Ira Prince Observes in JAOS 50 (1930) that there was found
in Tello (Ancient Lagash) a remarkable Macehead now commonly referred
to as the "Mesalim Macehead." This macehead bears an cuneiform
inscription that is itself is fascinating for more then one reason
as may be apparent, it reads:
"Mesilim, king of Kish, the builder
of the temple of Ningirsu deposited this macehead for Ningirsu,
Lugal-sha-engur being
Ensi of Lagash."
Mesalim as will be noted elsewhere on the "Notes on
Kings" enenuru section, was hailed as king of Kish, and the
insription above (in addition to a later text from King Enmetana
refering to Mesalim's authority) demonstrate that Lagash at this
time was under the sway of a foriegn leader, in addition to the
local Ensi who we see named here as well: Lugal-sha-engur.
While details of Lugal-sha-engur's reign seems lacking he has been
referred to as a "weak ensi-gar": this may be due to an
apparent inability to repel or defend against incursions from the
Elamites, as his successor and the first Dynasty king of Lagash,
Ur-Nanshe, on taking control of Lagash, was obliged to
rebuild walls, canals, temples. (Nels Bailkey, The American Historical
Review, Vol. 72, No. 4 (Jul., 1967))
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Significantly, the earlier of his (Ur-Nanshe)
two known predecessors, Enhegal, was a great landowner whose single
inscription as "lugal of Lagash" records his expenditure
of nearly two tons of copper for the purchase of some 2,500 acres
of land from 8 different lugal´s (Diakonoff,
"Sale of Land", 22-24; Lambert, "Essai d´une
histoire sumerienne," 59) His tyranny seems to have
been premature, however, since Lugalshagengur, his apparent successor
and Ur-Nanshes immidiate predecessor, was a weak ensi-gar. (Hallo,
Royal Titles, 38; Edzard, "Enmebaragesi," 24-25.)
Early Mesopotamian
Constitutional Development, Nels Bailkey The American Historical
Review, Vol. 72, No. 4 (Jul., 1967), pp. 1211-1236
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