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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1354 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment from base of inscribed clay cone of uncertain authorship: 2 or 3 signs alone remain. |
| 1111 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment (711) of New Babylonian Clay cylinder with inscription for Nabonidus (cf. Langdon, Neubab.Konigsinscar. P.250ff.) Duplicate of U.1131, U.1132 and other fragments unnumbered making up part of the complete cylinder. |
| 17628 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Foundation Cone. Fragmentary. (Larsa type) 1/3 of stem and virtually all of base missing = UR RI#131 (Warad-Sin). |
| 1135 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Flint implement. arrowhead? [drawing 1:1] |
| 2666 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Flint arrowhead. Finely chipped. [drawing 1:1] |
| 17841 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Figurine? Of veined reddish calcite. (broken = and the surface badly decayed). Apparently a human figure very summarily represented with drilled eye-holes. [drawing 1:1] |
| 2523 | (none) | 1935,0113.50 | (none) | Figurine. Light drab clay. Pig. Hand modeled, very rough. [drawing] | |
| 2571 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Figurine. Drab clay. Nude female, suckling child; head and legs missing. Depth 2-5m [drawing 1:1] |
| 17834 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Figurine of seated calf. White calcite. Usual attitude, body in profile. Left hand turned over shoulder to face outwards. |
| 2665 | (none) | 1935,0113.51 | (none) | Figurine fragment. (Terra-cotta) Part of leg and foot, wearing boot with toes protruding. Sketch 1/1 [drawing 1:1] | |
| 17764 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ear studs. Clay. [drawing 1:1] |
| 17729 | 32-40-458 | (none) | (none) | Ear stud. Clay [drawing 1:1] |
| 18584 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Duck weight. Hematite. |
| 2771 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door-socket. Ur-Engur. Bluish stone (flakes easily) usual inscription. In text: 3rd Dynasty Terrace(12) |
| 2750 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door-socket of Ur Engur. ?king of Ur, who has built the house of Nannar. |
| 3224 | (none) | 1927,1003.1 | (none) | Door-socket of Bur-Sin. Diorite 52 lines inscription. Building of Dub-lal mah for Nannar. Probably duplicate of U.1163 (Photo. Book II p.147) H.C. |
| 3031 | (none) | 1927,1003.4 | (none) | Door-socket of Bur-Sin. Blue stone. Same inscription U.295 (Photo 24) To Nin-gal, his lady Bur-Sin mighty hero king of Ur, king of the 4 regions of the world has built her beloved house, Gi(g)-par azag for his life he has dedicated. |
| 17830 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door socket. Diorite. With inscription of Ur-Engur. |
| 17831 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door socket. Diorite. With inscription of Ur-Engur. |
| 18525 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door socket. Diorite. With inscription of Ur-Engur. |
| 17858 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Disks. Of black or green stone (shale and basic diorite) the face is smooth, the sides slope like those of a truncated cone, the back is rough and is loop-pierced for a copper wire attachment. |
| 1658 | (none) | (none) | B15609 | Diorite human head Fragment of, life-size. Shewing from top of neck to base of nostrils, rt side of face only, and back across cheek to below ear; mouth complete and chin nearly so. Very fine work of the Gudea type. |
| 6742 | (none) | 1928,1009.2 | (none) | Diorite door-socket. To nannar, king of Ur, dEnlilla-mishag, patesi of Niffer (the ? has restored?) E. H.C. |
| 17866 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. White limestone. 2 registers: below, 2 seated figures drinking through tubes. Above, spread eagle and 2 animals (? Gazelles) Archaic style. |
| 18264 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. White frit once glazed but the glaze all perished. Gazelle and man. |
| 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.