Enannatum tablet obverse (front). The back of the tablet is shown below. See an enlargement of the tablet.

This is a translation of an Enannatum tablet (CDLI P222496) that contains a brief description of his battle with Ur-luma, the king of the rival city of Umma.

{ ... } = explanatory comments by jjs.


By the Hill of the Black Dog

For Hendursag, chief herald of the Abzu,
Enannatum, ruler of Lagash,
given power by Enlil,
fed wholesome milk by Ninhursaga,
chosen by the heart of Nanshe,
chief ruler of Ningirsu,
truly called by Inanna,
nominated by Hendursag,
son begotten by Lugalurub,
son of Akurgal, ruler of Lagash,
beloved brother of Eannatum, ruler of Lagash.

When for Inanna he built the Great Oval,
the Eanna (temple) more than all the mountains
he made it greater for her,
and with gold and silver he decorated it for her.
For Hendursag his palace of the Holy City he built,
and with gold and silver he decorated it for him.
For Nindar his temple he restored.
For Ninmushbar and Ninmar
their temple terraces he built.
For Lugalurub his palace of Urub he built,
and with gold and silver he decorated it for him.
For Amageshtinana her temple of Sagub he built,
and a well, with baked bricks, he built for her.
 ...
For Ningirsu the shrine Dugru he built....

When ... for Ningirsu
Umma he (Enlil?) made lose control (of it),
and into the control of Enanatum he had put it,
{The city of Umma lost control of the fertile fields of the Guedena to Enannatum.}
Ur-luma, the ruler of Umma, hired foreign countries, {as mercenaries}
and over the levee of the border territory of Ningirsu he crossed.
“The Antasura is mine, I will exploit the prebends(?)!” he said,
{bala, “prebends,” i.e., annual contributions to the state.}
and by the Hill of the Black Dog he brought up his vanguard.
Ningirsu, in his (own) voice, a ... word he left regarding him:
“Ur-luma, the ruler of Umma,
‘The Antasura is mine!’ he has proclaimed.
The one who to my own private household has come up
against Enannatum, my mighty male,
he must not raise a hand!”
{The war god Ningirsu is warning Ur-luma not battle with Enannatum.}

Ur-luma, the ruler of Umma,
Enannatum all the way up to the levee of the border territory of Ningirsu did smite,
and in(?) the ... of the Lumma-Girnunta (canal) he went after him,
and his outer garment he put all over(?) him.
{Enannatum grabs Ur-luma's cloak before Ur-luma is able to free himself and escape(?)}

Enannatum,
the man who built the temple of Hendursag,
his (personal) god is Shul-mush{x}pa.
Upon (both) the copper standard
and the sheep of the copper standard set on wood
of Hendursag (this) was written.
Shul-mush{x}pa {“the crown of”} Enmetenaka
checked them.
He (Hendursag) is the owner of the standard(s).