Girsu

{{Short description|Sumerian city}} {{Infobox ancient site | name = Girsu | native_name = | alternate_name = Tell Telloh | image = {{none}} | alt = | caption = | map_type = Iraq | map_alt = | map_size = | relief = yes | coordinates = {{coord|31|33|43.3|N|46|10|39.3|E|display=inline,title}} | location = Dhi Qar Province, Iraq | region = Sumer | type = Settlement | part_of = | length = | width = | area = | height = | builder = | material = | built = | abandoned = | epochs = Ubaid, Uruk, Early Dynastic, Akkadian Empire, Lagash II, Ur III, Isin-Larsa, Hellenistic | cultures = | dependency_of = | occupants = | event = | excavations = 1877-1900, 1903-1909, 1929–1933, 2016-Present | archaeologists = Ernest de Sarzec, Gaston Cros, Henri de Genouillac, André Parrot, Sébastien Rey | condition = | ownership = | management = | public_access = | website =  | notes = }}

'''Girsu''' (Sumerian {{lang|sux|Ĝirsu}}. cuneiform {{lang|sux|ĝir2-suki {{cuneiform|sux|𒄈𒋢𒆠}}}}) was a city of ancient Sumer, situated some {{convert|25|km|abbr=on}} northwest of Lagash, at the site of what is now Tell Telloh in Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq. Because of the initial velar nasal ŋ, the transcription of Ĝirsu is sometimes spelled as ''Ngirsu'' (also: ''G̃irsu'', ''Girsu'', ''Jirsu''). As the religious center of the kingdom of Lagash, it contained significant temples to the god Ningirsu (E-ninnu) and his wife Bau and hosted multi-day festivals in their honor.<ref>[https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9461/4/3/15]Jongsma-Greenfield, Tina, et al., "Sacred Space and Ritual Behaviour in Ancient Mesopotamia: A View from Tello/Girsu", Humans 4.3, pp. 239-263, 2024</ref><ref>Sébastien Rey, 'Divine Cults in the Sacred Precinct of Girsu', ''Near Eastern Archaeology''; Chicago, vol. 84, iss. 2, pp. 130–139, June 2021</ref>

==History== [[File:Statue of Gudea, Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg|thumb|Statue of Gudea, named “Gudea, the man who built the temple, may his life be long”. Metropolitan Museum of Art 59.2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statue of Gudea, 59.2. |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/329072 |website=Metropolitan Museum of Art}}</ref>]] The city lay on a branch of the ancient Iturungal canal, the southern of two major east west canals in Mesopotamia, that also runs to Niĝin and then to Gu'abba.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/sumerjounalno.25/mode/1up]Jacobsen, Thorkild, "A Survey of Girsu the (Telloh) Region", Sumer 25, pp. 103–09, 1969</ref><ref>Thorkild Jacobsen, "The Waters of Ur", Toward the Image of Tammuz and Other Essays on Mesopotamian History and Culture, Cambridge, MA and London, England: Harvard University Press, pp. 231-244, 1970</ref> {{blockquote|text="Two effluents took off from the left bank of the Iturungal, the Id-Ninaki-gen-a, which over Bzeikh (Zabalam) flowed to Telloh (Girsu), al Hibba (Uru-ku, Lagas?), and Surghul (Nina) ..."<ref>Steinkeller, Piotr, "New Light on the Hydrology and Topography of Southern Babylonia in the Third Millennium", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und Vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 91, no. 1, pp. 22-84, 2001</ref> }}

Radiocarbon dating indicates that the canals running in and through Girsu date back to at least the Early Dynastic I period and went out of use after the Isin-Larsa period (2000–1800 BC).<ref>[https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/radiocarbon/article/dating-ancient-canal-systems-using-radiocarbon-dating-and-archaeological-evidence-at-tellogirsu-southern-mesopotamia-iraq/DFCB7F569B744396C9E4BDA923A8EB07]Egberts, Ella, et al. "Dating ancient canal systems using radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence at Tello/Girsu, southern Mesopotamia, Iraq." Radiocarbon 65.4, pp. 979-1002, 2023</ref>

Girsu was inhabited in the Ubaid 4 (4900-4500 BC) and also the Uruk period (4200-3200 BC), with beveled rim bowls, the diagnostic pottery of that period being found.<ref>Potts, Daniel, "Bevel-Rim Bowls and Bakeries: Evidence and Explanations from Iran and the Indo-Iranian Borderlands", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 61, pp. 1–23, 2009</ref> Significant levels of activity began in the Early Dynastic period (2900-2335 BC). After a brief hiatus occupation resumed in the Early Dynastic I period, continuing during the Akkadian Empire. After the decline of that empire local control of the Girsu/Lagash area was asserted under the Second Dynasty of Lagash.<ref>[https://iris.unive.it/bitstream/10278/3753601/1/Maiocchi%20-%20Visicato%202020%2C%20Administation%20of%20Giesu.pdf]Maiocchi, Massimo, and Visicato Giuseppe, "Administration at Girsu in Gudea’s Time", Vol. 27. Edizioni Ca'Foscari, 2020</ref> At the time of Gudea, during the Second Dynasty of Lagash, Girsu became the capital of the Lagash kingdom and continued to be its religious center after political power had shifted to the city of Lagash.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Edzard|first=Dietz Otto|title=Gudea and his dynasty|date=1997|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-7555-1|location=Toronto|oclc=809041550}}</ref> During the Ur III period, Girsu was a major administrative center for the empire. During the Old Babylonian period Rim-Sîn II, ruler of Larsa c. 1742 BC to 1739 BC (MC), led a rebellion by a number of southern cities against the First Dynasty of Babylon which at that time was led by Samsu-iluna.<ref>Jean-Jacques Glassner, Benjamin R. Foster, "Mesopotamian chronicles", Brill, Boston, 2005</ref> The rebellious cities included Girsu.<ref>Marine Béranger, "Dur-Abi-ešuh and the Abandonment of Nippur During the Late Old Babylonian Period: A Historical Survey", Journal of Cuneiform Studies 75, pp. 27-47, 2023</ref> First Sealand dynasty, c. 1796–1524 BC (MC), pottery has been found at Girsu.<ref>Al-Hamdani, A., "The Settlement and Canal Systems During the First Sealand Dynasty (1721–1340 BCE)", S. Paulus & T. Clayden (Ed.), Babylonia under the Sealand and Kassite Dynasties, Berlin, pp. 28–57, 2020</ref> Girsu was then abandoned aropund 1600 BC until occupation resumed in the Hellenistic period Parthian periods before ending around 200 BC. A 4th century BC bilingual Greek/Aramaic inscription was found there.<ref>Naveh J., "The Development of the Aramaic Script (Proceedings of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities 5/1)", Jerusalem, 1970</ref>

A few ruler year names mention Girsu, Pirig-me of Lagash II "Year the royal measuring rope of the fields kept in Girsu was brought out", Ur III ruler Shulgi "Year the Ehalbi, (the palace) of the king, was built (in Girsu)", and Larsa ruler Gungunum "Year the canal of Girsu (called) 'Baba is abundance' was dug".<ref>[https://cdli-gh.github.io/year-names/E_GLOSSARINDEX/R602.htm Girsu year names - CDLI]</ref>

[[File:Stele of the Vultures in the Louvre Museum (enhanced composite).jpg|thumb|The Stele of the Vultures depicting the god Ningirsu on display at the Louvre Museum.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stele of the Vultures |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010121794 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref>|330x330px]]

[[File:Sumerian - Dedication Nail - Walters 481457 - View A.jpg|thumb|335x335px|Foundation clay nail of Gudea dedicated to the god Ningirsu. Walters Art Museum 48.1457.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clay nail of Gudea, 48.1457 |url=https://art.thewalters.org/object/48.1457/ |website=The Walters Art Museum}}</ref>]]

==Archaeology== The site consists of two main mounds, one rising 50 feet above the plain and the other 56 feet. Analysis of 1968 CORONOA satelite images indicated the site has an area of about 130 hectares. A number of small mounds dot the site. The mounds are designated Tell A through Tell Y with most of them having little or no archaeological significance. The notable mounds are<ref>Rey, Sébastien, and Camille Lecompte, "Resurrecting Tello (ancient Girsu): the topographical layout of an Early Dynastic Sumerian city", New agendas in remote sensing and landscape archaeology in the Near East. Studies in Honour of Tony J. Wilkinson, pp. 213-227, 2020</ref> *Tell A - Mound of the Palace. Topped by the palace of an obscure Hellenistic period (alternately Aramaic Period) ruler Adad-Nadin-Akhe based on the inscribed Adadnadinakhe bricks. The palace included a number of reused early inscribed diorite statues of Gudea.<ref>[https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0fc15b6c-0436-4d17-81d3-31f69b77313e/files/m8b82fbbd6a284fd6a9fa0dfa4ebd78f7]Wood, Rachel, and Rachel Wood, "After the Achaemenids: exchange, transmission and transformation in the visual culture of Babylonia, Iran and Bactria c. 330-c. 100 BC.", Dissertation, Oxford University, UK, 2012</ref> Modern excavations revealed under it a temple precinct including the E-ninnu temple of Ningirsu<ref>Heimpel, Wolfgang, "The Gates of the Eninnu", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 48, pp. 17–29, 1996</ref> *Tell B - Early Dynastic buildings and tablets *Tell K - Maison des Fruits, a 10.5 meter by 7.30 meter temple built by Early Dynastic ruler Ur-Nanshe. It was built atop an unidentified earlier construction sealed by a 70 centimeter clay layer which the excavators named the Construction Inférieure. A number of foundation tablets and two inscribed door sockets were found<ref>[https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/038eae27-d4ec-490d-bbfa-d5505bbfd3cc/download]Tsouparopoulou, Christina, "The Early Dynastic “Maison des Fruits” at Tell K in Tello (Ĝirsu)", Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research 391.1, pp. 191-225, 2024</ref><ref>Harriet Crawford, "The Construction Inférieure at Tello. A Reassessment", Iraq, vol. 49, pp. 71–76, 1987</ref> *Tells L/M - near city wall, temple associated structures and cones *Tell P - Porte du Diable<ref>[https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1505&context=amar]Cros, Gaston, "Nouvelles fouilles de Tello, par le commandant Gaston Cros", Paris:Leroux, 1914</ref> *Tell V - Location of the temple of Ningešzida and the area of the site called Tablet Hill as many cuneiform tablets have been found there.<ref>[https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/239456/1/Akkadica%20140-2%202019%201%20Thomas%26ColonnadIstria%20p105_148.pdf]Thomas, Ariane, and Laurent Colonna d'Istria, "Le temple de Ningešzida à Girsu", Akkadica: Revue Semestrielle de la Fondation Assyriologique Georges Dossin 2, pp. 105-148, 2019</ref>

Telloh was the first Sumerian site to be extensively excavated, at first under the French vice-consul at Basra, Ernest de Sarzec, in eleven campaigns between 1877 and 1900. Between excavation seasons the site was subject to extensive looking and an estimated 35 to 40 thousand cuneiform tablets entered the antiquities market.<ref>Caubet, A., "The historical context of the Sumerian discoveries", Museum International 61, pp. 74–80, 2009</ref> He was followed by his successor Gaston Cros from 1903–1909. All finds were divided between the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul and the Louvre Museum in Paris,<ref>Sarzec, E. de, Arthur Amiaud LéonHeuzey, and François Thureau-Dangin, "Découvertes en Chaldée", Paris: E. Leroux, 1912</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last=de Sarzec | first=E. | date=1892 | title=Deux tablettes archaïques de Tello | language=French | journal=Revue d'Assyriologie et d'Archéologie Orientale | volume=2 | issue=4 | pages=146–149 | jstor=23284262 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | last=Cros | first=Gaston | date=1910 | title=Nouvelles Fouilles de Tello | language=French | location=Paris | publisher=Ernest Laroux | url=https://archive.org/details/nouvellesfouille00crosuoft/page/n8/mode/1up }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | last=Hilprecht | first=H.V. | date=1904 | title=The Excavations in Assyria and Babylonia | location=Philadelphia, USA | publisher=A.J. Holman | url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101073396747&view=1up }}</ref> Finds included an alabaster statue of a woman, with copper bracelets coated in gold and a fragment of a stone lion carved dish with a partial Sumerian inscription.<ref>{{Cite journal | last=Thomas | first=Ariane | date=2016 | title=The faded splendour of Lagashite princesses: a restored statuette from Tello and the depiction of court women in the Neo-Sumerian kingdom of Lagash | journal=Iraq | volume=78 | pages=215–239 | doi=10.1017/irq.2016.4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Desset | first1=F. | last2=Marchesi | first2=G. | last3=Vidale | first3=M. | last4=Pignatti | first4=J. | date=2016 | title=A sculpted dish from Tello made of a rare stone (Louvre–AO 153) | journal=Journal of Near Eastern Studies | volume=75 | issue=1 | pages=71–84 | doi=10.1086/684811| hdl=11573/925127 | url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03471079/file/Desset%2C%20Marchesi%2C%20Vidale%2C%20Pignatti%202016_A%20Sculpted%20Dish%20from%20Tello.pdf | hdl-access=free }}</ref> In 1879 the site was visited by Hormuzd Rassam.<ref>Verderame, Lorenzo, "Rassam’s Activity in Tello (1879) and the Earliest Acquisition of Neo-Sumerian Tablets in the British Museum", on the Third Dynasty of Ur. Studies in Honor of Marcel Sigrist. ed. by Piotr Michalowski, Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research, 2008 (Journal of Cuneiform Studies supplemental series 1), 2008</ref> Also found were two steatite statue portions (AO 00036 + Ist EŞEM 00438) with inscriptions by the Ur III ruler Shulgi dedicated to the local god Igalim.<ref>Claudia E. Suter, "A Shulgi Statuette from Tello", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 43/45, pp. 63–70, (1991–1993)</ref>

Excavations continued under Abbé Henri de Genouillac in 1929–1931 and under André Parrot in 1931–1933.<ref>[https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/amar/484/]Abbé Henri de Genouillac, "Fouilles de Telloh I: Epoques présargo-niques", Paris, 1934</ref><ref>[https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/amar/166/]Abbé Henri de Genouillac, "Fouilles de Telloh II: Epoques d'Ur III Dynastie et de Larsa, avec un appendice sur les fouilles de Médaïn", Paris, 1936</ref><ref name="Parrot1948" >{{ cite book | last=Parrot | first=André | date=1948 | title=Tello: Vingt Campagnes de Fouilles (1877–1933)| language=French | location=Paris | publisher=Albin Michel | url=https://archive.org/details/tellovingtcampag00parr/page/n4/mode/1up }}</ref> It was at Girsu that the fragments of the Stele of the Vultures were found. The site has suffered from poor excavation standards and also from illegal excavations. About 50,000 cuneiform tablets have been recovered from the site.<ref>[https://archive.org/download/haverford-library-collection-cuneiform-tablets-documents-from-the-temple-archives-of-telloh-part-i/Haverford%20Library%20Collection%2C%20Cuneiform%20Tablets%2C%20Documents%20From%20the%20Temple%20Archives%20of%20Telloh%2C%20Part%20I.pdf] Barton, George A, "Haverford Library Collection, Cuneiform Tablets, Documents From The Temple Archives Of Telloh, Part I", The John C Winston Company, Philadelphia PA, 1901</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/download/haverford-library-collection-cuneiform-tablets-documents-from-the-temple-archives-of-telloh-part-ii/Haverford%20Library%20Collection%2C%20Cuneiform%20Tablets%2C%20Documents%20From%20the%20Temple%20Archives%20of%20Telloh%2C%20Part%20II.pdf] Barton, George A, "Haverford Library Collection, Cuneiform Tablets, Documents From The Temple Archives Of Telloh, Part II", The John C Winston Company, Philadelphia PA, 1905</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/download/haverford-library-collection-cuneiform-tablets-documents-from-the-temple-archives-of-telloh-part-iii/Haverford%20Library%20Collection%2C%20Cuneiform%20Tablets%2C%20Documents%20From%20the%20Temple%20Archives%20of%20Telloh%2C%20Part%20III.pdf] Barton, George A, ''Haverford Library Collection, Cuneiform Tablets, Documents From The Temple Archives Of Telloh, Part III'', The John C Winston Company, Philadelphia PA, 1914</ref>

Excavations at Telloh resumed in 2016 as part of a training program for Iraqi archaeologists organized by the British Museum.<ref>[https://blog.britishmuseum.org/the-iraq-emergency-heritage-management-training-scheme-an-update/ The Iraq Emergency Heritage Management Training Scheme: an update - British Museum]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tello |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/our-work/international/iraq-scheme/tello |access-date=2022-06-13 |website=The British Museum |language=en}}</ref> A foundation tablet and a number of inscribed building cones have been found. In the 5th season, in autumn 2019, work concentrated on the Mound of the Palace where E-ninnu, a temple to Ningirsu, had been found in earlier seasons.<ref>Rey, Sebastien, "Tello/Girsu: first results of the autumn 2019 archaeological season", Sumer Journal of Archaeology of Iraq, 66, 2020</ref><ref>Rey, Sébastien, "The Temple of Ningirsu: The Culture of the Sacred in Mesopotamia", Eisenbrauns, 2024 {{ISBN|978-1-64602-264-9}}</ref> In March 2020, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 5,000-year-old cultic area filled with more than 300 broken ceremonial ceramic cups, bowls, jars, animal sacrifices, and ritual processions dedicated to Ningirsu.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Weiss|first=Daniel|date=2020|title=Temple of the White Thunderbird|journal=Archaeology|volume=January/February|pages=38–45}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/girsu-cult-discovered.html|title=Ancient cultic area for warrior-god uncovered in Iraq|website=Live Science|date=31 March 2020}}</ref> One of the remains was a duck-shaped bronze figurine with eyes made from bark which is thought to be dedicated to Nanshe. An Indus Valley weight was also found. In February 2023, archaeologists from British Museum and Getty Museum revealed the remains of the 4,500 year-old Sumerian Lord Palace of the Kings alongside more than 200 cuneiform tablets containing administrative records of Girsu. The E-ninnu temple (Temple of the White Thunderbird), the primary sanctuary of the Sumerian warrior god Ningirsu was also identified during the excavations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Tobi |date=2023-02-17 |title=Discovery of 4,500-year-old palace in Iraq may hold key to ancient civilisation |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/feb/17/discovery-of-4500-year-old-palace-in-iraq-may-hold-key-to-ancient-civilisation |access-date=2023-02-23 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In the 2024 season 200 cuneiform tablets (including school texts) and 60 clay sealings from the Akkadian Empire period were found. Sealings include one which said "Naram-Sin, the mighty, god of Akkad, king of the four quarters (of the world): Lugal-ushumgal, the scribe, governor, your servant".<ref>[https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/03/20/ancient-mesopotamian-clay-tablets-discovered-iraq-reveal-intricate-details-how-empire-governed Ancient Mesopotamian clay tablets discovered in Iraq reveal intricate details of how empire was governed - The Art Newspaper - 20 March 2025]</ref> A number of the interpretations of the current excavators have been challenged.<ref>Claudia E. Suter, "Review - The Temple of Ningirsu: The Culture of the Sacred in Mesopotamia by S. Rey", Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research 394, pp. 241-243, 2025</ref>

Along with archaeology the site is also being stabilized, required after the early excavations and looting, and prepared for tourism.<ref>[https://iaassyriology.com/in-the-spotlight-the-girsu-project-with-sebastien-rey/ In the Spotlight – the Girsu Project with Sébastien Rey - IAA - 23-02-2026]</ref>

In 2023, British Museum experts have suggested the possibility that a Hellenistic shrine at Girsu was founded by Alexander the Great, built atop the ruins of E-ninnu. According to the researchers, recent discoveries suggest that "this site honours Zeus and two divine sons. The sons are Heracles and Alexander."<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/11/18/ancient-iraqi-civilisation-worshipped-alexander-the-great/| title = Ancient Iraqis may have worshipped Alexander the Great, says British Museum| newspaper = The Telegraph| date = 18 November 2023| access-date = 18 November 2023| url-status = live| last1 = Simpson| first1 = Craig}}</ref>

==Anzagar== Referred to as Anzagar-Umma (An-za-gar3-Ummaki). An-za-gar3 translates to "fortified village" and there were a number of similar toponyms in the region, such as An-za-gar3-giškiri6-Zabalam4ki, An-za-gar3-a-šag4-La2-mah, An-za-gar3-Da-da, and An-za3-gar3-Nig2-ul-pa-e3. The 27th year name of Babylon ruler Sumulael was "Year the city walls of Kutha and Anzagar-urgi were built".<ref>[https://cdli.ox.ac.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=sumulael Sumulael Year Names at CDLI]</ref> It is thought to have been on the eastern border of the Ur III Umma province border with the Girsu-Lagash province. It is known to have been on a canal (possibly the Udaga canal and/or Namhani canal) based on a text reading "during three days, floated the boats from Anzagar-Umma to Girsu, (and) towed the boats from Girsu to Garšana", In another shipping text merchanise from Garšana was towed up the Udaga canal to the junction with the Namhani canal at Anzagar and then floated down to Girsu on that canal.<ref>Molina, Manuel and Steinkeller, Piotr, "New Data on Garšana and the Border Zone between Umma and Girsu/Lagaš", The First Ninety Years: A Sumerian Celebration in Honor of Miguel Civil, edited by Lluís Feliu, Fumi Karahashi and Gonzalo Rubio, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, pp. 231-249, 2017</ref> In the Ur III period a transportation and messenger resthouse, é-kas4 An-za-gàr I7 Gir-suki, was established in Anzagar similar to those established in nearby Gu'abba and Kinunir.<ref>Heimpel, W, "Towards an Understanding of the Term Sikkum", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 88, no. 1, pp. 5–31, 1994</ref> Anzagar is known to have been a transit point on the route from Ur to Anshan.<ref>Steinkeller, Piotr, "New Light on Šimaški and Its Rulers", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und Vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 97, no. 2, pp. 215-232, 2007</ref>

Anzagar lay near to Kesh, Diniktum and to Irisaĝrig. Tell al-Wilayah has been suggested as a location.<ref>Owen, D. I., "New Iri-Saĝrig Ration Distribution and Related Texts", in P. A. Avetsiyan [e. a.] (ed.), Over the Mountains and Far Away. Studies in Near Eastern History and Archaeology presented to Mirjo Sal, 2019</ref> It held a temple of Ninegal and shrines or sanctuaries of Ninḫursaĝ, PAP.NAGAR, Nergal, Allātum, and Inanna.<ref name="Notizia2023">[https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/za-2023-0013/pdf]Notizia, Palmiro, and Ammar M. al-Taee, "Sealed Bullae and Livestock Management at Irisaĝrig in the Early Old Babylonian Period", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 113.2, pp. 169-192, 2023</ref><ref name="Steinkeller" >Steinkeller, Piotr. "Two Sargonic Seals from Urusagrig and the Question of Urusagrig’s Location", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 112, no. 1, pp. 1-10, 2022</ref><ref>Owen, D., "Treasures of the Sacristy", RA 107, 29-42, 2013</ref> It is known that there was a sacristy, for storing jewels etc, at the temple of Allatum at Anzagar.<ref>Liu, Changyu, "An Edition of Twelve Ur III Administrative Cuneiform Tablets from United States Collections", Archiv orientální 87, pp. 33-57, 2019</ref><ref>Owen, D. I., "A New Iri-saĝrig “Sacristy” Inventory Text in the Lanier Theological Library, RA 113, pp. 39–44, 2019</ref>

==Gallery== <gallery widths="150" heights="150" perrow="4"> File:Ubaid IV pottery jars 4700-4200 BC Tello, ancient Girsu, Louvre Museum.jpg|Ubaid IV pottery jars, ca. 4700–4200 BC. From Girsu, Louvre Museum.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terracotta vase, AO14281 |url=http://cartelfr.louvre.fr/cartelfr/visite?srv=car_not&idNotice=9751 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref> File:Vase Telloh Louvre AO14313.jpg|Uruk Period terracotta vase, ca. 3500–2900 BC. From Girsu, Louvre Museum AO14313. File:Vase Telloh Louvre AO14342.jpg|Terracotta vase, ca. 3500–2900 BC. From Girsu, Louvre Museum AO14342 File:Mace head of Mesilim Louvre AO2349.jpg|The Mace of Mesilim, c. 2550 BC. From Girsu, Louvre Museum AO2349.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mace of Mesilim, AO 2349 |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010148289 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref> File:Vase dedicated to Ningirsu by Entemena-AO 2674-IMG 9133-black.jpg|The Silver Vase of Enmetena, 2420–2400 BC. From Girsu, Louvre Museum AO2674.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Silver Vase of Enmetena, AO2674. |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120706 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705025149/https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120706 |archive-date=5 July 2024 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref> File:Stele of Vultures detail 01 reverse.jpg|Depiction of the god Ningirsu in the Stele of the Vultures, 2450–2425 BC. From Girsu, Louvre Museum.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stele of the Vultures. |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010121794 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref> File:Carved figure feathers Louvre AO221.jpg|The Feathered Figure, 2700–2600. From Girsu, Louvre Museum AO221.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Feathered Figure, AO221. |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010121757 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref> File:Cylindres de Gudea - Musée du Louvre Antiquités orientales AO MNB 1511 ; MNB 1512.jpg|The Cylinders of Gudea. Musée du Louvre, MNB1512 and MNB1511.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gudea Cylinder A, MNB1512. |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010124631 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gudea Cylinder B, MNB 1511. |url=https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010124630 |website=Musée du Louvre}}</ref> File:Portrait statuette of Gudea, priest-king of the Neo-Sumerian city-state of Lagash 05.jpg|Statue of Gudea, Statue O. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, NCG 840 File:Kingdom of Lagash (30658120300).jpg|Archaeological remains of the Bridge of Girsu File:Cuneiform dedication by Gudea on a mud brick, excavated in Iraq, end of the Gutian period, 22nd century BC, clay - Tokyo National Museum - Tokyo, Japan - DSC08544.jpg|Gudea brick with a stamped inscription commemorating the construction of the Temple of Ningirsu File:Musée d'archéologie méditerranéenne, Marseille 81.jpg|Brick stamped in the name of Adadnadinakhe. Musée d'archéologie méditerranéenne, Marseille File:Lagaš. Restanten van gebouwen, GD006774.jpg|The Well of Eanatum File:Lagaš. Paleis Restanten, GD006705.jpg|View of the Gate of Gudea (1988).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sarzec |first=E. de |title=Découvertes en Chaldée |last2=Heuzey |first2=L. |date=1912 |publisher=Ernest Leroux |location=Paris |pages=Pl. 50 (2) |language=French}}</ref> File:Lagaš. Paleis Restanten van de toegangspoort, GD006446.jpg|The Gate of Gudea completely exposed (1895) </gallery>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Barrelet, Marie-Thérèse, "Une ‘Construction Enigmatique’ a Tello", Iraq, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 100–18, 1965 *[https://www.persee.fr/doc/paleo_0153-9345_1979_num_5_1_4247]Cauvin, Marie-Claire, "Tello et l'origine de la houe au Proche-Orient", Paléorient, vol. 5, pp. 193–206, 1979 *Cros, Gaston, "Note rectificative: Sur le casque chaldéen de Tello: Lettre de M. le commandant Gaston Cros", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 88–89, 1906 *de Vaumas, Etienne, "L’Ecoulement Des Eaux En Mesopotamie et La Provenance Des Eaux de Tello", Iraq, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 81–99, 1965 *Dangin, François Thureau, "Notice sur la troisième collection de tablettes: Découverte par M. de Sarzec à Tello", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 67–102, 1902 *Donbaz, Veysel, and Foster, Benjamin R., "Sargonic Texts from Telloh in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum", Occasional Publications of the Babylonian Fund 5, Philadelphia: The University Museum, 1982 ISBN 9780934718448 *[https://archive.org/download/selectedtempleac00chieuoft/selectedtempleac00chieuoft.pdf] Chiera, Edward, "Selected temple accounts from Telloh, Yokha and Drehem", University of Pennsylvania, 1921 *Egberts, E, Jotheri, J, Auzina, D, Michele, AD & Rey, S, "The waterscape of ancient Girsu: The geomorphology of a city channel", in Sumer and the sea. Deltas, shoreline, and urban water management in 3rd millennium Mesopotamia: Proceedings of the 1st ARWA International Research Workshop (Rome 2-4 June 2021, vol. 3, Aratta III Studies in archaeology & history, from Mesopotamia to the Indus Valley, Brepols Publishers, Turnhout, pp. 101-112, 2025 *Benjamin R. Foster, "The Sargonic Victory Stele from Telloh", Iraq, Vol. 47, pp. 15–30, 1985 *Foster, Benjamin R., "Sargonic Texts from Telloh in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Part 2", ISD LLC, 2018 {{ISBN|9781948488082}} *de Genoutllac, H., "Rapport sur les travaux de la mission de Tello: II campagne: II E Campagne : 1929—1930", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 169–86, 1930 *Leon Heuzey, "Mission française de Chaldée: Reprise des fouilles de Tello", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1–4, 1904 *[http://openscience.ub.uni-mainz.de/bitstreams/a463ff06-c5be-4697-a786-8a9859927453/download]Huber, Eva-Maria, "Girsu-Texte der Akkade-Zeit im Louvre", 2022 *Lambert, Maurice, "L’occupation Du Girsu Par Urlumma Roi d’Umma", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 81–84, 1965 *Laurito, Romina, "Clay sealings from Telloh: new evidence from a 3rd millennium BC "corpus"", Pathways through Arslantepe. Essays in Honour of Marcella Frangipane, hrsg. v. Balossi Restelli, Francesca, 2020 *Parrot, André, "Les fouilles de Tello et de Senkereh-Larsa: Campagne 1932-1933 (Rapport Préliminaire)", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 169–82, 1933 *Parrot, André, "Fouilles de Tello: Campagne 1931-1932 (Rapport Préliminaire)", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 45–57, 1932 *Sébastien Rey, "For the Gods of Girsu: City-State Formation in Ancient Sumer", Archaeopress Archaeology, 2016 {{ISBN|978-1784913892}} *Rey, Sébastien, and Fatma Husain, "Tello/Girsu: New Research on the Sacred City of the State of Lagash", Proceedings of the Workshop held at the 10th ICAANE in Vienna, April 2016, pp. 183-194, 2022 *Rey, Sébastien, et al., "Tello/Girsu: First Results of the Twenty-Second Archæological Season (Autumn 2016)", Sumer 65, pp. 111-131, 2019 *Rey, Sebastien, "A Seleucid cult of Sumerian royal ancestors in Girsu", In Context: The Reade Festschrift. Edited by Irving Finkel and St John Simpson. Oxford: Archaeopress Archaeology, pp. 56-81, 2020 *[https://www.persee.fr/doc/crai_0065-0536_1902_num_46_1_17084]Thureau-Dangin, François, "Note sur la troisième collection de tablettes découvertes par M. de Sarzec à Telloh, lue à la séance du 10 janvier 1902", Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres 46.1, pp. 77-94, 1902 *[https://theses.hal.science/tel-04836932/document]Witzig, Sophia, Les gouverneurs de Girsu/Lagas sous la IIIe dynastie d'Ur (2112-2002 AEC)", Dissertation, Université Lumière-Lyon II, 2023

==External links== *[https://blog.britishmuseum.org/the-worlds-oldest-bridge-is-being-preserved-in-iraq/ The world's oldest bridge is being preserved in Iraq - British Museum] *[https://www.britishmuseum.org/membership/events/excavations-girsu Excavations at Girsu: video - British Museum] *[https://arkeonews.net/recent-excavations-at-girsu-uncovered-innovative-civilization-saving-technology-of-ancient-sumerians/ Recent excavations at Girsu uncovered innovative civilization-saving technology of Ancient Sumerians - Arkeonews - Leman Altuntaş - 19 November 2023] *{{Cite web |last=Iorizzo |first=Ellie |date=30 November 2023 |title=British Museum heritage initiative helps discover remains of lost palace in Iraq |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/iraq-arabic-getty-islamic-state-syria-b2284257.html |url-status=live |website=The Independent}} *{{Cite web |last=The British Museum |date=20 April 2023 |title=Excavating Cuneiform Tablets in Iraq with the Girsu Project {{!}} Curator's Corner S8 Ep3 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwGmyy2Aabg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814235614/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwGmyy2Aabg |archive-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=YouTube}} *{{Cite web |last=Alberge |first=Dalya |date=15 March 2025 |title=Spreadsheets of Empire: Red tape goes back 4,000 years, say scientists after Iraq finds |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/15/stone-tablets-mesopotamia-iraq-red-tape-bureaucracy |url-status=live|website=The Guardian}} *{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Craig |date=17 November 2023 |title=Ancient Sumerians invented water flumes thousands of years earlier than previously thought |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/17/ancient-sumerians-invented-water-flumes-british-museum-dig/ |url-status=live |website=The Telegraph}} *{{Cite web |last=The British Museum |date=29 August 2024 |title=Archaeologists keep re-excavating this 4000-year-old brick {{!}} Curator's Corner S9 Ep6 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffWBf0HmuqA&t=43s |website=YouTube}}

Category:Populated places established in the 3rd millennium BC Category:Populated places disestablished in the 2nd century BC Category:Sumerian cities Category:Archaeological sites in Iraq Category:History of Dhi Qar Governorate Category:Former populated places in Iraq Category:Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia) Category:Lagash

fr:Lagash#Girsu/Tello