Zabala, also Zabalam (𒍝𒈽𒀕𒆠zabalamki, modern Tell Ibzeikh (also Tell el-Buzekh or Tell Ibzaykh), Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq) was a city of ancient Sumer in Mesopotamia, located in what is now the Dhi Qar governorate in Iraq. In early archaeology this location was also called Tel el-Buzekh. Locally it is called Tell Bzikh. Zabala was at the crossing of the ancient Iturungal and Ninagina canals, 10 kilometers to the northwest of Umma. The city's deity was Inanna of Zabala.[1] A cuneiform tablet from Zabala contains one of only a few metro-mathematical tables of area measures from the Early Dynastic Period.[2]
The first mentions of Zabala are in seals from the Jemdet Nasr period including a list of early sites - Ur, Nippur, Larsa, Uruk, Kes, and Zabalam.[3] The earliest historical record, a bowl inscription, indicates that Zabala was under the control of Lugalzagesi of Umma. This is further supported by tablets from that period.[4] The city is also known to have been under the control of Me'annedu, father of Lugalzagesi.[5]
Akkadian Periodedit
In the Sargonic Period, Rimush of Akkad reports Zabala as attempting to rebel against the control of the Akkadian Empire:[6]
"Rimuš, king of the world, in battle over Adab and Zabalam was victorious, and 15,718 men he struck down, and 14,576 captives he took. Further, Meskigala, governor of Adab, he captured, and Lugalgalzu, governor of Zabalam, he captured. Their cities he conquered, and their walls he destroyed. Further, from their two cities many men he expelled, and to annihilation he consigned them"
After the fall of Akkad, Zabala came into the sphere of the city-state of Isin as reported by the year names of several rulers including Itar-pisa and Ur-Ninurta. The town was later subject to Abisare of Larsa, whose year name reported the building of the "Favorite of Inanna of Zabalam" canal.[9]
Ur III Periodedit
During the Ur III period, Zabala was controlled by the Ur governor in Umma which was the capital of Umma Province.[10]
Babylonian Periodedit
Cuneiform texts state that Hammurabi built Zabala's temple Ezi-Kalam-ma to the goddess Inanna.[11] The temple of Inanna in Zabalam is the subject of hymn 26 in the temple hymns of Enheduanna.
Archaeologyedit
Basse Mesopotamie DA
The site, which covers an areas of about 61 hectares, was first identified during the South Mesopotamian Mound Survey in 1954.[12] Beginning in the early 1900s, a great deal of illegal excavation occurred in Zabala.[13] An example of writing from the time of Hammurabi was removed from Zabala during this period.[14] This activity reached a new height in the 1990s, at which time the Iraqi State Organization of Antiquities and Heritage authorized an official excavation, the first at the site. Two seasons of excavation, in 2001 and 2002, occurred under the direction of Haider Al-Subaihawi. Several public and religious buildings were uncovered, a number of cuneiform tablets and an inscribed stone foundation cylinder of Warad-Sin, king of Larsa were found. A bronze sculpture (canephor, which is a form of Caryatid ), from Warad-Sin which mentions his father Kudur-Mabuk was also found.[15][16] A further outbreak of archaeological looting at Zabala broke out after the 2003 War in Iraq.[17]
Notesedit
^Powell, M. A. "Evidence for Local Cults at Presargonic Zabala." Orientalia, vol. 45, 1976, pp. 100–104
^Feliu, Lluís. "A New Early Dynastic IIIb Metro-Mathematical Table Tablet of Area Measures from Zabalam" Altorientalische Forschungen, vol. 39, no. 2, 2012, pp. 218-225
^Green, M.W., A note on an archaic period geographical list from Warka, Journal of Near Eastern Studies, pp293-4, 1977
^Powell, Marvin A., "Texts from the Time of Lugalzagesi Problems and Perspectives in Their Interpretation", Hebrew Union College Annual, vol. 49, pp. 1–58, 1978
^Armando Bramanti, "Three Administrative Texts from the Time of Me’annedu", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 69, pp. 33–47, 2017
^ abHamblin, William J. (2006). Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History. Routledge. pp. 93–94. ISBN978-1-134-52062-6.
^[1] Mari A. Gough, Historical Perception in the Sargonic Literary Tradition: The Implications of Copied Texts, Rosetta, University of Birmingham
^[2] 2009-03-06 at the Wayback Machine The Rulers of Larsa, M. Fitzgerald, Yale University Dissertation, 2002
^[3] 2006-05-12 at the Wayback Machine The ruling family of Ur III Umma. A Prosopographical Analysis of an Elite Family in Southern Iraq 4000 Years ago, J.L. Dahl, UCLA dissertation, 2003
^[4]A. Goetze, "Archaeological Survey of Ancient Canals", Sumer, vol 11, iss. 2, pp 127-128, 1955
^Armando Bramanti, "Three Administrative Texts from the Time of Me’annedu", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 69, pp. 33–47, 2017
^"A Stray Sumerian Tablet: Unravelling the story behind Cambridge University Library's oldest written object". 13 March 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
^Al-Subaihawi, H. 2003/4 Archaeological Prospecting in Site Buzeikh, 2001–2002 (in Arabic). Sumer 52: 169–200
^Fahad, Saad S.. "Two Unpublished Texts from Zabalam (Ibzikh) Dated to the Reign of Warad-Sin", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 68, pp. 3-8, 2016
^al Hamdani, A. (2008): Protecting and Recording our Archaeological Heritage in Southern Iraq, NearEastern Archaeology, vol. 71, pp. 221–230
Andrew George, House Most High: The Temples of Ancient Mesopotamia (Mesopotamian Civilizations, Vol 5), Eisenbrauns, 1993, ISBN0-931464-80-3
B. Alster, Geštinanna as Singer and the Chorus of Uruk and Zabalam: UET 6/1 22, JCS, vol. 37, pp. 219–28, 1985
External linksedit
CDLI background on Zabala Archived 2011-08-09 at archive.today
Year Names of Naram-Sin of Akkad
Year Names of Abisare of Larsa
Translation of Temple Hymns of Enheduanna 2005-12-28 at the Wayback Machine
Post 2003 war looting at Zabala 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine
April 11, 2024
zabala, sumer, zabala, also, zabalam, 𒍝𒈽𒀕𒆠, zabalamki, modern, tell, ibzeikh, also, tell, buzekh, tell, ibzaykh, governorate, iraq, city, ancient, sumer, mesopotamia, located, what, governorate, iraq, early, archaeology, this, location, also, called, buzekh, l. Zabala also Zabalam 𒍝𒈽𒀕𒆠 zabalamki modern Tell Ibzeikh also Tell el Buzekh or Tell Ibzaykh Dhi Qar Governorate Iraq was a city of ancient Sumer in Mesopotamia located in what is now the Dhi Qar governorate in Iraq In early archaeology this location was also called Tel el Buzekh Locally it is called Tell Bzikh Zabala was at the crossing of the ancient Iturungal and Ninagina canals 10 kilometers to the northwest of Umma The city s deity was Inanna of Zabala 1 A cuneiform tablet from Zabala contains one of only a few metro mathematical tables of area measures from the Early Dynastic Period 2 Zabala𒍝𒈽𒀕𒆠 1 ZabalaShown within IraqAlternative nameTell el BuzekhLocationDhi Qar Province IraqRegionMesopotamiaCoordinates31 44 36 N 45 52 36 E 31 74333 N 45 87667 E 31 74333 45 87667TypeSettlementHistoryPeriodsJemdet Nasr Early Dynastic Sargonic Ur III Isin LarsaSite notesExcavation dates2001 2002ArchaeologistsHaider Al SubaihawiFoundation figurine of Warad Sin for Inanna found at Zabalam Contents 1 History 1 1 Akkadian Period 1 2 Post Akkadian Period 1 3 Ur III Period 1 4 Babylonian Period 2 Archaeology 3 Notes 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe first mentions of Zabala are in seals from the Jemdet Nasr period including a list of early sites Ur Nippur Larsa Uruk Kes and Zabalam 3 The earliest historical record a bowl inscription indicates that Zabala was under the control of Lugalzagesi of Umma This is further supported by tablets from that period 4 The city is also known to have been under the control of Me annedu father of Lugalzagesi 5 Akkadian Period edit In the Sargonic Period Rimush of Akkad reports Zabala as attempting to rebel against the control of the Akkadian Empire 6 Rimus king of the world in battle over Adab and Zabalam was victorious and 15 718 men he struck down and 14 576 captives he took Further Meskigala governor of Adab he captured and Lugalgalzu governor of Zabalam he captured Their cities he conquered and their walls he destroyed Further from their two cities many men he expelled and to annihilation he consigned them Adab and Zabalam Inscription of Rimus 6 7 Shar kali sharri and Naram Sin both reported building a temple to the goddess Inanna in Zabala 8 Post Akkadian Period edit After the fall of Akkad Zabala came into the sphere of the city state of Isin as reported by the year names of several rulers including Itar pisa and Ur Ninurta The town was later subject to Abisare of Larsa whose year name reported the building of the Favorite of Inanna of Zabalam canal 9 Ur III Period edit During the Ur III period Zabala was controlled by the Ur governor in Umma which was the capital of Umma Province 10 Babylonian Period edit Cuneiform texts state that Hammurabi built Zabala s temple Ezi Kalam ma to the goddess Inanna 11 The temple of Inanna in Zabalam is the subject of hymn 26 in the temple hymns of Enheduanna Archaeology edit nbsp Basse Mesopotamie DAThe site which covers an areas of about 61 hectares was first identified during the South Mesopotamian Mound Survey in 1954 12 Beginning in the early 1900s a great deal of illegal excavation occurred in Zabala 13 An example of writing from the time of Hammurabi was removed from Zabala during this period 14 This activity reached a new height in the 1990s at which time the Iraqi State Organization of Antiquities and Heritage authorized an official excavation the first at the site Two seasons of excavation in 2001 and 2002 occurred under the direction of Haider Al Subaihawi Several public and religious buildings were uncovered a number of cuneiform tablets and an inscribed stone foundation cylinder of Warad Sin king of Larsa were found A bronze sculpture canephor which is a form of Caryatid from Warad Sin which mentions his father Kudur Mabuk was also found 15 16 A further outbreak of archaeological looting at Zabala broke out after the 2003 War in Iraq 17 Notes edit Powell M A Evidence for Local Cults at Presargonic Zabala Orientalia vol 45 1976 pp 100 104 Feliu Lluis A New Early Dynastic IIIb Metro Mathematical Table Tablet of Area Measures from Zabalam Altorientalische Forschungen vol 39 no 2 2012 pp 218 225 Green M W A note on an archaic period geographical list from Warka Journal of Near Eastern Studies pp293 4 1977 Powell Marvin A Texts from the Time of Lugalzagesi Problems and Perspectives in Their Interpretation Hebrew Union College Annual vol 49 pp 1 58 1978 Armando Bramanti Three Administrative Texts from the Time of Me annedu Journal of Cuneiform Studies vol 69 pp 33 47 2017 a b Hamblin William J 2006 Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History Routledge pp 93 94 ISBN 978 1 134 52062 6 CDLI Archival View cdli ucla edu 1 Mari A Gough Historical Perception in the Sargonic Literary Tradition The Implications of Copied Texts Rosetta University of Birmingham 2 Archived 2009 03 06 at the Wayback Machine The Rulers of Larsa M Fitzgerald Yale University Dissertation 2002 3 Archived 2006 05 12 at the Wayback Machine The ruling family of Ur III Umma A Prosopographical Analysis of an Elite Family in Southern Iraq 4000 Years ago J L Dahl UCLA dissertation 2003 Tablet MS 1876 1 in the Schoyen Collection 4 A Goetze Archaeological Survey of Ancient Canals Sumer vol 11 iss 2 pp 127 128 1955 Armando Bramanti Three Administrative Texts from the Time of Me annedu Journal of Cuneiform Studies vol 69 pp 33 47 2017 A Stray Sumerian Tablet Unravelling the story behind Cambridge University Library s oldest written object 13 March 2018 Retrieved March 14 2018 Al Subaihawi H 2003 4 Archaeological Prospecting in Site Buzeikh 2001 2002 in Arabic Sumer 52 169 200 Fahad Saad S Two Unpublished Texts from Zabalam Ibzikh Dated to the Reign of Warad Sin Journal of Cuneiform Studies vol 68 pp 3 8 2016 al Hamdani A 2008 Protecting and Recording our Archaeological Heritage in Southern Iraq NearEastern Archaeology vol 71 pp 221 230See also editCities of the ancient Near EastReferences editAndrew George House Most High The Temples of Ancient Mesopotamia Mesopotamian Civilizations Vol 5 Eisenbrauns 1993 ISBN 0 931464 80 3 B Alster Gestinanna as Singer and the Chorus of Uruk and Zabalam UET 6 1 22 JCS vol 37 pp 219 28 1985External links editCDLI background on Zabala Archived 2011 08 09 at archive today Year Names of Naram Sin of Akkad Year Names of Abisare of Larsa Translation of Temple Hymns of Enheduanna Archived 2005 12 28 at the Wayback Machine Post 2003 war looting at Zabala Archived 2008 08 28 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zabala Sumer amp oldid 1207530248, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
