#ur iii

[bronzeageecho]

statuette of a seated goddess | c. 2000 BCE | ur (modern-day iraq), third dynasty

in the staatliche museen zu berlin collection

[bagdemagus]

Figurine depicting a standing woman Terracotta Excavated at Tell Asmar (ancient Eshnunna), Iraq Ur III or Isin-Larsa period, ca. 2100-1900 BCE

Metropolitan Museum of Art, 51.25.12

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Cuneiform tablet.

Period: Ur III Period (21st century B.C.), reign of Amar-Suen

Medium: Clay

[dam-nugig]

Festival of Inanna in Nippur

Sixth month of Nippur calendar, which is approximately our August - September, was called Kin-Inanna, meaning Work of Inanna (alternatively Oracular decision of Inanna). The name of the month is attested already in Early Dynastic period (2900-2350 BC), but the main source of information about festival connected with it comes from Ur III period. The central part of the festival was held for 15 days from the 12th to 25th day of the month and was marked by the arrival of the statue of the goddess back at her temple from the visits in sancuraies of Enlil in Nippur and Suen (Nanna) in Ur. This occasion was celebrated in a series of rites taking place in the courtyard where the cult statue was stationed, before it was placed in the cella again where it remained for the rest of the year. This occasion was not only religious, but social event as well for many administrators, cultic functionaries, and associates of the temple were attending it and were supplied with bread and beer from temple's resources. 

The festival comprised of 4 main phases:

Visit of Inanna to Enlil in Nippur and Suen (Nanna) in Ur (Day 5-11)

Early offerinngs marking upcomming main part of the festival (Day 12-14)

Main ceremonies held on full moon (Day 15)

Courtyard offering ceremonies to Enlil, Inanna and other deities (Day 16-27)

Early in the month Inanna’s statue traveled to Enlil’s temple E-kur and Suen's temple in Ur. This happened around the 5th day and on the 12th day of the month the statue returned back to the temple. From then the main phase of the festival begun, but in a meantime, certain prescribed chores were carried out. Those included cleaning the temple, preparing offerings of dates and flour so they could be delivered for “early offering” ceremony to the temple of Enlil on the 12th day. 

After that, on the 14th day, the first "Elevation" offering was performed, during which offerings of various foodstufs and animals were presented to Enlil, Inanna and several other deities. On the 15 the day of the month, during the full moon, the festival reached its highpoint.  For that occasion Inanna’s statue was cleaned (the text even states that she “bathed herself”) and the main event of “presenting the gift” of a young goat to Inanna was held.

Relief Fragment with Male Figures Carrying Goats Before a Ruler

Following that, the cultic activities of regular offerings to the courtyard began with a purification ritual involving fire, so called torch ceremony "ge-izi-lá". From the 16th day up to at least the 25th day the "courtyard offerings" of sheep, various types of flour, dates, fish and birds for Enlil, Inanna and other deities and deified kings were carried out almost every day.

The festival seems to have been concluded by second "elevation" ritual, held on the 20th to 21st day, labeled as "perfected (?) deity", although offerings for the courtyard continued up until the 25th day.

Sources:

Sallaberger, W. - Zettler, L. R. 2011,  Inana’s Festival at Nippur under the Third Dynasty of Ur, Zeitschrift für Assyriologie Bd. 101, 1-71. Ur III Calendars at CDLI Babylonian calendar

[littleshinyelf]

back to work. not too sure about this one yet but i need to move on to the next one

[dwellerinthelibrary]

Two goddesses escort a worshipper to the throne of a deified king on this cylinder seal from Babylon, now at the British Museum.

[archaicwonder]

Extremely Rare Neo-Sumerian Palace Messenger Tablet from Iri-Sagrig, Dated 2027 BC

A clay pillow-shaped messenger tablet from an important palace archive of the Sumerian city Iri-Saĝrig, dated to 2027 BC, with cuneiform text on both sides: "1 roasted mutton, 5 sila soup Ur-šu-suen, chancellor’s assistant when he came for the ’secretary’ of Nana’s field; 3 sila soup, 2 fish Laqipum, cup bearer, royal messenger when he went for royal offerings; 1 sila soup, 1 fish Suškin, royal messenger when he came from Der to the king’s place; 1 sila soup, 1 fish Kuganum, royal messenger; /REVERSE/ 1 sila soup, 1 fish Ilianum, royal messenger when they went to Der; 1 sila soup, 1 fish Namhani, royal messenger; 1 sila soup, 1 fish Lu-šulgira, royal messenger when they came to the governor’s place; 2 sila soup, 2 fishŠugatum, royal messenger when he came to capture fugitive soldier-workers, servants of Ninhursag; 1 sila soup, 1 fish Pululu, eguary when he went for the sikum-mules; A disbursement for the month Nigenlila, 19th day."

This text dates to the second year of King Ibbi-Sin, the last king of the Ur III. The text is particularly rare because almost all of the named messengers are followed by a description their mission: "Suškin, royal messenger when he came from Der to the king’s place." The tablet records rations of food and drink distributed by the government to royal messengers. According to Prof. David Owen the Iri-Saĝrig archive is probably the archive of the governor whose office was in the local palace. The king and other members of the royal family occasionally traveled to Iri-Saĝrig, perhaps on their way to or from Nippur or other towns. No town in Sumer was visited more often by the king than Iri-Saĝrig. This may explain the presence of so many royal functionaries associated with the town.

[littleshinyelf]

Still working on character designs, feels nice to draw men for a change !