Mud bricks were the primary building blocks at Ur. Most were sun-dried but some were intentionally baked to make them more stable. Baked bricks were typically used in building foundations and as facing to important public buildings, but they were also used extensively in some house walls, especially in the Isin-Larsa/Old Babylonian period. Those used in public buildings were often stamped with a building dedication and the name of the king, and the bricks that were collected from the field are almost exclusively of this type. A few bricks have other impressions in them, such as dog paw prints or inscribed lines imitating gaming boards.

Bricks were rectangular, square, or plano-convex and their sizes sometimes varied with time period, though direct temporal indicators are not clear simply from brick measurements. For Brick Stamps see Stamps/Sealings under Economic/Administrative. 

Objects: Bricks 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)
2725 (none) (none) (none) Brick of Sin-i-din-na-am king of Larsa. Broken. Text: To Nannar, eldest son of Enlil dSin-i-din-na-am, shepherd of justice_ _ _ who takes care of Ur, king (of Larsa). H.C.
2728 (none) (none) B16562 Broken brick with graphic plan or game? P.35. In text: 3rd Dynasty Terrace (13) and Fig. [drawing 1:2]
2779 (none) (none) B16498 Baked brick with drawing diagram or game (Cp. U.2728) Two finger deep holes about 4cm. [drawing 1:2]
2808 (none) (none) (none) 1/2 Brick of Kurigalzu. 2 inscriptions
2811 (none) (none) (none) Brick with drawing game or plan. Frag. [drawing 1:2]
2812 (none) (none) (none) Brick with geometrical drawing. Build squares of 6 x 10. Nabonidus period. In text: Neo-Babylonian Period (14)
2817 (none) (none) B16544, B16544 Brick of En-an-na-tum-ma. Fragment. Same inscription as U.2569 except line 3 which is omitted. H.C.
2833A (none) (none) B16475 Brick of Silli-Adad. Broken -Inscription complete (cf. U.2669) :To Nannar, his king, Si-li dAdad who takes care of Nippur, patesi of Ur, Larsa Lagash, and the land og Gish-ta-al-laki (or Semetic: Is-ta-atla?), the foundation of E-Temen-ni-ilm I ordered to its place, I restored. H.C.
2833B (none) (none) B16547 Brick of Silli-Adad. Broken -Inscription complete (cf. U.2669) :To Nannar, his king, Si-li dAdad who takes care of Nippur, patesi of Ur, Larsa Lagash, and the land og Gish-ta-al-laki (or Semetic: Is-ta-atla?), the foundation of E-Temen-ni-ilm I ordered to its place, I restored. H.C.
2861A (none) (none) B16466 Two bricks of Bur Sin. (A) Complete text in 2 Columns (Duplicate on sides) (B) Only 2nd column
2861B (none) (none) (none) Two bricks of Bur Sin. (A) Complete text in 2 Columns (Duplicate on sides) (B) Only 2nd column
2862 (none) (none) B16495 (none)
2862A (none) (none) B16495 [A-B] 2 bricks of Nabonidus. Building of E-nun-mah the fortress (bit himilisi and not ul-si) in side of Egish-shir-gal for Ningal his lady. H.C.
2862B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] 2 bricks of Nabonidus. Building of E-nun-mah the fortress (bit himilisi and not ul-si) in side of Egish-shir-gal for Ningal his lady. H.C.
2863 (none) (none) (none) (none)
2863A (none) (none) B16494 [A-B] 2 bricks of Nabonidus. Building of E lugal malga-si-di the Ziggurat of E-gish-shir-gal at Ur. H.C.
2863B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] 2 bricks of Nabonidus. Building of E lugal malga-si-di the Ziggurat of E-gish-shir-gal at Ur. H.C.
2864 (none) (none) (none) Brick of Nebuchadnezzar II. Buildingg of Egish shir gal. H.C.
2877 (none) (none) B16482, B16482 Brick of ^dAdad-apal-i-din-nam. Restoration of Egish-shir-gal. H.C.
2878A (none) (none) B16459 Brick of Ur-Engur. To Nin azag-nun-na, built her house (shrine). H.C.
2878B (none) (none) B16529 Brick of Ur-Engur. To Nin azag-nun-na, built her house (shrine). H.C.
2879 (none) (none) (none) Brick of (NurAdad) Broken (only lower part) Restoration of the shrine of Enki the beloved ki-ku-azag, and its kiskannu. H.C.
2880A (none) (none) B16535 Brick of Dungi. Dun-gi, mighty hero, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, E-har-sag, his beloved house, has built. H.C.
2880B (none) (none) B16535B Brick of Dungi. "Dun-gi, mighty hero, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, E-har-sag, his beloved house, has built." H.C.
2880C (none) (none) B16536 Brick of Dungi. "Dun-gi, mighty hero, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, E-har-sag, his beloved house, has built." H.C.

Related Terms

Cones - Door/Gate Sockets - Drain Pipes