Entemena of Lagash controlled the cities of southern Mesopotamia, fromBadtibira toUruk:
"At that time, Entemena built and reconstructed the E-mush, his beloved temple, in Badtibira, for the god Lugalemush, (and) he set free the citizens of Uruk, Larsa, and Badtibira."
"Entemena Ensi Lagash-ki" (𒂗𒋼𒈨𒈾𒑐𒋼𒋛𒉢𒁓𒆷𒆠) on the Treaty Cone of Entemena, king of Lagash, to god of Bad-Tibira, about the peace treaty between Lagash and Uruk. This text is the oldest known diplomatic document. Dated c. 2400 BC.British Museum.[10]
Aclay nail found inGirsu commemorates the alliance which he concluded withLugal-kinishe-dudu ofUruk, the oldest mention of a peace treaty between two kings that we know:[11][12]
Cone of Entemena mentioning the alliance with Lugal-kinishe-dudu
1st line: "ForInanna / andLugal-emuš /Enmetena / ruler / ofLagaš, / the E-muš, their beloved temple, / built / and ordered (these) clay nails for them. / Enmetena, / who built the E-muš," 2nd line: "his personal god / isŠul-utul. / At that time, Enmetena, / ruler / of Lagaš, / and Lugal-kineš-dudu, / ruler / of Uruk, / established brotherhood."
— Alliance treaty between Entemena and Lugal-kinishe-dudu.[12]
Another example of the foundation nail dedicated by Entemena, king of Lagash, to god of Bad-Tibira, about the peace treaty between Lagash and Uruk.Louvre Museum.
"Entemena, Governor of Lagash" 𒂗𒋼𒈨𒈾𒑐𒋼𒋛𒉢𒁓𒆷𒆠 Entemena ensi Lagash-ki
Entemena entered in a territorial conflict withIl, king of Umma, as mentioned in the "war inscription" on his cone in theLouvre Museum:[13]
"He (Il, Governor of Umma) diverted water from the boundary-channel of Ningirsu and the boundary-channel of Nanshe (...). When because of those channels, Enmetena, the governor of Lagash, sent envoys to Il, Il, the governor of Umma, who steals fields (and) speaks evil, declared:‘The boundary-channel of Ningirsu (and) the boundary-channel of Nanshe are mine! I will shift the boundary-levee from Antasura to Edimgalabzu!’ ButEnlil (and)Ninhursang did not give it to him."[13]
A foundationcone of Entemena, in excellent condition relates the beginning of a war between the city-states of Lagaš and Umma during the Early Dynastic III period, one of the earliest border conflicts recorded. (RIME 1.09.05.01).[14] This text was inscribed on a small clay cone c. 2400 BC (Louvre Museum, reference AO 3004). The first row of cuneiform characters reads:[14]
Cone of Entemena
Cone ofEnmetena, king of Lagash, Room 236 Reference AO 3004, Louvre Museum (upside down).[15][14]
Transcription of the cone of Entemena.
I.1–7
𒀭𒂗𒆤 𒈗 𒆳𒆳𒊏 𒀊𒁀 𒀭𒀭𒌷𒉈𒆤 𒅗 𒄀𒈾𒉌𒋫 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒄈𒋢 𒀭𒇋𒁉 𒆠 𒂊𒉈𒋩
den-lil2 lugal kur-kur-ra ab-ba dig̃ir-dig̃ir-re2-ne-ke4 inim gi-na-ni-tadnin-g̃ir2-sudšara2-bi ki e-ne-sur
"Enlil, king of all the lands, father of all the gods, by his firm command, fixed the border betweenNingirsu andŠara."
8–12
𒈨𒁲 𒈗𒆧𒆠𒆤 𒅗 𒀭𒅗𒁲𒈾𒋫 𒂠 𒃷 𒁉𒊏 𒆠𒁀 𒈾 𒉈𒆕
me-silim lugal kiški-ke4 inimdištaran-na-ta eš2 gana2 be2-ra ki-ba na bi2-ru2
"Mesilim, king ofKiš, at the command ofIštaran, measured the field and set up a stele there."
13–17
𒍑 𒉺𒋼𒋛 𒄑𒆵𒆠𒆤 𒉆 𒅗𒈠 𒋛𒀀𒋛𒀀𒂠 𒂊𒀝
uš ensi2 ummaki-ke4 nam inim-ma diri-diri-še3 e-ak
"Net cylinder" of Entemena, the second known cylinder describing the border conflict between Lagash and Umma. The textual content is identical to the cone cylinder.[16]
The "Net cylinder" of Entemena is a cylinder of a peculiar design, with a net pattern on the bottom, which is the second known cylinder describing the border conflict between Lagash and Umma. The content is identical to the cone cylinder.[16] It is located in theYale Babylonian Collection.[17][18]
Full text of the War inscription by Entemena, in the Net Cylinder
Entemena has one of the earliest statues of a known king fromMesopotamia. It is made ofdiorite, and is 76 centimeters tall.[19] Entemena, although ruler of the city-state of Lagash, wears the typical dress of a devotee: akaunakes fleeced skirt with a tassel in the back.[19] He is clasping his hands at the chest, in a typical pose of perpetual attendance before the deity.[19]
The statue of Entemena reflects a style of which a few other examples are known from Mesopotamia, such as the statue ofIkun-Shamash fromMari, thestatue of Enzi fromDer, or the statue ofLugal-dalu, which still has its head intact.
The statue of Entemena has a very long cuneiform inscription on the side (right arm) and on the back.[2] It includes the names and titles of Entemena, and the mention "Enlil (the supreme Sumerian god) loves Entemena".[19]
Silver vase, with decorated panels, inscribed with cuneiform around rim.Louvre Museum.[20]
Atripod of silver dedicated by Entemena to his god is now in theLouvre. A frieze of lions devouring ibexes and deer, incised with great artistic skill, runs round the neck, while the eagle crest of Lagash adorns the globular part. The vase is a proof of the high degree of excellence to which the goldsmith's art had already attained. A vase of calcite, also dedicated by Entemena, has been found atNippur. The inscription of the neck of the silver vase reads:
"ForNingirsu, the foremost warrior ofEnlil. Entemena, theensi ofLagash, whomNanshe had chosen in her heart, the great ensi of Ningirsu, the son ofEnannatum, the ensi of Lagash, made for Ningirsu, the king who loved him, a vase of pure silver and stone (?), out of which Ningirsu drinks, and brought it to the Ningirsu of the Eninnu, for his life. At that time, Dudu was thesanga ofNingirsu."[21]
Several votive tablets in the name of Entemena are known. They usually records Entemena's name, title and filiation, and his accomplishment in establishing temples or devotional images. The tablets are often associated with a "foundation nail", calledtemen ("foundation") in Sumerian, which was inserted into the ground under the foundation of temples, together with the inscribed tablets and offerings such as jewelry or small statuettes of protective divinities.[24][25] A proclamation on one of the foundation stones of Enmetena says that he "instituted liberty in Lagash. He restored the child to its mother, and the mother to her child; he cancelled interest." This is the first known mention of the wordama-gi, translated here asliberty.[26]
An inscription of Entemena toNingirsu: "... Entemena, ensi of Lagash, son ofEnannatum, ensi of Lagash, grandson ofUr-Nanshe, king of Lagash ...".[25]
Votive tablet of Entemena toNingirsu: "... Entemena, ensi of Lagash, son ofEnannatum, ensi of Lagash, grandson ofUr-Nanshe, king of Lagash ...".
Another artifact related to Entemena is a votive plaque bearing the name of Dudu, priest of Lagash forNingirsu in Entemena's time.[27] Dudu is known as priest of Lagash under Entemena from the last line of the inscription onthe silver vase of Entemena.[21] The plate was made out ofbitumen, a rather distinctive feature, as most such plaques were made oflimestone orgypsum.[27] The plaque depicts various scenes: a standing man in akaunakes holding a walking stick, a resting cow, and the symbol of Lagash: an eagle (Anzû) holding two lions, although the lions are uncharacteristically biting back at the wings of the eagle.[27] A symbolic wave pattern at the bottom of the plate is thought to symbolize the flow of water.[27]
It is inscribed with the following text: "For Ningirsu of the Eninnu, Dudu, priest of Ningirsu ... brought [this material] and fashioned it as a mace stand."[27] The exact function of the plaque is unknown: it has been interpreted as a mace-holder, a plaque to be nailed into the wall of a temple, or a door panel.[27]
The eagle, symbol of Lagash, at the time of Entemena
Door sockets in the name of Entemena, or the plaque of the priest Dudu, associated with Entemena in another inscription, are among the other famous artifacts related to Entemena.
^Hayes, William (1950).Chronology. Cambridge Ancient History. p. 51.
^ab[1] Deena Ragavan, Cuneiform Texts and Fragments in the Harvard Art Museum / Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cuneiform Digital Library Journal, vol. 2010:1, ISSN 1540-8779
^"the "Net Cylinder" of Entemena (Yale Babylonian Collection), the oldest peace treaty known, among the sanctions against the possible violator of the treaty is the threat that the god Ningirsu will cast his great net over the culprit". Pope, Marvin H. (1965).Job. TheAnchor Bible Series 15. p. 131.
^abde Sarzec, E. (1892). "Deux Tablettes Archaïques de Tello".Revue d'Assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale.2 (4):146–149.ISSN0373-6032.JSTOR23284262.
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![An inscription of Entemena to Ningirsu: "... Entemena, ensi of Lagash, son of Enannatum, ensi of Lagash, grandson of Ur-Nanshe, king of Lagash ...".[25]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTablet_of_Entemena.jpg)
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![Cuneiform dedication on the vase of Entemena.[22]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aVase_Entemena_Louvre_AO2674_(script)_circa_2400_BCE.jpg)
![Entemena vase inscription.[23]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aEntemena_vase_inscription.jpg)
![Entemena vase motif, with the eagle of Lagash.[23]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aEntemena_vase_motif.jpg)
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