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)
2881 (none) (none) B16533 Bricks of dDungi. dDungi, mighty hero, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad H.C.
2882A (none) (none) B16476 Brick of Kudur-Mabug. To Nannar, his king. Kudur-ma0bu-uk-adda of the Martu land, son of Si-im-li-shi-il-ba-ak, when Nannar had exauced [sic?] his prayers, he built the Ga-nun-mah of nannar, for his life and that of his son Warad-Sin, king of Larsa. H.C. text: E-nun-mah (8)
2882B (none) (none) B16550 Brick of Kudur-Mabug. To Nannar, his king. Kudur-ma0bu-uk-adda of the Martu land, son of Si-im-li-shi-il-ba-ak, when Nannar had exauced [sic?] his prayers, he built the Ga-nun-mah of nannar, for his life and that of his son Warad-Sin, king of Larsa. H.C. text: E-nun-mah (8)
2883 84-26-131 (none) B16560 Bricks of Nabonidus. House of the priestess. Nabonidus, king of Babylon who adorns E-sag-i-la and Ezida, the E-gig-par, the house of the priestess, which is inside of Ur, for Sin, my lord I built. H.C.
2891 (none) (none) B16465, B16465 Brick of Bur Sin/ Building temple of En-ki the Apsu. (SAKI p.196. Brick C) H.C.
2894 (none) (none) (none) Brick with cross lines of a plan or game. [drawing]
3081A (none) (none) B16531A [A-D] Brick of Ur-Engur. To Anu king of gods, his king, Ur Engur, king of Ur, has planted the great orchard, the shrine the pure location, he has builtt. Cf. SAKI p.186F. H.C.
3081B (none) (none) B16532 [A-C] Brick of Ur-Engur. "To Anu, king of gods, his king, ur-engur king of ur has planted the great orchard the shrine." the pure location he has built of SAKI p. 186.F
3081C (none) 1927,1003.270 (none) [A-D] brick of UR-Engur. "To Anu, king of gods, his king, Ur-Engur king of Ur, has planted the great orchard the shrine the pure location, he has built, of SAKI."
3081D (none) (none) B16531B [A-D] brick of UR-Engur. "To Anu, king of gods, his king, Ur-Engur king of Ur, has planted the great orchard the shrine the pure location, he has built, of SAKI."
3081E (none) (none) B16462 [A-E] Brick of Ur-Engur. To Anu king of gods, his king, Ur Engur, king of Ur, has planted the great orchard, the shrine the pure location, he has builtt. Cf. SAKI p.186F. H.C.
3081F (none) 1927,1003.268 (none) [A-F] Brick of Ur-Engur. To Anu king of gods, his king, Ur Engur, king of Ur, has planted the great orchard, the shrine the pure location, he has builtt. Cf. SAKI p.186F. 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]
3130A (none) (none) (none) Brick of dAddad-apal-idinnam, 11 lines inscription. Restores E-gish-shir-gal. H.C.
3130B (none) 1924,0920.252 (none) Brick of Adad-apal-idinnam. 11 lines inscriptoin. Restores E-gish-shir.gal.
3131 (none) (none) (none) Baked clay brick fragment. With drawing. [drawing]
3132 (none) (none) B16527, B16527 Brick of Ur-Engur. King of Ur - who uilt the House of Nannar. H.C.
3133A (none) (none) B16458 Ur-Engur bricks. Inscript of SAKI p.186 Backstein C. Several samples. H.C.
3133B (none) (none) B16528 Ur-Engur bricks. Inscript of SAKI p.186 Backstein C. Several samples. H.C.
3135 (none) (none) (none) (none)
3135A (none) (none) B16537A [A-B] Brick of Bur-Sin. Cf. SAKI. P. 196. Backstein B.
3135B (none) (none) B16537B [A-B] Brick of Bur-Sin. Cf. SAKI. P. 196. Backstein B.
3136 (none) (none) (none) Moulded Brick. Fragment. [drawing 1:4]
3137 (none) (none) (none) Moulded brick. [drawing 1:8]
3138 (none) (none) (none) Moulded brick. [drawing 1:8]

Related Terms

Cones - Door/Gate Sockets - Drain Pipes