History of Various Areas (17)(as of 1900)

While he was engaged on the building Gudea took counsel of the god Enki,
and he built a fountain for the gods, where they might drink. With the
great stones which he had brought and fashioned he built a reservoir
and a basin for the temple. And seven of the great stones he set up as
stel?, and he gave them favourable names. The text then recounts
the various parts and shrines of the temple, and it describes their
splendours in similes drawn from the heavens and the earth and the
abyss, or deep, beneath the earth. The temple itself is described as,
being like the crescent of the new moon, or like the sun in the midst
of the stars, or like a mountain of lapis lazuli, or like a mountain of
shining marble. Parts of it are said to have been terrible and strong as
a savage bull, or a lion, or the antelope of the abyss, or the monster
Lakhamu who dwells in the abyss, or the sacred leopard that inspires
terror. One of the doors of the temple was guarded by a figure of the
hero who slew the monster with six heads, and at another door was a good
dragon, and at another a lion; opposite the city were set figures of
the seven heroes, and facing the rising sun was fixed the emblem of the
Sun-god. Figures of other heroes and favourable monsters were set up as
guardians of other portions of the temple. The fastenings of the main
entrance were decorated with dragons shooting out their tongues, and the
bolt of the great door was fashioned like a raging hound.
After this description of the construction and adornment of the
temple the text goes on to narrate how Gudea arranged for its material
endowment. He stalled oxen and sheep, for sacrifice and feasting, in the
outhouses and pens within the temple precincts, and he heaped up grain
in its granaries. Its storehouses he filled with spices so that
they were like the Tigris when its waters are in flood, and in its
treasure-chambers he piled up precious stones, and silver, and lead in
abundance. Within the temple precincts he planted a sacred garden which
was like a mountain covered with vines; and on the terrace he built
a great reservoir, or tank, lined with lead, in addition to the great
stone reservoir within the temple itself. He constructed a special
dwelling-place for the sacred doves, and among the flowers of the temple
garden and under the shade of the great trees the birds of heaven flew
about unmolested.

The first of the two great cylinders of Gudea ends at this point in the
description of the temple, and it is evident that its text was composed
while the work of building was still in progress. Moreover, the writing
of the cylinder was finished before the actual work of building the
temple was completed, for the last column of the text concludes with a
prayer to Ningirsu to make it glorious during the progress of the work,
the prayer ending with the words, "O Ningirsu, glorify it! Glorify the
temple of Ningirsu during its construction!" The text of the second of
the two great cylinders is shorter than that of the first, consisting
of twenty-four instead of thirty columns of writing, and it was composed
and written after the temple was completed. Like the first of the
cylinders, it concludes with a prayer to Ningirsu on behalf of the
temple, ending with the similar refrain, "O Ningirsu, glorify it!
Glorify the temple of Ningirsu after its construction!" The first
cylinder, as we have seen, records how it came about that Gudea decided
to rebuild the temple E-ninn? in honour of Ningirsu. It describes how,
when the land was suffering from drought and famine, Gudea had a dream,
how Nin? interpreted the dream to mean that he must rebuild the temple,
and how Ningirsu himself promised that this act of piety would restore
abundance and prosperity to the land. Its text ends with the long
description of the sumptuous manner in which the patesi carried out the
work, the most striking points of which we have just summarized. The
narrative of the second cylinder begins at the moment when the building
of the temple was finished, and when all was ready for the great god
Nin-girsu to be installed therein, and its text is taken up with a
description of the ceremonies and rites with which this solemn function
was carried out. It presents us with a picture, drawn from life, of the
worship and cult of the ancient Sumerians in actual operation. In view
of its importance from the point of view of the study and comparison of
the Sumerian and Babylonian religious systems, its contents also may be
summarized. We will afterwards discuss briefly the information furnished
by both the cylinders on the Sumerian origin of many of the religious
beliefs and practices which were current among the later Semitic
inhabitants of Babylonia and Assyria.

When Gudea had finished building the new temple of E-ninn?, and had
completed the decoration and adornment of its shrines, and had planted
its gardens and stocked its treasure-chambers and storehouses, he
applied himself to the preliminary ceremonies and religious preparations
which necessarily preceded the actual function of transferring the
statue of the god Ningirsu from his old temple to his new one. Gudea's
first act was to install the Anunnaki, or Spirits of the Earth, in the
new temple, and when he had done this, and had supplied additional
sheep for their sacrifices and food in abundance for their offerings, he
prayed to them to give him their assistance and to pronounce a prayer at
his side when he should lead Ningirsu into his new dwelling-place.
The text then describes how Gudea went to the old temple of Ningirsu,
accompanied by his protecting spirits who walked before him and behind
him. Into the old temple he carried sumptuous offerings, and when he
had set them before the god, he addressed him in prayer and said: "O
my King, Ningirsu! O Lord, who curbest the raging waters! O Lord, whose
word surpasseth all others! O Son of Enlil, O warrior, what commands
shall I faithfully carry out? O Ningirsu, I have built thy temple, and
with joy would I lead thee therein, and my goddess Bau would install at
thy side." We are told that the god accepted Gudea's prayer, and thereby
he gave his consent to be removed from the old temple of E-ninn? to his
new one which bore the same name.

But the ceremony of the god's removal was not carried out at once, for
the due time had not arrived. The year ended, and the new year came,
and then "the month of the temple" began. The third day of the month
was that appointed for the installation of Ningirsu. Gudea meanwhile had
sprinkled the ground with oil, and set out offerings of honey and butter
and wine, and grain mixed with milk, and dates, and food untouched
by fire, to serve as food for the gods; and the gods themselves had
assisted in the preparations for the reception of Ningirsu. The god
Asaru made ready the temple itself, and Ninmada performed the ceremony
of purification. The god Enki issued oracles, and the god Nindub, the
supreme priest of Eridu, brought incense. Nin? performed chants within
the temple, and brought black sheep and holy cows to its folds and
stalls. This record of the help given by the other gods we may interpret
as meaning that the priests attached to the other great Sumerian
temples took part in the preparation of the new temple, and added their
offerings to the temple stores. To many of the gods, also, special
shrines within the temple were assigned.

When the purification of E-ninn? was completed and the way between
the old temple and the new made ready, all the inhabitants of the city
prostrated themselves on the ground. "The city," says Gudea, "was like
the mother of a sick man who prepareth a potion for him, or like the
cattle of the plain which lie down together, or like the fierce lion,
the master of the plain, when he coucheth." During the day and the night
before the ceremony of removal, prayers and supplications were uttered,
and at the first light of dawn on the appointed day the god Ningirsu
went into his new temple "like a whirlwind," the goddess Bau entering
at his side "like the sun rising over Shirpurla." She entered beside his
couch, like a faithful wife, whose cares are for her own household, and
she dwelt beside his ear and bestowed abundance upon Shirpurla.

As the day began to brighten and the sun rose, Gudea set out as
offerings in the temple a fat ox and a fat sheep, and he brought a vase
of lead and filled it with wine, which he poured out as a libation, and
he performed incantations. Then, having duly established Ningirsu and
Bau in the chief shrine, he turned his attention to the lesser gods and
installed them in their appointed places in the temple, where they would
be always ready to assist Ningirsu in the temple ceremonies and in the
issue of his decrees for the welfare of the city and its inhabitants.
Thus he established the god Galalim, the son of Ningirsu, in a chosen
spot in the great court in front of the temple, where, under the orders
of his father, he should direct the just and curb the evil-doer; he
would also by his presence strengthen and preserve the temple, while
his special duty was to guard the throne of destiny and, on behalf of
Ningirsu, to place the sceptre in the hands of the reigning patesi.
Near to Ningirsu and under his orders Gudea also established the god
Dunshaga, whose function it was to sanctify the temple and to look after
its libations and offerings, and to see to the due performance of the
ceremonies of ablution. This god would offer water to Ningirsu with a
pure hand, he would pour out libations of wine and strong drink, and
would tend the oxen, sheep, kids, and other offerings which were brought
to the temple night and day. To the god Lugalkurdub, who was also
installed in the temple, was assigned the privilege of holding in his
hand the mace with the seven heads, and it was his duty to open the door
of the Gate of Combat. He guarded the sacred weapons of Ningirsu and
destroyed the countries of his enemies. He was Ningirsu's chief leader
in battle, and another god with lesser powers was associated with him as
his second leader.

Ningirsu's counsellor was the god Lugalsisa, and he also had his
appointed place in E-ninn?. It was his duty to receive the prayers
of Shirpurla and render them propitious; he superintended and blessed
Ningirsu's journey when he visited Eridu or returned from that city,
and he made special intercessions for the life of Gudea. The minister of
Ningirsu's har?m was the god Shakanshabar, and he was installed near to
Nin-girsu that he might issue his commands, both great and small. The
keeper of the har?m was the god Urizu, and it was his duty to purify the
water and sanctify the grain, and he tended Ningirsu's sleeping-chamber
and saw that all was arranged therein as was fitting. The driver of
Ningirsu's chariot was the god Ensignun; it was his duty to keep the
sacred chariot as bright as the stars of heaven, and morning and evening
to tend and feed Ningirsu's sacred ass, called Ug-kash, and the ass
of Eridu. The shepherd of Ningirsu's kids was the god Enlulim, and hetended the sacred she-goat who suckled the kids, and he guarded her so
that the serpent should not steal her milk. This god also looked
after the oil and the strong drink of E-ninn?, and saw that its store
increased.

Ningirsu's beloved musician was the god Ushum-gabkalama, and he was
installed in E-ninn? that he might take his flute and fill the temple
court with joy. It was his privilege to play to Ningirsu as he listened
in his har?m, and to render the life of the god pleasant in E-ninn?.
Ningirsu's singer was the god Lugaligi-khusham, and he had his appointed
place in E-ninn?, for he could appease the heart and soften anger; he
could stop the tears which flowed from weeping eyes, and could lessen
sorrow in the sighing heart. Gudea also installed in E-ninn? the seven
twin-daughters of the goddess Bau, all virgins, whom Ningirsu had
begotten. Their names were Zarzaru, Impa?, Urenunta?a, Khegir-nuna,
Kheshaga, Gurmu, and Zarmu. Gudea installed them near their father that
they might offer favourable prayers.