Akurgal ( sux, , "Descendant of the Great Mountain" in Sumerian) was the second king ( Ensi) of the first dynasty of

Lagash Lagash (cuneiform: LAGAŠKI; Sumerian: ''Lagaš''), was an ancient city state located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah, Iraq. Lagash (modern Al-Hiba) w ...

. His relatively short reign took place in the first part of the 25th century BCE (circa 2464-2455 BCE), during the period of the archaic dynasties. He succeeded his father,

Ur-Nanshe Ur-Nanshe ( sux, , ) also Ur-Nina, was the first king of the First Dynasty of Lagash (approx. 2500 BCE) in the Sumerian Early Dynastic Period III. He is known through inscriptions to have commissioned many buildings projects, including canals and ...

, founder of the dynasty, and was replaced by his son Eannatum. Very little is known about his reign: only six inscriptions mention it. One of them reports that he built the Antasura of

Ningirsu , image= Cropped Image of Carving Showing the Mesopotamian God Ninurta.png , caption= Assyrian stone relief from the temple of Ninurta at Kalhu, showing the god with his thunderbolts pursuing Anzû, who has stolen the Tablet of Destinies from E ...

. During his reign, a border conflict pitted

against

Umma Umma ( sux, ; in modern Dhi Qar Province in Iraq, formerly also called Gishban) was an ancient city in Sumer. There is some scholarly debate about the Sumerian and Akkadian names for this site. Traditionally, Umma was identified with Tell J ...

, These borders between Umma and Lagash had been fixed in ancient times by Mesilim, king (

lugal Lugal ( Sumerian: ) is the Sumerian term for "king, ruler". Literally, the term means "big man." In Sumerian, ''lu'' "𒇽" is "man" and ''gal'' " 𒃲" is "great," or "big." It was one of several Sumerian titles that a ruler of a city-state coul ...

) of

Kish Kish may refer to: Geography * Gishi, Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, a village also called Kish * Kiş, Shaki, Azerbaijan, a village and municipality also spelled Kish * Kish Island, an Iranian island and a city in the Persian Gulf * Kish, Iran, ...

, who had drawn the borders between the two states in accordance with the oracle of Ishtaran, invoked as intercessor between the two cities. Akurgal is mentioned fragmentally in an inscription on the Stele of the Vultures, describing the conflict of Akurgal with Lagash, possibly with Ush, king of Umma: "Because of ��the man of Umma spoke arrogantly with him and defied Lagash. Akurgal, king of Lagash, son of Urnanshe ��. In all likelihood Akurgal lost part of the territory of Lagash to the ruler of Umma. He had two sons, who both became important rulers of Lagash after him, Eannatum and En-anna-tum I, and successfully repelled Umma's encroachment. Inlay Akurgal Louvre AO11249.jpg, Shell inlay in the name of Akurgal (on the skirt, vertically), found in

Girsu Girsu ( Sumerian ; cuneiform ) was a city of ancient Sumer, situated some northwest of Lagash, at the site of modern Tell Telloh, Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq. History Girsu was possibly inhabited in the Ubaid period (5300-4800 BC), but sig ...

Louvre Museum The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

File:Akurgal as a child in the limestone votive relief of Ur-Nanshe.jpg, Akurgal as a child in the limestone votive relief of Ur-Nanshe File:Akurgal with transcription.jpg, The name "Akurgal" File:Tablet of Enannatum son of Akurgal.jpg, Tablet mentioning Akurgal, as father of

Enannatum I Enannatum I ( sux, , ), son of Akurgal, succeeded his brother E-anna-tum as '' Ensi'' (ruler, king) of Lagash. During his rule, Umma once more asserted independence under its ensi Ur-Lumma, who attacked Lagash unsuccessfully. After several b ...

: "Enannatum, '' ensi'' of Lagash, son of Akurgal, ''ensi'' of Lagash...." File:Tablet of Enannatum I.jpg, Tablet mentioning Akurgal, as father of

: "Enannatum, '' ensi'' of Lagash, son of Akurgal, ''ensi'' of Lagash...." File:Akurgal king of Lagash son of Ur-Nanshe on the Stele of the Vultures.jpg, "Akurgal king of Lagash, son of Ur-Nanshe" () on the Stele of the Vultures.

References

{{Rulers of Sumer Kings of Lagash 25th-century BC Sumerian kings