The Statues of Gudea Textual Production and Bodily Representation

Gudea’s Dynasty: The Second Dynasty of Lagash (late 3rd millennium BCE) Relative chronology based on royal inscriptions Ur-Ningursu I (from D. O. Edzard) Pirig-me Lu-Bau * Lugula * Kaku * Ur-Bau GUDEA (c. 2100 BCE?) Ur-Ningirsu II Ur-GAR Ur-ayabba * Ur-Mama Nammahani * No inscriptions available

The Lagash II Dynasty Lagash II chronology is unsure. The importance of the city-state of Lagash in southern Mesopotamia is unsure. The Lagash II rulers claim authority only over their own city-state, using the title ensi-lagash. Most of them were independent rulers.

The Historical Gudea Knowledge of his reign is limited to his own textual productions. Gudea was the ensi of the city-state of Lagash, located in southern Mesopotamia. Succeeded his father-in-law Ur-Baba (Bau) Reigned for at least 11 years (based on year-names), probably overlapping with the reign of Ur-Namma (first ruler of the UR III dynasty) Parallels in the visual and verbal art of Ur-namma and Gudea include foundation figurines unique to these two rulers, and the orthography and grammar of their inscriptions.

Deeds of Gudea 11 year names all commemorate temple construction or dedicatory gifts. Temples (re)built include the temple to Ningursu, and 23 others, mostly in the Eninnu complex in Girsu, but also in Lagash, Ningin, and other cities (no substantial architecture survives). Gudea probably only performed minor repairs on many of these temples. The labor force was locally recruited. The many building projects indicate some amount of prosperity. Mention of a military campaign to Elam to gain booty for Eninnu (Statue B 6:64-69). Perhaps a co-operative venture with Ur-namma?

The Gudea Statues 20 statues of Gudea surfaced during the excavations led by E. de Sarzec (excavated 1877-1900) and A. Parrot (1931-1933); however, some are of uncertain provenience due to clandestine digging in the 1920’s. 10 of the statues were found in the courtyard of the palace of Adad-Nadin-Ahhe (2nd century BCE), though their inscriptions state that they would have been placed in particular temples. Range in size from as small as 18 cm up to 1.57 meters Statues A-AA Catalogues in D. O. Edzard General features of the statues: Cylindrical form, Muscular arms, Clasped hands, Enlarged eyes

Girsu (Modern tello) First Sumerian site to be extensively excavated. Mounds remain that cover an area of more than 100 hectares (247 acres). Center of the cult of the god Ningirsu, for whom Gudea rebuilt a temple (Cylinders A-B).

Girsu (Modern Tello) Pictures taken by SPC William Peterson during site visits in late 2003 / early 2004

Girsu

Girsu

Gudea Statues Statue P 2150–2100 B.C.; Neo-Sumerian period Probably Tello (ancient Girsu), southern Mesopotamia Diorite; H. 17 3/8 in. (44 cm) M.M.A

Seated diorite statue of Gudea, dedicated to the god Ningishzida, c Seated diorite statue of Gudea, dedicated to the god Ningishzida, c. 2120 BCE. Excavated in Telloh (ancient Girsu), H. 46 cm (18 in.), W. 33 cm (12 ¾ in.), D. 22.5 (8 ¾ in.) Louvre

Statue M Of dubious authenticity 2141-2122 B.C.; Mesopotamian, Neo-Sumerian period; Paragonite; 41 cm (16 1/8 in.) D.I.A

Statue M: Inscription Text: Gudea, city ruler of Lagash, the man who built the temple of Ningishzida and the temple of Geshtinanna. Gudea, city ruler of Lagash, built to Geshtinanna, the queen a-azi-mu-a, the beloved wife of Ningishzida, his queen, her temple in Girsu. He created for her [this] statue. "She granted the prayer," he gave it a name for her and brought it into her temple.

Other Gudea statues Louvre: Baghdad Museum:

The Gudea Inscriptions These texts demonstrate “literary Sumerian at its Zenith.” Some statues have very long inscriptions Statue B: (93 cm) 67 lines Gudea’s cylinders contain some of longest Sumerian literary texts known. Cylinders A and B comemmorate Gudea’s re-building of Ningirsu’s temple complex. Cylinder A: (61cm x 32cm x 2.9cm) 30 columns

Text and Image: The Significance of the Features of the Statues Text: Gudea’s “rightful head made to stand out in the assembly” Text: “his life within him abundantly (lit. widely) supplied by Shulshaga” Height of the statues= Big man capable of leadership Fullness of life= statues have wide chests from: I. Winter

Text: “strength-given one of Nindara” Text: “a man of wisdom, was giving ear” Text: “statue, your eye is of…Ningursu” Strength= well-muscled exposed arm on statues Wisdom= broad-eared Importance of divine gaze/gazing on the divine= big eyes

Texts from Statue B Statue B (seated Gudea with architect’s tools): “…For Ningursu, mighty warrior of Enlil, did Gudea, who has a “treasured” name, ruler of Lagash, shepherd chosen in the heart of Ningursu, whom Nanshe regarded in a friendly manner, to whom Nin-dara gave strength, the one keeping the word of Bau, child born of Gatumdu, to whom Ig-alim gave prestige and a lofty sceptre, whom Shul-shaga richly provided with breath of life, whom Ningishzida, his (personal) god, made stand out gloriously as the legitimate head of the assembly, when Ningirsu had directed his meaningful gaze on his city…” (StB 2.1-3.11, trans. Edzard)

The Gudea Statues and Ritual (I. Winter's "Idols of the King") "Having entered the temple, may it [the alam] be a living thing in the temple!“ -Sin-iqisham "Image, to my lord [the god Ningirsu], speak!" -Statue B 7.47-48

The statues were animated by a series of rituals: 1. Making and consecration: [tud] verb used for birth, specifically for stone images of people or gods The statue then was taken to the riverbank where rituals were performed: "opening the mouth" [ka.duh.ha] of the statue 2. Installation: the statue is given food and dressed in the temple where it is to be housed 3. Ritual maintenance: the statue stands before the god in the god's temple, in direct communication with it (possibly the function of the standing Gudea's, who are inscribed on the back), or placed in the [ki-a-nag], perhaps funerary chapels. Statue B, a seated Gudea, describes the regular offerings of beer, bread, and grain that it is to be provided for the [alam-Gudea]. Thus, after the process of animation, "the royal image stands as the absolute embodiment of the ruler" (Winter 34).

Cylinder A Louvre

Excerpt from Cylinder A “On that very day he saw his master, Gudea saw the lord Ningursu in a night-time vision, and (Ningursu) told him about building his House…Gudea, (although) having a far-reaching mind, tried to grasp the meaning.” (trans. Edzard)

Gudea Inscription from Girsu

Works Referenced: C. Suter, Gudea’s Temple Building (2000) I. Winter, “Idols of the King” (1992) “The Body of the Able Ruler” (1989 D. Edzard, Gudea and His Dynasty (1997) Websites: oi.uchicago.edu (photos of Girsu and last inscription) www.baghdadmuseum.org (Gudea statues) http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk (Tello) www.scholarsresource.com (Cylinder A) www.dia.org