CLAR 241:

The Archaeology of the Ancient Near East

© 2010 G. Kenneth Sams and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Study Outline #2

Uruk, Jemdet-Nasr, and Early Dynastic Periods

(Click here for map, courtesy of The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago.)

Uruk (Warka) Period (ca. 4000-3100)

(click here for on-site Uruk-Period images)

Architecture

• Eridu: Temples 5-1 of Enki. Temples 2-1 (ca. 3300-3100) on raised mudbrick platform, in anticipation of the ziggurat.
• Uruk (Warka, Erech of the Bible): Pillar Temple in the Eanna Sanctuary, dedicated to the goddess Inanna; cone mosaics.

Small Finds

• Earliest examples of writing, found at Uruk, ca. 3300-3100: pictographs ancestral to cuneiform.
• Earliest appearance of the cylinder seal.

Jemdet-Nasr Period (ca. 3100-2900)

(click here for on-site Jemdet-Nasr-Period images)

Architecture

• Uruk: so-called "White Temple" of the sky god Anu. A "high temple" on a ziggurat. Earlier phases go back into Uruk and Ubaid Periods.
• Tell Brak (Habur region, northern Mesopotamia): "Eye Temple."
• Khafaje (Diyala region): temple of the moon god Sin, phases 1-5.
• Tell Asmar (Eshnunna, Diyala region): temple of the vegetation god Abu, earliest phase.

Small Finds

• from Uruk:
  • lion-hunting stele
  • alabaster relief vase
  • relief trough
  • limestone head
  • shell-inlaid stone vessel
• earliest texts definitely in the Sumerian language

Painted Jemdet-Nasr jar from the Sin temple at Khafaje. Oriental Institute, University of Chicago.

Early Dynastic Period: the First Sumerian Dynasties (ca. 2900-2370)

(click here for on-site Early Dynastic images)

Early Dynastic (ED) I, the pre-flood rulers (ca. 2900-2750)

• Khafaje: Sin temple, phases 6-7.
• Tell Asmar: Archaic temple of Abu.

Early Dynastic II, the first post-flood rulers (ca. 2750-2650)

Architecture

• Khafaje: "Temple Oval" with high temple.
• Tell Asmar: Square temple of Abu; deposit of worshipper figurines.

  Small Finds

• Khafaje: chlorite relief vase (pyxis).
• Tell Agrab: pottery stand
• Telloh (ancient Girsu): stone mace head of King Mesilim of Kish.

Early Dynastic III (ca. 2650-2370)

Also known as the First Dynasty of Ur. The first century of this period was probably the time of Gilgamesh of Uruk, the first prominent figure in Near Eastern literature.

Ram in thicket from the Royal Cemetery of Ur (ED III); gold and lapis lazuli. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.	Restored harp from the Royal Cemetery of Ur (ED III); gold, lapis lazuli and shell (inlay). University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

• worshipper figurines from a number of sites, including Ur and Mari.
• votive relief plaques, including those of:
  • Ur-Nanshe, ensi or king of Lagash, from Telloh.
  • the priest Du-Du, from Telloh.
• Vulture Stele of King Eannatum of Lagash, from Telloh: depicts the god Ningirsu and the conquest of the city of Umma.
• bronze portal relief of the god Imdugud, from Ubaid.
• the Royal Cemetery of Ur:
  • grave of Queen Shubad (Pu-Ab)
  • gold helmet of Mes-kalem-dug
  • so-called "Standard of Ur"

   

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