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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 18587 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Shell. Much decayed. A naked hero, kneeling, holds two antelopes by their hind legs. Archaic style. |
| 18590 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Shell. Im-dugud with 2 gazelles: woman wearing Kaukanes and holding up a cup: a second figure many with a cup on a stand (?) and a drinking tube? Fine archaic work. |
| 1152 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Persian(?) 2 gryphons facing palm tree. [drawing] |
| 7912 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Glazed. Originally green, bleached white. Winged dragon with long upright tail. Three snakes standing vertically. Two incised lines run round cylinder close to circumference at top and two similarly at bottom. |
| 17872 | 32-40-334 | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Diorite. Damaged, and part of the surface gone. Design worked entirely with the drill: a standing figure with arms raised and two seated figures, and an object which may be a libation vase. |
| 18346 | (none) | 1933,1013.78 | (none) | Cylinder seal of dark purple glazed glazed frit. Two trees (?) and pomegranates (?) |
| 3368 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cup. White frit originally glazed, in fragments. Two small handles pierced at top: first traces of colored design. |
| 17878 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper tumbler (?) straight-sided cylinder (slightly disturbed). |
| 18628 | (none) | 1933,1013.10 | (none) | Copper statuette of a woman standing with hands roun in the attitude of prayer: her hair is done in a heavy shignon and she wears a long flounced dress. In catalog. [drawing] |
| 3140 | (none) | 1927,1003.100 | (none) | Copper staple. With eye presumably for suspension [drawing 1:1] |
| 17608 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper spearhead. Point broken. |
| 17659 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper spearhead. Broken but complete. Type not RC [drawing] |
| 17839 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper instrument (possibly a razor?) The tang fairly thick; all edges thin and apparently cutting edges [drawing 1:1] |
| 2618 | (none) | 1927,1003.95 | (none) | Copper ingot. Well preserved but uninscribed. [drawing 1:2] | |
| 17840 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper disk. (probably a mirror) of very thin metal : the rim neatly turned over as if there had been a wooden (?) backing. To it is attached by corrosion a second copper instrument similar to U.17839. |
| 17658 | (none) | 1935,0113.407 | (none) | Copper dagger blade. With 3 rivets : tip of tang with 3rd rivet broken. Type not RC. Cf knife RC 4. | |
| 18335 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper bolt. With shaft round in section and gilt head. |
| 2549 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper Animal. Genus unknown: head, near foreleg and parts of other legs missing. [drawing 1:1] |
| 1631 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Conical seal. Clay. Surface of green glaze; with traces of incised design. Not with photo. [drawing 1:1] |
| 17982 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cones. Clay. [drawing 1:2] |
| 17981 | (none) | 1933,1013.175 | (none) | Cones. Clay. [drawing 1:1] | |
| 3112 | (none) | 1927,1003.42 | (none) | Cone of Warad-Sin. Fragment. Variation of inscription: SAKI p.212 B. |
| 2634 | (none) | 1927,1003.23 | (none) | Cone of Su-mu-ilum (of Larsa). Text: To Innana, his lady, Sumuilum the mighty hero, king of Ur, king of sumer and Akkad, has built, E-gi-na-ab-tum, azag--, her beloved house, in Ur. The 25th year of Gungunu king of Larsa is dated from the construction of E-gi-na-ab-tum azag of nannar (= Entreput sacre: sutummu, according to Th. D.) For the life of Gungunu, king of Ur, En-anna-tum high priest of Nannar at ur, son of Ishme Dagan, king of Sumer and Akkad, has built E-gi-na-ab-tum azagga H.C. R1 No. 114. |
| 2755A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cone of Nu-ur ilAdad. Fragment. To nannar, crown of heaven, the eldest son of Enlil, Nu ur. Il(Adad), the mighty hero, who takes care of Ur. H.C. |
| 2755B | (none) | 1927,1003.31 | (none) | Cone of Nu-ur Adad. Fragment. "To Nannar, crown of heaven, the ..., Eldest son of Enlil, Nuur." (Adad) the mighty hero, who takes care of Ur." |
| Media | Media Title | Title | Label | Author | Omeka Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPM Field Photo numbers | UPM Field Photo numbers | (none) | (none) | (none) |
| Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | 1939 | Woolley Leonard | (none) |
| Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | 1955 | Woolley, L. | (none) |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p160 | Ur_Notes_v2_p160 | (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_p212 | Ur_Notes_v2_p212 | (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_p214 | Ur_Notes_v2_p214 | (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_p219 | Ur_Notes_v2_p219 | (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_v4_p218 | Ur_Notes_v4_p218 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0097 | GN0097 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0098 | GN0098 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0099 | GN0099 | (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.