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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 17627A | (none) | 1932,1008.8 | (none) | [A-B] Copper cylinders. A pair. Solid metal, entirely covered with inscription in vertical lines (not the same size). Name of NUR-ADAD. |
| 17627B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-B] Copper cylinders. A pair. Solid metal, entirely covered with inscription in vertical lines (not the same size). Name of NUR-ADAD. |
| 17626A | 32-40-437, 32-40-437 | (none) | (none) | [A-B] Copper cylinders. A pair. Solid metal, entirely carved with inscription in vertical lines. Name of NUR-ADAD. | |
| 17626B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-B] Copper cylinders. A pair. Solid metal, entirely carved with inscription in vertical lines. Name of NUR-ADAD. |
| 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. | |
| 2654B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-B] Clay vases. Buff clay, unglazed. B fragmentary & greenish. Type CXXXII. (not p) Assocd with U.2635 A & B. |
| 17680A | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-B] 2 obsidian ear studs. [drawing 1:1] |
| 17680B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-B] 2 obsidian ear studs. [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] | |
| 1584B | (none) | (none) | B15755 | [A and B] Bronze models (?) In shape of canoes. 2 adhering, one inside the other, and fragment of others. [drawing 1:1] | |
| 18338 | (none) | 1933,1013.93 | (none) | Wig of dark steatite, for a small male figure the wig is complete. The hair is parted down the middle, then confined by three broad braided tresses wound roudn the head: a fringe comes over the forehead: the back hair falls in a plaited mass over the shoulders. |
| 2805 | (none) | (none) | (none) | White obsidian nail. Head broken. [drawing 1:1] |
| 17752 | 32-40-127 | (none) | (none) | Weight. Haematite. Square cut. Type II. [drawing 1:1] ZT. not req_d for vol. V | |
| 17654A | (none) | (none) | (none) | Wall cones. Two [A-B] of Warad-Sin = complete. Cf. Ur inscription 131. (A) is intact (B) is broken, and a large flake has come away from the stem, so that about 1/3 of the inscription is missing: this happened before the cone was set in the wall. |
| 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. |
| 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] |
| 2761A | (none) | (none) | B16676 | Ur-Nammu Stela. Stone stele fragments. Fine limestone: six fragments, [following text is struck through] giving horizontal division of stele. Upper two bear lower part of skirt & two finely modelled feet & conventional river of Ea, seated on throne. Lower register divine headdress, spear (?) & tree. Whole of fine workmanship. Upper register fragg. A. & C.: lower B. [end strike-through] For details see following page. In text: Ur-Nammu Stela and Kassite period 4. (A) Division between registers, one foot of top register figure and top of tree in lower register. (B) do. With part of throne top register & god's headdress in lower. (C) 2nd foot & part of skirt & throne of top register fig. (D) part of throne top register. (E) Lower part of headdress of god (2nd reg.) & hair. (F) Rest of god from 2nd reg. seated on throne before conventional tree in pot into which king is pouring libation (this connects with U.3264A) 3rd reg. upper parts of 3 figg: minor deity introducing king who bears mason's tools supported behind by priest or slave. | |
| 2761B | (none) | (none) | B16676 | Ur-Nammu Stela. Stone stele fragments. Fine limestone: six fragments, [following text is struck through] giving horizontal division of stele. Upper two bear lower part of skirt & two finely modelled feet & conventional river of Ea, seated on throne. Lower register divine headdress, spear (?) & tree. Whole of fine workmanship. Upper register fragg. A. & C.: lower B. [end strike-through] For details see following page. In text: Ur-Nammu Stela and Kassite period 4. (A) Division between registers, one foot of top register figure and top of tree in lower register. (B) do. With part of throne top register & god's headdress in lower. (C) 2nd foot & part of skirt & throne of top register fig. (D) part of throne top register. (E) Lower part of headdress of god (2nd reg.) & hair. (F) Rest of god from 2nd reg. seated on throne before conventional tree in pot into which king is pouring libation (this connects with U.3264A) 3rd reg. upper parts of 3 figg: minor deity introducing king who bears mason's tools supported behind by priest or slave. | |
| 3172 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ur-Engur Door-socket. Usual inscription. In text: Kassite period (14) |
| 3261 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ur-Engur Door-socket. Usual inscription. |
| 3032 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ur-Engur Door-socket. Common in scripot: builder of E-Nannar. In text: Kassite period(13) |
| 2772 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Ur-Engur Door-socket. Bluish stone. Usual inscription. In text: 3rd Dynasty Terrace(12) |
| 18352 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tortoise of grey steatite. L. 23mm |
| 17837 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Toilet vase. White calcite. Two small jars joined together each contains yellow pigment. [drawing] |
| 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. |
| 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
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Context
Ur > Ziggurat Terrace | ZT
References
Woolley, L. . (1955) Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods, Oxford: Oxford University Press.