Ziggurat Terrace | ZT
| Context Title: | Ziggurat Terrace | ZT |
| Context Name (Publication): | Ziggurat Terrace |
| Context Name (Excavation): | ZT |
| Context Description: | The excavation area abbreviation ZT stands for Ziggurat Terrace. It was used for any portion of the terrace on which the ziggurat stood, though other more specific abbreviations were also used. For example, the abbreviation PDW refers to the northern side of the terrace, west of the Great Nannar Courtyard (PD), and HD refers to the southern part of the terrace. Early references using the abbreviation ZT refer specifically to excavations along the terrace retaining wall itself. Later references, however, mention specific areas on top the terrace such as the so-called 'boat shrine.' The abbreviation also refers to deep clearing of the terrace fill, particularly on the north side in later excavation seasons, though the abbreviation Zig.31 was most often used for this. Woolley uncovered large areas of the retaining wall that supported the platform known as the ziggurat terrace. He found that it was decorated with large wall cones. These cones bore an inscription of Urnamma but there is evidence that the terrace in some form existed in the Early Dynastic period as well. The Urnamma retaining wall was slanted to support the terrace, was 1.7 meters high, 34 meters wide, and was decorated with 5-meter-wide buttresses about 4 meters apart. The inscribed cones dedicate the terrace to the moon god, Nanna, and show that it was called e-temen-ni-gur, which translates as, "house, foundation platform clad in terror." (Woolley read this e-temen-ni-il). |
| Season Number: | 02: 1923-1924 |
| Season Number: | 03: 1924-1925 |
| Season Number: | 05: 1926-1927 |
| Season Number: | 10: 1931-1932 |
| Season Number: | 11: 1932-1933 |
Files
| Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1151 | (none) | (none) | B15617 | Portion (about half) of small baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus, duplicate of U.1111 etc. Found in 2 pieces and joined. P. |
| 1154 | (none) | (none) | B15618 | Fragment from right side of small baked clay barrel-cylinder of Nabonidus. 17 lines from 2nd column. Inscription duplicate of U.1111, U.1131, etc. P. |
| 17626A | 32-40-437, 32-40-437 | (none) | (none) | [A-B] Copper cylinders. A pair. Solid metal, entirely carved with inscription in vertical lines. Name of NUR-ADAD. | |
| 17835A | 32-40-308 | (none) | (none) | [A-B] Two lion's heads. Silhouetted in profile. White calcite, originally painted red, but the color gone: both are really stamp seals with rough designs drill-cut on the flat lower surface. Both are pierced for suspension from the top of the head to the bottom of the mane. [drawing] | |
| 17872 | 32-40-334 | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Diorite. Damaged, and part of the surface gone. Design worked entirely with the drill: a standing figure with arms raised and two seated figures, and an object which may be a libation vase. |
| 18253 | 33-35-189 | (none) | (none) | Clay seal impression. Archaic. Broken and incomplete. A naked man fighting, two heraldically crossed animals: a crouched bull and a seated goddess. | |
| 18310 | 33-35-260 | (none) | (none) | Clay seal impression. In a rectangular frame a guilloche, the strands made up of 3 narrow bands at one end, remains of an animal scene. | |
| 18311 | 33-35-261 | (none) | (none) | Clay seal impression. Long strip of clay on which a very fair impression. A standing figure (?): before him a small figure fallen backwards (?): behind him two dwarflike figure in violent action (?) = above a guilloche: beyond them, two rampant beasts heraldically crossed (?) | |
| 18325 | 33-35-262 | (none) | (none) | Clay seal impression. Men and animals fighting. [Note on back of card reads Check in Catalog of Vol. IV, was there, but has been removed. The note is signed [illegible], and dated 1936.] | |
| 18553A | 33-35-481 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553B | 33-35-482 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553C | 33-35-483 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553D | 33-35-484 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553E | 33-35-485 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553F | 33-35-486 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553G | 33-35-487 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553H | 33-35-488 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553I | 33-35-489 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553J | 33-35-490 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553K | 33-35-491 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
| 18553L | 33-35-492 | (none) | (none) | [A-L] Seal impressions on fragments of clay jar stopper. 12 in all. 1st dynasty types with human figures and animals. |
- 21 Objects
| Media | Media Title | Title | Label | Author | Omeka Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0097 | GN0097 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0098 | GN0098 | (none) | |
| Field Photographs | Field Photographs | GN0099 | GN0099 | (none) | |
| UPM Field Photo numbers | UPM Field Photo numbers | (none) | (none) | (none) |
| Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods | 1955 | Woolley, L. | (none) |
| Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | Ur Excavations V: The Ziggurat and its Surroundings | 1939 | Woolley Leonard | (none) |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p160 | Ur_Notes_v2_p160 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p211 | Ur_Notes_v2_p211 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p212 | Ur_Notes_v2_p212 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p213 | Ur_Notes_v2_p213 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p214 | Ur_Notes_v2_p214 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p215 | Ur_Notes_v2_p215 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v2_p219 | Ur_Notes_v2_p219 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v4_p121 | Ur_Notes_v4_p121 | (none) | |
| Woolley's Field Note Cards | Woolley's Field Note Cards | Ur_Notes_v4_p218 | Ur_Notes_v4_p218 | (none) |
- 15 Media
Sibling Locations
AH Site | AH - City Wall | CLW - DP - Dublalmah | LL - EH Site | EH - Ehursag | HT - EM Site | EM - Enunmah | TTB | ES - ESB - FH - Giparu | KP - Great Nanna Courtyard | PD - Harbor Temple - House 34/1 - House 34/2 - House Site - Kassite Fort - KPS Site | KPS - LT - LW - Mausoleum Site | BC - Neo-Babylonian Housing | NH - NNCF - NTB - P/103 - Palace of Bel-Shalti-Nannar | AD - Pit F - Royal Cemetery | PG - SM - Temenos Wall | TW - TTC - XNCF
Child Locations
Courtyard BB - Ningal Temple | HD - PDW - Room FF - Room GG - Room SW 2 - Ziggurat
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Context
Ur > Ziggurat Terrace | ZT
References
Woolley, L. . (1955) Ur Excavations IV; The Early Periods, Oxford: Oxford University Press.