Early Dynastic / Sumerian
The period from circa 3000 BC-2350 BC in southern Mesopotamia is sub-divided into three main phases known as Early Dynastic I, II & III. Part of this region at this period corresponds to the ancient region of Sumer hence the assumption that all of the material culture is Sumerian.
Description:
The Sumerian Period is a grouping of the Early Dynastic Periods which were divided by the Oriental Institute's excavations in the Diyala. This term was used during Woolley's time to refer to this span of time. It was preceded by the Jemdat Nasr Period and followed by the Akkadian Period. During this period, Kingship alternated between a number of competing dynasties, traditionally including Kish, Uruk, and Ur.
Ultra Low Chronology:
Short/Low Chronology: 2800-2230 BCE
Middle Chronology: 2900-2340 BCE
Objects: Early Dynastic / Sumerian Export: JSON - XML - CSV
| Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 13898 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet. Fragment very archaic = same type as Quasi-fare. Collection year 1928/9 HC.281 UET II: 237). |
| 13899 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet. very archaic (cf 13898) (113,4 insufficiently cleaned & perhaps somewhat damaged by cleaning) HC.282 (UET/:II:237). |
| 13903 | (none) | 1930,1213.462, 19301213.46 | (none) | Seal impression. Fragment of rosette ? and signs? cf. 13095. HC.212 UET II: 331) |
| 13905 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Seal impression. Large rosettes and fragaments of inscription. cf. 13903. HC.213 UET II: 319) |
| 13930 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet. Fragment. Archaic accounts. With rare or unknown signs probably from SIS4. HC.285 UET II: 240) |
| 13943 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Seal impression. Inscription: 5 impressions of a cylinder which gives several signs arranged in a decorative scheme, with ornatmental additions... Begins with ideograms of Kes and Adab (both with unusaul forms) HC..215 (UET/II: 330) |
| 13944 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Seal impression. Fragment of inscription. HC.216 UET II: 320) |
| 13961 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet. Small fragment. HC.283. UET II: 238) |
| 13986 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet. Accounts (SIS 4 type) Account of (mulberry) trees (Fruit) by weight (gu). HC.256. UET II: 241) |
| 14005 | (none) | 1930,1213.39 | (none) | Copper Axe. Socketed. TYpe XIX. | |
| 14043 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper bowl. Circular but with a square base having a slight boss at each corner. [drawing 2:5] |
| 14045 | (none) | 1935,0113.801 | (none) | Clay offering table. Badly smashed. Bottom missing. 4 bands of decoration round upper portion, 2 middle bands have incised criss-cross decoration. Top and bottom band consists of incised triangles. | |
| 14052 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper Bowl. Hemispherical. Distorted. Type III. |
| 14060 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Copper cauldron. Much distorted. Type LVI. [drawing] |
| 14069A | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A] Copper bowl. Oval shaped and [B] copper cullender, corroded together. Cullender has long handle with rolled end. Type LXIII. |
| 14069B | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A] Copper bowl. Oval shaped and [B] copper cullender, corroded together. Cullender has long handle with rolled end. Type LXIII. |
| 14104 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Jar sealings. Incised with rough linear figures which in most cases appear to be signs. HC.2006. UET II: 314) |
| 14109 | (none) | 1930,1213.624 | (none) | Seal impression. Traces of a few signs, of which UD is pictographic UET II: 321) |
| 14120 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablets. Part of account tablet (practically nothing legible) (preserved for the same reason as 14119). | |
| 14121 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet(?) Same sign repeated several times. cf. 15006 (which is SIS 4) UET II: 292) |
| 14131 | (none) | 1930,1213.611 | (none) | Tablet. Round. Tablet of accounts (barley and meal) cf. the 1st case with U.13648: Presargonic cf. the name in Rev. 7 with U.13700, obv. 4. HC..303 UET II: 21 supp) |
| 14132 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Jar-sealing. Incised with inscription ...NI - LUGAL - LA(??) - BARA . UET II: 312) |
| 14134 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Tablet. Meaningless scriblings? a new type of writing? cf. 14715 HC.[1505 crossed out] 2S.14 UET II: 249) |
| 14135 | (none) | 1930,1213.651 | (none) | Tablet. Fragment of accaounts. SIS 4 type. HC.2S.10; UET/II:245. |
| 14169 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Seal impression (not evident if Jar-sealing) Inscription: ub ud-nun (=Adab) Su-dingir-sar+DU (=Kes) (??) Ses+AB (=Ur) and picture of a bird. So apparently picture writing and sign writing mingled. (cf. U.14170, U.13881) HC. UET II: 323) |
Related Terms
Ubaid - Uruk - Jemdat Nasr - Akkadian Dynasty - Guti/Post Akkadian - Ur III - Old Babylonian - Middle Assyrian - Kassite - Neo-Assyrian - Neo-Babylonian - Achaemenid Empire (Persian) - Seleucid - Parthian