What is Gudea made of?
Statues of Gudea The early statues were made of limestone, steatite and alabaster; later, when wide-ranging trade-connections had been established, the more costly exotic diorite was used. Diorite had already been used by old Sumerian rulers (Statue of Entemena).
Who was Gudea and why was he famous?
Gudea, Prince of Lagash was the political and religious governor of Lagash, in Southern Mesopotamia, one of the oldest Sumerian cities. This statue was discovered as two pieces, twenty-six years apart. Archaeologists found the head in 1877, then the body was found in 1903.
Who is Gudea of Lagash statue?
Gudea was the political and religious governor of Lagash, one of the oldest Sumerian cities in Ancient Mesopotamia. Gudea ruled between 2144 – 2124 BC, and about twenty-seven statues of Gudea have been found. These 4,000-year-old statues show a very advanced level of craftsmanship for the time.
Where was the statue of gudea found?
Lagash
Found in excavations in the area of Lagash was a series of partial statues of Gudea. In some the king is standing; in others he is shown seated, as he is here. This statue was found at the site of Girsu, the ancient capital of Lagash, in two separate pieces at two different times.
Why is Gudea important?
Gudea was a great king, because he did what great and noteworthy kings do; he built walls to successfully protect his city and its people from clear and present danger(s), he also built temples, and helped things like art and social justice thrive under his rule.
What is the votive statue of gudea?
Gudea clasps a vase from which two rivers (the Tigris and the Euphrates) flow. Fish can be seen in the river streams symbolizing the fertile land. Although this statue has much in common with the votive figures from Sumeria, Gudea has represented himself in the role of a god-king.
What is the seated statue of gudea?
The image shown is a statue of Gudea, ruler of Lagash, who reigned over the Mesopotamian kingdom from circa 2150 to 2125 BCE. The statue belongs to a collection commissioned by Gudea in the post-Akkadian Sumerian era to be displayed in the temples he helped establish [“Statue of Gudea”].
