Cylinder seal impression of "Mesanepada, king of Kish", excavated in theRoyal Cemetery at Ur (U. 13607).[1][2][3] The seal showsGilgamesh and the mythical bull between two lions, one of the lions biting him in the shoulder. On each side of this group appearsEnkidu and a hunter-hero, with a long beard and a Kish-style headdress, armed with a dagger. Under the text, four runners with beard and long hair form a humanSwastika. They are armed with daggers and catch each other's foot.[3] University of Pennsylvania. Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, UPM 31.16.677.[1]
The "Lion eagle", another object found in the dedication deposit of the "Treasure of Ur"[7]
Mesannepada was a son ofMeskalamdug.[8] Alapis-lazuli bead with the name of King Meskalamdug was found inMari, in the so-called "Treasure of Ur", and reads:[9][10][11]
"To god Lugalkalam ("the Lord of the Land", identified withDagan orEnlil), Mesannepada, king ofUr, son ofMeskalamdug, king ofKish, has consecrated this bead"
Initially, it was thought that this bead (reference M. 4439) referred to a gift by Mesannepada to a king of Mari named Gansud orAnsud.[20][21] This has now been corrected with the translation given above.[9][10] The God "Lugal-kalam" (𒀭𒈗𒌦, "Lord of the Land") to whom the dedication is made, is otherwise known in a dedication by a local ruler Šaba (Šalim) of Mari, also as Lugal-kalam, or in the dedication ofIshtup-Ilum where he is named "Lugal-mātim" (𒀭𒈗𒈤𒁴, "Lord of the Land"), and is considered identical with the local deityDagan, orEnlil.[22]
It is unclear how this bead came to be in Mari, but this points to some kind of relation between Ur and Mari at that time.[21] The bead was discovered in a jar containing other objects from Ur or Kish, the so-called "Treasure of Ur".[23][24] The jar was recognized as an offering for the foundation of a temple in Mari.[25] Similar dedication beads have also been found from later rulers, such asShulgi who engraved twocarnelian beads with dedication to his godsc. 2100 BC.[26]
A'annepada tablet inscription (with transcription in standard Sumero-Akkadiancuneiform), mentioning his father Mesannepada.British Museum, BM 116982.[27] Discovered inTell Al-'Ubaid.[28]
Several dedication tablets by "A'annepada, son of Mesannepada" for the godNinhursag are also known, which all have similar content:[29][28]
Dnin-hur-sag / a-an-ne2-pa3-da / lugal uri5{ki} / dumu mes-an-ne2-pa3-da / lugal uri5{ki} /Dnin-hur-sag-ra / e2 mu-na-du3 "For Nin-hursag: A'annepada, king of Ur, son of Mesannepada, king of Ur, built the temple for Ninhursag."
— Dedication tablet by King A'annepada, British Museum, BM 116982.[28][27][5]
Mesannepada appears in theSumerian King List, as the first ruler of theFirst Dynasty of Ur, and is credited with a reign of 80 years. His successors are also named:
"...Uruk with weapons was struck down, the kingship to Ur was carried off. In Ur Mesannepada was king, 80 years he ruled;Meskiagnun, son of Mesannepada, was king, 36 years he ruled;Elulu, 25 years he ruled; Balulu, 36 years he ruled; 4 kings, the years: 171(?) they ruled. Ur with weapons was struck down; the kingship toAwan was carried off.
It is considered unlikely for a king to inherit a throne in hischildhood and reign thereafter for 80 years.[5] The length of the son's reign was probably added to that of the father.[5]
Mesannepada and his other son are also mentioned in anOld Babylonian tablet (1900-1600 BC), theTummal Inscription, relating the accomplishments of several kings. Such tablets are usually copies of older tablets, now lost:
"En-me-barage-si, the king, built the Iri-nanam inEnlil's temple.Aga, son of En-me-barage-si, made the Tummal flourish and brought Ninlil into the Tummal. Then the Tummal fell into ruins for the first time. Meš-Ane-pada built the Bur-šušua in Enlil's temple.Meskiagnun, son of Meš-Ane-pada, made the Tummal flourish and broughtNinlil into the Tummal."
Mesannepada is associated with an expansion of Ur, at least diplomatically.[33][34] A lapis-lazuli bead in the name of Mesannepada was found inMari, and formed part of the "Treasure of Ur", made for the dedication of a temple in Mari. Seals from the royal cemetery at Ur have also been found bearing the names of Mesannepada and his predecessors Meskalamdug andAkalamdug, along with QueenPuabi. A seal impression in the name of "Mesannepada, king of Kish" was found in theRoyal Cemetery at Ur.[3]
Mesannepada, Lugal Kish-ki (𒈩𒀭𒉌𒅆𒊒𒁕 𒈗 𒆧𒆠), "Mesannepada, King of Kish", on a seal impression found in theRoyal Cemetery at Ur.[2][3] The last column of characters, is thought to mean "his wife..." (𒁮𒉡𒍼,dam-nu-gig).[2] This could also mean "the spouse ofInanna.[35]Cylinder seal inscribed "Queen Nintur, wife of Mesannepadda" (Nintur ereš, dam Mesannepada).Royal Cemetery at Ur[36][37][38]
Mesannepada, and his son and successorMeskiagnun, who reigned 36 years,[5] are both named on theTummal Inscription as upkeepers of the main temple inNippur along withGilgamesh of Uruk and his sonUr-Nungal, verifying their status as overlords of Sumer. Judging from the inscriptions, Mesannepada then assumed the title "King ofKish",[6] to indicate his hegemony.[39]
Another son of Mesannepada, namedAannepadda, (Aja-ane-pada or A-Anne-pada, "father chosen by An"), whose years of reigned are unknown,[5] is known for having the temple ofNinhursag constructed (at modernUbaid) nearel-Obed, though he is not named on the kinglist.[4]
A smallziggurat beneath the structure built at Ur byUr-Nammu may date back to the time of Mes-Anne-pada.[40]
In the 1950s, Edmund I. Gordon conjectured that Mesannepada, and an archaeologically attested early "king of Kish",Mesilim, were one and the same, as their names were interchanged in certain proverbs in later Babylonian tablets; however this has not proved conclusive. More recent scholars tend to regard them as distinct, usually placing Mesilim in Kish before Mesannepada.[41]
Mesannapeda's tomb may have been located in theRoyal Cemetery at Ur. It has been suggested that tomb PG 1232, or PG 1237, nicknamed "the Great Death-Pit," might belong to him.[8]
^abcdHall, H. R.; Woolley, Leonard; Legrain, Leon (1900).Ur excavations. Trustees of the Two Museums by the aid of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. p. 312.
^abcdImage of a Mesanepada seal in:Legrain, Léon (1936).UR EXCAVATIONS VOLUME III ARCHAIC SEAL-IMPRESSIONS(PDF). THE TRUSTEES OF THE TWO MUSEUMS BY THE AID OF A GRANT FROM THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. p. 44 seal 518 for description, Plate 30, seal 518 for image.
^For the discovery of the "Treasure of Ur" and detailed content of the jar, see:Parrot, André (1965)."Les Fouilles de Mari".Syria. Archéologie, Art et Histoire.42 (3):197–225.doi:10.3406/syria.1965.5808.
![The lapis lazuli bead from Mari, National Museum of Damascus, Syria ("King of Ur", 𒈗𒋀𒀊𒆠 side)[16][17][18]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aUNESCO_Lapis_lazuli_bead%2c_National_Museum_of_Damascus%2c_Syria.jpg)
![Transcription of the Mari bead[19]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMesannepada_bead_from_Mari.jpg)
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