Ziggurat Terrace | ZT
| Context Title: | Ziggurat Terrace | ZT |
| Context Name (Publication): | Ziggurat Terrace |
| Context Name (Excavation): | ZT |
| Context Description: | The excavation area abbreviation ZT stands for Ziggurat Terrace. It was used for any portion of the terrace on which the ziggurat stood, though other more specific abbreviations were also used. For example, the abbreviation PDW refers to the northern side of the terrace, west of the Great Nannar Courtyard (PD), and HD refers to the southern part of the terrace. Early references using the abbreviation ZT refer specifically to excavations along the terrace retaining wall itself. Later references, however, mention specific areas on top the terrace such as the so-called 'boat shrine.' The abbreviation also refers to deep clearing of the terrace fill, particularly on the north side in later excavation seasons, though the abbreviation Zig.31 was most often used for this. Woolley uncovered large areas of the retaining wall that supported the platform known as the ziggurat terrace. He found that it was decorated with large wall cones. These cones bore an inscription of Urnamma but there is evidence that the terrace in some form existed in the Early Dynastic period as well. The Urnamma retaining wall was slanted to support the terrace, was 1.7 meters high, 34 meters wide, and was decorated with 5-meter-wide buttresses about 4 meters apart. The inscribed cones dedicate the terrace to the moon god, Nanna, and show that it was called e-temen-ni-gur, which translates as, "house, foundation platform clad in terror." (Woolley read this e-temen-ni-il). |
| Season Number: | 02: 1923-1924 |
| Season Number: | 03: 1924-1925 |
| Season Number: | 05: 1926-1927 |
| Season Number: | 10: 1931-1932 |
| Season Number: | 11: 1932-1933 |
Files
| Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3148A | (none) | (none) | B16559 | Brick of Sinbalatsu igbi. Fragment. H.C. |
| 3148 | (none) | (none) | B16559 | (none) |
| 2728 | (none) | (none) | B16562 | Broken brick with graphic plan or game? P.35. In text: 3rd Dynasty Terrace (13) and Fig. [drawing 1:2] | |
| 2761A | (none) | (none) | B16676 | Ur-Nammu Stela. Stone stele fragments. Fine limestone: six fragments, [following text is struck through] giving horizontal division of stele. Upper two bear lower part of skirt & two finely modelled feet & conventional river of Ea, seated on throne. Lower register divine headdress, spear (?) & tree. Whole of fine workmanship. Upper register fragg. A. & C.: lower B. [end strike-through] For details see following page. In text: Ur-Nammu Stela and Kassite period 4. (A) Division between registers, one foot of top register figure and top of tree in lower register. (B) do. With part of throne top register & god's headdress in lower. (C) 2nd foot & part of skirt & throne of top register fig. (D) part of throne top register. (E) Lower part of headdress of god (2nd reg.) & hair. (F) Rest of god from 2nd reg. seated on throne before conventional tree in pot into which king is pouring libation (this connects with U.3264A) 3rd reg. upper parts of 3 figg: minor deity introducing king who bears mason's tools supported behind by priest or slave. | |
| 2761B | (none) | (none) | B16676 | Ur-Nammu Stela. Stone stele fragments. Fine limestone: six fragments, [following text is struck through] giving horizontal division of stele. Upper two bear lower part of skirt & two finely modelled feet & conventional river of Ea, seated on throne. Lower register divine headdress, spear (?) & tree. Whole of fine workmanship. Upper register fragg. A. & C.: lower B. [end strike-through] For details see following page. In text: Ur-Nammu Stela and Kassite period 4. (A) Division between registers, one foot of top register figure and top of tree in lower register. (B) do. With part of throne top register & god's headdress in lower. (C) 2nd foot & part of skirt & throne of top register fig. (D) part of throne top register. (E) Lower part of headdress of god (2nd reg.) & hair. (F) Rest of god from 2nd reg. seated on throne before conventional tree in pot into which king is pouring libation (this connects with U.3264A) 3rd reg. upper parts of 3 figg: minor deity introducing king who bears mason's tools supported behind by priest or slave. | |
| 11231 | (none) | (none) | B16909 | Obsidian Nail. Miniature. Square in section. T Shaped top. [drawing 1:1] |
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- 6 of 456 Objects
| Media | Media Title | Title | Label | Author | Omeka Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v4_p218 | Ur_Notes_v4_p218 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v4_p121 | Ur_Notes_v4_p121 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p219 | Ur_Notes_v2_p219 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p215 | Ur_Notes_v2_p215 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p214 | Ur_Notes_v2_p214 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p213 | Ur_Notes_v2_p213 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p212 | Ur_Notes_v2_p212 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p211 | Ur_Notes_v2_p211 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p160 | Ur_Notes_v2_p160 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0099 | GN0099 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0098 | GN0098 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0097 | GN0097 | (none) | |
| Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | 1955 | Woolley, L. | (none) |
| Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | 1939 | Woolley Leonard | (none) |
| UPM Field Photo numbers | UPM Field Photo numbers | (none) | (none) | (none) |
- 15 Media
Sibling Locations
AH Site | AH - City Wall | CLW - DP - Dublalmah | LL - EH Site | EH - Ehursag | HT - EM Site | EM - Enunmah | TTB | ES - ESB - FH - Giparu | KP - Great Nanna Courtyard | PD - Harbor Temple - House 34/1 - House 34/2 - House Site - Kassite Fort - KPS Site | KPS - LT - LW - Mausoleum Site | BC - Neo-Babylonian Housing | NH - NNCF - NTB - P/103 - Palace of Bel-Shalti-Nannar | AD - Pit F - Royal Cemetery | PG - SM - Temenos Wall | TW - TTC - XNCF
Child Locations
Courtyard BB - Ningal Temple | HD - PDW - Room FF - Room GG - Room SW 2 - Ziggurat
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Context
Ur > Ziggurat Terrace | ZT
References
Woolley, L. . (1955) Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods, Oxford: Oxford University Press.