View source for Lugalbanda

{{Short description|Sumerian mythical King}}
{{Distinguish|Lugalanda}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Lugalbanda<br>{{nobold|{{cuneiform|𒈗𒌉𒁕}}}}
| first = {{circa|2500 BC}}
| occupation = [[Lugal|King]] of [[Uruk]] (reigned {{circa|1,200}} years)
| spouse = [[Ninsun]]
| children = [[Gilgamesh]]
}}
[[File:Obverse. The story of Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave, Old-Babylonian period, from southern Iraq. Sulaymaniyah Museum, Iraqi Kurdistan.jpg|thumb|The story of Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave, Old-Babylonian period, from southern Iraq. [[Sulaymaniyah Museum]], Iraqi Kurdistan.]]
'''Lugalbanda'''{{Efn|{{langx|sux|𒈗𒌉𒁕|{{Transliteration|sux|[[lugal]]-[[Tur (cuneiform)|banda<sub>3</sub>]]<sup>[[phonetic complement|da]]</sup>}}, ''Meaning "young/fierce king" in Sumerian.''}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://psd.museum.upenn.edu/epsd/index.html |title=Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary Project |access-date=2011-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702202817/http://psd.museum.upenn.edu/epsd/index.html |archive-date=2008-07-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>Vanstiphout, H. (2002) “Sanctus Lugalbanda” in ''Riches Hidden in Secret Places'', T. Abusch (ed.), Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, p. 260; The name has no such connotations of 'crown prince'.</ref>}} was a deified [[Sumer]]ian king of [[Uruk]] who, according to various sources of [[Sumerian literature|Mesopotamian literature]], was the father of [[Gilgamesh]]. Early sources mention his consort [[Ninsun]] and his heroic deeds in an expedition to [[Aratta]] by King [[Enmerkar]].

Lugalbanda is listed in the ''[[Sumerian King List]]'' as the second king of [[Uruk]], saying he ruled for 1,200 years, and providing him with the epithet of ''the Shepherd''.<ref>[http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section2/tr211.htm English translation of Sumerian King List in The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716162233/http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/section2/tr211.htm |date=2011-07-16 }}</ref> Lugalbanda's historicity is uncertain among scholars. Attempts to date him in the [[Early Dynastic Period of Sumer#Early Dynastic period|ED II period]] are based on an amalgamation of data from the epic traditions of the 2nd millennium with unclear archaeological observations.<ref>Lugalbanda, ''Reallexikon der Assyriologie'' 7, p. 117.</ref>

==Mythology==
Lugalbanda appears in Sumerian literary sources as early as the mid-3rd millennium, as attested by the incomplete mythological text ''Lugalbanda and Ninsuna,'' found in [[Abu Salabikh]], that describes a romantic relationship between Lugalbanda and [[Ninsun]].<ref>[[Thorkild Jacobsen|Jacobsen, Thorkild]] (1989) “Lugalbanda and Ninsuna”, ''[[Journal of Cuneiform Studies]]'' Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 69-86</ref> In the earliest god-lists from [[Shuruppak|Fara]], his name appears separate and in a much lower ranking than the goddess; however, in later traditions until the [[Seleucid]] period, his name is often listed along with his consort Ninsun.<ref>Exceptions exist. For a full summary of the god-list references refer to ''[[Reallexikon der Assyriologie]]'' 7, p. 118.</ref>

There's evidence suggesting the worship of Lugalbanda as a deity originating from the [[Third Dynasty of Ur|Ur III period]], as attested in tablets from [[Nippur]], [[Ur]], [[Umma]] and [[Puzrish-Dagan]].<ref>''Reallexikon der Assyriologie'' 7, pp. 119–120. Nippur tablets indicate that all Ur III kings have made offerings to the deity Lugalbanda</ref> In the Old Babylonian period [[Sîn-kāšid|Sin-kashid]] of Uruk is known to have built a temple called É-KI.KAL dedicated to Lugalbanda and Ninsun, and to have assigned his daughter Niši-īnī-šu as the ''eresh-dingir'' priestess of Lugalbanda.<ref>''Reallexikon der Assyriologie'' 7, p. 120</ref>

At the same time, Lugalbanda would prominently feature as the hero of two Sumerian stories dated to the Third Dynasty of Ur, called by scholars ''Lugalbanda I'' (''[[Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave]]'') and ''Lugalbanda II'' (''[[Lugalbanda and the Anzu Bird]]''). Both are known only in later versions, although there is an Ur III fragment that is quite different from either 18th century BC version<ref>Michalowski, P. (2009) “Maybe Epic: The Origins and Reception of Sumerian Heroic Poetry” in ''Epic and History'', D. Konstans and K. Raaflaub (eds.), Oxford: Blackwells. p. 13 and n.8; Tablet 6N-T638; as of March 2011 tablet awaits publication.</ref>

These tales are part of a series of stories that describe the conflicts between [[Enmerkar]], king of Uruk, and [[Ensuhkeshdanna]], lord of [[Aratta]], presumably in the [[Zagros Mountains|Iranian highlands]]. In these two stories, Lugalbanda is a soldier in the army of Enmerkar, whose name also appears in the ''Sumerian King List'' as the first king of Uruk and predecessor of Lugalbanda. The extant fragments make no reference to Lugalbanda's succession as king following Enmerkar.<ref>For a detailed treatment of Enmerkar and Lugalbanda stories see: Vanstiphout, H. (2003). ''Epics of Sumerian Kings'', Atlanta: SBL. {{ISBN|1-58983-083-0}}</ref>

In royal hymns of the Ur III period, [[Ur-Nammu]] of Ur and his son [[Shulgi]] describe Lugalbanda and Ninsun as their holy parents, and in the same context call themselves the brother of Gilgamesh.<ref>''Reallexikon der Assyriologie'' 7, p. 131. See also [http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.2.4.1*# Ur-Namma hymns] and [http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.2.4.2*# Shulgi hymns]</ref> Sin-Kashid of Uruk also refers to Lugalbanda and Ninsun as his divine parents, and names Lugalbanda as his god.<ref>Sjöberg, Äke W. (1972) “Die Göttliche Abstammung der sumerisch-babylonischen Herrscher,” ''Orientalia Suecana'' 21, p. 98</ref>

In the ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]'' and in earlier Sumerian stories about the hero, [[Gilgamesh]] calls himself the son of Lugalbanda and Ninsun. In the ''Gilgamesh and Huwawa'' poem, the king consistently uses the assertive phrase: “By the life of my own mother Ninsun and of my father, holy Lugalbanda!”.<ref>Ninsumun is another name for Ninsun. Both names Lugalbanda and Ninsun are written with divine determinatives. For two separate Sumerian versions of ''Gilgamesh and Huwawa'' see [http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.1.8.1*# ETCSL].</ref><ref>For a discussion of parentage of Gilgamesh and further references see: [[Andrew R. George|George, Andrew]] (2003), ''Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic'', Oxford. {{ISBN|0-19-814922-0}}, p. 107 ff.</ref> In Akkadian versions of the epic, Gilgamesh also refers to Lugalbanda as his personal god, and in one episode presents the oil filled horns of the defeated Bull of Heaven "for the anointing of his god Lugalbanda".<ref>George, p. 629.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Mythology|Asia}}

*[[History of Sumer]]
*[[Mesopotamian mythology]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Scholarly literature==
*Alster, Bendt. "Lugalbanda and the early epic tradition in Mesopotamia." In ''Lingering over Words: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern Literature in Honor of William L. Moran'', pp.&nbsp;59–72. Brill, 1990.
*Alster, Bendt. "Demons in the Conclusion of Lugalbanda in Hurrumkurra." ''Iraq'' 67, no. 2 (2005): 61–71.
*Falkowitz, Robert S. "Notes on" Lugalbanda and Enmerkar"." ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' 103, no. 1 (1983): 103-114.
*Larson, Jennifer. "Lugalbanda and Hermes." ''Classical Philology'' 100, no. 1 (2005): 1-16.
*Noegel, Scott B. "Mesopotamian epic." A Companion to Ancient Epic'' (2005): 233–245.

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*[http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.1.8.2*# ETCSL - Texts and translations of Lugalbanda legends] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20080517150822/http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/catalogue/catalogue1.htm#lugalbanda alternate site])

{{S-start}}
{{s-reg}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Enmerkar]]
| title = [[Sumerian ruler]]<br>[[EN (cuneiform)|En]] of [[Uruk]]
| years = legendary
| after = [[Dumuzid, the Fisherman]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Sumerian King List}}
{{Sumerian mythology}}
{{Early Rulers of Mesopotamia}}

[[Category:Kings of Uruk]]
[[Category:Epic of Gilgamesh]]
[[Category:Characters in the Epic of Gilgamesh]]
[[Category:Mythological kings]]
[[Category:Deified male monarchs]]
[[Category:Mesopotamian gods]]