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      

Objects: Ziggurat Terrace | ZT Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Object U Number Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) Museum Number (BM Registration Number) Museum Number (UPM B-number) Description (Catalog Card)
11231 (none) (none) B16909 Obsidian Nail. Miniature. Square in section. T Shaped top. [drawing 1:1]
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.
2728 (none) (none) B16562 Broken brick with graphic plan or game? P.35. In text: 3rd Dynasty Terrace (13) and Fig. [drawing 1:2]
3148A (none) (none) B16559 Brick of Sinbalatsu igbi. Fragment. H.C.
3148 (none) (none) B16559 (none)
3299C (none) (none) B16558 Brick of Sin balalsu iqbi 2 stamps: face and side. Same text as U.3250. Except var. 11.6-7: "E As-an-bur, the shrine of Enlil."
3297F (none) (none) B16556B Sinbalalsuiqbi 1/2 brick 2 stamps, side and face. Same text as U.3250 Variant U.6-7: "E-ashur the place of his royalty"
3297D (none) (none) B16556A Sinbalalsuiqbi 1/2 brick 2 stamps, side and face. Same text as U. 3250. Variant U. 6-7: E-ashur "The place of his royalty."
2569A (none) (none) B16542 Baked brick. Stamp for En-an-na-tum, the beloved priest of Nannar, high-priest of Nannar, in Ur, son of Ishme Dagan, king of Sumer, and Akkad. (6 lines) Ishme-Dagan, king of Isin about BC 2100. H.C. Brick (28) x 18 1/2 x 8 from cruciform building. Brick 28 x 28 x 8 cm. Stamp 76 x 45mm. H.C.
2566D (none) (none) B16540 Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2566C (none) (none) B16539 Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2570 (none) (none) B16496, B16496 Baked brick. Broken. Drawing resembles cuneiform sign for wall tomb [drawing 1:2]
3301 (none) (none) B16490, B16490 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. 2 stamps: side and face. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11. 6-7: E Kisib-gal E-kur-ra(?) the shrine of dNin-sig (=Ea) H.C.
3300 (none) (none) B16489, B16489 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. 2 stamps: side and face. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11. 6-7: E Ad-gi-gu Shrine dNusku. H.C.
3299A (none) (none) B16488 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. 2 stamps, side and face. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11. 6-7: E As-an-bu the shrine of Enlil H.C.
3298A (none) (none) B16487 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. 2 stamps, side and face. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11. 6-7: E-sag-dug-ga the shrine of his Enlil-ship (=Lordship) H.C.
3297A (none) (none) B16486 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. 2 stamps, side and face. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11. 6-7: E-dAsur (the place of his royalty) H.C.
3296 (none) (none) B16485, B16485 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. 2 stamps: side and face. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11. 6-7: E An-ki-azag-ga where stands dAzag-sud. H.C.
3326 (none) (none) B16484, B16484 Sin-balatsu-iqbi 1/2 brick. Same text as U.3250. Variant 11.6-7: E-ab (sal?)-ban-da the shrine of dSu-zi-an-na he built. Side and face text. H.C.
3250 (none) (none) B16483 Half brick of Sin-balatsu-iqbi. Main stamp: To Nannar, king of the dEnlils, his king Sin-balatsu-iqbi, shakkanak of Ur, caretaker of Eridu, the E-gal En-nu-an-na (Palace heavenly fortress), the place where stands dNin-ka-si, he has built 8 lines. Side stamp: 7 lines. To Nannar, king of the Enlils... Omits mention of Nin-ka-si.
3252 (none) (none) B16477 Brick of Kurigalzu. To Nannar, his king, dKurigalzu mighty hero, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad E-kish-shir-gal, his beloved temple, has restored. H.C. in text: Kassite period(13)
2566B (none) (none) B16468A Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2566A (none) (none) B16467 Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2624 (none) (none) B16461 (none)
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Media: Ziggurat Terrace | ZT Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Media Media Title Title Label Author Omeka Label
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)
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)
UPM Field Photo numbers UPM Field Photo numbers (none) (none) (none)
Field Photographs Field Photographs GN0097 GN0097 (none)
Field Photographs Field Photographs GN0098 GN0098 (none)
Field Photographs Field Photographs GN0099 GN0099 (none)
  • 15 Media