by
Damien F. Mackey
At some
point in time – was it late, during the Seleucid era? – certain major Judean
cities became associated with, even absorbed into, central and southern
Mesopotamia.
I am
referring in particular to Lagash (var. Lakish), Eshnunna and Girsu.
The focus
for the ‘history’ of this period of time, whoever was writing it, appears to
have been Lagash, rather than the Girsu that was regarded, nonetheless, as
being the very spiritual centre.
But a host
of place names ostensibly belonging to central and southern Mesopotamia do not
appear actually to belong there. In fact, some of them – e.g. Lagash and Girsu –
seem to “fall permanently off the political map”, according to Seth Richardson,
as quoted in my article:
A
new location proposed for Sumer
(3) A new location
proposed for Sumer
According to
this article, Sumer may be the Sumur(a) near the Mediterranean coast.
And I as
well, some time ago now, shifted Akkad well away from Mesopotamia, and also to
the Mediterranean coast, identifying it there as the famous port city of Ugarit
(Egyptian IKAT). See e.g. my article:
My
road to Akkad
Lagash/Lakish
was now to be re-identified as Judah’s strong fort of Lachish, second only to
Jerusalem itself. But it was not to be separated from Eshnunna/Ashnunna, which,
with the changing of only one consonant, becomes Ashduddu, the Assyrian name
for Ashdod (“the strong”) and another name for Lachish (not to be confused with
the Philistine Ashdod, Assyrian Ashdudimmu: “Ashdod-by-the-Sea”):
As
Ashduddu (Ashdod) is to Lachish, so, likewise, is Eshnunna to Lagash
(3) As Ashduddu
(Ashdod) is to Lachish, so, likewise, is Eshnunna to Lagash
If all this
is correct, then Girsu (conventionally thought to be modern Tello in S. Iraq),
the spiritual centre for Lagash/Eshnunna, must inevitably be Jerusalem itself:
Goodbye,
not hello, to Girsu at Tello
(4) Goodbye, not
hello, to Girsu at Tello
All of this
is, of course, far distantly removed from central and southern Mesopotamia!
Most
interestingly, a variant of Girsu is, apparently, Jirsu, in which the
name of Jerus-alim is clearly visible: Girsu - Wikipedia
“Because of
the initial velar
nasal ŋ,
the transcription of Ĝirsu is sometimes spelled as Ngirsu (also: G̃irsu, Girsu, Jirsu)”.
Note Ningirsu,
the lord of Girsu, then simply becomes Yahweh, the Lord of Jerusalem:
Yahweh,
Solomon, Jerusalem - Ningirsu, Gudea and Girsu
(4) Yahweh,
Solomon, Jerusalem - Ningirsu, Gudea and Girsu
A History
Rise article rightly refers to Girsu as “the Sacred Heart of Lagash”:
The Archaeological Site of
Girsu: the Sacred Heart of Lagash | History Rise
The Archaeological Site
of Girsu: the Sacred Heart of Lagash
March 16, 2026 by History
Rise
….
The archaeological site of Girsu, located in
modern-day Iraq [sic], is one of the most significant remnants of ancient
Sumerian [sic] civilization. It served as a religious and administrative center
for the city-state of Lagash, which flourished around 2500 BCE [sic]. Girsu’s
ruins offer invaluable insights into early urban development and religious
practices in Mesopotamia [sic].
The Historical Significance of Girsu
Girsu was more than just a city; it was considered the
spiritual heart of Lagash. The city was home to many temples dedicated to
deities like Ningirsu, the warrior god and protector of Lagash. The prominence
of Ningirsu’s temple highlights the importance of religion in governance and
daily life in ancient Sumer.
Major Archaeological Discoveries
Excavations at Girsu have uncovered impressive
artifacts, including statues, clay tablets, and the remains of monumental
architecture. One of the most notable finds is the Stele of the Vultures, which
depicts the victory of Lagash over its rival Umma. This artifact provides
evidence of the political and military history of the region.
Temples and Religious Structures
The most famous structure at Girsu is the E-ninnu
temple, dedicated to Ningirsu. Its ruins [sic] reveal complex construction
techniques and religious symbolism. The temple complex was a center for
rituals, offerings, and festivals that reinforced the divine authority of the
ruling class.
The Role of Girsu in Sumerian Culture
Girsu played a vital role in shaping Sumerian culture
through its religious, political, and artistic achievements. The city’s
artifacts and inscriptions have helped historians understand the development of
early writing, governance, and religious beliefs in Mesopotamia.
Preservation and Modern Significance
Today, Girsu is a UNESCO World Heritage site,
recognized for its historical importance. Ongoing excavations continue to
uncover new artifacts, shedding light on the ancient civilization that once
thrived there. The site remains a symbol of humanity’s early achievements in
urban planning and religious life.
[End of quote]
My advice: Say goodbye to the site
of Tello and focus, instead, upon ancient Jerusalem, the real spiritual centre
for the fort of Lakish (Lagash), i.e. Lachish (Ashdod).
Just a note on the Stele
of the Vultures:
Stele of the Vultures -
Ancient World Magazine
Currently on display at
the Louvre Museum, the Stele of the Vultures originates from Tello (ancient
Girsu) in Iraq and dates to the Early Dynastic III period, or roughly between
2600 and 2350 BC. The stele was erected to celebrate the victory of the Sumerian
city-state of Lagash, ruled by Eanatum, over its rival Umma. While only
fragments have survived, it originally must have been approximately 180 cm
tall, 130 cm wide, and 11 cm thick. It was carved out of a single
limestone slab.
There are different scenes
on either side. The scenes on one side have been interpreted as historical or
terrestrial, while the other side is thought to be mythological or divine. Both
are connected to Eanatum, but only the historical side need interest us here,
because it affords some interesting information with regards to the history of
warfare. “Warfare”, in this context, refers to organized violence, and in
particular the form of warfare practiced by Sumerian city-states.
The historical side of the
stele is divided into four registers or panels, which we must presumably read
from top to bottom. The top of the first panel depicts a large flock of
vultures flying through the air while carrying severed heads and arms of the
defeated soldiers of Umma in their beaks. Immediately below we see Sumerian
soldiers from Lagash marching in formation, trampling the bodies of their
fallen foes, emphasizing that this scene takes place immediately following the
defeat of their opponent in battle.
The soldiers march as a
single unit, with the front rank defended by large, rectangular shields; spears
poke out from between the shields. They are led by none other than King Eanatum
himself. To the right of the advancing army, soldiers of Umma, shown in much
smaller size, tumble or flee.
The second panel from the
top depicts more soldiers marching, this time apparently without shields, and
with their spears held aslant against their shoulders in one hand, and axes
held up in the other. They follow a war-cart pulled by donkeys or onagers,
driven by a figure holding a long spear overhead: this is again supposed to be
Eanatum. The right portion of this panel is lost, but must have shown the enemy
fighting or, perhaps more likely, fleeing. It’s not clear if the army here is
supposed to be the same as the army depicted in the second panel.
The third panel, and the
last that is more or less decently preserved, shows part of a seated figure, a
naked priest performing a libation ritual, and a pile of corpses flanked by
figures carrying baskets on their heads. The baskets probably contained earth,
used to bury the pile of corpses.
Presumably the corpses
consist of the fallen of Umma, but they may have included the bodies of dead
soldiers from Lagash, too. A cow is tied to a post near the seated figure’s
feet: no doubt the animal was to serve as a sacrifice. The seated figure is undoubtedly
again Eanatum, keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings here.
It’s the panel with the
soldiers marching in formation that has drawn the most interest from students
of ancient warfare. The formation used by the soldiers of Lagash has drawn
comparisons with later Graeco-Roman formations, most notably the Macedonian phalanx.
But the peoples of the ancient Near East were apparently the first to deploy
troops in formation. Aside from the Vulture stele, there are other pieces of
evidence, including wooden models of soldiers marching in block formations from
ancient Egypt.
[End
of quote]
It behoves me now to fit
this epic into a Judean context (Jerusalem, Lachish).
At the
beginning of this article I had wondered if the geographical weirdness may have
arisen “late, during the Seleucid era?” In this regard, it is interesting that
a document supposedly as ancient as is the Stele of the Vultures (c. 2450 BC) should
exhibit soldiers ostensibly employing “the Macedonian phalanx”.
The item has
been seriously mis-dated.
I believe
that this is a late recollection of King Hezekiah of Judah (Jerusalem/Lachish),
as Eannatum of Lagash – Hezekiah victorious over Assyria, and also as Urukagina
– Hezekiah during the siege of Jerusalem:
Hezekiah
withstands Assyria - Lumma withstands Umma
(5) Hezekiah
withstands Assyria - Lumma withstands Umma
Lumma, here, may well be a reference to King Hezekiah as
Lemuel:
“Lemuel”
of Proverbs could be Hezekiah rather than Solomon
(5)
"Lemuel" of Proverbs could be Hezekiah rather than Solomon by
Hezekiah was Urukagina of Lagash and Girsu:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urukagina
“Uru-ka-gina, Uru-inim-gina, or Iri-ka-gina was King of the
city-states of Lagash and Girsu …”.
