Lugal (Sumerian: 𒈗) is the Sumerian term for "king, ruler". Literally, the term means "big man."[1] In Sumerian, lú "𒇽" is "man" and gal "𒃲" is "great", or "big."[2]
Detail of the Sumerian statue of Lugal-dalu, King of Adab – as stated in the inscription of circa mid-3rd millennium BC, inscription including the Sumerian cuneiform sign of lugal
It was one of several Sumerian titles that a ruler of a city-state could bear (alongside en and ensi, the exact difference being a subject of debate). The sign eventually became the predominant logograph for "King" in general. In the Sumerian language, lugal is used to mean an owner (e.g. of a boat or a field) or a head (of a unit such as a family).[3]
 "Lugal" in archaic and early cuneiform on the Lugal-dalu statue
The cuneiform sign LUGAL ð’ˆ— (Borger nr. 151, Unicode U+12217) serves as a determinative in cuneiform texts (Sumerian, Akkadian and Hittite), indicating that the following word is the name of a king. In Akkadian orthography, it may also be a syllabogram Å¡Ã r, acrophonically based on the Akkadian for "king", Å¡arrum.
Unicode also includes the cuneiform characters U+12218𒈘LUGAL OVER LUGAL, and U+12219𒈙LUGAL OPPOSING LUGAL.
Lugal, ensi and enEdit
 Evolution of anthropomorphic cuneiforms, Lugal appears in the right columns.
There are different theories regarding the meaning of the title lugal in 3rd-millennium Sumer. Some scholars believe that a ruler of an individual city-state was usually called ensi, and a ruler who headed a confederacy or larger dominion composed of several cities, perhaps even the whole of Sumer, was a lugal. The functions of such a lugal would include certain ceremonial and cultic activities, arbitration in border disputes, military defence against external enemies, and once the lugal has died, the eldest son must take over.[3][4] The ensis of Lagash would sometimes refer to the city's patron deity, Ningirsu, as their lugal ("master"). All of the above is connected to the possibly priestly or sacral character of the titles ensi[5] and especially en (the latter term continuing to designate priests in subsequent times).
Other scholars consider ensi, en and lugal to have been merely three local designations for the sovereign, accepted respectively in the city-states of Lagash, Uruk and Ur (as well as most of the rest of Sumer),[5][6][7] although the various terms may have expressed different aspects of the Mesopotamian concept of kingship.[5] A lugal at that time is assumed to have been "normally a young man of outstanding qualities from a rich landowning family."[8]Thorkild Jacobsen theorized that he was originally an (elected) war leader, as opposed to the (likewise elected) en, who dealt with internal issues.[9]
Among the earliest rulers whose inscriptions describe them as lugals are Enmebaragesi and Mesilim at Kish, and Meskalamdug, Mesannepada and several of their successors at Ur.[10] At least from the Third Dynasty of Ur onwards, only lugal was used to designate a contemporary sovereign in Sumerian.
Lugal in the Amarna lettersEdit
The term Lugal is used extensively in the Amarna letters, for addressing kings or pharaohs, and elsewhere in speaking about various kings. One common address, in the introduction of many letters, from the vassals writing to the pharaoh was to use: Å Ã r-ri, (Å¡arri "my king": Å¡ar the construct state of Å¡arrum + the first person suffix -i); they used Lugal + ri = Å Ã r-ri, with LUGAL written Sumerographically while ri being the Akkadian phonetic supplement.
^Mills, Watson E.; Roger Aubrey Bullard (1990). Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Mercer University Press. p. 975. ISBN 978-0-86554-373-7.
^ abWestenholz, Aage (2002), Hansen, Morgens Herman (ed.), "The Sumerian city-state: A comparative study of six city-state cultures: an investigation conducted by the Copenhagen Polis Center", Historisk-filosofiske Skrifter, Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzels Forlag, 23-42. (27): 34–35
^Plamen Rusev, Mesalim, Lugal Na Kish: Politicheska Istoriia Na Ranen Shumer (XXVIII-XXVI V. Pr. N. E.), Faber, 2001 (in Bulgarian) Mesalim, Lugal of Kish. Political History of Early Sumer (XXVIII–XXVI century BC.)
^Michalowski, Piotr (2008), Brisch, N. (ed.), "The Mortal Kings of Ur: A Short Century of Divine Rule in Ancient Mesopotamia" (PDF), Religion and Power: Divine Kingship in the Ancient World and Beyond, Chicago: The Oriental Institute: 33
^Cooper, Jerrold S., Sumerian and Semitic Writing in Most Ancient Syro-Mesopotamia. P.63-65. In: "Languages and Cultures in Contact. At the Crossroads of Civilizations in the Syro-Mesopotamian Realm." Proceedings of the 42nd RAI - Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 96, K. Van Lerberghe and G. Voet (eds.), Leuven
^H.W.F. Saggs, Babylonians, University of Oklahoma Press (1995), page 54.
^Jacobsen, Thorkild, 1970: "Early political development in Mesopotamia", ZA 52: 91-140; repr. in TIT 132-156, 366-396.
lugal, sumerian, 𒈗, sumerian, term, king, ruler, literally, term, means, sumerian, 𒇽, 𒃲, great, detail, sumerian, statue, dalu, king, adab, stated, inscription, circa, millennium, inscription, including, sumerian, cuneiform, sign, lugalit, several, sumerian, t. Lugal Sumerian 𒈗 is the Sumerian term for king ruler Literally the term means big man 1 In Sumerian lu 𒇽 is man and gal 𒃲 is great or big 2 Detail of the Sumerian statue of Lugal dalu King of Adab as stated in the inscription of circa mid 3rd millennium BC inscription including the Sumerian cuneiform sign of lugalIt was one of several Sumerian titles that a ruler of a city state could bear alongside en and ensi the exact difference being a subject of debate The sign eventually became the predominant logograph for King in general In the Sumerian language lugal is used to mean an owner e g of a boat or a field or a head of a unit such as a family 3 As a cuneiform logograph Sumerogram LUGAL Unicode 𒈗 rendered in Neo Assyrian Contents 1 Cuneiform 2 Lugal ensi and en 3 Lugal in the Amarna letters 4 See also 5 NotesCuneiform Edit Lugal in archaic and early cuneiform on the Lugal dalu statueThe cuneiform sign LUGAL 𒈗 Borger nr 151 Unicode U 12217 serves as a determinative in cuneiform texts Sumerian Akkadian and Hittite indicating that the following word is the name of a king In Akkadian orthography it may also be a syllabogram sar acrophonically based on the Akkadian for king sarrum Unicode also includes the cuneiform characters U 12218 𒈘 LUGAL OVER LUGAL and U 12219 𒈙 LUGAL OPPOSING LUGAL Lugal ensi and en Edit Evolution of anthropomorphic cuneiforms Lugal appears in the right columns There are different theories regarding the meaning of the title lugal in 3rd millennium Sumer Some scholars believe that a ruler of an individual city state was usually called ensi and a ruler who headed a confederacy or larger dominion composed of several cities perhaps even the whole of Sumer was a lugal The functions of such a lugal would include certain ceremonial and cultic activities arbitration in border disputes military defence against external enemies and once the lugal has died the eldest son must take over 3 4 The ensis of Lagash would sometimes refer to the city s patron deity Ningirsu as their lugal master All of the above is connected to the possibly priestly or sacral character of the titles ensi 5 and especially en the latter term continuing to designate priests in subsequent times Other scholars consider ensi en and lugal to have been merely three local designations for the sovereign accepted respectively in the city states of Lagash Uruk and Ur as well as most of the rest of Sumer 5 6 7 although the various terms may have expressed different aspects of the Mesopotamian concept of kingship 5 A lugal at that time is assumed to have been normally a young man of outstanding qualities from a rich landowning family 8 Thorkild Jacobsen theorized that he was originally an elected war leader as opposed to the likewise elected en who dealt with internal issues 9 Among the earliest rulers whose inscriptions describe them as lugals are Enmebaragesi and Mesilim at Kish and Meskalamdug Mesannepada and several of their successors at Ur 10 At least from the Third Dynasty of Ur onwards only lugal was used to designate a contemporary sovereign in Sumerian Lugal in the Amarna letters EditThe term Lugal is used extensively in the Amarna letters for addressing kings or pharaohs and elsewhere in speaking about various kings One common address in the introduction of many letters from the vassals writing to the pharaoh was to use Sar ri sarri my king sar the construct state of sarrum the first person suffix i they used Lugal ri Sar ri with LUGAL written Sumerographically while ri being the Akkadian phonetic supplement See also EditLugalbandaNotes Edit Asia portal Look up 𒈗 in Wiktionary the free dictionary Crawford Harriet 29 August 2013 The Sumerian World Routledge p 283 ISBN 978 1 136 21912 2 Mills Watson E Roger Aubrey Bullard 1990 Mercer Dictionary of the Bible Mercer University Press p 975 ISBN 978 0 86554 373 7 a b Westenholz Aage 2002 Hansen Morgens Herman ed The Sumerian city state A comparative study of six city state cultures an investigation conducted by the Copenhagen Polis Center Historisk filosofiske Skrifter Copenhagen C A Reitzels Forlag 23 42 27 34 35 Plamen Rusev Mesalim Lugal Na Kish Politicheska Istoriia Na Ranen Shumer XXVIII XXVI V Pr N E Faber 2001 in Bulgarian Mesalim Lugal of Kish Political History of Early Sumer XXVIII XXVI century BC a b c Glassner Jean Jacques 2000 Les petits etats Mesopotamiens a la fin du 4e et au cours du 3e millenaire In Hansen Mogens Herman ed A Comparative Study of Thirty City State Cultures The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters Copenhagen P 48 Michalowski Piotr 2008 Brisch N ed The Mortal Kings of Ur A Short Century of Divine Rule in Ancient Mesopotamia PDF Religion and Power Divine Kingship in the Ancient World and Beyond Chicago The Oriental Institute 33 Cooper Jerrold S Sumerian and Semitic Writing in Most Ancient Syro Mesopotamia P 63 65 In Languages and Cultures in Contact At the Crossroads of Civilizations in the Syro Mesopotamian Realm Proceedings of the 42nd RAI Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 96 K Van Lerberghe and G Voet eds Leuven H W F Saggs Babylonians University of Oklahoma Press 1995 page 54 Jacobsen Thorkild 1970 Early political development in Mesopotamia ZA 52 91 140 repr in TIT 132 156 366 396 Glassner Jean Jacques 2000 Les petits etats Mesopotamiens a la fin du 4e et au cours du 3e millenaire In Hansen Mogens Herman ed A Comparative Study of Thirty City State Cultures The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters Copenhagen P 47 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lugal amp oldid 1170729815, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
