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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1355 | (none) | (none) | B15614, B15614 | Fragment from top of stem of large clay cone apparently of (Nur)-Adad, King of Ur and Larsa. Ends of 8 lines. P. |
| 1356 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of black diorite, with traces of an inscription, probably of the 3rd Dynasty of Ur. |
| 1396A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Beads. 3 strings made up from single horde: viz: A. 53 large beads. B. Many small beads and beads like miniature implements. C. Mainly small beads. |
| 1396C | (none) | (none) | (none) | Beads. 3 strings made up from single horde: viz: A. 53 large beads. B. Many small beads and beads like miniature implements. C. Mainly small beads. |
| 1401 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Seal(?) in form of small ring. Green glaze faience. [drawing 1:1] |
| 1515 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Large clay cone. Nearly complete, but surface damaged. Inscription of Warad-Sin, king of Larsa, duplicate of U.1200, etc. |
| 1518 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus. Fragments of 5 lines from column I of inscription duplicate of U.1111, etc. |
| 1521 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment from lip of small alabaster vase with trace of archaic inscription. |
| 1563 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Head. Brown clay: moulded. Beardless (female?) head in high relief, with flat headdress; much weathered. [drawing 1:1] |
| 1584A | (none) | (none) | B15754 | [A and B] Bronze models (?) In shape of canoes. 2 adhering, one inside the other, and fragment of others. [drawing 1:1] | |
| 1620 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Jar. Reddish clay, drab surface; wheelmadel with single handle. Broken off at neck. |
| 1625A | (none) | (none) | B15620, B15620, B15620 | Three (3) fragments of a black diorite monument, originally in shape of 4-sided pyramid, surmounted by a smaller body of the same shape. Around all sides of the lower pyramid runs a long inscription of New Babylonian date, concerning contracts for the building of a bit apti and the acquisition of the site for it, in the city of Ur. Found on New Babylonian floor level in N. corner between Nabonidus platform and the old wall. |
| 1631 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Conical seal. Clay. Surface of green glaze; with traces of incised design. Not with photo. [drawing 1:1] |
| 1635 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus. Duplicate of U.1111, etc., containing last 12 lines of column I. |
| 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. |
| 1664 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of brick, with part of first 5 lines of inscription of Sin-balatsu-igbi. |
| 1700 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Glass paste fragments. Blue and yellow bands. |
| 1701 | (none) | (none) | B15732 | Stone Weight. Black stone. Cigar shaped with 6 incised strokes. Type II |
| 1702 | (none) | (none) | B15812 | Bowl. Fine drab clay; wheelmade; with raised decoration imitating metal form; (in fragments) |
| 1712 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment from middle of a small baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus, containing parts of both columns duplicate of U.1111, etc. |
| 2518 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Bronze safety pin. Pin missing, back only. [drawing] |
| 2524 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Vase. Light red clay = Wheel made. Fragment. The outer face decorated, after turning, with a heavy fluting in imitation of metal. Only part of body services and shape is conjectural. [drawing 1:2] |
| 2538 | 29-174-12 | (none) | (none) | Clay Pot. Pinkish drab ware. Found with U.2558 A+B. Type CXX. =P.121. Type drawing in album. | |
| 2539 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay bowl. Pinkish drab ware. Type CXXI =RC.3 =P.29 =L.11a |
| 2549 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper Animal. Genus unknown: head, near foreleg and parts of other legs missing. [drawing 1:1] |
| 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) |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0097 | GN0097 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0098 | GN0098 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0099 | GN0099 | (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) |
- 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.