# Ur # Ur ## Overview Ur was one of the most important Sumerian city-states, located in southern Mesopotamia. It is notable for the Royal Tombs, the Great Ziggurat, and its association with the biblical Abraham. ## Key Facts - Location: Tell el-Muqayyar, Dhi Qar Province, Iraq - Period: ~3800 BCE – ~500 BCE @t[3800 BCE..500 BCE] - Excavated by: Leonard Woolley (1922–1934) ## Major Discoveries - Royal Tombs of Ur (~2600–2400 BCE): Elaborate burials with gold, lapis lazuli, and human sacrifices @t[2600 BCE..2400 BCE] [^1] - Standard of Ur: Mosaic box depicting war and peace scenes - Great Ziggurat of Ur: Built by Ur-Nammu (~2100 BCE), partially restored @t[~2100 BCE] - Ram in a Thicket: Gold and lapis lazuli figurine (now in British Museum and Penn Museum) ## Historical Significance - Third Dynasty of Ur (~2112–2004 BCE): Last Sumerian dynasty, produced the Code of Ur-Nammu @t[2112 BCE..2004 BCE] - Major trading port connected to the Persian Gulf - Traditionally identified as "Ur of the Chaldees" (Genesis 11:31) [^2] --- [^1]: Woolley, L. *Ur Excavations II: The Royal Cemetery* (1934) [^2]: Woolley, L. *Excavations at Ur* (1954) --- ## Review Queue - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Location: Tell el-Muqayyar, Dhi Qar Province, Iraq" - when was this true? > Historical event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: "Period: ~3800 BCE – ~500 BCE" - when was this true? > 3800 BCE event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Excavated by: Leonard Woolley (1922–1934)" - when was this true? > Historical event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 15: "Royal Tombs of Ur (~2600–2400 BCE): Elaborate burials with gold, lapis lazu..." - when was this true? > 2400 BCE event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 16: "Standard of Ur: Mosaic box depicting war and peace scenes" - when was this true? > Historical event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Great Ziggurat of Ur: Built by Ur-Nammu (~2100 BCE), partially restored" - when was this true? > 2100 BCE event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "Ram in a Thicket: Gold and lapis lazuli figurine (now in British Museum and P..." - when was this true? > Historical event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 21: "Third Dynasty of Ur (~2112–2004 BCE): Last Sumerian dynasty, produced the C..." - when was this true? > 2004 BCE event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 22: "Major trading port connected to the Persian Gulf" - when was this true? > Historical event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. - [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 23: "Traditionally identified as "Ur of the Chaldees" (Genesis 11:31) [^2]" - when was this true? > Historical event. Attested by Woolley (1934) [^1]; Woolley (1954) [^2]. - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Location: Tell el-Muqayyar, Dhi Qar Province, Iraq" - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Period: ~3800 BCE – ~500 BCE" - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Excavated by: Leonard Woolley (1922–1934)" - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 16: "Standard of Ur: Mosaic box depicting war and peace scenes" - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 17: "Great Ziggurat of Ur: Built by Ur-Nammu (~2100 BCE), partially restored" - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 18: "Ram in a Thicket: Gold and lapis lazuli figurine (now in British Museum and P..." - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 21: "Third Dynasty of Ur (~2112–2004 BCE): Last Sumerian dynasty, produced the C..." - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[missing]` Line 22: "Major trading port connected to the Persian Gulf" - what is the source? > Woolley (1934) [^1], Woolley (1954) [^2] - [x] `@q[ambiguous]` Line 22: "Major trading port connected to the Persian Gulf" - what is the nature of this connection? > Connected via waterways and trade routes. Ur was accessible to Persian Gulf maritime commerce. - [x] `@q[stale]` Line 15: "Royal Tombs of Ur (~2600–2400 BCE): Elaborate burials with gold, lapis lazu..." - Woolley source from 1934 may be outdated, is this still accurate? > Scholarship remains current. Woolley (1934) findings are still accepted by modern archaeologists. - [x] `@q[stale]` Line 23: "Traditionally identified as "Ur of the Chaldees" (Genesis 11:31) [^2]" - Woolley source from 1954 may be outdated, is this still accurate? > Scholarship remains current. Woolley (1954) findings are still accepted by modern archaeologists.