Ave!

Lagash, Sumer, Ruler Gudea, Foundation Cone, Rare!

Clay; 14CM/181gm     Ca. 2144-2124 BC

Con/ A very sharp example with complete cuneiform inscriptions.

Provenance & Attribution/ Dr. David MacDonald, University of Illinois, acquired in the mid 1980's

Seller's Note/ Always scarce, such Foundation Cones from ancient Sumer, Mesopotamia, are now becoming more difficult to find, especially with such irrefutable provenance.

Quote from Dr. MacDonald - "This Gudea cone was one of group of about twenty bought out of Iraq long before the war there. I did some work for the dealer who had them and got one in payment. Gudea was the ruler of Lagash in Sumer about 2144–2124 BC. He was a relatively minor figure, but a great braggart and many of his cones and sculptures survive."

So what is a foundation cone, anyway? When Gudea was restoring a temple of the War God Ningirsu, such cones (sometimes referred to as 'nails') were added to the foundations not only for the edification of Gudea himself, but to also remind the god as to who restored his temple.

Transliteration:

 1.   {d} nin-?ir2-su

 2.   ur-sa? kal-ga

 3.   {d} en-lil2-la2-ra

 4.   gu3-de2-a

 5.   ensi2

 6.   lagaš-ki-ke4

 7.   ni?2-ul-e pa mu-na-e3

 8.   e2-ninnu  {d} anzud-{mušen}-babbar2-ra-ni

 9.   mu-na-du3

10.   ki-bi mu-na-gi4

In line 7, ni?2-ul could be translated as ni?2-du7, meaning "something suitable or appropriate".

Translation:

For Ningirsu

Mighty warrior of Enlil

Gudea

The ruler of Lagash

Brought forth something everlasting

The Temple Ninnu, of Anzud the White Eagle

He built

This place he restored

Note:  Ninnu means "fifty", denoting 50 divine powers.

The second photo is a Line drawing of a similar Gudea foundation cone, by Marcel Sigrist.  Gudea's name (gu3-de2-a) is on the 4th line down, reading left to right.  

Our price of only $875 is ridiculously low, trust me.