CHARACTER: Amurri

The fourth child of Gilgamesh that we have met so far. This prince of Uruk has stayed close to his home city in Sumer. As a skilled businessman, he manages to make a tidy income even in tough times, but his kind heart leads him to share most of his good fortune with others.

Amurri is the most dissatisfied of Gilgamesh’s children with not knowing the answers to his past.

Samar

Former slave and young orphan that Amurri has adopted.

Ennugi and Aya

Ennugi is Amurri’s friend and former business partner, and Aya is his wife. She has adopted several homeless children.

SETTING: Ur in Sumer

Sumer was the southeastern portion of Mesopotamia, where Iraq is today, the larger northern portion of Mesopotamia being Akkad. This book is during the era when Sumer was slowly depopulating due to rising salinity in the soil leading to decreased agriculture.

map of Sumer and surrounding areas

overview of Sumer

more on Sumer

This era was also a time of warring. Each city represented a city-state, usually with its own king and temple dedicated to a different god. At this period Ur was in an upheaval as first Elam took over and then a government official who had fled from Ur to Isin regained the city before Babylon, another city, took over (exact dates for these events are uncertain).

a map showing the proximity of Elam

about Ur

archaeological discoveries from Ur

(has a link to play the Royal Game)

The ziggurat in Ur was dedicated to the moon god Nanna (or Sin). Each level of the building was painted a different color.

Nanna

SETTING: BABYLON

SETTING: KISH

ITEMS OF INTEREST

The bull that Amurri made included some materials that are not commonly used today:

lapis lazuli

etched carnelian

Amurri wore a seal that served several purposes for the Sumerians.

Sumerian seals

CUNEIFORM

3D view of cuneiform

learn about cuneiform

(first see your own name inscribed)

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