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)
2724 (none) (none) (none) Clay tablet. Dated: 26th of Ezen Nin-a-zu. Period of Larsa Dynasty ? Text: List of proper names (pay list?)
2722 (none) (none) (none) Shell fish. Pierced for suspension. [drawing 1:1]
2721 (none) 1927,1003.235 (none) Shell mask. Grotesque, pierced for suspension. [drawing 1:1]
2711 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2711: Rough clay bulla. Marks of string and a few signs pa-al the shabrau, official in charge of temple cultures.
2710 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2710: Fragment = (Date ?) Receipt?
2709 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2709: Fragment = ma e
2708 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2708: Receipt for barly
2707 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2707: Account of offerings (gi-nu-u) day by day.
2706 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2706: List of slaves and hirelings.
2705 (none) (none) (none) [U.2705 through U.2711 were listed on the same catalog card] Clay tablets. Fragments. Persian Period -- probably Cambyses. U.2705: Comptability: barley, corn, etc.
2695 (none) (none) (none) Clay tablet. Pillow shaped. Roughly moulded, unbaked 3 finger print at the back. Dated on Cambyses king of Babylon king of the whole land. (10th year?)
2672 (none) 1927,1003.264 (none) Obsidian arrowhead (?) Roughly chipped. [drawing 1:1]
2669 (none) 1927,1003.267 (none) Brick of Silli-Adad. Fragment. Text: To nannar, his king. Si-li dAdad caretaker of Nippur, patesi of Ur, Larsa, Lagash, and the land ( )-al-lakia (the E)temen-ni-il?. Silli-Adad of Larsa predecessor of Arad Sin about BC 2168 (Th.D) H.C.
2668 (none) 1927,1003.232 (none) Gold crescent. Thin sheet metal. [drawing]
2666 (none) (none) (none) Flint arrowhead. Finely chipped. [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]
2654B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] Clay vases. Buff clay, unglazed. B fragmentary & greenish. Type CXXXII. (not p) Assocd with U.2635 A & B.
2654A 29-174-22 (none) (none) [A-B] Clay vases. Buff clay, unglazed. B fragmentary & greenish. Type CXXXII. (not p) Assocd with U.2635 A & B.
2651 (none) (none) (none) Barrel shaped clay cone of Arad-Sin. Fragment Col II 11-25. CF U.2528, U.2565, U.2612, U.2613, U.2617, U.2622
2648 (none) 1927,1003.12 (none) Clay cone of Ur-Engur. Text: To Nannar strong bull of heaven, eldest son of Enlil, his king, has Ur-Engur, the mighty hero, the king of Ur built E-temen-ni-il Found in position in a mud brick.
2642 (none) (none) (none) Clay pot. Drab clay. Type drawing in album. Type CXXXI. =P.68 [drawing]
2638 (none) (none) (none) Pot fragment. Marble, with him in low relief, standing on brick pavement. [drawing 1:2]
2637 (none) 1927,1003.39 (none) Clay cone. Fragment of stem. Half of column II(?) Date ?? King of Larsa. Text: (x--) babbar Ab (ancient?) of E-Babbar / Fix destiny / decisions / --- / army of Larsa / may? / its food prosper / its good? / its harvester.. / be prosperous? H.C.
2636 (none) 1927,1003.120 (none) Clay flower(?) pot. Pinkish ware, unglazed : pierced at bottom. Type CXXX. Type drawing in album. [drawing]
2635B (none) (none) (none) Pottery vase. Unglazed greenish buff clay. Type CXXIX =L. (not p) Associated with U.2654

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

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