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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3249C | (none) | 1927,1003.16 | (none) | [A-M] 13 Clay cones of Sin-balatsu-iqbi. To Nin-gal the great lion of E-gish-shir-gal the lady of the beloved crown (Nin-men-na) of Ur, his lady, Sin-balatsu-iqbi, vice regent of Ur, has built anew the Gig-par shrine of Nin-lil, the beloved bride of Sin. A statue representing Nin-gal he had made. In the shrine of dHU-DU (the god who knows = her husband?) he introduced it. In E-nir- (or E-nun) the place erected for her rites, he fixed it. H.C. |
| 3249B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-M] 13 Clay cones of Sin-balatsu-iqbi. To Nin-gal the great lion of E-gish-shir-gal the lady of the beloved crown (Nin-men-na) of Ur, his lady, Sin-balatsu-iqbi, vice regent of Ur, has built anew the Gig-par shrine of Nin-lil, the beloved bride of Sin. A statue representing Nin-gal he had made. In the shrine of dHU-DU (the god who knows = her husband?) he introduced it. In E-nir- (or E-nun) the place erected for her rites, he fixed it. H.C. |
| 3249A | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-M] 13 Clay cones of Sin-balatsu-iqbi. To Nin-gal the great lion of E-gish-shir-gal the lady of the beloved crown (Nin-men-na) of Ur, his lady, Sin-balatsu-iqbi, vice regent of Ur, has built anew the Gig-par shrine of Nin-lil, the beloved bride of Sin. A statue representing Nin-gal he had made. In the shrine of dHU-DU (the god who knows = her husband?) he introduced it. In E-nir- (or E-nun) the place erected for her rites, he fixed it. H.C. |
| 3246 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Stone mould. For beads etc. in text: Neo-Babylonian period(14) |
| 3244 | (none) | 1927,1003.7 | (none) | Gudea Foundation Tablet. Soapstone. To dNindar, the priest king, his king, Gudea, patesi of Lagash has built his beloved house, E-lal-tum (House where honey is brought), his KI-AB-DI-KI H.C. |
| 3243 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Bronze dress pin. Long and thin with sharp point and slightly flattened head. Present length (highly bent): 156mm. Diameter: 4mm. |
| 3239 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Bitumen fragment covered with blue coloring matter. Color doubtfully from lapis lazuli powder more probably copper. |
| 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. |
| 3172 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ur-Engur Door-socket. Usual inscription. In text: Kassite period (14) |
| 3161 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Brick of Sin-balatsu-igbi. 12 lines inscription. |
| 3158 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Votive stone of Utu-hegal (BC 2350). Fragment diorite. Text: (To Nin-)gal, (beloved wife of) Sin, (his lady), (for) the life, of Utu-hegal, king of Uruk, king of the (4 regions of the world) Ur ( dEngur?) vice [regent] of Ur, (to) the mother of E-gish(-shir)-gal in Ur... utu Hegal, king of the Vth uruk Dynasty before Ur dEngur. H.C. |
| 3148B | (none) | (none) | (none) | Brick of Sinbalatsu igbi. Fragment. H.C. |
| 3148A | (none) | (none) | B16559 | Brick of Sinbalatsu igbi. Fragment. H.C. |
| 3148 | (none) | (none) | B16559 | (none) |
| 3140 | (none) | 1927,1003.100 | (none) | Copper staple. With eye presumably for suspension [drawing 1:1] |
| 3127 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Polished celt. Of dark blue stone, pierced at top. [drawing 1:1] |
| 3125 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Gold bead. With bitumen core blocking one hole. One end bent in. Spherical bead. In text: Neo-Babylonian period (7) in Cat. |
| 3122B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A] Pottery vase. Of pinkish ware with narrow base opening out to splayed foot. Type CXCIII. =RC.74, =L9b. (B) Thinner. |
| 3122A | 29-174-3 | (none) | (none) | [A] Pottery vase. Of pinkish ware with narrow base opening out to splayed foot. Type CXCIII. =RC.74, =L9b. (B) Thinner. | |
| 3120 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Small pot of bitumen. Sketch pattern 1:1. [drawing 1:1] |
| 3115 | (none) | 1927,1003.271 | (none) | Sinidinnam Brick (18 lines). Has mark [reference double crescent drawing] The mighty hero who takes care of Ur king of Larsa, who restores the rites of Ur of Eridu. Ga-nun-mah from ancient days the previous kings had restored . On the [word erased] of Nannar the sublime king the sanctuary ( ) For the life of... and for my life I did build. [drawing] |
| 3112 | (none) | 1927,1003.42 | (none) | Cone of Warad-Sin. Fragment. Variation of inscription: SAKI p.212 B. |
| 3108 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Imitation celt. Of white stone, perhaps originally as pendant. In text: Neo-Babylonian period (14). |
| 3105 | (none) | 1927,1003.20 | (none) | Gudean clay cone. Fragment. To Nina, the priestess lady, lady of In-dubba, his lady, Gudea, patesi of Lagash, has done the proper thing? Cf. SAKI p.142 Backstein H. |
| 3079 | (none) | 1927,1003.67 | (none) | Polished celt. Of dark green stone. [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.