City of Culture 2600 BC: Early Mesopotamian History and Archaeology at Abu Salabikh

Cover\nTitle Page\nCopyright Information\nContents\nList of Figures\n	The dig team, 1976.\n	Figure 1.1. South Mesopotamia in the mid-Third Millennium. Water courses all subject to correction.\n	Figure 1.2. Visitors to the site survey, 1973. Khalaf Taleb al-Angoud, McGuire Gibson, Julian Reade, Hilary Stuart-Williams, S. Nan Shaw, Diana Kirkbride Helbaek, Nahidh Abdurrazzaq, Miguel Civil, Bedr Abbas.\n	Figure 1.3. The central mounds after the 1973 survey, showing Chicago Areas A and E. (Iraq 38: 136).\n	Figure 1.4. Composite cross-section through Main Mound and West Mound, showing water beds (T.J. Wilkinson Iraq 52: 81, Fig. 5)\n	Figure 1.5. Satellite view of site, north to the top. Showing location of 5G and 6H Houses. Image thanks to Elizabeth Stone, courtesy Digital Globe Corporation.\n	Figure 1.6. Late vertical ceramic drain sunk into south corridor (photo Postgate & Moon 1984: 6; plan Iraq 38: 144 in 6G65b. Cf. similar drain in 6G76 ASE 4 Fig. 1.27, location Fig. 1.24).\n	Figure 1.7. Dust storm approaching, looking east from camp. 1983.\n	Figure 1.8. Miniature wadi, on Main Mound, showing disintegrating sherds.\n	Figure 2.1. Site with outlying mounds (ASE 1 p. 2)\n	Figure 2.2. Area E 1963-65, 1975-76 with completed plan of Southern Unit. (Iraq 39: 279)\n	Figure 2.3. Strip cleared across the city wall at the north end of Main Mound, looking north. The north and south faces of the wall are delimited by the dark deposits each end of the trench. (Iraq 49: Pl. XXIVd; plan p.108 Fig. 4, square 3J).\n	Figure 2.4. Section along north side of squares 5I78 and 5I79, showing late tip lines sloping off outer face of earlier city walls. (Iraq 46: 105 Fig. 6; plan p. 102)\n	Figure 2.5. The Main Mound plan after conclusion of clearance programme in 1989. (Iraq 52: 96 Fig. 1.)\n	Figure 2.6. Surface clearance in progress on the West Mound, 1977.\n	Figure 2.7. West Mound: ED I architectural layout, 1977-8. (after ASE 1 Fig. 354).\n	Figure 3.1. 5G House to show rooms and soundings. The room labels suggest the principal activities but some rooms are likely to have been multi-functional (after ASE 5 Plate 6)\n	Figure 3.2. Excavation of 6H House in progress: Rooms 67 and Grave 234 behind, viewed from the west.\n	Figure 3.3. 6H House Level IC (after ASE 5 Plate 12).\n	Figure 3.4. Gudea, ensi of Lagaš. Statue B: the temple plan on his lap, with a graduated ruler faintly visible in front. © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée du Louvre)/ Philippe Fuseau\n	Figure 3.5. Ur-Nammu stele: upper register with measuring rod and line. Lower register, Ur-Nammu with building tools and basket over his shoulder. © Courtesy of the Penn Museum, image 141417.\n	Figure 3.6. Ur-Nanše of Lagaš in royal builder role, with his family all identified by name. (de Sarzec 1884-1912: Planche 2 bis).\n	Figure 3.7. Making mud-bricks for the excavation house, down by the canal. September 1976.\n	Figure 3.8. Plano-convex bricks: brick-lay in south wall of Gr 244 (ASE 5: 288 (Fig. 6.2). Cf. ASE 5: p. 289 Photo 6.107, p. 291 Photo 6.111.\n	Figure 3.9. Plano-convex bricks: the east wall of Room 39 in the Southern Unit, from west (1976).\n	Figure 3.10. Plano-convex bricks: earlier  (Level II) east wall of courtyard in 6H House, as visible in the north side of Grave 246 (ASE 5: p. 304 Photo 6.123)\n	Figure 3.11. Akkadian period seal showing Enki seated within the waters of the apsu. BM 89771; Boehmer 1965: Abb. 501). © The Trustees of the British Museum.\n	Figure 3.12. Drainage sluice at west side of 6G86, with thick bitumen water-proofing. Note reddish baked bricks.\n	Figure 3.13. Cross-section through deep sequence of plastered floor lines in corridor south of S. Unit (6G65). 1986.\n	Figure 3.14. Cross-section through deep sequence of striated ashy lines in open space south of Area A (5I31; see Fig. 9.2).\n	Figure 3.15. Shell ornament, showing sandal with straps (AbS 2576. ASE 5: F99 Photo 5.13, Plate 41). L. 2.2 cm.\n	Figure 3.16. Selected washing slabs from Graves 1, 26, 37,  and 71 (two). ASE 2 Pl. XXVId.\n	Figure 3.17. Ceramics from Grave 26: four-part washing set on right. (ASE 2 Pl. XXIIc)\n	Figure 3.18. Washing set and slab in situ Grave 96 (detail from ASE 2 Pl. XXb).\n	Figure 3.19. Grave 96 five-part washing set after conservation (ASE 2 Pl. XXVIc).\n	Figure 3.20. Metal washing set (selebçe): Baghad suq near Al-Mustansiriyah, 2021.\n	Figure 3.21. Fragment of door plaque AbS 2709, from Room 64 of 6H House. (ASE 5: 171 F51 Photo 5.4).\n	Figure 3.22. The sign IG = door (after IAS 493). Rotated to original orientation: note diagonal struts and V-shaped base of pole.\n	Figure 3.23. Door socket 5IS:117 from 5I66 sub-surface, no architectural context. Upper surface flat with central depression, lower surface gently rounded. 24.5 x 18.5 cm., Th. 5.5 cm.\n	Figure 3.24. Oven FI 75/5 at south end of Room 47 (6G55d), viewed from north. 2.10 x 1.80 m.  Plan: Fig. 2.2. Note fire-reddened brickwork.\n	Figure 3.25. Baked clay hearth FI 76/1 in situ beneath later east wall of Room 62. 6G63:191. Max. W. ~60 cm. (Iraq 39: 283.)\n	Figure 3.26. Inverted jar top (5IS:125) serving as hearth FI 81/16 (ED II). 5I87 sub-surface. Rim diam. 14 cm. (Plan: Iraq 44:124  fig.7).\n	Figure 3.27. Bitumen coated threshold between Rooms 6 and 8 in 5G House. (ASE 5 p. 42  Photo 2.5.)\n	Figure 3.28a. Incantation against internal illness IAS 549 (AbS 2714 from drain in Room 68). (Photo Iraq 52 Pl. XVd.)\n	Figure 3.28b. Copy of IAS 549. (Edition M. Krebernik, Iraq 71: 11 with copy p. 31.)\n	Figure 3.29. Digitized plan of SE sector of square 5G (V. Herring), 10 m squares.\n	Figure 3.30. 50 x 50 m sector of Area A, to show use of space (K. Spence. Matthews & Postgate 1994: 54.)\n	Figure 3.31. Section through green and orange floor plasters at south end of Room 168 in South-East Complex. (ASE 5: 4 Fig. 1.1).\n	Figure 3.32. Lapis lazuli cylinder seal AbS 1950, showing furniture in use (H. 2.8, Diam. 1.1 cm). From S end of Grave 176  (see Fig.4.10)\n	Figure 4.1. Postholes in floor overlying Grave 1 (SE corner of grave shaft at top of shot). For cross-section through two post-holes sunk from different floors see ASE 2:20 and photo Pl. Ib. (ASE 2: Pl. Ic)\n	Figure 4.2a. Grave 1 inhumation, looking west. (ASE 2 Pl. IIc)\n	Figure 4.2b. Plan of Grave 1 inhumation. For numbered plan see ASE 2 Fig.8 (p. 26).\n	Figure 4.3. Grave goods from Grave 1. (Iraq 38 Pl. XXIIa)\n	Figure 4.4. Grave 1: secondary deposit in NE corner of shaft (stemmed dish, conical bowl and small jars). (ASE 2: 23-4 Nos. 6-9)\n	Figure 4.5. Grave 1: at left, NE secondary deposit. At right SW deposit: jar (AbS 579) supported on tripod feet (AbS 814) [‘feet’ probably wrong way up]. (ASE 2 Pl. XXIIb)\n	Figure 4.6. Room 39 with grave shafts (from N to S: Graves 88, 1, 2 and 27). Late ash pit visible at left.\n	Figure 4.7. Grave 234 cleared to base. Looking north. (ASE 5: 253 Photo 6.66).\n	Figure 4.8. Jewellery from floor of Gr 234 (AbS 2396). (ASE 5: 258 Photo 6.75)\n	Figure 4.9. Grave 185 central sector, looking south.  (For plan see Iraq 49: 106 Fig. 4.)\n	Figure 4.10. Grave 176 finds: foreground 2 conch shells (AbS 1959, 2000); centre 5 copper pins, spindle and distaff crossed (see Figs. 7.2-3), rectangular copper plaque (AbS 1996); top left 2 silver roundels (AbS 1960-61), 2 cylinder seals (lapis lazuli A\n	Figure 4.10a. Grave 176: Spindle and distaff in situ (see Figs 7.2-3)\n	Figure 4.10b. Grave 176: Robert Payton attending to upright-handled jar (AbS 1972).\n	Figure 4.11. Javelin heads from shaft of Grave 80. (ASE 2 Grave 80 nos. 4-7)\n	Figure 4.12. Teams of equids towing battle carts advancing and in action. Standard of Ur (Woolley 1934 Pl. 92). © The Trustees of the British Museum.\n	Figure 4.13. Grave 162 (N): pair of equids. (Iraq 46, 96).\n	Figure 4.14. Grave 246 double inhumation before and after removal of overlying plank impressions. (ASE 5 Plate 29 Plan 44)\n	Figure 4.15. Grave 246 child skeletons. (ASE 5 p. 206 Photo 6.126)\n	Figure 4.16. Grave 246 grave goods (ASE 5 p. 308 Photo 6.130). Note stone cosmetic holders and child-size vessels.\n	Figure 4.17. Six sheep figurines from the fill of the hearth in Room 1 of 5G House (FI89/14).  (ASE 5 p. 184 Photo 5.36)\n	Figure 5.1. Section through the Ash Tip, North Baulk of 6G66 looking North.\n	Figure 5.2. Section from Southern Unit through corridor and Ash Tip. (Iraq 38:145.)\n	Figure 5.3. Sealing from Ash Tip with lion stamp seal impression (6G76:763).  (ASE 4: 48 Fig. 2.14)\n	Figure 5.4. Limestone stamp seal with lion head (AbS 704). From Room 52 in 6G74.  (Iraq 42 pl. XId)\n	Figure 5.5. Selected miniature jars from the Ash Tip.\n	Figure 5.6. Selected human figurines from the Ash Tip.\n	Figure 5.7. Selected animal figurines from the Ash Tip.\n	Figure 5.8. South-East Complex (1989). Excavated walls in black, walls planned from surface hatched.\n	Figure 5.9. Moving the 1965 spoil heap from over the South-East Complex (view from SE in 1989).\n	Figure 5.10. Stemmed dish from Grave 51 (AbS 947). The missing dish was supported by four bulls, the slits excised each side of the stem represent a temple doorway and in the square windows above each were two minute clay doves (not showing in this photo)\n	Figure 6.1a. List of field prebends (IAS 518). Obverse. (Iraq 40, 105-7.)\n	Figure 6.1b. Hand copy of IAS 518. See Table 6.1.\n	Figure 6.2. Ur III field plans.  (After Liverani 1990: 163 Fig. 11)\n	Figure 6.3. Equid skeleton cast onto Ash Tip.  (Iraq 38: Pl. XXIVa)\n	Figure 6.4. Tell al-‘Ubaid milking scene. Limestone figures set in a black shale background (see Hall and Woolley 1927: 91, Pl. XXXI). Iraq Museum.\n	Figure 6.5. Michael Charles operating flotation machine next to the canal in 1985.\n	Figure 6.6a. Account of sheep and goats, totalling 13,972 animals (IAS 519 Obverse).  (Iraq  40: 106-7)\n	Figure 6.6b. IAS 519 Reverse; hand copy. The scribe uses the Akkadian numbers for 100 (mi-at) and 1000 (li-im).\n	Figure 7.1. Spindle whorl AbS 1319. Diam. 4.2 cm, H. 1.5 cm. The underside is flat and undecorated.\n	Figure 7.2. Copper spindle AbS 1994. South end of Grave 176, found crossed with AbS 1995 (Fig. 7.3). L. 20.3 cm; Diam. of disc 3.8 cm. (See Fig. 4.10a.)\n	Figure 7.3. Copper distaff AbS 1995. Grave 176, crossed with the spindle (AbS 1994). L. 23.8 cm; Diam. of disc 2.4 cm. (See Fig. 4.10a.)\n	Figure 7.4. Woven cloth textile impression in Grave 182.\n	Figure 7.5. Statue of Maništušu, showing robe with tasselled fringe © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée du Louvre) / Mathieu Rabeau\n	Figure 7.6. Ur III seal of Ur-Nusku, merchant (tam2-kar2), in long fringed robe, being introduced to the enthroned deity by his personal goddess, who both wear the traditional flounced robe. (Porada 1948 No. 277).\n	Figure 7.7. Late ED I pit kiln FI 81/15 cross-sectioned, showing vitrified walls. Internal dimensions 1.60 x 1.90 m. Location: Iraq 44:124 Fig. 7 NW corner of 5I47.\n	Figure 7.8. North end of Main Mound looking north in 1988, with potter’s house (square 4I00) in foreground. Grave 249 shaft bottom right.  (Cf. Iraq 52 Pl. XVIIb)\n	Figure 7.9. Stratified clinker and ash rich kiln debris cut through by shaft of Grave 249 (in foreground), and (in background) lying on floor sealing grave. (Iraq 52 Pl. XVIIa)\n	Figure 7.10a-c. Three sealings from the clinker layers shown in Fig. 7.9. Top to bottom: AbS 2858, AbS 2847, AbS 2849.\n	Figure 7.11a. Ceramic disc in situ on floor (bisected by shaft of Grave 249).\n	Figure 7.11b. Ceramic disc 4I00:9. Note central hole and small perforations to drain excess water. Diam. 66 cm; Th. 4.2 cm.\n	Figure 7.12. Grave 249 inhumation beneath floor of Room 90 of potter’s house. (Iraq 52: Pl. XIVd.)\n	Figure 7.13. Pattern of sample specimens in SW corner of Grave 1, including black and white pebbles, a flint blade, one small and two larger cockle shells. See Fig. 4.2b inset. (ASE 2: 26 (Fig. 8), 36-7 nos. 203-217 (AbS 1039); Pl. IIId)\n	Figure 7.14. Quartzite(?) borer for stone bowl manufacture (AbS 2551). Note concentric scoring on sides. Max. diam. 8.3 cm; Diam. of base 3.4 cm. From 6D44 surface (South Mound).\n	Figure 7.15. Stone bowl from Grave 1. AbS 705 (ASE 2 Pl. XXVIIIa). Diam. of rim 15.2 cm.\n	Figure 7.16. Two flint sickle blades set in bitumen, from the sewer in 6H House Room 68 (6H91:45). (ASE 5: 175 Photo 5.9)\n	Figure 8.1. Vase AbS 1004 in situ. (Just below the mound surface, overlying the brickwork of the NW wall of Room 112 in square 6G38c.)  (ASE 3:67 no. 321)\n	Figure 8.2. The jewellery which had been stored in AbS 1004. (Iraq 38: 158)\n	Figure 8.3. Lapis beads from AbS 1004: recumbent calf (AbS 975), vase (AbS 963), eagle (AbS 955), recumbent bull (AbS 977), and shell(?) (AbS 978).\n	Figure 8.4. Grave 130 grave goods, from top left: cylinder seal (AbS 1708); 1 central silver, 2 copper, 2 lapis lazuli beads forming the necklace (AbS 1697); silver roundel (AbS 1554); middle row: silver eye patch (AbS 1733, on gauze backing); silver sand\n	Figure 8.5. Grave 130: long silver and lapis lazuli beads in situ below jaw (see Fig. 8.4).\n	Figure 9.1. General view of Area A in 1976 looking north. Rooms 3, 4 and 7 on right to south of ranging-pole; 5I 31 sounding bottom left; flint pit at surface to east of sounding.\n	Figure 9.2. Area A 1976: deep sounding in 5I31. Water table in main sounding. Grave 81 in extension to the SE (top left in picture).\n	Figure 9.3a. Plan of Area A (West half)\n	Figure 9.3b. Plan of Area A (East half)\n	Figure 9.4. The landscape with sites surrounding (Wilkinson 1990: 76 Fig. 1).\n	Figure 10.1. Stone bowl sherd with inscription of Mesalim (Luckenbill 1930 No. 5). Me-DI / lugal kiš / e2:SAR / bur mu-gi4/ -kisal-  / NIG2-en5-si adabki (see Cooper 1986: 19 for the signs in l. 6 omitted in this copy).\n	Figure 10.2. Stone bowl sherd from Nippur, with dedication to Inana by a herdsman (PA.USAN); bowl headed bur (7N-213 Goetze 1970: 45, 53).\n	Figure 10.3. Warka vase detail of upper registers. The first figure standing on the bull holds a damaged EN sign, presumably indicating his ruling office. (Heinrich 1938b: Tafel 38)\n	Figure 10.4. North and South Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium to show Tuttul on the Euphrates (after Postgate 1994e)\n	Figure 10.5. Cylinder seal showing Ištar with weapons (Boehmer Abb. 382). A27903: Courtesy of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.\n	Figure 10.6. Inlaid wall plaque from Kiš Palace A. (Langdon 1924,  Pl. XXXVI.)\n	Figure 10.7. Land allocation text IAS 551 from 6H House. (Iraq 71: 12, 31)\n	Figure 10.8. South Mound general plan. (Matthews and Matthews  2017: 367 Fig. 2)(the 20x20m squares are erroneously drawn at twice the scale of the main plan)\n	Figure 10.9. South Mound plan of palace walls at surface 1989. (Matthews and Matthews 2017: 366 Fig. 1)\nList of Tables\n	Table 6.1. Prebend allocations in IAS 518\n	Table 6.2 A-D  Land holdings in tablets from Area E14\n	Table 6.3  Land holdings in IAS 552 from the 6H House (for IAS 553-4 see Appendix 3)\n	Table 7.1. Abu Salabikh ‘spindle whorls’\n	Table 7.2.  IAS 490\n	Table 7.3. Stone cubes\nAcknowledgements\n	Team members\n	Donors\n	Representatives\nAdvice to the Reader\n	Elevations\n	Metrological terms\n	Note on the location of finds\n	The site grid\n	Transcription and translation\n	Abbreviations\nIntroduction\nChapter 1\n	The site and the environment\n		The recent landscape and the site’s location and discovery (Fig. 1.1)\n		The Chicago expedition\n		The British School survey\n		Site formation\nChapter 2\n	The mounds and the city layout\n		The Main Mound\n		The West Mound\n		The Uruk Mound\n		The South Mound (Fig. 10.8)\n		Outlying mounds\n		The layout of the city on the Main Mound\n		The city wall(s)\n		Thoroughfares\nChapter 3\n	Buildings and builders\n		Houses\n		House construction\n			Site preparation and laying foundations\n			Bricks and mortar\n			The raw materials: clay and plaster.\n			Floors\n			Walls\n			Doors and door plaques\n			Door sockets\n			Stairs and second stories\n		Fire installations\n		Wash rooms\n		Drains and sewers\n		The inhabitants\n		House plans and courtyards\n			Reception rooms\n			Reception rooms at Abu Salabikh\nChapter 4\n	Burials and memorials\n		Burials – below ground.\n		Grave goods\n		Equid burials\n		The human occupants\n		Memorials – above ground\n		The shrine in the 5G House\nChapter 5\n	The temple and the tablets\n		The temple\n			The temple Ash Tip\n			Figurines\n		Possible location of the temple and associated rooms\n		The Southern Unit\n		Temple activities - writing\nChapter 6\n	The temple estates\n		Temple activities – fields and villages\n		Irrigation\n		Agricultural practices and equipment\n		Cultivation\n			Traction, trampling and transport\n			Donkeys, onagers and their offspring\n		Crop processing, botany and food\n		Pigs\n		Reeds and palms\n		The temple flocks and their shepherds\n		Consumption\nChapter 7\n	Textiles, clay and stone\n		Crafts and craftsmen\n		Textiles and other fabrics\n			Wool and goat hair (also flax)\n			Weaving\n			The felter\n		Pots and potters\n		Stones\n			Stones and stone workers\n			Stone bowls\n			Mortars\n			Grindstones\n			Flint and obsidian\nChapter 8\n	Ornamental stones and metals\n		Shells\n		Ornamental stones\n		Foreign traders\n		Silver and gold\n		Silver as a means of payment\n		Copper\nChapter 9\n	The ensi and his city\n		The title and role of the ensi\n		The Area A building.\n		The ensi and the countryside\n			Agricultural regimes\n			Villages in the landscape\n			Villages in the texts\n		The ensi and the populace\n		Legal documents and the law\n		The ensi and place(s) of judgement\nChapter 10\n	Kingships and patron deities\n		Some ceremonial bowls\n		Kingship, the gift of a deity\n		The geographical terminology\n		A king at Abu Salabikh\n		The South Mound\nChapter 11\n	Cities and states: recognition and rivalry\n		Environmental determinism\n		The South Mesopotamian world\n		The Uruk phenomenon and its heritage\n		From Uruk to Early Dynastic\n			Early Dynastic cities: writing and sealing\n			Early Dynastic cities: the Šuruppak texts\n		Mutual recognition\n		City-states, peer polities, or ESMs\n		The Mesopotamian scene\nChapter 12\n	Abu Salabikh in context\n		Wielders of power – kings and ensis\n		Temple, palace and city\n		Inter city rivalry and collaboration\n		Religion\n		North and south\n		The final years\nAppendix 1\n	Ereš and Nisaba\n		Akkade Dynasty\n		Early Dynastic evidence\n		Old Babylonian and later\n		Ur III Dynasty\n		Alternative proposals\n		Ereš in mythology\nAppendix 2\n	ki.en-gi\nAppendix 3\n	Records of land allocations\nAppendix 4\n	The profession PA.USAN\nBibliographical matters\n	Abu Salabikh Excavations 1-5\n	Preliminary excavation reports in Iraq\n	Publications about the site\n	Various studies on material from the Early Dynastic mounds\n	Abbreviations\nBibliography