Editing Gudea (section)

==Religion==
[[File:Foundation figurines representing gods. Copper alloy. Reign of Gudea, c. 2150 BCE. From the temple of Ningirsu at Girsu, Iraq. The British Museum, London.jpg|thumb|Foundation figurines of gods in copper alloy, reign of Gudea, {{Circa|2150 BCE}}, from the temple of Ningirsu at [[Girsu]] (British Museum, London)]]
[[File:Gudea being led by Ningishzida into the presence of a deity who is seated on a throne.jpg|thumb|Votive stele of Gudea, ruler of Lagash, to the temple of Ningirsu: Gudea being led by [[Ningishzida]] into the presence of a deity who is seated on a throne. From Girsu, Iraq. 2144-2124 BCE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul]]
[[File:Sacred basin, a gift from Gudea to the temple of Ningirsu. From Girsu, Iraq. 2144-2122 BCE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul.jpg|thumb|Sacred basin, a gift from Gudea to the temple of Ningirsu. From Girsu, Iraq. 2144-2122 BCE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul]]
[[File:Diorite mortar, an offering from Gudea to Enlil. From Nippur, Iraq. 2144-2124 BCE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul.jpg|thumb|Diorite mortar, an offering from Gudea to Enlil. From Nippur, Iraq. 2144-2124 BCE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul]]

The inscription on a statue of Gudea as architect of the [[E-ninnu|House of Ningirsu]],{{sfnp|Edzard|1997| pp=31–38}} warns the reader of doom if the words are altered, but there is a startling difference between the warnings of Sargon or his line and the warnings of Gudea. The one is length; Gudea's curse lasts nearly a quarter of the inscription's considerable length,{{sfnp|Edzard|1997| pp=36–38}} and another is creativity. The gods will not merely reduce the offender's progeny to ash and destroy his foundations, no, they will, "let him sit down in the dust instead of on the seat they set up for him". He will be "slaughtered like a [[bull]]… seized like an [[aurochs]] by his fierce horn".{{sfnp|Edzard|1997| p=38}}

Lagash under Gudea had extensive commercial communications with distant realms. According to his own records, Gudea brought cedars from the Amanus and Lebanon mountains in [[Syria]], diorite from eastern Arabia, copper and gold from central and southern Arabia and from [[Sinai Peninsula|Sinai]], while his armies were engaged in battles in Elam on the east.<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>