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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3308 | (none) | 1927,1003.231 | (none) | Gold disk. Small, of plain unadorned leaf. In text: Kassite period (15) in cat. |
| 2668 | (none) | 1927,1003.232 | (none) | Gold crescent. Thin sheet metal. [drawing] |
| 2721 | (none) | 1927,1003.235 | (none) | Shell mask. Grotesque, pierced for suspension. [drawing 1:1] |
| 2826 | (none) | 1927,1003.242 | (none) | Fragment of inlay. Shell, pierced at back for fixing and part of presentation scene; both figures have crowns and long hair and one carries a wand. Probably 1st Dynasty. [drawing 1:1] |
| 2563 | (none) | 1927,1003.256 | (none) | Fragment of lapis-lazuli. From inlay: representing man's curled beard. Pierced at back for fixing. [drawing 1:1] |
| 2806A | (none) | 1927,1003.260 | (none) | Small cones. Gypsum compound? (A) lacks part of head and is broken at side. (B) lacks point. [drawing 1:1] |
| 2806B | (none) | 1927,1003.261 | (none) | Small cones. Gypsum compound? (A) lacks part of head and is broken at side. (B) lacks point. [drawing 1:1] |
| 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. |
| 3299B | (none) | 1927,1003.269 | (none) | 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. |
| 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] |
| 2755B | (none) | 1927,1003.31 | (none) | Cone of Nu-ur Adad. Fragment. "To Nannar, crown of heaven, the ..., Eldest son of Enlil, Nuur." (Adad) the mighty hero, who takes care of Ur." |
| 2769 | (none) | 1927,1003.32 | (none) | Clay cone fragment. King of Larsa? Last lines of Column I -e-bar-bar-ra sul dUtu sa(g) azag gza-a. H.C. |
| 2576 | (none) | 1927,1003.35 | (none) | Clay cone of Ibi-Sin. Fragment. -About BC 2190. Text: "dIbi-ilSin, god of the "country, (powerful) king, king (of Ur) "king (of Sumer and Akkad)? "- 6 or 7 lines missing - two last lines "illegible." H.C. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 3112 | (none) | 1927,1003.42 | (none) | Cone of Warad-Sin. Fragment. Variation of inscription: SAKI p.212 B. |
| 3295 | (none) | 1927,1003.65 | (none) | Stone crescent. Pink marble, bored for insertion of standard pole. Sketch 1:2/ in text: Neo-Babylonian period (13) in Cat. [drawing 1:2] |
| 3079 | (none) | 1927,1003.67 | (none) | Polished celt. Of dark green stone. [drawing 1:1] |
| 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. |
| 3279 | (none) | 1927,1003.77 | (none) | Fragment of stone vase. White obsidian finely polished. |
| 2807 | (none) | 1927,1003.78 | (none) | Fragment of polished vase. Black obsidian. [drawing 1:1] |
| 3340 | (none) | 1927,1003.79 | (none) | Half-bead mould. Limestone, for bead with scarab design. In text: Neo-Babylonian period (14). [Additional note on back regarding dinner plans] [drawing 1:1] | |
| 3026 | (none) | 1927,1003.91 | (none) | Bronze implement. Genus unknown : both ends flattened. In text: Neo-Babylonian period (10) and Fig. | |
| 2618 | (none) | 1927,1003.95 | (none) | Copper ingot. Well preserved but uninscribed. [drawing 1:2] |
| Media | Media Title | Title | Label | Author | Omeka Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0097 | GN0097 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0098 | GN0098 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0099 | GN0099 | (none) | |
| UPM Field Photo numbers | UPM Field Photo numbers | (none) | (none) | (none) |
| Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | 1955 | Woolley, L. | (none) |
| Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | 1939 | Woolley Leonard | (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.