RECENT DISCOVERIES IN THE REALM OP ASSYRIOLOGY, ETC. J 37 



the lady* G a-tmrmcluge (Gatuinudue), Bau, "sister of the 

 eldest son of Aim," lunamia (= Isiar), "Lady of battle," 

 Utuki (= Samas, the Sungod), "king of the pouring-out of 

 oil," t Sig-saga4 "the ruler of the people of the gods Gal- 

 alima and Dun-sagaua," Nin-marki, " eldest child of Nina," 

 Dumuzi-abzu (Tammuz of the Abyss), " lady of the city 

 Kinunir," and E-gis-zida are called upon to change the 

 destiny of any man who shall change the words of Gudea, 

 patesi of Lagas, felling him like an ox, and quelling him like 

 a wild bull (rimu in Assyrian) in the fulness of his strength. 

 The inscription then concludes: "May the weapons of my 

 steadfast people throw him down in the dust, may the 

 diminution of his renowned (?) name come to be heard of; 

 may they erase his name from the tablet in the house of his 

 god ; may his god not look favourably on his land ; may he 

 destroy it with rain from heaven ; may he destroy it with the 

 water of the earth (inundations) ; may he go forth nameless, 

 and may his reign be made (one of) subjection. May that 

 man, like a man doing evil to his chief, § find a habitation || 

 afar under the vault of heaven. May the people proclaim 

 the greatness of the champion (?) of the gods, the lord 

 E-girsu." 



Such is, as nearly as can now be made out, the tenor of 

 the principal inscription, that of " the architect with the 

 plan,"1F and its importance can hardly be overlooked. It is 

 of value not only for the history and geography of an 

 important part of the world at an extremely early period (at 

 least 2500 years before Christ), but also for an insight into 

 the manners and customs of the time. 



The passage which refers to the burning of the dead has 

 already been mentioned, and whilst it must be confessed that 

 the rendering is somewhat doubtful, yet it may be taken as 

 very probable. Excavations made by the German expedition 

 to Al-hibba in southern Babylonia shows that they un- 



* Or : " Glorious one." 



t £^> J^- <$[ Z&i Sfff, Ivgal ni sega-gi. 



| The same as the god Isiun, the " glorious sacrificer" (a rendering to 

 which, notwithstanding prior publication by another, I lay claim of tirst 

 discovery and communication). 



§ $£> *^y ^ "peU- D.P. si-sa-ra, lit., " to his director." 

 || jtjy >— <J j£^~ 31 tT+,5 svrna. niba/ri, lit., " set his hand." 

 IT So called from the incised plan which he holds on his knees. 



