Development of Sumerian King List

This page will explore my hypothesis about the development of the *Sumerian King List* (SKL)-- by Ras Feqade I, 10-22-2022 AD

### *Abzu* Era: 2467 BC

2467 BC when the *abzu* was begun, was counted as "Year (MU) 1". Because there was no "Year 0", the calendar starts with "1", thus 2408 BC would be "MU 60".

After 43 years, in 2424 BC, it collapsed and Eridu was virtually abandoned; this was MU 44 in the *Abzu* Era, but this era counting was not discontinued then, as Nemrod Cronos or Enmerkar merely transferred his seat to Uruk and continued ruling until 2398 BC.

In 2408 BC, the year 60 after the *abzu* was begun at Eridu in 2467 BC, it would have probably been noted as the first *shesh* -- or spaces of 60 years that were counted, rather than centuries.

### Stage 1 of SKL: c. 2368 BC

In 2368 BC, Belshamin or Gilgamesh had defeated his predecessor Dumuzid, and his main rival Agga of Kish, seizing Nippur.

This is MU 100, being 99 years after the *abzu* was begun; these 99 years also equal the 43 years the *abzu* or Tower of Babel was being built (*Kufale*), added to the 56 years from the collapse assigned to the era of "Saturn" in *Defloratio*, which is there followed by the era of Belus, ie. Belshamin.

When Belshamin started c. ***2368 BC***, the kernel of the SKL may have looked like this, with only 4 entries:

* ***Enmerkar**, dumu meshkiang Kasheer, lugal Unug-kiga, lu Unug-ki muundua, lugalam.*
* ***Lugalbanda sipad**.*
* ***Dumuzid shuha**, iri-kini Kuara-ki - MU 1 shesh 4 u (= 100). Shu ash En Mebarasi namra iak.*
* ***Bilgamesh**, abbani lilla, en Kulabbake iak.*

* **Nemrod Cronos**, son of mighty Kush, king in Uruk, who founded Uruk, became king.
* **Lugalbanda shepherd**.
* **Dumuzid fisher**, his city Kuara - YEAR 100. He captured Lord Mebarasi single handedly.
* **Belshamin**, his father a phantom, Lord in Kullaba, ruled.

These things would be common knowledge to most of the population of Sumer in that year, young and old. Many would know the year then was a *shesh* +40, so this was recorded to show Dumuzid had claimed the throne until that same year, as would be apparent, since he had just perished. 'Kullaba' and 'Eanna' are both used as synonyms for Uruk; Kuara was near Eridu (and also Ur, which would be established by the clan of Arfaksad during Dumuzid's reign.)

Kish had just been defeated by Gilgamesh, but probably had their own separate list, perhaps like this:

* *Enger amaru baurrata, namlugal anta eddeaba, Kish-ki namlugalla. Kish-ki **Ngushur** lugallam.*
* ***Etana sipad**, lu anshe baedde, lu kurkur muungenna, iak.*
* ***Baliih**, dumu Etanake iak.*
* *En **Mebarasi**, lu mada Elam-kima ngish-tukulbi ibtaangur, iak.*
* ***Agga**, dumu En Menbarasike iak. Kish-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Eannashe bade.*

* After the deluge swept over, the kingship came down from heaven, the kingship was in Kish. In Kish, **Asshur** became king.
* **Etana shepherd**, who went up to heaven, who firmed up the foreign lands, ruled.
* **Balih**, son of Etana, ruled.
* Lord **Mebarasi**, who made Elam submit with weapons, ruled.
* **Agga**, son of Lord Mebarasi, ruled. Kish was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Eanna (Uruk).

I have excluded everyone in this dynasty who is unknown outside the SKL, leaving only the above who had time to rule Kish by 2368 BC. The other names are dubious and probably added in a much later era.

The same epithet *sipad* Shepherd is applied to Etana of Kish and to Lugalbanda of Uruk. In Dumuzid literature, Dumuzid of Uruk is also called Shepherd, though here he is called Fisher. Shepherd or *sipad* was perhaps a title shared by Lugalbanda and Etana, suggesting they were contemporary and in some way considered equal. This would be the case when Dumuzid had become 'Shepherd' in ca. 2393 BC, however he may have changed his title to 'Fisherman' during his tenure, perhaps when Mebarasi (2381-75 BC) was captured, and succeeded by his son Agga (2375-68 BC).

In ***2342 BC***, or MU 126, Gilgamesh was followed by his son Ur-Nungal, and the first update to the Uruk list could be made

* ***Enmerkar**, dumu meshkiang Kasheer, lugal Unug-kiga, lu Unug-ki muundua, lugalam.*
* ***Lugalbanda sipad**.*
* ***Dumuzid shuha**, iri-kini Kuara-ki - MU 1 shesh 4 u (= 100). Shu ash En Mebarasi namra iak.*
* ***Bilgamesh**, abbani lilla, en Kulabbake - MU 2 shesh 6 dish (=126).*
* ***Urnungal**, dumu Bilgamesh iak.*

* **Nemrod Cronos**, son of mighty Kush, king in Uruk, who founded Uruk, became king.
* **Lugalbanda shepherd**.
* **Dumuzid fisher**, his city Kuara - YEAR 100. He captured Lord Mebarasi single handedly.
* **Belshamin**, his father a phantom, Lord in Kullaba - YEAR 126.
* **Ur-Nungal**, son of Belshamin.

During Ur-Nungal's reign, it was perhaps decided to count years by a new era starting with his now-deified father Belshamin's reign, 2368 BC, rather than the founding of the *abzu* in 2467 BC. Thus when he was defeated after 3 years by Mesannepada of Ur in ***2339 BC***, the last line was expanded by the scribes as follows:

* ***Urnungal**, dumu Bilgamesh - MU 3 u (30). Unug-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Urim-kishe bade.*
* *Urim-kima **Meshannepadda** lugalam.*

* **Ur-Nungal**, son of Belshamin - Year 30. Uruk was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Ur.
* In Ur **Mesannepadda** became king.

After *Defloratio's* 62-year "Era of Belus" (which subsumes Mesannepadda), or in ***2306 BC***, Ninus or Nunna the Mighty succeeded Mesannepada, and another line was added at the end:

* *Meshkiang **Nunna**, dumu Meshannepadda lugalam.*
* Mighty **Nunna**, son of Mesannepada, became king.

With Ur in charge now at Nippur instead of Uruk from 2339 BC onward, no attempt was ever made to indicate in what year these two Ur kings ended, though perhaps the original *abzu* civil era starting in 2467 BC was restored at some point, in lieu of the competing Belshamin era starting 2368 BC.

### Stage 2 of SKL: 2267 BC

In 2303 BC, after 3 years of mighty Nunna, the Elamites occupied Nippur (though he continued to govern Ur only). The Elamites probably did not make any major alterations to the canonical list while they governed Shinar 36 years. In ***2267 BC***, they were driven out by Kalbum of Kish. Now that Kish had finally regained control of Nippur, the Uruk and Kish lists could have been joined looking like this:

* *Enger amaru baurrata, namlugal anta eddeaba, Kish-ki namlugalla. Kish-ki **Ngushur** lugallam.*
* ***Etana sipad**, lu anshe baedde, lu kurkur muungenna, iak.*
* ***Baliih**, dumu Etanake iak.*
* ***Enmeenbaraggesi**, lu mada Elam-kima ngish-tukulbi ibtaangur, iak.*
* ***Agga**, dumu Enmeenbaraggesike iak.*
* *Kish-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Eannashe bade.*

* *Meshkiang Kasheer abba baankur hursangshe baaned.*
* ***Enmerkar**, dumu Meshkiang Kasheer, lugal Unug-kiga, lu Unug-ki muundua, lugalam.*
* ***Lugalbanda sipad.***
* ***Dumuzid shuha**, iri-kini Kuara-ki - MU 1 gesh 4 u ( 100). Shu ash Enmebaraggeesi namra iak.*
* ***Bilgamesh**, abbani lilla, en Kulabbake - MU 2 gesh 6 dish (126)*
* ***Urnungal**, dumu Gilgamesh - MU 3 u (30).*
* *Unug-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Urim-kishe bade.*

* *Urim-kima **Meshannepadda** lugalam.*
* ***Meshkiang Nunna**, dumu Meshannepadda lugalam.*
* *Urim-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Awaan-kishe bade.*

* *Awaan-kina **Kuul-[...]** mu 3 u 6 dish (36) iak.*
* *Awaan-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Kish-kishe bade.*

* *Kish-ki - MU 3 gesh 2 u 1 dish (201).*
* ***Kaalbuum**, dumu Mamagalke lugalam.*

* After the deluge swept over, the kingship came down from heaven, the kingship was in Kish. In Kish, **Asshur** became king.
* **Etana shepherd**, who went up to heaven, who firmed up the foreign lands, ruled.
* **Balih**, son of Etana, ruled.
* Lord **Mebarasi**, who made Elam submit with weapons, ruled.
* **Agga**, son of Lord Mebarasi, ruled.
* Kish was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Eanna (Uruk).

* Mighty Kush entered the sea and left for the mountains.
* **Nemrod Cronos**, son of mighty Kush, king in Uruk, who founded Uruk, became king.
* **Lugalbanda shepherd**.
* **Dumuzid fisher**, his city Kuara - YEAR 100. He captured Lord Mebarasi single handedly.
* **Belshamin**, his father a phantom, Lord in Kullaba - YEAR 126
* **Ur-Nungal**, son of Belshamin - Year 30.
* Uruk was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Ur.

* In Ur **Mesannepadda** became king.
* Mighty **Nunna**, son of Mesannepada, became king.
* Ur was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Awan.

* In Awan **Kuul-[...]** ruled 36 years.
* Awan was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Kish.

* Kish - YEAR 201. **Kalbum**, son of Mamagal became king.

It may have been at this time, year 201 in the *abzu* calendar, that in response to a new generation wondering who Kush the father of Nemrod was, they added what was known. Next they would have added details about Kalbum's ancestry, Susuda, Dadasig and Mamagal, who may or may not have been mayors in Kish following Agga. Kalbum following the Elamites also may have reverted once again to the Belshamin era starting in 2368 BC. When Kalbum was driven out of Nippur by Hadanish of Hamazi in ***2237 BC***, the last part may have looked like this:

* *Kish-ki - MU 3 gesh 2 u 1 dish (201).*
* *Susuda lu azlag.*
* *Dadasig.*
* *Mamagal lu malahe.*
* ***Kaalbuum**, dumu Mamagalke - MU 2 gesh 1u 2 dish (132).*
* *Kish-ki ngish-tukul baansig, namlugalbi Hamazi-kishe bade.*
* ***Hadanish** lugalam.*

* Kish - YEAR 201.
* Susuda weaver.
* Dadasig.
* Mamagal, boatman.
* **Kalbum**, son of Mamagal -- YEAR 132.
* Kish was defeated with weapons, the kingship was taken to Hamazi.
* **Hadanish** became king.

Hadanish was probably still ruling in 2228 BC, when it is conjectured from other sources that Ham as Zoroaster arrived in the area from Egypt with malicious teachings, and in 2219 BC, when the idols were destroyed by a tornado, either at Ur or Nippur or both. Ham perhaps provided his own antediluvian ancestry at this point that in some corrupted form influenced the new beginning of the SKL. At some point Hamazi was defeated and Enshakushanna seized Nippur and hegemony for Uruk once again. I have found no clue in precisely what year that was, but I estimate ca. 2207 BC, giving Hadanish 30 years 2237-2207 BC, and Enshakushanna 18 years 2207-2189 BC -- for whom there is archaeological evidence of a new dating system at Nippur, naming each year after the king's main event. That system would come to predominate after another century.

One last date in the Belshamin Era seems to appear at the end of this Uruk dynasty, when Nanni of Ur would have seized Nippur from Enshakushanna's son Lugal Kinishedudu, indicated for 2182 BC (MU 187 appearing later as the total for the Uruk dynasty.)

After 2182 BC, Nanni and his successor Meskiang Nanna may have then abolished the Uruk-favored Belshamin civil Era, and with the turnover of scribes at Nippur entrusted with the list, before long the significance of the MU dates was probably no longer understood well, as it was erroneously assumed that MU was always plural indicating reign lengths, as had already been used once in indicating 36 years for Elam; now more figures, mostly spurious, perhaps began to be added.

Although Ur's control over Nippur was short lived, and Lugal Kisalsi seized it again for Uruk in 2174 BC ("Era of Arius"), he apparently did not revive the Belshamin Era. Thus the only MU data added to the kinglist henceforth would be reign lengths, either real, false or fantastic. When Lugal Annemundu usurped the hegemony for Adab in 2144 BC, Lugal Kisalsi was called by his alternate name Argandea, appended to the previous Uruk dynasty that already said it ended in MU 187, and he was reassigned 7 years that should have probably belonged to Lugal Kinishedudu, then to make the total 187, Enshakushanna was assigned 120 and Lugal-Kinishedudu 60 years.

Subsequent controllers of Nippur were added onto there, sometimes 'inflated' with vassal city governors (mayors) who preceded and / or followed the actual king or kings holding the hegemony at Nippur, eg. Mari. The next time Kish had hegemony under Queen Kugbau (2089-2083 BC) and her son Ur-Zababa (2083-2077 BC), is likely when the previous two Kish dynasties were expanded, including Kalbum's successors who were perhaps local mayors in Kish. Also, the figure MU 201 for the start of Kish was transferred, to give Susuda the weaver a 201 year reign, and similar figures added in for the other Kish "kings". And at some point, it was decided the Elamite dynasty in Nippur had been 3 kings for 356 years. By then, the first half of the SKL may have looked much as we have received it.

### See also

* Mesopotamian kings
* Sources Index
* Maps Index