Royal tombs of Ur
Early Dynastic III, roughly contemporary with Eannatum. |
c. 2500 BCE |
Principle occupants = private graves. |
Second + Third Dynasty kings and queens, provides insight on political structure of Ur. |
Also important because it could provide concrete evidence of chronology to compare to available king lists. |
Most famous grave = Queen Puabi, identified by a cylinder seal she was wearing. |
The Death Pits of Ur
Found in association with the Royal Tombs of Ur, provide insight on social organisation or Ur societies. |
Evidence included human remains, ornaments and grave goods. |
Inform us about class structure, religious order and traditions (+ human sacrifice?). |
Blunt force trauma on victims in Great Death Pit suggest mass sacrifice of subjects. |
Identity of individuals = uncertain (consorts?). One pit contained only women, interpreted as a sacrifice to the moon god of Ur - Nanna. |
General consensus is that death pits were a common practice of acient Sumerian societies. |
Puabi's grave = most insightful info regarding identification of cemetery occupants. |
Puabi's grave = situated above death pit. |
Puabi identified through elaborate and ornate headdress. |
Individuals in death pit found to have overdeveloped back and leg muscles and signs of repeated knee and ankle strain -> chariot riders? |
Evidence of postmortem heating of skulls - indicates practice of heating/smoking bodies after death? |
Royal Tombs of Ur - Puabi
Puabi's famous headdress from the Royal Tombs of Ur.
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Victory Stele of Naram-Sin
Naram-Sin = Akkadian ruler. Significant for his deification. |
c. 2334-2154 |
Evidence from inscriptions in statue base of teh deification of Naram-Sin and the erection of a temple in his honour by the people of Agade. |
Sippar stele (or victory stele) - represents Naram-Sin defeating Lullubi people from Zagros Mountains. |
Represents Naram-Sin both as god and king: |
- Horned helmet - reserved for deities and gods, but worn here by Naram-Sin. |
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- Size - Naram-Sin is depicted bigger than all others on stele and towers over the Lullubi enemies, themselves small, broken and being stepped on. |
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- Shamash - depicted as a sun over the mountains, on the same side of the stele as Naram-Sin. Previous depictions would have separated the divine and kingship on different sides (e.g. Eannatum and the stele of the vultures). |
Depictions of the "others" |
Lullubi warriors differentiated by size and posture, but alos by different hairstyles and dress. |
Victory Stele of Naram-Sin
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References for your humble perusal
Aruz, J. and Wallenfels, R. (eds) (2003) Art of the first cities: The Third Millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art (Museum of Art Series). |
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