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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 18346 | (none) | 1933,1013.78 | (none) | Cylinder seal of dark purple glazed glazed frit. Two trees (?) and pomegranates (?) |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 1152 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Persian(?) 2 gryphons facing palm tree. [drawing] |
| 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. |
| 18587 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Shell. Much decayed. A naked hero, kneeling, holds two antelopes by their hind legs. Archaic style. |
| 18264 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. White frit once glazed but the glaze all perished. Gazelle and man. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 2750 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door-socket of Ur Engur. ?king of Ur, who has built the house of Nannar. |
| 2771 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Door-socket. Ur-Engur. Bluish stone (flakes easily) usual inscription. In text: 3rd Dynasty Terrace(12) |
| 18584 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Duck weight. Hematite. |
| 17729 | 32-40-458 | (none) | (none) | Ear stud. Clay [drawing 1:1] |
| 17764 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ear studs. Clay. [drawing 1:1] |
| 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] | |
| 17834 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Figurine of seated calf. White calcite. Usual attitude, body in profile. Left hand turned over shoulder to face outwards. |
| 2571 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Figurine. Drab clay. Nude female, suckling child; head and legs missing. Depth 2-5m [drawing 1:1] |
| 2523 | (none) | 1935,0113.50 | (none) | Figurine. Light drab clay. Pig. Hand modeled, very rough. [drawing] |
| 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
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.