Editing Lagash (section)

==History==
Though some [[Uruk period]] pottery shards were found in a surface survey, significant occupation at the site of Lagash began early in the 3rd Millennium BC, in the [[Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)|Early Dynastic I period]] (c. 2900–2600 BC), surface surveys and excavations show that the peak occupation, with an area of about 500 hectares occurred during the Early Dynastic III period (c. 2500–2334 BC). The later corresponds with what is now called the First Dynasty of Lagash.<ref>McMahon, Augusta, et al., "[https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/2D27165A470831B32B9B29C72EBEF8AD/S0003598X23000364a.pdf/dense-urbanism-and-economic-multi-centrism-at-third-millennium-bc-lagash.pdf Dense urbanism and economic multi-centrism at third-millennium BC Lagash]", Antiquity, pp. 1-20, 2023</ref> Lagash then came under the control of the [[Akkadian Empire]] for several centuries. With the fall of that empire, Lagash had a period of revival as an independent power during the 2nd Dynasty of Lagash before coming under the control of the [[3rd Dynasty of Ur]]. After the fall of Ur, there was some modest occupation in the [[Isin-Larsa period|Isin-Larsa]] and [[Old Babylonian Empire|Old Babylonian]] periods.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Westenholz|first=Joan Goodnick|date=1984|title=Kaku of Ur and Kaku of Lagash|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/544849|journal=Journal of Near Eastern Studies|volume=43|issue=4|pages=339–342|doi=10.1086/373095 |jstor=544849 |s2cid=161962784 |issn=0022-2968|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Lagash was then largely deserted until a [[Seleucid]] era fortress was built there in the 2nd century BC.<ref>CHH,"[https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4170053.pdf Sumerian Diorite Head: Purchased from the Francis Bartlett Donation of 1912]", Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts, pp.  30-34, 1927</ref>
[[Image:Sumer map.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right|Location of Lagash before the expansion of the [[Akkadian Empire]] (in green). The territory of [[Sumer]] appears in orange. Circa 2350 BC]]

===First dynasty of Lagash (c. 2520 – c. 2260 BC)===
[[File:Relief Ur-Nanshe Louvre AO2344.jpg|thumb|[[Relief]] of [[Ur-Nanshe]]. At the top he creates the foundation for a shrine, at the bottom he presides over the dedication ([[Louvre]]).]]
[[File:Vase Entemena Louvre AO2674.jpg|thumb|[[Entemena]]'s [[cuneiform|inscribe]]d silver vase, c. 2400 BC ([[Louvre]])]]
The dynasties of Lagash are not found on the ''[[Sumerian King List]]'' (SKL) despite being a power in the Early Dynastic period and a major city in the centuries that followed. One tablet, from the later Old Babylonian period and known as ''The Rulers of Lagash'', was described by its translator as "rather fanciful" and is generally considered to be a satirical parody of the SKL. The thirty listed rulers, in the style of the SKL, having improbable reigns, include seven known rulers from the 1st Dynasty of Lagash, including [[Ur-Nanshe]], "Ane-tum", [[Enentarzi|En-entar-zid]], [[Ur-Ningirsu]], [[Ur-Baba|Ur-Bau]], and [[Gudea]].<ref>Sollberger, Edmond. “The Rulers of Lagaš.” Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 21, pp. 279–91, 1967</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The rulers of Lagaš|url=http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.2.1.2 |orig-date=1998 |date=June 1, 2003 |access-date=2021-07-26|website=[[Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature]]}}</ref>

Little is known of the first two rulers of Lagash. [[En-hegal]] is believed to be the first ruler of Lagash. A tablet with his name describes a business transaction, in which a possible King En-hegal buys land.<ref>Barton, George A., "[https://archive.org/download/publications09pennuoft/publications09pennuoft.pdf Sumerian Business and Administrative Documents]", Philadelphia University, 1915</ref> Both his status and date are disputed.<ref name="Enhegal CDLI Wiki">{{Cite web|title=Enhegal |url=https://cdli.ox.ac.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=enhegal|access-date=2020-12-22|website=CDLI Wiki |date= January 14, 2010 }}</ref> He was followed by [[Lugalshaengur]] about whom also little is known.<ref>Maeda, Tohru, "[https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/orient1960/17/0/17_0_1/_pdf King of Kish" in Pre-Sargonic Sumer]", Orient 17, pp. 1-17, 1981</ref> [[Mesilim]], who called himself King of Kish though it is uncertain which city he was from, named Lugalshaengur as an "ensi" of Lagash on a mace head.<ref name="Frayne">Frayne, Douglas R., "Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia: Early Periods", RIME 1.08, 2007</ref>

====Ur-Nanshe====
While many details like the length of reign are not known for the next ruler, [[Ur-Nanshe]], a number of his inscriptions have been found, most at Lagash with one stele at Ur, which along with [[Umma]], he claimed to have conquered in battle.<ref>Romano, Licia, "Urnanshe’s Family and the Evolution of Its Inside Relationships as Shown by Images", La famille dans le Proche-Orient ancien: réalités, symbolismes et images: Proceedings of the 55e Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Paris, edited by Lionel Marti, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 183-192, 2014</ref> Almost all deal with the construction of temples, one details how he "built the wester[n] channel at the side of Sa[la]/ channel at the side of S[al] (against) the Amorites". He is described as the "son of Gu-NI.DU" (occasionally as "son of Gur:SAR"), and his inscriptions list a number of sons and daughters.<ref>Jacobsen, Thorkild, "Ur-Nanshe’s Diorite Plaque", Orientalia, vol. 54, no. 1/2, pp. 65–72, 1985</ref> Several inscription say "He [had the ships of Dil]mun sub[mit] [timber] (to Lagaš) as tribute." His son [[Akurgal]] ruled briefly after him.<ref>Douglas Frayne, "Lagas", in Presargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC), RIM The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia Volume 1, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 77-293, 2008 ISBN 9780802035868</ref>

====Eannatum====
The next ruler, [[Eannatum]] (earlier referred to as "Eannadu"), son of Akurgal and grandson of Ur-Nanshe, turned Lagash into a major power extending throughout large areas of Mesopotamia and to the east as well. In an inscription found at ancient [[Adab (city)|Adab]]:
{{blockquote|text="Eannatum, ruler of Lagash, granted strength by Enlil, nourished with special milk by Ninhursag, nominated by Ningirsu, chosen in her heart by Nanshe, son of Akurgal ruler of Lagash, defeated mountainous Elam, defeated [[Urua]], defeated Umma, defeated Ur. At that time, he built a well of fired bricks for Ningirsu in his (Ningirsu’s) broad courtyard. His personal god is [[Shul-utula|Shulultul]]. Then, Ningirsu loved Eannatum."<ref>Wilson, Karen, "[https://isac.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/shared/docs/oip138.pdf Bismaya: Recovering the Lost City of Adab]", Oriental Institute Publications 138, Chicago, Ill, Univ. of Chicago Press, 2012 ISBN 9781885923639</ref>
}}

[[File:P1130735 Louvre stèle des Vautours rwk.JPG|thumb|[[Eannatum]], King of Lagash, riding a war chariot (detail of the [[Stele of the Vultures]]). His name "Eannatum" (𒂍𒀭𒈾𒁺) is written vertically in two columns in front of his head. [[Louvre Museum]].]]
Another inscription detail his destruction of "Kiš,  Akšak, and Mari at a place  named Antasur". He also claimed to have taken the city of [[Akshak]] and killed its king, Zuzu.<ref>Curchin, Leonard, "Eannatum and the Kings of Adab", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 93–95, 1977</ref> Eannatum took the city of Uru'az on the [[Persian Gulf]], and exacted tribute as far as [[Mari, Syria|Mari]]; however, many of the realms he conquered were often in revolt.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315658032-11/birth-elam-history-piotr-steinkeller|chapter=The birth of Elam in history|date=2018-01-29|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-315-65803-2|language=en|doi=10.4324/9781315658032-11|title=The Elamite World |last1=Steinkeller |first1=Piotr |pages=177–202 }}</ref> During his reign, temples and palaces were repaired or erected at Lagash and elsewhere and canals and reservoirs were excavated.<ref>Vukosavović, Filip, "On Some Early Dynastic Lagaš Temples", Die Welt Des Orients, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 126–30, 2014</ref> During his reign, [[Dilmun]] was a major trading partner.<ref>Foster, Benjamin R. and Foster, Karen Polinger, "Early City-States", Civilizations of Ancient Iraq, Princeton: Princeton University Press,  pp. 35-50, 2009</ref>

A long running border dispute, dating back at least to the time of Lugalshaengur, existed between the city-states of Umma and Lagash.<ref>Hritz, C., "[https://oi.uchicago.edu/sites/oi.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/shared/docs/Publications/SAOC/saoc71.pdf The Umma-Lagash Border Conflict: A View from Above]" in Altaweel, M. and Hritz, C. (eds.), From Sherds to Landscapes: Studies on the Ancient Near East in Honor of McGuire Gibson. Chicago: The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, pp. 109–32, 2021</ref> In the time of Umma ruler Enakalle a formal border was established, mediated by Mesilim, “king of Kish”. Eannatum restored the border, including the boundary markers of [[Mesilim]].

{{blockquote|text="Eanatum, ruler of Lagash, uncle of Enmetena ruler of Lagash, demarcated the border with Enakalle, ruler of Umma. He extended the [boundary-]channel from the Nun-channel to Guʾedena, leaving a 215-nindan [= 1,290 meters] [strip] of Ningirsu’s land under Umma’s control, establishing a no-man’s land there. He  inscribed [and  erected] monuments at that [boundary-]channel, and restored the monument of Mesilim, but did not cross into the plain of Umma. 
"<ref>Jerrold S. Cooper, "Reconstructing History from Ancient Inscriptions:The Lagash-Umma Border Conflict", Sources from the Ancient Near East 2/1; Malibu, CA: Undena, 1983</ref>
}}

[[File:This cuneiform text gives the city of Umma's account of its long-running border dispute with Lagash. Circa 2350 BCE. From Umma, Iraq. The British Museum, London.jpg|thumb|Vase of King [[Gishakidu]], king of Umma, and son of [[Ur-Lumma]], giving the city of Umma's account of its long-running border dispute with Lagash. The vase redefines the frontier by recording the locations of stelae to the god [[Shara (god)|Shara]], as well as the distances between them. Circa 2350 BC. From Umma, Iraq. Ref. 140889, [[British Museum]], London.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vase of Lugalzagezi |url=https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=368267&page=5&partId=1&searchText=lugalzagesi |work=British Museum }}{{dead link|date=April 2024}}</ref>]]
In c. 2450 BC, Lagash and the neighboring city of [[Umma]] fell out with each other after a border dispute over the Guʾedena, a fertile area lying between them. As described in [[Stele of the Vultures]], of which only a portion has been found (7 fragments), the current king of Lagash, [[Eannatum]], inspired by the patron god of his city, [[Ningirsu]], set out with his army to defeat the nearby city.<ref>Winter, Irene J., "After the Battle Is Over: The ‘Stele of the Vultures’ and the Beginning of Historical Narrative in the Art of the Ancient Near East", Studies in the History of Art, vol. 16, pp. 11–32, 1985</ref> According to the Stele's engravings, when the two sides met each other in the field, Eannatum dismounted from his chariot and proceeded to direct his men on foot. After lowering their spears, the Lagash army advanced upon the army from Umma in a dense [[Phalanx formation|phalanx]].<ref>Alster, Bendt., "Images and Text on the ‘Stele of the Vultures.’", Archiv Für Orientforschung, vol. 50, pp. 1–10, 2003</ref> After a brief clash, Eannatum and his army had gained victory over the army of Umma.  This battle is one of the earliest depicted organised battles known to scholars and historians.<ref name=Battle>{{cite book|last=Grant|first=R.G.|title=Battle|year=2005|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Limited|location=London|isbn=978-1-74033-593-5}}</ref>

Eannatum was succeeded by his brother, [[En-anna-tum I]]. Given the many inscriptions his reign is assumed to be of some length. Most of them detailed the usual temple construction. On long tablet described the continued conflict with Umma:
{{blockquote|text="For the god Hendursag, chief herald of the Abzu En-anatum, [ru]ler of [Laga]š ...  When the god Enlil(?)], for the god [Nin]g[ir]s[u], took [Gu'edena] from the hands of Gisa (Umma) and filled En-anatum’s hands with it, Ur-LUM-ma, ruler of Gisa (Umma), [h]i[red] [(mercenaries from) the foreign lands] and transgressed the boun[da]ry-channel of the god Ningirsu (and said): ... En-anatum crushed Ur-LUM-ma, ruler of Gisa (Umma) as far as E-kisura (“Boundary) Channel”) of the god Ninœirsu. He pursued him into the ... of (the town) LUM-ma-girnunta. (En-anatum) gagged (Ur-LUM-ma) (against future land claims)"<ref name="Frayne" />
}}

The conflict from the Umma side of things from its ruler [[Ur-Lumma]]:
{{blockquote|text="Urlumma, ruler of Umma, diverted water into the boundary-channel of Ningirsu and the boundary-channel of Nan-she. He set fire to their monuments and smashed them, and destroyed the established chapels of the gods that were built on the boundary-levee called Namnunda-kigara. He recruited foreigners and transgressed the boundary-ditch of Ningirsu."<ref>Cooper, Jerrold S., "Sumerian and Akkadian Royal Inscriptions, I. Presargonic Inscriptions", The  American  Oriental  Society  Translation  Series  1, New Haven: American Oriental Society, 1986</ref>
}}

====Entemena====
The next ruler, [[Entemena]] increased the power of Lagash during his rule. A number of inscriptions from his reign are known.<ref>Nies, James B., "A Net Cylinder of Entemena", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 36, pp. 137–39, 1916</ref><ref>Barton, George A., "A New Inscription of Entemena", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 262–65, 1931</ref> He was a contemporary of Lugalkinishedudu of Uruk.<ref>Gadd, C. J., "Entemena : A New Incident", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 125–26, 1930</ref>

Entemena was succeeded by his brother Enannatum II, with only one known inscription  where he "restored for the god Ningirsu his brewery".<ref name="Frayne" /> He was followed by two more minor rulers, Enentarzi (only one inscription from his 5 year reign, which mentions his daughter Gem[e]-Baba), and Lugalanda (several inscriptions, one mentions his wife Bara-namtara) the son of Enentarzi. The last ruler of Lagash, [[Urukagina]], was known for his judicial, social, and economic reforms, and his may well be the first legal code known to have existed.<ref>A. Deimel, "Die Reformtexte Urukaginas", Or. 2, 1920</ref><ref>Foxvog, Daniel A., "A New Lagaš Text Bearing on Uruinimgina’s Reforms", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 46, pp. 11–15, 1994</ref> He was defeated by Lugalzagesi, beginning when Lugalzagesi was ruler of Umma and culminating as ruler of Uruk, bringing an end to the First Dynasty of Lagash.<ref>Lambert, Maurice, "La guerre entre Urukagina et Lugalzagesi", Rivista Degli Studi Orientali, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 29–66, 1966</ref> About 1800 [[cuneiform]] tablets from the reigns of the last three rulers of Lagash, of an administrative nature, have been found, mostly.<ref>Stephens, Ferris J., "Notes on Some Economic Texts of the Time of Urukagina", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 49, no. 3, 1955, pp. 129–36</ref><ref>Joachim Marzahn, "Altsumerische Verwaltungstexteaus Girsu/Lagaš. Vorderasiatische Schriftdenkmälerder Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, Neue Folge Heft IX (Heft XXV), Berlin, Akademie-Verlag, 1991</ref><ref>Barton, George A., "The Babylonian Calendar in the Reigns of Lugalanda and Urkagina", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 251–71, 1911</ref> The tablets are mostly from the "woman’s quarter" also known as the temple of the goddess [[Bau (goddess)|Babu]]. It was under the control of the Queen.<ref>Schrakamp, Ingo, "[https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/23835/bsa_053_07.pdf?sequence=1 Irrigation in 3rd millennium southern Mesopotamia: cuneiform evidence from the Early Dynastic IIIB City-State of Lagash (2475–2315 BC)]", in Water Management in Ancient Civilizations, pp. 117-195, 2018</ref>
<gallery widths="200" heights="200" perrow="4">
File:The cuneiform text states that Enannatum I reminds the gods of his prolific temple achievements in Lagash. Circa 2400 BCE. From Girsu, Iraq. The British Museum, London.jpg|The cuneiform text states that Enannatum I reminds the gods of his prolific temple achievements in Lagash. Circa 2400 BC. From Girsu, Iraq. The British Museum, London
File:Lagash in cuneiform.jpg|The name "Lagash" ({{Script/Cuneiform|𒉢𒁓𒆷}}) in vertical cuneiform of the time of [[Ur-Nanshe]].
File:Eagle of Lagash.jpg|The [[Anzû]], symbol of Lagash, in a [[Master of Animals]] motif, at the time of [[Entemena]].
File:Stele of the vultures (war).jpg|The armies of Lagash led by [[Eannatum]] in their conflict against Umma.
File:Stele of the vultures (lancers).jpg|Lancers of the army of Lagash against Umma
</gallery>

===Under the Akkadian Empire===
In his conquest of [[Sumer]] circa 2300 BC, [[Sargon of Akkad]], after conquering and destroying [[Uruk]], then conquered [[Ur]] and E-Ninmar and "laid waste" the territory from Lagash to the sea, and from there went on to conquer and destroy [[Umma]], and he collected tribute from [[Mari, Syria|Mari]] and [[Elam]]. He triumphed over 34 cities in total.<ref name="SCHO">{{cite web |title=MS 2814 – The Schoyen Collection |url=https://www.schoyencollection.com/history-collection-introduction/sumerian-history-collection/cuneiform-indus-valley-ms-2814 |website=www.schoyencollection.com |language=en-gb}}</ref>

Sargon's son and successor [[Rimush]] faced widespread revolts, and had to reconquer the cities of [[Ur]], [[Umma]], [[Adab (city)|Adab]], Lagash, [[Der (Sumer)|Der]], and [[Kazallu]] from rebellious ''[[Ensi (Sumerian)|ensis]]''.<ref name="WLH93">{{cite book |last1=Hamblin |first1=William J. |title=Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History |date=2006 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-52062-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=biyDDd0uKGMC&pg=PT93 |language=en}}</ref>

Rimush introduced mass slaughter and large scale destruction of the Sumerian city-states, and maintained meticulous records of his destruction.<ref name="WLH93"/> Most of the major Sumerian cities were destroyed, and Sumerian human losses were enormous: for the cities of [[Ur]] and Lagash, he records 8,049 killed, 5,460 "captured and enslaved" and 5,985 "expelled and annihilated".<ref name="WLH93"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crowe |first1=D. |title=War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice: A Global History |date=2014 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-137-03701-5 |page=10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tSnFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT10 |language=en}}</ref>

A Victory Stele in several fragments (three in total, [[Louvre Museum]] AO 2678)<ref>{{cite web |title=Site officiel du musée du Louvre |url=http://cartelfr.louvre.fr/cartelfr/visite?srv=car_not_frame&idNotice=12124 |website=cartelfr.louvre.fr}}</ref> has been attributed to Rimush on stylistic and epigraphical grounds. One of the fragments mentions Akkad and Lagash.<ref name="Le Nom d'Agadé Sur Un Monument de S"/> It is thought that the stele represents the defeat of Lagash by the troops of Akkad.<ref name="Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins"/> The stele was excavated in ancient [[Girsu]], one of the main cities of the territory of Lagash.<ref name="Le Nom d'Agadé Sur Un Monument de S"/>

<gallery widths="200" heights="200" perrow="4">
File:Fragments of the Victory Stele of Rimush (Heuzey).jpg|Fragments of the Victory Stele of Rimush. The Victory Stele also has an epigraphic fragment, mentioning Akkad and Lagash.<ref name="Le Nom d'Agadé Sur Un Monument de S">{{cite journal |last1=Heuzey |first1=Léon |title=Le Nom d'Agadé Sur Un Monument de Sirpourla |journal=Revue d'Assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale |date=1895 |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=113–117 |jstor=23284246 |issn=0373-6032}}</ref> It suggests the stele represents the defeat of Lagash by the troops of Akkad.<ref name="Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins">{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Ariane |last2=Potts |first2=Timothy |title=Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins |date=2020 |publisher=Getty Publications |isbn=978-1-60606-649-2 |page=79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsHEDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA179 |language=en}}</ref>
File:Victory stele-AO 2678-IMG 9053-gradient.jpg|Possible victory stele of king Rimush (front).<ref name="ML">{{cite web|title=Musée du Louvre-Lens - Portail documentaire - Stèle de victoire du roi Rimush (?)|url=http://ressources.louvrelens.fr/EXPLOITATION/oeuvre-ao-2678.aspx|website=ressources.louvrelens.fr|language=fr-FR}}</ref> Generally attributed to Rimush on stylistic grounds.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=McKeon|first1=John F. X.|title=An Akkadian Victory Stele|journal=Boston Museum Bulletin|date=1970|volume=68|issue=354|page=235|jstor=4171539|issn=0006-7997}}</ref>
File:P1150890 Louvre stèle de victoire Akkad AO2678 rwk.jpg|Detail
File:Man of Lagash, circa 2270 BCE (portrait).jpg|Man of Lagash, circa 2270 BC, from the Victory Stele.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Thomas|first1=Ariane|last2=Potts|first2=Timothy|title=Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins|date=2020|publisher=Getty Publications|isbn=978-1-60606-649-2|page=79|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsHEDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA179|language=en}}</ref> The same hairstyle can be seen in [[:File:Ur-Ningirsu II Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin VA 8790.jpg|other statues]] from Lagash.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Foster|first1=Benjamin R.|title=The Sargonic Victory Stele from Telloh|journal=Iraq|date=1985|volume=47|pages=15–30|doi=10.2307/4200229|jstor=4200229 |s2cid=161961660 }}</ref>
</gallery>
===Second dynasty of Lagash (c. 2260 – c. 2023 BC)===
[[File:Gudea of Lagash Girsu.jpg|thumb|[[Gudea]] of Lagash (ruled c. 2144–2124 BC). Diorite statue found at [[Girsu]] ([[Louvre Museum]])]]
During the reigns of the first two rulers of this dynasty Lugal-ushumgal (under [[Naram-Sin of Akkad|Naram-Sin]] and [[Shar-Kali-Sharri]]) and Puzur-Mama (under Shar-kali-shari), Lagash was still under the control of the [[Akkadian Empire]]. It has been suggested that another governor, Ur-e, fell between them.<ref>Volk, K., "Puzur-Mama und die Reise des Königs", Zeitschrift  fiir  Assyriologie und verwandte Gebiete, vol. 82 (ZA. 82),  Berlin, 1992</ref> After the death of Shar-Kali-shari Puzur-Mama declared Lagash independent (known from an inscription that may also mention Elamite ruler [[Kutik-Inshushinak]]). This independence appears to have been tenuous as Akkadian Empire ruler [[Dudu of Akkad|Dudu]] reports taking booty from there.<ref name="Frayne" />

With the fall of Akkad, Lagash achieved full independence under Ur-Ningirsu I (not to be confused with the later Lagash ruler named Ur-Ningirsu, the son of [[Gudea]]). Unlike the 1st Dynasty of Lagash, this series of rulers used year names. Two of Ur-Ningirsu are known including "year: Ur-Ningirsu  (became) ruler". His few inscriptions are religious in nature.<ref>Edzard, Sibylle, "Ur-Ningirsu I", Gudea and his Dynasty, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 7-11, 1997</ref> Almost nothing is known of his son and successor.<ref>Edzard, Sibylle, "Pirig-me", Gudea and his Dynasty, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 12-13, 1997</ref> The next three rulers, Lu-Baba, Lugula, and Kaku are known only from their first year names. The following ruler, Ur-Baba, is notable mainly because three of his daughters married later rulers of Lagash, Gudea, Nam-mahani, and Ur-gar.<ref>Suter, Claudia E, "Who are the Women in Mesopotamian Art from ca. 2334-1763 BCE?", Who are the Women in Mesopotamian Art from ca. 2334-1763 BCE?", Kaskal, vol. 5, 1000-1055, 2008</ref> His inscriptions are all of a religious nature, including building or restoring the "Eninnu, the  White Thunderbird".<ref>Heimpel, Wolfgang, "The Gates of the Eninnu", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 48, pp. 17–29, 1996</ref> Five of his year names are known. At this point Lagash is still at best a small local power. In some case the absolute order of rulers is not known with complete certainty.<ref>Edzard, Sibylle, "Ur-Baba", Gudea and his Dynasty, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 15-25, 1997</ref>
====Gudea====
While the [[Gutian dynasty of Sumer|Gutians]] had partially filled the power vacuum left by the fall of the Akkadian Empire, under Gudea Lagash entered a period of independence marked by riches and power.<ref>Zarins, Juris, "Lagash and the Gutians: a study of late 3rd millennium BC Mesopotamian archaeology, texts and politics", In Context: the Reade Festschrift, pp. 11-42, 2020</ref> Thousands of inscriptions of various sorts have been found from his reign and an untold number of [[statues of Gudea]].<ref name="Steible" >H. Steible, "Neusumerische Bau- und Weihinschriften, Teil 1: Inschriften der II. Dynastie von Lagas", FAOS9/1, Stuttgart 1991</ref> A number of cuneiform tablets of an administrative nature, from Gudea's rule were found at nearby [[Girsu]].<ref>Molina Martos, Manuel, and Massimo Maiocchi, "[https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/245574/1/pre_ur_administrative_british_museum.pdf Pre-Ur III administrative cuneiform tablets in the British Museum. I. Texts from the archives of Gudea's Dynasty]", Kaskal, vol. 15, pp. 1-46, 2018</ref> Also found at Girsu were the famous [[Gudea cylinders]] which contain the longest known text in the [[Sumerian language]].<ref>Ira M. Price, "The great cylinder inscriptions A & B of Gudea: copied from the original clay cylinders of the Telloh Collection preserved in the Louvre. Transliteration, translation, notes, full vocabulary and sign-lifts", [https://archive.org/download/greatcylinderins01pricuoft/greatcylinderins01pricuoft.pdf Volume 1] [https://archive.org/download/greatcylinderins02pricuoft/greatcylinderins02pricuoft.pdf Volume 2], Hinrichs, 1899</ref><ref>Suter, Claudia E., "A New Edition of the Lagaš II Royal Inscriptions Including Gudea’s Cylinders", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 50,  pp. 67–75, 1998</ref> He was prolific at temple building and restoring.<ref>Suter, Claudia E. Gudea's temple building: A comparison of written and pictorial accounts", Brill, 2000 {{ISBN|978-90-56-93035-6}}</ref> He is known to have conducted some military operations to the east against [[Anshan (Persia)|Anshan]] and Elam.<ref>Bartash, Vitali, "Gudea's Iranian Slaves: An Anatomy of Transregional Forced Mobility", Iraq 84, pp. 25-42, 2022</ref><ref>Hansen, Donald P, "A sculpture of Gudea, governor of Lagash", Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts 64.1, pp. 4-19, 1988</ref> Twenty of Gudea's year names are known. All are of a religious nature except for one that marks the building of a canal and year six "Year in which the city of Anszan was smitten by weapons".<ref>[https://cdli-gh.github.io/year-names/HTML/T4K2.htm Year Names of Gudea at CDLI]</ref> While the conventional view has been that the reign of Gudea fell well before that of [[Ur-Nammu]], ruler of Ur, and during a time of Gutian power, a number of researchers contend that Gudea's rule overlaps with that of Ur-Nammu and the Gutians had already been defeated.<ref>Steinkeller, Piotr, "The Date of Gudea and His Dynasty", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 47–53, 1988</ref> This view is strengthened by the fact that Ur-Baba appointed Enanepada as high preiestess of Ur while Naram-Sin of Akkad had appointed her predecessor Enmenana and Ur-Namma of Ur appointed her successor Ennirgalana.<ref name="Michalowski" >Michalowski, Piotr, "Networks of Authority and Power in Ur III Times", in From the 21st Century B.C. to the 21st Century A.D.: Proceedings of the International Conference on Neo-Sumerian Studies Held in Madrid, 22–24 July 2010, edited by Steven J. Garfinkle and Manuel Molina, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 169-206, 2013</ref>

Gudea was succeeded by his son Ur-Ningirsu, followed by Ur-gar. Little is known about either aside from an ascension year name each and a small handful of inscriptions. It has been suggested that two other brief rulers fit into the sequence here, Ur-ayabba and Ur-Mama but the evidence for that is thin.<ref>Maeda, Tohru, "Two Rulers by the Name of Ur-Ningirsu in Pre-Ur III Lagash", acta sumerologica Japan 10, pp. 19–35, 1988</ref> Two tablets dated to the reign of Ur-Nammu of Ur refer to Ur-ayabba as "ensi" of Lagash, meaning governor in Ur III terms and king in Lagash.<ref name="Michalowski" />
====Nam-mahani====
Little is known of the next ruler aside from his ascension year name and a handful of religious inscriptions. Nam-mahani is primarily known for being defeated by Ur-Nammu, first ruler of the Ur III empire and being considered the last ruler of the second dynasty of Lagash (often called the Gudean Dynasty). In the prologue of the [[Code of Ur-Nammu]] it states "He slew Nam-ha-ni the ensi of Lagash".<ref>Finkelstein, J. J., "The Laws of Ur-Nammu", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 22, no. 3/4, pp. 66–82, 1968</ref> A number of his inscriptions were defaced and the statues of Nam-mahani and his wife were beheaded (the head were not found with the statues by Ur-Nammu in what is usually called an act of [[Damnatio memoriae]].<ref name="Steible" />
===Under the Ur III Empire===
Under the control of Ur, the Lagash state (Lagash, Girsu, and Nigin) were the largest and most prosperous province of the empire. Such was its importance that the second highest official in the empire, the Grand Vizier, resided there.<ref>Maekawa, Kazuya, "The erín-people in Lagash of Ur III times", Revue d'Assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale 70.1, pp. 9-44, 1976</ref><ref>Maekawa, Kazuya, "The agricultural texts of Ur III Lagash of the British Museum (V)", Acta Sumerologica 3, pp. 37-61, 1981</ref><ref>Maekawa, Kazuya, "The agricultural texts of Ur III Lagash of the British Museum (VIII)", ASJ, vol. 14, pp. 145-169, 1992</ref><ref>Zarins, Juris, "Magan Shipbuilders at the Ur III Lagash State Dockyards (2062-2025 BC)", in Intercultural Relations Between South and Southwest Asia. Studies in Commemoration of ECL During Caspers (1934–1996), Oxford: BAR International Series (1826), pp. 209-229, 2008
</ref> The name of one governor of Lagash under Ur is known, Ir-Nanna. After the fifth year of the last Ur II ruler, Ibbi-Sin, his year name was no longer used at Lagash, indicating Ur no longer controlled that city.<ref>Frayne, Douglas, "Ibbi-Sîn E3/2.1.5", in Ur III Period (2112-2004 BC), Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 361-392, 1997</ref>