The Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur (Mesopotamian Civilizations)

The goal of this book is to present a revised edition of the Sumerian Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur , a lament bewailing the fall of the glorious Ur III kingdom in 2004 B.C.E. Lamentation is a well-known genre in world literature. Laments of various types are part of the cultural legacy and literary corpus of many societies, from ancient to modern times, and Sumerian literature is no exception. However, Mesopotamian lamentation literature includes a significant body of laments belonging to a unique and almost unparalleled genre the genre of lamentations over the destruction of cities and temples. This genre has no known ancient parallel outside the ancient Near East; more specifically, it is almost exclusively attested in Sumerian and biblical literature. The Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur is the most famous and important exemplar of the city-laments. In this updated and revised publication of the Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur , Samet provides an introductory discussion of Sumerian city-laments in general; a full presentation of the text of the Ur Lament, including transliteration, translation, and an extensive philological commentary; and an accounting of the extant textual witness in score format. Plates with color photos of many texts are included. The Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur 4 Contents 8 Preface 10 Abbreviations 12 1 Introduction 14 1.1. Sumerian Laments over Cities and Temples 14 1.2. Sumerian City Laments 16 1.2.1. Dating and Historical Background 18 1.2.2. The Cultic Setting of the City Laments 22 1.2.3. The City Laments as a Genre 25 1.3. The Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur 26 1.3.1. Content 27 1.3.2. Structure, Style, and Meaning 27 1.3.2.1. Kirugu 1 27 1.3.2.2. Kirugu 2 30 1.3.2.3. Kirugus 3–4 31 1.3.2.4. Kirugu 5 35 1.3.2.5. Kirugu 6 37 1.3.2.6. Kirugu 7 38 1.3.2.7. Kirugu 8 40 1.3.2.8. Kirugus 9–10 42 1.3.2.9. Kirugu 11 43 2 Revised Edition of the Ur Lament 45 2.1. Previous Editions and Translations 45 2.2. The Present Edition 46 2.3. List of Manuscripts 47 2.3.1. Indexes of Previous Works 50 2.4. Descriptions of Manuscripts 51 2.4.1. Manuscripts from Nippur 51 2.4.2. Manuscripts from Ur 61 2.4.3. Manuscripts from Kiš 63 2.4.4. A Manuscript from Sippar 64 2.4.5. Manuscripts of Unknown Provenance 64 3 Transliteration and Translation 67 4 Commentary 91 5 Score 146 Bibliography 247 Indexes 257 Index of Words, Particles, and Idioms Discussed 257 Index of Divine Names in the Ur Lament 259 Index of Geographical and Topographical Names 259 Index of Sumerian Sources 260 Plates 267 Sumerian Laments Over Cities And Temples -- Sumerian City Laments -- The Lamentation Over The Destruction Of Ur -- Previous Editions And Translations -- The Present Edition -- List Of Manuscripts -- Descriptions Of Manuscripts -- Transliteration And Translation -- Commentary -- Score. Nili Samet [editor, Translator And Commentary]. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Text In Transcribed Sumerian With English Translation And Commentary.