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)
2566E (none) (none) (none) Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2566F (none) (none) (none) Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2566G (none) (none) (none) Baked brick of ISHME-DAGAN. Fragment. Ishme-Dagan, who takes care of Nippur, who exalts the head of Ur, the .... of Eridu, the lord of Uruk, the powerful king, (king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, the beloved husband of the goddess Ninni Only lines 1 to 7 are preserved. c. BC 2110.
2569B (none) (none) (none) Baked Brick. Stamp of "En-an-na-tum, the beloved pries of Nannar, High priest of Nannar, in Ur, son of Ishme-Dagan, King of Sumer and Akkad" (6 lines). Ishme-Dagan, king of Isin about BC 2100
2570 (none) (none) B16496, B16496 Baked brick. Broken. Drawing resembles cuneiform sign for wall tomb [drawing 1:2]
2569A (none) (none) B16542 Baked brick. Stamp for En-an-na-tum, the beloved priest of Nannar, high-priest of Nannar, in Ur, son of Ishme Dagan, king of Sumer, and Akkad. (6 lines) Ishme-Dagan, king of Isin about BC 2100. H.C. Brick (28) x 18 1/2 x 8 from cruciform building. Brick 28 x 28 x 8 cm. Stamp 76 x 45mm. H.C.
2569C (none) (none) (none) Baked Brick. Stamp of "En-an-na-tum, the beloved pries of Nannar, High priest of Nannar, in Ur, son of Ishme-Dagan, King of Sumer and Akkad" (6 lines). Ishme-Dagan, king of Isin about BC 2100
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
1263 (none) (none) (none) Barrel-shaped bead of baked clay, pierced lengthwise, and inscribed with 11 lines of a text (partly obliterated) relating to the dues of a temple for a 2 months of the year.
806 (none) 1923,1110.2 (none) Basalt hinge-stone. Inscribed with name, etc., of NABONIDUS. The fragments of the iron shoe of the door-post are still fixed in the stone.
17731 (none) (none) (none) Bead clay. [drawing 1:1]
17693 32-40-312 (none) (none) Bead. Steatite. Pierced lengthwise; series of scratchings. [drawing 1:1]
17743 32-40-313 (none) (none) Bead. Steatite. [drawing 1:1]
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.
1396B (none) 1924,0920.48 (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.
17842A (none) 1932,1008.117 (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842C (none) 1932,1008.6 (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842B (none) 1932,1008.118 (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842D (none) 1932,1008.122 (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842E (none) 1932,1008.124 (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842F (none) 1932,1008.132 (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842G 32-40-237 (none) (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842H 32-40-238 (none) (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.
17842I 32-40-240 (none) (none) Beads. A mixed lot. 192 carnelian bugles. 56 carnelian double conoids, lentoids and barrels. 11 large carnelian double conoids and facetted lentoids. 421 carnelian rings. 81 larger carnelian rings. 41 glazed frit balls. 43 lapis lazuli, rings, bugles, ovoids, small mixed beads, apatite (?) quartzite, shell, agate and crystal.

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

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