Lugal-Anne-Mundu: ‘King Of The Universe’ And Powerful Leader Who Restored Sumer To Its Former Glory
A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Lugal-anne-mundu (Lugalannemundu) (ca. 25th century BC) was a powerful king and a great leader, who restored Sumer to its former glory.
His influence spread over a great number of territories from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, neighboring the Taurus mountains in the north, and the Zagros mountains in the east.
According to the Sumerian King List, Lugal-anne-mundu ruled about 2400 BC and for the period of ninety years. He received the kingship following the fall of the Second Dynasty at Ur.
He was only one king ascribed to the Sumerian city-state Adab (modern Bismāyah) located south of Nippur, Iraq.
Adab city was at the time, an important Sumerian center and at almost all other times in its history, ruled by kings who controlled all or most of Babylonia (southern Mesopotamia).
The principal deity of the city was the goddess Ninhursag, known not only as the goddess of animal birth but the Mother of All Children, a mother-goddess figure.
There are few authentic contemporary inscriptions for Lugal-Anne-Mundu's reign; he is known mainly from a much later text, probably copied from one of his inscriptions, and unearthed during excavations 1903-04.
In this document, Lugal-anne-mundu - described as "King of the universe" or 'King of the four quarters of the Universe' - was an accomplished military leader and strategist.
He managed to capture vast territories and was able to make all foreign lands pay tribute to him and finally brought peace. Lugal-Anne-Mundu’s empire, which is believed to be the first in recorded history, collapsed upon his death.
A series of excavations conducted by the American archaeologist Edgar James Banks in 1903–04, exposed ancient ruins of Adab city dating from as early as the prehistoric period and as late as the reign of Ur-Nammu (reigned 2112–2095 BC).
The city of Adab was divided into two parts by a canal, on an island in which stood the temple, E-mach, with a ziggurat, or stepped tower. Archaeologists unearthed artifacts dated to Sargon of Akkad, ca. 2300 BC.
Further deep down, they found the remains of buildings, walls, graves and a large number of inscribed clay, bronze and stone tablets, alabaster, onyx, porphyry and granite, vases in marble, some of which were inscribed, and others engraved and inlaid with ivory and precious stones.
"...All were polished, some were engraved with a simple design; others were elaborately wrought with the figures of men and of animals... Others were inscribed with the name of the temple or of an unknown king...." wrote Edgar James Banks, who excavated the area of ancient Adab (now Bismaya or Bismya, Iraq).
Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesOlmstead, A. T. "The Political Development of Early Babylonia." The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures 33, no. 4 (1917): 283-321.
More From Ancient Pages
-
Life Of Galilean Sages Described On 1,800-Year-Old Hebrew Inscriptions Can Confirm Ancient Legends
Archaeology | Feb 25, 2017
-
Unusual 4,000-Year-Old Site And Other Curiosities Discovered In Overstone, Northamptonshire, UK
Archaeology | Jan 10, 2023
-
World’s Oldest Lunisolar Calendar May Have Been Discovered At Göbekli Tepe, Turkey
Archaeology | Aug 7, 2024
-
Great Lady Of Champagne – Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin: Widow, Mother, Skilled Businesswoman
Featured Stories | Aug 22, 2019
-
Surprising Discovery Of Rare Turtle Statue Under Bayon Temple In Angkor, Cambodia
Archaeology | May 2, 2024
-
City Of Ephesus And Celsus Library With More Than 12,000 Scrolls
Featured Stories | Sep 17, 2015
-
2nd Century Inscription Unearthed At Forum Of Ancient City Of Philippopolis, Bulgaria
Archaeology | Oct 21, 2019
-
Whose Ancient Burials Are Hidden Inside The Vatican City’s Walls?
Archaeology | Mar 11, 2021
-
Superfood Of Ancient Andeans Reconstructed – What Helped To Fuel The Tiwanaku Civilization 2,500 Years?
Archaeology | Nov 30, 2021
-
Unsolved Enigma Of The Inga Stone And Its Mysterious Ancient Undeciphered Signs
Artifacts | Jan 18, 2015
-
Oldest Aqueduct Dated To 3rd Century BC Discovered In Rome
Archaeology | Apr 4, 2017
-
Ancient Greeks Invented Alarm Clocks
Ancient History Facts | May 6, 2016
-
Mysterious Maya Snake Kings And Their Powerful Kingdom In The Jungle Reveal More Ancient Secrets
Civilizations | Apr 23, 2018
-
Tomb Of A 1,000-Year-Old Sican Surgeon Wearing A Golden Mask Discovered In Peru
Archaeology | Mar 30, 2022
-
Hill Of 100,000 Crosses In Lithuania Survived Against All Odds
Featured Stories | May 23, 2017
-
Egypt’s Oldest Tomb Oriented To Winter Solstice Discovered In Aswan
Archaeology | Nov 18, 2022
-
Mysterious Prehistoric Statues In Bada Valley, Indonesia Surrounded With Countless Legends
Civilizations | Jan 9, 2019
-
Aztec Treasure: ‘Yew Of Gold’ Found 39 Years Ago Originates From Spanish Plunder During ‘Sad Night’ In 1520
Archaeology | Jan 12, 2020
-
Mysterious Footprints In Tanzania Made By Early Humans Not Bears
Archaeology | Dec 1, 2021
-
Climate Change, Not Genghis Khan Caused Demise Of Central Asia’s River Civilizations
Archaeology | Dec 17, 2020