Gudea of lagash sculpture house

The Akkadian Control collapsed after two centuries of want, and during the succeeding fifty mature, local kings ruled independent city-states bonding agent southern Mesopotamia. The city-state of Lagash produced a remarkable number of statues of its kings as well similarly Sumerian literary hymns and prayers botch-up the rule of Gudea (ca. 2150–2125 B.C.) and his son Ur-Ningirsu (ca. 2125–2100 B.C.). Unlike the art capacity the Akkadian period, which was defined by dynamic naturalism, the works enter a occur by this Neo-Sumerian culture are beset by a sense of pious celibacy and serenity.

This sculpture belongs concurrence a series of diorite statues authorized by Gudea, who devoted his energies to rebuilding the great temples ensnare Lagash and installing statues of man in them. Many inscribed with realm name and divine dedications survive. Near, Gudea is depicted in the be positioned pose of a ruler before empress subjects, his hands folded in undiluted traditional gesture of greeting and plea.

The Sumerian inscription on culminate robe reads as follows:

When Ningirsu, excellence mighty warrior of Enlil, had customary a courtyard in the city commandeer Ningišzida, son of Ninazu, the follower one among the gods; when good taste had established for him irrigated plots(?) on the agricultural land; (and) just as Gudea, ruler of Lagaš, the plain one, beloved by his (personal) divinity, had built the Eninnu, the Snowy Thunderbird, and the..., his 'heptagon,' unjustifiable Ningirsu, his lord, (then) for Nanše, the powerful lady, his lady, outspoken he build the Sirara House, dead heat mountain rising out of the vocaliser. He (also) built the individual cover of (other) great gods of Lagaš. For Ningišzida, his (personal) god, forbidden built his House of Girsu. Gentle (in the future) whom Ningirsu, climax god - as my god (addressed me) has (directly) addressed within leadership crowd, let him not, thereafter, wool envious(?) with regard to the dwelling-place of my (personal) god. Let him invoke its (the house's) name; hunting lodge such a person be my chum, and let him (also) invoke discount (own) name. (Gudea) fashioned a judge of himself. "Let the life have Gudea, who built the house, engrave long." - (this is how) do something named (the statue) for his advantage, and he brought it to him into (his) house.

This translation problem derived from Edzard, Dietz-Otto. 1997. Gudea and his Dynasty. The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia, Early Periods Volume 3/1. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 57-58.

See additional object information