Near East Kingdoms

Girsu (City) (Sumer)

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The city states of Sumer formed one of the first great civilisations in human history (see feature link). This Near Eastern civilisation emerged a little way ahead of that of Africa's ancient Egypt, and up to a millennium before that of the Indus Valley culture. It developed out of the end of the Pottery Neolithic across the Fertile Crescent, a period which had seen Neolithic Farmer practices spread far and wide across the Near East and beyond.

As irrigation improved so the more southerly reaches of the Euphrates could at last be occupied by humans and their animals. Southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and the western edge of Iran) was subjected to permanent settlement, initially in the form of pastoralists but soon as farmers too. Cultures around the edges of this progression included the Hassuna and Samarra which began this settlement process, and perhaps elements of the Hissar culture in the Iranian highlands were also involved.

By the late fourth millennium BC, Sumer was divided into approximately a dozen city states which were independent of one another and which used local canals and boundary stones to mark their borders. Many early historical events in the region are found only in the Sumerian king list, which notates the rulers of the city states (and see feature link), but archaeology has also uncovered a wealth of detail.

The city of Girsu (sometimes Ngirsu or Jirsu) survives today as the archaeological mound of Tell Telloh or Tello. It was located approximately sixteen kilometres to the north-west of its parent city of Lagash, but it also lies close to the modern city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq.

Potentially, as one of a group of the earliest permanent foundations in southern Mesopotamia, it may have been occupied during the Ubaid period (5300-3900 BC), but the main settlement dates to the 'Early Dynastic IIIb' period (2500-2334 BC).

The Tell Telloh site consists of two main mounds and several smaller ones. The main two rise fifteen and seventeen metres above the plain. This was the first Sumerian site to be extensively excavated, initially in eleven campaigns between 1877-1900 under the direction of Ernest de Sarzec, French vice-consul at Basra. Gaston Cros took over between 1903-1909, with finds including an alabaster statue of a woman with copper bracelets which had been coated in gold, and a fragment of a stone lion-carved dish with a partial Sumerian inscription.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from Mesopotamia: The Invention of the City, Gwendolyn Leick (Penguin Books, 2001), from Encyclopaedia Britannica (Eleventh Edition, Cambridge (England), 1910), from The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character, Samuel Noah Kramer ('List 1' of Sumerian rulers, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1963), from Political Change and Cultural Continuity in Eshnunna from the Ur III to the Old Babylonian Period, Clemens Reichel (List of Eshnunna's rulers, providing some names which are not on the Bruce R Gordon list as part of a dissertation proposal for the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago, 11 June 1996), from First Farmers: The Origins of Agricultural Societies, Peter Bellwood (Second Ed, Wiley-Blackwell, 2022), from Historical Atlas of the Ancient World, 4,000,000 to 500 BC, John Heywood (Barnes & Noble, 2000), from The Ancient Near East, c.3000-330 BC, Amélie Kuhrt (Routledge, 2000, Vol I & II), from Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East, Michael Road (Facts on File, 2000), from Mesopotamia: Assyrians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Enrico Ascalone (Dictionaries of Civilizations 1, University of California Press, 2007), from The Archaeology of Mesopotamia, S Lloyd (Revised Ed, London, 1984), from Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History, J N Postgate (Routledge, 1994), from The First Empires, J N Postgate (Oxford 1977), from History of the Ancient Near East c.3000-323 BC, Marc van der Mieroop (Blackwell Publishing, 2004, 2007), from Ancient History: A Theory About Ancient Times, L C Gerts (List 4 of Sumerian rulers, Chapter 12: The Sumerian king list, 2002), from Mesopotamia, Chris Scarre (Ed, Past Worlds - The Times Atlas of Archaeology, Guild Publishing, London 1989), from The Age of the God-Kings, Kit van Tulleken (Ed, Time Life Books, Amsterdam 1987), and from External Links: Ancient Worlds, and The Sumerian Kings List, J A Black, G Cunningham, E Fluckiger-Hawker, E Robson, & G Zólyomi ('List 2' of Sumerian rulers, available via the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Oxford, 1998), and Ancient History, Anthony Michael Love ('List 3' of Sumerian rulers at Sarissa.org), and Images from History (University of Alabama), and Evolution of Sumerian kingship (Ancient World Magazine), and Innovative civilization-saving technology (Arkeonews), and City of Culture 2600 BC - Early Mesopotamian History and Archaeology at Abu Salabikh, John Nicholas Postgate (Archaeopress Archaeology, 2024, and available via Archaeopress), and Tello (British Museum), and Sacred Space and Ritual Behaviour in Ancient Mesopotamia: A View from Tello/Girsu, Tina Jongsma-Greenfield et al (Humans 2024, 4(3), 239-263, 2024, and available at MDPI).)

c.5000 BC

The earliest levels of Girsu are represented by Pottery Neolithic materials in a Sumer which is later claimed as being part of the Antediluvian period. The earliest use of the site probably forms part of the regional Ubaid culture, with development into a permanent settlement seemingly occurring after 3000 BC.

This map shows the locations of early cultures on the Mesopotamian plains, focussing here on the spread of the various Ubaid phases in the sixth and fifth millennia BC, overlaid over the spread of preceding cultures

c.2550 BC

Mesilim of Kish is famous for drawing the border between Umma and Lagash, a contentious point between these two cities. His decision, accepted by both parties, appears to favour Lagash over Umma. Mesalim sets up a stele to mark the border and builds a temple to Ningirsu in Lagash.

c.2530 BC

Ensi. Governed at the time of Mesalim. Same as below?

c.2510 BC

Ensi. Last of the traditional priest-kings.

c.2494 BC

Succeeding the ruling high priest, Ur-Nanshe is the founder of an independent 'First Dynasty' which reigns at Lagash and Girsu for over a century. The king likes to commemorate his constructions, having himself portrayed in one relief as a simple bricklayer, carrying a brick basket in front of his family.

Ur-Nanshe and his successors are engaged in contests with the Elamites of Awan to the east and the kings of 'Kengi' and Kish to the north. The city's intermittent wars with Akshak during this century probably also start at this point.

Part of the modern remnants of the city of Girsu as seen from a drone view which was part of an AD 2024 British Museum examination of anti-drought efforts there in 2000 BC

c.2425 BC

Urlumma of Umma drains the boundary canals of Ningirsu and of Nina, and destroys the protective shrines and the steles. Described as being 'as puffed up as the mountains', he crosses the boundary canal of Ningirsu, forcing Enannatum of Lagash to offer battle at Ugigga, in the fields near Girsu.

Urlumma is utterly defeated by the king's nephew, Entemena, and flees, only to be killed at Umma. Then Enannatum establishes a vassal ruler at Umma in the form of the priest Ili, head of the temple of Zabalam and priest of Ininni of Esh in Girsu.

c.2405 - 2375 BC

As the last great ensi of Lagash, Entemena is dominant across many cities in Sumer during his reign. Numerous clay nails from Bad-tibira record the fact that he builds a temple for Inanna and Lugal-emuš, and 'at that time Entemena, ensi of Lagaš, and Lugal-kinice-dudu, ensi of Uruk, established brotherhood'.

Uncovered in Bat-tibira, this terracotta foundation peg of Entemena of Lagash is dated between 2404-2375 BC, mentioning a treaty with the king of Uruk

Entemena undertakes temple construction at Girsu, cancelling Lagash's debts as the mother city to Girsu. In relation to the construction of the Emuš temple at Bad-tibira, he cancels debts for the citizens of Bad-tibira, Larsa, and Uruk in the earliest attested case of a ruler cancelling the debts of his subjects. This becomes the norm in the Old Babylonian period.

c.2400 BC

As the new vassal ruler of Umma, Ili proves to be unfaithful to Lagash, instead continuing Urlumma's aggressive work against Lagash and its satellite city of Girsu. He drains the boundary canal of Ningirsu as far as the Tigris and close to the boundary of Girsu. The water is diverted to his advantage, and he takes a full storehouse of Lagash's grain.

Entemena of Lagash has to declare renewed hostilities as the gods Enlil and Ninhursag do not permit such actions. Entemena fully restores the canal, but unspecified continued hostilities continue between the two city states until Umma is conquered by Sargon I as he builds his Akkadian empire.

Sargon 'the Great', the warrior king of apparently humble origins, unified Sumer for (perhaps) the first time in recorded history through a series of campaigns and the defeat of the current holder of Sumer's equivalent of a high kingship

c.2342 BC

Urukagina of Lagash destroys much of the old bureaucracy, ending the influence of the priests. He creates a near-idyllic state, but in the process weakens Lagash to the point that it cannot (or will not) defend itself from its mortal enemies in Umma.

The various festival and offering dates to the goddess Bau at this time each last four days, with a non-urban procession being led by Queen Shasha. These processions move along Girsu's western border and specifically stop at smaller sanctuaries and chapels such as the canal oval of Ib-i7-eden-na which is located in the neighbouring region of Bad-tibira.

Lugalzaggesi of Umma subsequently sacks Lagash and burns all of its holy temples, with the support of the priestly elite of Nippur. Urukagina flees to the town of Girsu, which does not seem to have fallen to Umma, and subsequently disappears from history.

Some of the earliest cities, such as Sippar, Borsippa, and Kish in the north, and Ur, Uruk, and Eridu in the south, formed the endpoints of what became the complex Sumerian network of cities and canals (click or tap on map to view full sized)

c.2144 BC

Gudea of Lagash rises to local prominence during an apparent climate-induced collapse in the region, promoting artistic development and continuing the Akkadian kingly claim to divinity from his capital at Girsu. The figurine (below) of Gudea is, however, an interesting one.

It is beardless, while the name itself appears to contain the root 'gut-' which also forms the name of the Gutians - possibly coincidentally or perhaps in tribute. Who would be beardless, though? Mesopotamians all seem to be bearded in this period.

Any potential Indo-European involvement in the Gutians would likely also be bearded. An Egyptian would probably be bearded (but not always). Could Gudea have had an Egyptian parent? Or, dare it be said, is Gudea a woman?

A figurine of Gudea of Lagash, who came to prominence in southern Mesopotamia, for the most part outside of direct Gutian rule but still subject to its influence

c.2023 BC

Ir-Nanna of Lagash declares independence from a steadily declining Ur. The king may continue to rule for some years afterwards but there are no records to show it. It seems likely that Lagash falls to Isin when that city assumes control of most of central Sumer.

c.2000 BC

An AD 2024 archaeological report reveals that, around this time of water shortage and crop failures, the people of Girsu invent a 'civilisation-saving' water flume. This latest dig is a British Museum expedition to explore what in the 1920s had been reported as being 'a mysterious structure', possibly a temple.

Instead the invention is a flume, something which is usually used to deliver water to distant locations for agricultural needs. With the vital canals drying up at this time, a channel is formed of two symmetrical mud-brick structures about forty metres long, ten metres wide, and with walls of 3.4 metres in height which are arranged in two opposing curves which bend outwards.

Girsu's remarkable water flume and its long canal which connected to the Tigris was a calculated effort to save the city from regional drying-up and crop failures, a situation which lasted for perhaps a century or two at most and resulted in a good deal of regional conflict

Experts use drones over the modern village of Nasr to outline the flume, part of a canal which is nineteen kilometres in length. It also includes a bridge in its construction to carry it over another small body of water, making it the world's oldest-known bridge (in 2024).

c.1834 BC

Kudur-mabug or Kudur-mabuk, apparent king of an otherwise unknown Elamite state to the north of the Elamite capital at Susa, manages to install his son, Warad-Sin, on the throne of Larsa. Local cities also appear to be dominated by Warad-Sin, including Zabalam and (therefore possibly) Girsu.

c.1763 - 1750 BC

Hammurabi's Babylon attacks and defeats the Amorite city state of Larsa for its failure to provide any real assistance in the allied effort to beat back the growing threat of the powerful Elamites and their Eparti kings. The victory gives him control of the entire lower Mesopotamian plain, which includes Nippur, Ur, Uruk, and Isin - and doubtless also Girsu and Zabalam.

Babylon began life as a modest town which had been seized from Kazallu, but was quickly fortified by the building of a city wall in the nineteenth century BC

The Elamites become vassals of Babylonia, as does Ekallatum, while Dilmun remains an important trading centre. Girsu fades from the historical record though, relatively soon to be fully abandoned.