Gudea

Template:Short description Template:Infobox royalty Template:Location map Gudea (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; Sumerian: Template:Script, Gu₃-de₂-a; died Template:Circa 2124 BC) was a Sumerian ruler (ensi) of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia, who ruled Template:Circa–2060 BC (short chronology) or 2144–2124 BC (middle chronology). He probably did not come from the city, but had married Ninalla, daughter of the ruler Ur-Baba of Lagash, thus gaining entrance to the royal house of Lagash. He was succeeded by his son Ur-Ningirsu II. Gudea ruled at a time when the center of Sumer was still ruled by the Gutian dynasty, and when the Akkadian king Ishtup-Ilum ruled to the north in Mari.<ref name="MLD227">Template:Cite book</ref> Under Gudea, Lagash had a golden age, and seemed to enjoy a high level of independence from the Gutians, a language isolate speaking people who had arrived from regions to the northeast of Mesopotamia.<ref name="MCC">Template:Cite book</ref>

Inscriptions

Gudea Ensi Lagashki, "Gudea, Governor of Lagash", in an inscription

Cylinder seal of Gudea. It reads "Gudea, Ensi of Lagash; Lugal-me, scribe, thy servant".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Gudea chose the title of énsi (town-king or governor), not the more exalted Template:Lang (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 posthumouslyTemplate:Sfnp as in accordance with Mesopotamian traditions for all rulers except Naram-Sin of Akkad and some of the Ur III kings.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

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".<ref>Year-names for Gudea, Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative.</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Statues of Gudea

Statue of Gudea, Louvre-Lens

Sculpture of the head of Sumerian ruler Gudea, Template:Circa, National Archaeological Museum

Religion

Foundation figurines of gods in copper alloy, reign of Gudea, Template:Circa, from the temple of Ningirsu at Girsu (British Museum, London)

Votive stele of Gudea, ruler of Lagash, to the temple of Ningirsu: Gudea being led by Ningishzida into the presence of a deity who is seated on a throne. From Girsu, Iraq. 2144-2124 BC. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul.

Sacred basin, a gift from Gudea to the temple of Ningirsu. From Girsu, Iraq. 2144-2122 BC. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul.

Diorite mortar, an offering from Gudea to Enlil. From Nippur, Iraq. 2144-2124 BC. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul.

The inscription on a statue of Gudea as architect of the House of Ningirsu,Template:Sfnp 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,Template:Sfnp 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".Template:Sfnp

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.<ref name="SCHO">Template:Cite web</ref>

International relations

Location of foreign lands for the Mesopotamians, including Meluhha

Template:Main In an inscription, Gudea referred to the Meluhhans who came to Sumer to sell gold dust, carnelian etc...<ref name="SCHO"/> In another inscription, he mentioned his victory over the territories of Magan, Meluhha, Elam and Amurru.<ref name="SCHO"/>

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).<ref>"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 Template:Cite web</ref> In cylinder B, XIV, he mentions his procurement of "blocks of lapis lazuli and bright carnelian from Meluhha."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The first known reference to Goa in India possibly appears as Gubi in the records of Gudea.<ref name="TRDS">Template:Cite book</ref> At the time, Sumerians had established trade contacts with India.<ref name="TRDS"/>

Important artifacts

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  The "Libation vase of Gudea" with the dragon Mušḫuššu, dedicated to Ningishzida (21st century BC short chronology). 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."
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  Head of Gudea in polished diorite, reign of Gudea (Boston Museum of Fine Arts)
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  Lion macehead of Gudea, Girsu<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
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  Gudea dedication tablet to God Ningirsu: "For Ningirsu, Enlil's mighty warrior, his Master, Gudea, ensi of Lagash"
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  Gudea tablet: "For Hendursaga, his master, Gudea, ruler of Lagash, built his house."<ref>D. O. Edzard, The Royal inscriptions of Mesopotamia, Early periods, vol. 3/1, Gudea and His Dynasty, Toronto, 1997, p. 117-118</ref> Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin.
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  Foundation nail of Gudea, Cleveland Museum of Art
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  The Gudea cylinders<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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  Name and title "Gudea, ensi of Lagash" on Statue A of Gudea
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  Foundation nail for the temple of Ningirsu in Lagash. Reign of Gudea.
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  Mudbrick stamped with a cuneiform text mentioning the name of Gudea, ruler of Lagash. From Girsu, Iraq, Template:Circa. Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin
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  Seal of Gudea, led by Ningishzida

Sources

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite web
• Template:Cite book
• 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.