Ur is one of the oldest cities in the world. What was life like for its inhabitants about 4000 years ago? A team led by Adelheid Otto, director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Near East at LMU (Ludwig Maximilian University Munich), is conducting excavations in Ur that may provide some answers to this question.
The team has returned from southern Iraq, having completed its second season with the permission of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage. This year’s excavation, funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation and the Association of Universities in Munich, lasted for 9 weeks.
Their target was a residential building located on the outskirts of the city, dating back to 1835 B.C. The excavation is part of a broader project led by Professor Elisabeth Stone from Stony Brook University in New York.
Archaeologists began working on the site two years ago and have now uncovered the entire house, along with a vaulted tomb containing the remains of 24 individuals.
What the team revealed was a 17-room house with a large courtyard. The original question they sought to answer was whether lower-class people lived on the outskirts of the city, as excavations in the city center had shown a clearly affluent residential population.
Instead of finding lower-class dwellings, they discovered this ancient Babylonian villa. It was undoubtedly an impressive building given its size. The function of each room has been identified, providing a detailed and accurate picture of how its inhabitants lived nearly 4000 years ago. The kitchen and a complete bathroom with a toilet and drainage system have also been preserved. In terms of hygiene, the structures were excellent.
According to Otto, it is the same model of private residence found in the ancient Babylonian period. Many pieces of the puzzle have been found, providing a picture of the past of this house, including not only the architecture with its various rooms and functions but also texts on clay tablets, including letters and seal impressions. The tablets were deciphered by two cuneiform specialists, Professor Dominique Charpin (Collège de France Paris) and Professor Walther Sallaberger (LMU).
It’s a particular stroke of luck because these findings tell us who the owner was. His name was Sîn-nada, and he was the high priest of Ur’s second most important temple, a position that made him a person of considerable importance in the city. Interestingly, it turns out that his wife was also involved in the administration of the temple, as in Ur, during this period, women also learned to read and write.
LMU researchers also collected botanical samples and animal bones during the excavation, which are now being analyzed and promise to provide information about the residents’ diet.
Preliminary analyses indicate that these people were healthy and well-nourished, and some lived 70 years or more. Further study should provide more information about what they ate, how long they lived, and how healthy they were. It should also tell us whether they were related to each other, and if they were natives of Ur or had moved to the city from elsewhere.
Ur was a major trading center, where the first museum in history was found, so it’s likely that many of its inhabitants came from other places, says Adelheid Otto. A team led by Professor Jörg Fassbinder from the Department of Geophysics also conducted a geophysical study of the Southern Mound, revealing that this part of Ur was densely urbanized but also had open spaces such as squares and public ports.
So far, research in Ur has shown that 4,000 years ago, the city was a lively and densely populated metropolis. It was a flourishing period during which people generally had a good life. That is certainly what this house and its residents tell us.
Its owner Sîn-nada and his family led a prosperous life almost a century before the city came to an end. Their fate was sealed when the city’s population rebelled against the King of Babylon, who had gained control of the city. The King responded by cutting off the city’s water supply by diverting the course of the Euphrates.
Ur, like today, was in the middle of a dry desert, and urban life eventually became impossible, says Adelheid Otto. In a very short time, the water shortage turned this prosperous city into a pile of sand. Around 1720 B.C., Ur ceased to exist, and only hundreds of years later did life in Ur resume again.
- Share this article:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Byzantine Emperor Basil II Ordered the Blinding of Thousands of Prisoners Taken at the Battle of Kleidion
In an era long before any concept of dignified treatment for defeated enemies, during a time when losing on the battlefield often opened the door to the most bloodthirsty barbarities,…
Biagio da Cesena, the Cardinal Caricatured by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel for Criticizing Nudity in His Paintings
There are historical figures who have gone down in history more for some inconsequential anecdote than for the significance they had in the context in which they lived. This is…
The Exceptional Roman Villa “Grotte di Catullo” on the Shores of Lake Garda is One of the Northernmost in Italy
Located at the northern tip of the Sirmione peninsula, on the shores of majestic Lake Garda in Italy, the ruins of the Roman villa known as Grotte di Catullo represent…
The Oldest Alliances in the World: Portugal-England and Scotland-France
Although geostrategic interests change throughout history, for many centuries, some alliances have defied the passage of time, remaining stable and renewing themselves as if they were unaffected by changing circumstances.…
Operation Argus: The U.S. Project to Create a Radiation Belt in Space to Prevent a Soviet Missile Attack
In 1958, at the height of the Cold War, the U.S. carried out an experiment in the South Atlantic aimed at testing an innovative defense system. This system involved creating…
Vercellae, the battle that led to the demise of Teutons and Cimbri peoples
In the year 105 BC, while Gaius Marius was awaiting a triumph for crushing the rebellion of the Numidian Jugurtha and hoping his contested candidacy for another consulship would be…
The entire Maya city of Ucanal and its inhabitants were contaminated with mercury
A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports has revealed mercury contamination in the ancient water reservoirs of the Maya city of Ucanal, located in Petén, Guatemala.…
Neolithic Silos and 60 Elongated Structures of Unknown Function Found in Northeastern France
Located in northeastern France, in the Alsace region, the Pfulgriesheim site has been the subject of extensive archaeological research prior to being developed for a new urban area. This excavation,…
Archaeologists Are Not Finding Late Roman and Anglo-Saxon Burials from the 5th Century in England – Where Are the Bodies?
A recent archaeological study explores an enigmatic question about the “missing” dead of the 5th century in Britain. A team of researchers, led by Emma Brownlee of the University of…
The Urban Layout, Buildings and Baths Uncovered in the Ancient Vacceo-Roman City of Saldania in Spain
Recent archaeological investigations, led by experts from the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida (IAM), have brought to light the remains of an ancient Vacceo-Roman city, hidden underground for more than…
Unknown Submerged Monumental Structures along with Shipwrecks and a Roman Altar, Found in the Grado Lagoon in Italy
Seven archaeological sites in the waters of the Grado lagoon (in the Italian province of Gorizia, bordering Slovenia), including shipwreck remains, a Roman-era funerary altar, and submerged monumental structures, have…
The Wall of the Ancient Greek City of Epetion and Bronze Age Structures Discovered in the Urban Center of Stobreč in Croatia
During an official visit to the town of Stobreč, near Split, Croatia’s Minister of Culture and Media, Dr. Nina Obuljen Koržinek, along with State Secretary Krešimir Partl, participated in the…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
