The identity of Gudea as historical and cultural problem

Authors

  • Владимир Владимирович Емельянов St. Petersburg State University, 7–9, Universitetskaya nab., St. Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the personality and identity of Gudea, who was the ruler of the Sumerian city of Lagash. The influence of Gudea age on Mesopotamia and increasingly on the culture of the Middle East cannot be overestimated. Gudea was the first Sumerian ruler who moved cult life to writing. For the first time ruler was depicted realistically and in a large sculpture. All Sumerian hymns, except the temple hymns, go back to the texts of Gudea, as well as the cult of Bilgames in further state ideology itself.
The article examines origins and status of Gudea and considers the three versions of the chronology of his reign. The author suggests that Gudea and his father-in-law Ur-Bau were the offspring of the sacred marriage, Gudea had the status of the city god and the prophet of Ningirsu, and his reign falls on the time of the Gutean leader Yarlagan.

Keywords:

Sumer, Lagash, Guteans, Gudea, Yarlagan

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References

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Published

2016-03-21

How to Cite

Емельянов, В. В. (2016). The identity of Gudea as historical and cultural problem. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies, (1), 37–48. Retrieved from https://aasjournal.spbu.ru/article/view/1845

Issue

No. 1 (2016): Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Series 13. Asian Studies. African Studies

Section

History and source studies

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Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.