The Sumerian King List is an ancient manuscript that records the names of Sumerian kings and their reigns. It was discovered in the early 20th century and is written in the Sumerian language using cuneiform script.
Discovery
The Sumerian King List was discovered by German-American archaeologist Hermann Hilprecht at the site of Nippur, an ancient Sumerian city, in modern-day Iraq. The list exists in several fragmented versions, with the most complete one known as the Weld-Blundell Prism, which is housed in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. This particular version was discovered by British archaeologist Leonard William King in 1922.
Notable Aspects
The Sumerian King List is significant for its historical and chronological information on the rulers of ancient Sumer. It provides a unique insight into the political history and power dynamics of the region, which is considered one of the cradles of civilization.
The list is divided into several sections, with each section representing a dynasty or a city-state. The list begins with mythical antediluvian (pre-Flood) kings and continues with historical kings who ruled after the Great Flood, which is also mentioned in the Bible as the story of Noah’s Ark. While the Sumerian King List does not directly mention biblical figures, the inclusion of a Great Flood event connects it to the biblical narrative.
The list also contains brief descriptions of significant events during the reigns of some kings, providing valuable context for understanding the political and social landscape of ancient Sumer.
Year of Creation
The various fragments of the Sumerian King List have been dated to different periods, ranging from the early 3rd millennium BCE to the 2nd millennium BCE. The Weld-Blundell Prism, the most complete version of the list, is believed to have been created around 1800 BCE. Although the list does not mention specific biblical figures, it provides a vital historical context for the early history of Mesopotamia, the region in which many biblical events took place.