Editing Sumerian King List (section)

== Contents ==

{{Location map+|Iraq|width=260|float=right |relief=yes|caption=Map of [[Iraq]] showing the cities that are mentioned in the ''Sumerian King List'' and that have been identified archaeologically. [[Akkad (city)|Akkad]], [[Awan (ancient city)|Awan]], [[Akshak]] and [[Larak (Sumer)|Larak]] have not yet been securely identified. Gutium is located in the [[Zagros Mountains]]. |places=
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=31.379722|long=45.999722|position=right|label_size=75 |label=[[Bad-Tibira]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=31.777222|long=45.510833|position=right|label_size=75 |label=[[Shuruppak]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=33.058829|long=44.252153|position=right |label_size=75 |label=[[Sippar]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=32.540278|long=44.604722|position=right |label_size=75 |label=[[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=30.815833|long=45.996111|position=left |label_size=75 |label=[[Eridu]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=34.549444|long=40.89|position=right |label_size=75 |label=[[Syria|Mari]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=31.946944|long=45.968889|position=top|label_size=75 |label=[[Adab (city)|Adab]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=31.885|long=45.268611|position=left|label_size=75 |label=[[Isin]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=30.9625|long=46.103056|position=right |label_size=75 |label=[[Ur]]}}
  {{Location map~|Iraq|lat=31.322222|long=45.636111|position=left|label_size=75 |label=[[Uruk]]}}
}}

The sources differ in their exact contents. This is not only the result of many sources being fragmentary, it is also the result of scribal errors made during copying of the composition, and of the fact that changes were made to the composition through time. For example, the section on rulers before the flood is not present in every copy of the text, including every text from Nippur, where the majority of versions of the ''SKL'' were found. Also, the order of some of the dynasties or kings may be changed between copies, some dynasties that were separately mentioned in one version are taken together in another, details on the lengths of individual reigns vary, and individual kings may be left out entirely.<ref name=":9" />

The following summary and line numbers are taken from the compilation by the ''[[Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature]]'', which in turn takes the text of the Weld-Blundell prism as its main source, listing other versions when there are differences in the text.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=The Sumerian king list: translation|url=https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section2/tr211.htm|access-date=2021-06-30|website=etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Friberg|first=Jöran|title=A remarkable collection of Babylonian mathematical texts|date=2007|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-0-387-48977-3|location=New York|oclc=191464830}}</ref>

=== Lines 1–39: before the flood ===
This section, which is not present in every copy of the text, opens with the line "After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridu." Two kings of [[Eridu]] are mentioned, before the city "fell" and the "kingship was taken to [[Bad-tibira]]". This pattern of cities receiving kingship and then falling or being defeated, only to be succeeded by the next, is present throughout the entire text, often in the exact same words. This first section lists eight kings who ruled over five cities (apart from Eridu and Bad-tibira, these also included [[Larak (Sumer)|Larag]], [[Sippar|Zimbir]] and [[Shuruppak]]). The duration of each reign is also given. In this first section, the reigns vary between 43,200 and 28,800 years for a total of 241,200 years. The section ends with the line "Then the flood swept over". Among the kings mentioned in this section is the ancient Mesopotamian god [[Dumuzid]] (the later Tammuz).

=== Lines 40–265: first dynasty of Kish to Lugal-zage-si ===
"After the flood had swept over, and the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Kish." After this well-known line, the section goes on to list 23 kings of [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]], who ruled between 1500 and 300 years for a total of 24,510 years. The exact number of years varies between copies. Apart from the lengths of their reigns and whether they were the son of their predecessor (for example, "[[Mashda]], the son of [[Atab]], ruled for 840 years"), no other details are usually given on the exploits of these kings. Exceptions are [[Etana]], "who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries" and [[Enmebaragesi]], "who made the land of [[Elam]] submit". Enmebaragesi is also the first king in the ''Sumerian King List'' whose name is attested from contemporaneous ([[Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)|Early Dynastic I]]) inscriptions. His successor [[Aga of Kish]], the final king mentioned before Kish fell and kingship was taken to [[Eanna|E-ana]], also appears in the poem [[Gilgamesh and Aga]].

The next lines, up until [[Sargon of Akkad]], show a steady succession of cities and kings, usually without much detail beyond the lengths of the individual reigns. Every entry is structured exactly the same: the city where kingship is located is named, followed by one or more kings and how long they reigned, followed by a summary and a final line indicating where kingship went next. Lines 134–147 may serve as an example:<blockquote>In Ur, [[Mesannepada]] became king; he ruled for 80 years. [[Meskiagnun]], the son of Mesannepada, became king; he ruled for 36 years. [[Elulu]] ruled for 25 years. [[Balulu]] ruled for 36 years. 4 kings; they ruled for 171 years. Then Ur was defeated and the kingship was taken to Awan.<ref name=":3" /></blockquote>Individual reigns vary in length, from 1200 years for [[Lugalbanda]] of Uruk, to six years for another king of Uruk and several kings of Akshak. On average, the number of regnal years decreases down the list. Some city names, such as Uruk, Ur and Kish, appear more than once in the ''Sumerian King List''. The earlier part of this section mentions several kings who are also known from other literary sources. These kings include [[Dumuzid the Fisherman]] and [[Gilgamesh]], although virtually no king from the earlier part of this section appears in inscriptions dating from the actual period in which they were supposed to live. Lines 211–223 describe a dynasty from [[Mari, Syria|Mari]], which is a city outside Sumer proper but which played an important role in Mesopotamian history during the late third and early second millennia BC. The following third dynasty of Kish consists of a single ruler [[Kubaba|Kug-Bau]] ("the woman tavern keeper"), thought to be the only queen listed in the ''Sumerian King List''. The final two dynasties of this section, the fourth of Kish and the third of Uruk, provide a link to the next section. [[Sargon of Akkad]] is mentioned in the ''Sumerian King List'' as cup-bearer to [[Ur-Zababa|Ur-zababa]] of Kish, and he defeated [[Lugal-zage-si]] of Uruk before founding his own dynasty.

=== Lines 266–377: Akkad to Isin ===
This section is devoted to the well-known Akkadian ruler Sargon and his successors. After the entry on [[Shar-Kali-Sharri|Shar-kali-sharri]], the ''Sumerian King List'' reads "Then who was king? Who was not king?", suggesting a period of chaos that may reflect the uncertain times during which the [[Akkadian Empire]] came to an end.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Roaf|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/21523764|title=Cultural atlas of Mesopotamia and the ancient Near East|date=1990|isbn=0-8160-2218-6|location=New York, NY|oclc=21523764}}</ref> Four kings are mentioned to have ruled for a total of only three years. Of the Akkadian kings mentioned after Shar-kali-sharri, only the names of [[Dudu of Akkad|Dudu]] and [[Shu-turul]] have been attested in inscriptions dating from the Akkadian period. The Akkadian dynasty is succeeded by the fourth dynasty of Uruk, two kings of which, [[Ur-nigin]] and his son [[Ur-gigir]], appear in other contemporary inscriptions. Kingship was then taken to the "land" or "army" of [[Gutian people|Gutium]], of which it was said that at first they had no kings and that they ruled themselves for a few years. After this short episode, 21 Gutian kings are listed before the fall of Gutium and kingship was taken to Uruk. Only one ruler is listed during this period of kingship ([[Utu-hengal|Utu-hegal]]), before it moved on to Ur. The so-called [[Third Dynasty of Ur]] consisted of 5 kings who ruled between 9 and 46 years. No other details of their exploits are given. The ''Sumerian King List'' remarks that, after the rule of Ur was abolished, "The very foundation of Sumer was torn out", after which kingship was taken to [[Isin]]. The kings of Isin are the final dynasty that is included in the list. The dynasty consisted of 14 kings who ruled between 3 and 33 years. As with the Ur III dynasty, no details are given on the reigns of individual kings.

=== Lines 378–431: summary ===
Some versions of the ''Sumerian King List'' conclude with a summary of the dynasties after the flood. In this summary, the number of kings and their accumulated regnal years are mentioned for each city, as well as the number of times that city had received kingship: "A total of 12 kings ruled for 396 years, 3 times in Urim." The final line again tallies the numbers for all these dynasties: "There are 11 cities, cities in which the kingship was exercised. A total of 134 kings, who altogether ruled for 28876 + X years."