Mesilim

Mesilim
𒈨𒁲
King of Kish
Head of a votive mace with a lion-headed eagle (emblem of god Ningirsu) and six lions, dedicated at a shrine in Girsu by King Mesilim of Kish. Inscription in archaic script: “Mesilim, king of Kish, builder of the temple of Ningirsu, brought [this mace head] for Ningirsu, Lugalshaengur [being] prince of Lagash”.[1] Louvre Museum.[2]
Reignc. 2600  BC
PredecessorUhub
SuccessorMesannepada

Mesilim (Sumerian: 𒈨𒁲),[3] also spelled Mesalim (c. 2600 BC), was lugal (king) of the Sumerian city-state of Kish.

Though his name is missing from the Sumerian king list, Mesilim is among the earliest historical figures recorded in archaeological documents. He reigned some time in the "Early Dynastic III" period (c. 2600–2350 BC). Inscriptions from his reign state that he sponsored temple constructions in both Adab and Lagash, where he apparently enjoyed some suzerainty.[4] He is also known from a number of fragments.[5]

  1. ^ "CDLI-Found Texts". cdli.ucla.edu.
  2. ^ "Masse d'armes du roi Mesilim". Louvre Museum. 2020.
  3. ^ "CDLI-Found Texts". cdli.ucla.edu.
  4. ^ Visicato, Giuseppe; Alberti, Amedeo; asiatici, Amedeo (1994). Early dynastic administrative tablets of Ĺ uruppak. Istituto universitario orientale. pp. 15–19.
  5. ^ "CDLI-Found Texts". cdli.ucla.edu.