain).^[8]^[9]^[10]

Statues of Gudea

Religion

The inscription on a statue of Gudea as architect of the House of Ningirsu,^[11] warns the reader of doom if the words are altered, but there is a startling difference between the warnings of Sargon or his line and the warnings of Gudea. The one is length; Gudea's curse lasts nearly a quarter of the inscription's considerable length,^[12] and another is creativity. The gods will not merely reduce the offender's progeny to ash and destroy his foundations, no, they will, "let him sit down in the dust instead of on the seat they set up for him". He will be "slaughtered like a bull… seized like an aurochs by his fierce horn".^[13]

Lagash under Gudea had extensive commercial communications with distant realms. According to his own records, Gudea brought cedars from the Amanus and Lebanon mountains in Syria, diorite from eastern Arabia, copper and gold from central and southern Arabia and from Sinai, while his armies were engaged in battles in Elam on the east.^[14]

International relations

In an inscription, Gudea referred to the Meluhhans who came to Sumer to sell gold dust, carnelian etc...^[14] In another inscription, he mentioned his victory over the territories of Magan, Meluhha, Elam and Amurru.^[14]

In the Gudea cylinders, Gudea mentions that "I will spread in the world respect for my Temple, under my name the whole universe will gather in it, and Magan and Meluhha will come down from their mountains to attend" (cylinder A, IX).^[15] In cylinder B, XIV, he mentions his procurement of "blocks of lapis lazuli and bright carnelian from Meluhha."^[16]

Important artifacts

The "Libation vase of Gudea" with the dragon Mušḫuššu, dedicated to Ningishzida (21st century BC). The caduceus (right) is interpreted as depicting god Ningishzida. Inscription; "To the god Ningiszida, his god, Gudea, Ensi (governor) of Lagash, for the prolongation of his life, has dedicated this."
Head of Gudea in polished diorite, reign of Gudea (Boston Museum of Fine Arts)
Lion macehead of Gudea, Girsu^[17]
Gudea dedication tablet to God Ningirsu: "For Ningirsu, Enlil's mighty warrior, his Master, Gudea, ensi of Lagash"
Gudea tablet: "For Hendursaga, his master, Gudea, ruler of Lagash, built his house."^[18] Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin.
Foundation nail of Gudea, Cleveland Museum of Art
The Gudea cylinders^[19]
Name and title "Gudea, ensi of Lagash" on Statue A of Gudea
Foundation nail for the temple of Ningirsu in Lagash. Reign of Gudea.
Mudbrick stamped with a cuneiform text mentioning the name of Gudea, ruler of Lagash. From Girsu, Iraq, c. 2115 BC. Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin
Seal of Gudea, led by Ningishzida

References

^ Durand, M.L. (2008). Supplément au Dictionnaire de la Bible: TELL HARIRI/MARI: TEXTES (PDF). p. 227.
^ Corporation, Marshall Cavendish (2010). Ancient Egypt and the Near East: An Illustrated History. Marshall Cavendish. pp. 54–56. ISBN 978-0-7614-7934-5.
^ Ward, W. H. (1910). The seal cylinders of western Asia. Рипол Классик. pp. 23–24 Note 13, Seal N.38. ISBN 9785878502252. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^ Edzard (1997), p. 26.
^ Brisch, Nicole (2013). "Of Gods and Kings: Divine Kingship in Ancient Mesopotamia". Religion Compass. 7 (2): 37–46. doi:10.1111/rec3.12031.
^ Year-names for Gudea, Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative.
^ Steinkeller, Piotr. Puzur-Inˇsuˇsinak at Susa: A Pivotal Episode of Early Elamite History Reconsidered. p. 299.
^ Thomason, Allison Karmel (2017). Luxury and Legitimation: Royal Collecting in Ancient Mesopotamia. Routledge. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-351-92113-8.
^ Moorey, Peter Roger Stuart (1999). Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: The Archaeological Evidence. Eisenbrauns. p. 245. ISBN 978-1-57506-042-2.
^ Thapar, Romila (1975). "A Possible Identification of Meluḫḫa, Dilmun and Makan". Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 18 (1): 1–42. doi:10.2307/3632219. ISSN 0022-4995. JSTOR 3632219.
^ Edzard (1997), pp. 31–38.
^ Edzard (1997), pp. 36–38.
^ Edzard (1997), p. 38.
^ ^a ^b ^c "MS 2814 - The Schoyen Collection". www.schoyencollection.com.
^ "J'étendrai sur le monde le respect de mon temple, sous mon nom l'univers depuis l'horizon s'y rassemblera, et [même les pays lointains] Magan et Meluhha, sortant de leurs montagnes, y descendront" (cylindre A, IX)" in "Louvre Museum". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
^ Moorey, Peter Roger Stuart (1999). Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: The Archaeological Evidence. Eisenbrauns. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-57506-042-2.
^ de Sarzec, Ernest. Découvertes en Chaldée. L. Heuzey. p. 229. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
^ D. O. Edzard, The Royal inscriptions of Mesopotamia, Early periods, vol. 3/1, Gudea and His Dynasty, Toronto, 1997, p. 117-118
^ "Louvre Museum". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2020.

Sources

Edzard, Dietz Otto (1997). Gudea and His Dynasty. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802041876.
Black, J.A.; Cunningham, G.; Dahl, Jacob L.; Fluckiger-Hawker, E.; Robson, E.; Zólyomi, G. (1998). "The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature". University of Oxford.
Frayne, Douglas R. (1993). Sargonic and Gutian Periods. University of Toronto Press.
F. Johansen, "Statues of Gudea, ancient and modern". Mesopotamia 6, 1978.
A. Parrot, Tello, vingt campagnes des fouilles (1877-1933). (Paris 1948).
N.K. Sandars, "Introduction" page 16, The Epic of Gilgamesh, Penguin, 1972.
H. Steible, "Versuch einer Chronologie der Statuen des Gudea von Lagas". Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft 126 (1994), 81–104.

External links

The true face of Gudea. A realistic statue of Gudea shows us how he may have looked in real life.

Regnal titles

Preceded by

Ur-Baba

King of Lagash
c. 2144 – c. 2124 BC

Succeeded by

Ur-Ningirsu

[MLD227-1] Durand, M.L. (2008). Supplément au Dictionnaire de la Bible: TELL HARIRI/MARI: TEXTES (PDF). p. 227.

[MCC-2] Corporation, Marshall Cavendish (2010). Ancient Egypt and the Near East: An Illustrated History. Marshall Cavendish. pp. 54–56. ISBN 978-0-7614-7934-5.

[3] Ward, W. H. (1910). The seal cylinders of western Asia. Рипол Классик. pp. 23–24 Note 13, Seal N.38. ISBN 9785878502252. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

[FOOTNOTEEdzard199726-4] Edzard (1997), p. 26.

[5] Brisch, Nicole (2013). "Of Gods and Kings: Divine Kingship in Ancient Mesopotamia". Religion Compass. 7 (2): 37–46. doi:10.1111/rec3.12031.

[6] Year-names for Gudea, Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative.

[7] Steinkeller, Piotr. Puzur-Inˇsuˇsinak at Susa: A Pivotal Episode of Early Elamite History Reconsidered. p. 299.

[8] Thomason, Allison Karmel (2017). Luxury and Legitimation: Royal Collecting in Ancient Mesopotamia. Routledge. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-351-92113-8.

[9] Moorey, Peter Roger Stuart (1999). Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: The Archaeological Evidence. Eisenbrauns. p. 245. ISBN 978-1-57506-042-2.

[10] Thapar, Romila (1975). "A Possible Identification of Meluḫḫa, Dilmun and Makan". Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 18 (1): 1–42. doi:10.2307/3632219. ISSN 0022-4995. JSTOR 3632219.

[FOOTNOTEEdzard199731–38-11] Edzard (1997), pp. 31–38.

[FOOTNOTEEdzard199736–38-12] Edzard (1997), pp. 36–38.

[FOOTNOTEEdzard199738-13] Edzard (1997), p. 38.

[SCHO-14] "MS 2814 - The Schoyen Collection". www.schoyencollection.com.

[15] "J'étendrai sur le monde le respect de mon temple, sous mon nom l'univers depuis l'horizon s'y rassemblera, et [même les pays lointains] Magan et Meluhha, sortant de leurs montagnes, y descendront" (cylindre A, IX)" in "Louvre Museum". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2020.

[16] Moorey, Peter Roger Stuart (1999). Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: The Archaeological Evidence. Eisenbrauns. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-57506-042-2.

[17] Sarzec, Ernest. Découvertes en Chaldée. L. Heuzey. p. 229. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2020.

[18] D. O. Edzard, The Royal inscriptions of Mesopotamia, Early periods, vol. 3/1, Gudea and His Dynasty, Toronto, 1997, p. 117-118

[19] "Louvre Museum". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2020.

[20] Rulers with names in italics are considered fictional.

[21] Hallo, William W.; Simpson, William Kelly (1971). The Ancient Near East: A History. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0-15-502755-8.

[22] "Rulers of Mesopotamia". CDLI:wiki. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative.

[23] Thomas, Ariane; Potts, Timothy, eds. (2020). Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins. Los Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Museum. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-60606-649-2.

[24] Roux, Georges (1992). Ancient Iraq. London: Penguin Books Limited. pp. 532–534 (Chronological Tables). ISBN 978-0-14-193825-7.

[SKL-25] Per the Sumerian King List.

[26] Unger, Merrill F. (2014). Israel and the Aramaeans of Damascus: A Study in Archaeological Illumination of Bible History. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-62564-606-4.

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