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Enmerkar [a] [b] was an ancient Sumerian ruler to whom the construction of the city of Uruk and a 420-year reign [c] was attributed. According to literary sources, he led various campaigns against the land of Aratta. He is credited in Sumerian legend as the inventor of writing. [4]
- Uruk I
- c. 3400-3100 BC (Late Uruk Period)
Enmerkar, ancient Sumerian hero and king of Uruk (Erech), a city-state in southern Mesopotamia, who is thought to have lived at the end of the 4th or beginning of the 3rd millennium bc. Along with Lugalbanda and Gilgamesh, Enmerkar is one of the three most significant figures in the surviving.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Feb 8, 2023 · Learn about the four poems that tell the story of Enmerkar, king of Uruk, and his rivalry with Aratta, a distant land of wealth and mystery. Discover the historical and literary context, the characters, and the themes of this ancient Sumerian epic.
- Joshua J. Mark
- What is the Matter of Aratta?The Matter of Aratta is a cycle of four Sumerian poems on the rivalry between the cities of Uruk and Aratta composed during the Ur III Dynasty of M...
- What are the four works of the Matter of Aratta?The four poems of the Matter of Aratta are Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta; Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana; Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave; and Lugalb...
- When and why was the Matter of Aratta composed?The Matter of Aratta was composed during the Ur III Period (2047-1750 BCE) to associate the kings of that era with an illustrious past.
- Who are the main characters of the Matter of Aratta?The main characters of the Matter of Aratta are Enmerkar (king of Uruk), the Lord of Aratta, the goddess Inanna, the warrior Lugalbanda, the sorcer...
Mar 23, 2020 · Enmerkar is a mythical character from Sumerian legends, the second king of the First Dynasty of Uruk. He founded Uruk around 4500 BC and reigned for 420 years, according to the Sumerian King List. He was the son of Meskiaggasher, the son of Utu, the twin brother of Inanna, the goddess of war and love. He fought against Aratta, the rival city of Aratta, and built a temple for Inanna in Uruk.
In Enmerkar. One is called Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta. The longest Sumerian epic yet discovered, it is the source of important information about the history and culture of the Sumero-Iranian border area. According to this legend, Enmerkar, son of the sun god Utu, was envious of Aratta’s wealth…. Read More.
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Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta is a legendary Sumerian account, preserved in early post-Sumerian copies, composed in the Neo-Sumerian period (ca. 21st century BC). It is one of a series of accounts describing the conflicts between Enmerkar , king of Unug-Kulaba , and the unnamed king of Aratta .
Jul 3, 2014 · A Sumerian epic poem about the rivalry and love of Enmerkar, the priest-king of Uruk, and the Lord of Aratta, the ruler of a city under the protection of Inanna, the goddess of love. The poem describes how Enmerkar builds a lavish temple for Inanna in Uruk and asks her to bless his city and his love for Aratta. The poem also reveals the power and influence of the gods and the mixed-breed descendants of Enmerkar.
