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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 18529H | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529G | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529F | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529E | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529D | 33-35-191b, 33-35-191B | (none) | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529C | (none) | 1933,1013.4 | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529B | (none) | 1933,1013.3 | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18529A | 33-35-191a, 33-35-191A | (none) | (none) | [A-H] Terracotta roundels. 8 in all with convex sides, both carved with inscription. In catalog. |
| 18525 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door socket. Diorite. With inscription of Ur-Engur. |
| 18358 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Gold leaf. Fragment of very thin metal cut out for inlay with small shield-shaped stones arranged in rows. |
| 18356 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cat's eye. Fragment of inscribed across middle and round the side: less than half the stone preserved. Ningal. Kurigalzu. |
| 18352 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tortoise of grey steatite. L. 23mm |
| 18347 | 33-35-155 | (none) | (none) | Fruit of gold and carnelian. A simple bead of carnelian shaped thus [reference to drawing], through which is a slender gold stem with a rounded cap above. | |
| 18346 | (none) | 1933,1013.78 | (none) | Cylinder seal of dark purple glazed glazed frit. Two trees (?) and pomegranates (?) |
| 18338 | (none) | 1933,1013.93 | (none) | Wig of dark steatite, for a small male figure the wig is complete. The hair is parted down the middle, then confined by three broad braided tresses wound roudn the head: a fringe comes over the forehead: the back hair falls in a plaited mass over the shoulders. |
| 18335 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper bolt. With shaft round in section and gilt head. |
| 18325 | 33-35-262 | (none) | (none) | Clay seal impression. Men and animals fighting. [Note on back of card reads Check in Catalog of Vol. IV, was there, but has been removed. The note is signed [illegible], and dated 1936.] | |
| 18324 | 33-35-156 | (none) | (none) | Gold handle? A ring of deeply fluted metal, bent over and one end (for attachment?) flattened out on this is a cross lightly engraved [drawing 1:1] | |
| 18323 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay figurine of baked clay. Rudimentary human figure one eye missing. [drawing 1:1] |
| 18314A | (none) | 1933,1013.99 | (none) | Inlay. 2 fragments of, fitting together. Grey steatite. The hair of a large figure, carved in horizontal ripples with the single hairs denoted by roughly engraved wavy lines. [drawing] |
| 18313C | (none) | (none) | (none) | Inlay. Fragments of grey steatite. Hair of head or beard from a large figure. [drawing] [A] One large piece thus [reference to drawing]. [B] One fragment from the upper part perhaps fitting on, [C] and one single curl |
| 18313B | (none) | (none) | (none) | Inlay. Fragments of grey steatite. Hair of head or beard from a large figure. [drawing] [A] One large piece thus [reference to drawing]. [B] One fragment from the upper part perhaps fitting on, [C] and one single curl |
| 18313A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Inlay. Fragments of grey steatite. Hair of head or beard from a large figure. [drawing] [A] One large piece thus [reference to drawing]. [B] One fragment from the upper part perhaps fitting on, [C] and one single curl |
| 18312 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of stone vase. Bowl: dark steatite. Plain band at rim = the rest of the outside carved with scale pattern thus[reference to drawing], the scales originally filled in. With scales of white shell of which the centers were of another material. |
| 18311 | 33-35-261 | (none) | (none) | Clay seal impression. Long strip of clay on which a very fair impression. A standing figure (?): before him a small figure fallen backwards (?): behind him two dwarflike figure in violent action (?) = above a guilloche: beyond them, two rampant beasts heraldically crossed (?) |
| Media | Media Title | Title | Label | Author | Omeka Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) | |
| 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
Share
Context
Ur > Ziggurat Terrace | ZT
References
Woolley, L. . (1955) Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods, Oxford: Oxford University Press.