Ur-Namma ceremoniously carrying the first basket of dirt for the building of a new temple.

     Ur-Namma ruled for eighteen years (circa 2112 - 2095 B.C.)  He was originally a governor appointed by Utu-Hengal, the Sumerian king who was starting to gain ascendency over the Gutians after the collapse of the Akkadian Empire. After the death of Utu-Hengal, Ur-Namma unified (or conquered) the various Sumerian city-states and gained significant victories over the Gutians. He thus created an independent Sumerian state, after centuries of foreign domination.

     He was a builder of roads, canals, and temples. He began construction on the famous ziggurat at Ur (pictured on these pages) which was completed by his son, Shulgi. He codified the laws of the land, 300 years before the famous Code of Hammurabi. He ruled his kingdom with competence and justice.

     Ur-Namma was killed in combat, abandoned by his army, in yet another battle with the Gutians --- his body tossed aside "like a broken pot". But the dynasty he created would last for almost a hundred years. It witnessed the last flowering of Sumerian civilization, which was already ancient, before it was finally destroyed, so long ago in the ancient past.

Ur-Namma stele.  (heavily damaged)

Above:  Ur-Namma stands before the god Enlil and the Tree of Life.  Below:  Enlil, Ur-Namma, and a worker begin work on the temple.  Ur-Namma is shown wearing a shepherd's hat. He is also shown with hair and a full beard, which was his usual appearance. The statue of him at the top of the page showns him completely shaven, as part of the purification ritual for the dedication of a new temple.

Ur-Namma votive tablet.  These tablets were manufactured by temple scribes using a stamp-seal. The tablets were then sold to worshipers to raise revenue for the temple.

Line drawing of tablet.  The sign uri (Akkad) is missing from the end of third line, even though it can be faintly seen on the original tablet. Ur-Namma's name is on the first line.

     I was looking through the Library of Congress Cuneiform Collection when I saw this tablet.  It was labelled "Not yet translated". I looked back at the tablet and said, "That's Ur-Nammu!!"  (I know, I know, the current pronounciation is Ur-Namma, not Ur-Nammu, so there is no need to point that out to me.)  I recognized the name because it was one of the first signs I had difficulty understanding (it doesn't look how it is spelled).  For me, it was a great moment of discovery. It's as if I had recognized a friend, in a crowd, from a distance, when I wasn't expecting him to be there. It was like seeing Ur-Namma himself, across the distance of time. These moments of original discovery are what makes the study of Sumerian so interesting.

     The Library of Congress is currently in the process of revamping their cuneiform display.     I assume a translation of this tablet will be included.  But for those of you who "just can't wait", I have included my own translation of the tablet:

Transliteration:

   1.   ur- {d} namma

   2.   lugal urim5 ki-ma

   3.   lugal ki-en-gi ki-uri

   4.   lu2 e2  {d} en-lil2-la2

   5.   in-du3-a

Translation:

   1.   Ur-Namma

   2.   King of Ur

   3.   King of Sumer and Akkad

   4.   He  who built

         the temple of Enlil

     Although a simple inscription, it is full of meaning.  In the first line, the "star" symbol in the middle of Ur-Namma's name means he was worshiped as a god within his lifetime (unlike Gudea, who was worshiped as a god only after his death). The title, "King of Sumer and Akkad", is also significant. After two centuries of Akkadian rule, Ur-Namma was the first Sumerian king who could claim this title. After the death of Ur-Namma, his son, Shulgi, briefly used the title, but soon changed it to "King of the Four Quarters [of the Universe]".  Although  it was a more grandiose title, it encompassed a lot less real estate, reflecting the fact that the Akkadian kingdom was no longer a part of Shulgi's domains. It would therefore be fair to say that Ur-Namma was the only one who could truly claim to be "The King Of Sumer and Akkad".

The ziggurat at Ur, in the moonlight. The temple was dedicated to Nanna, the moon god.