page_title: Gudea
section_title: Statues of Gudea
hierarchical_section_title: Gudea / Statues of Gudea
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Origine&#160;: Girsu (aujourd'hui Tello), Mésopotamie (Irak actuel). English: Source: Girsu (now Tello), Mesopotamia (Iraq today).
context_page_description: Gudea was a ruler of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled c. 2144–2124 BC. He probably did not come from the city, but had married Ninalla, daughter of the ruler Ur-Baba of Lagash, thus gaining entrance to the royal house of Lagash. He was succeeded by his son Ur-Ningirsu. Gudea ruled at a time when the center of Sumer was ruled by the Gutian dynasty, and when Ishtup-Ilum ruled to the north in Mari. Under Gudea, Lagash had a golden age, and seemed to enjoy a high level of independence from the Gutians.
context_section_description: Twenty-six statues of Gudea have been found so far during excavations of Telloh (ancient Girsu) with most of the rest coming from the art trade. The early statues were made of limestone, steatite and alabaster; later, when wide-ranging trade-connections had been established, the more costly exotic diorite was used. Diorite had already been used by old Sumerian rulers (Statue of Entemena). These statues include inscriptions describing trade, rulership and religion. These were one of many types of Neo-Sumerian art forms.
caption: Statue of Gudea, Louvre-Lens.
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