Urukagina
Last ruler of the 1st Dynasty of Lagash · Historical Figures
Uru-ka-gina, Uru-inim-gina, Eri-enim-ge-na, or Iri-ka-gina ruled in the 24th century BC as King of the city-states of Lagash and Girsu in Mesopotamia, and was the last ruler of the 1st Dynasty of Lagash. He assumed the kingship, claiming to be divinely appointed, following the reign of his predecessor Lugalanda.
Urukagina is read about 90 times a day, in 37 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 9 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 111 days, one point a day.
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Photos 10
![Fragment of an inscription of Urukagina; it reads as follows: "He [Uruinimgina] dug (…) the canal to the town-of-NINA. At its beginning, he built the Eninnu; at its ending, he built the Esiraran."](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Clay_cone_Urukagina_Louvre_AO4598ab.jpg/1280px-Clay_cone_Urukagina_Louvre_AO4598ab.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail)
Fragment of an inscription of Urukagina; it reads as follows: "He [Uruinimgina] dug (…) the canal to the town-of-NINA. At its beginning, he built the Eninnu; at its ending, he built the Esiraran."![An account of barley rations issued monthly to adults and children, Urukagina year 4, from Girsu. British Museum, London.[12]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Issue_of_barley_rations.JPG/1280px-Issue_of_barley_rations.JPG?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail)
An account of barley rations issued monthly to adults and children, Urukagina year 4, from Girsu. British Museum, London.[12]![Title "Urakagina king of Girsu" (𒌷𒅗𒄀𒈾 𒈗 𒄈𒋢𒆠), Urukagina lugal Girsu-ki), in the "Lamentation for the destruction of Umma".[21]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Urukagina_king_of_Girsu.jpg/500px-Urukagina_king_of_Girsu.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail)
Title "Urakagina king of Girsu" (𒌷𒅗𒄀𒈾 𒈗 𒄈𒋢𒆠), Urukagina lugal Girsu-ki), in the "Lamentation for the destruction of Umma".[21]
Sin of Lugalzagesi AO 4162![Transcription of AO 4162: "The man of Umma set fire to the Ekisurra...".[21][27] Here Urukagina appears as "King of Girsu"](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Lamentation_about_the_fall_of_Lagash.jpg/1280px-Lamentation_about_the_fall_of_Lagash.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail)
Transcription of AO 4162: "The man of Umma set fire to the Ekisurra...".[21][27] Here Urukagina appears as "King of Girsu"
Reform cone of UrukaginaLouvre MuseumAO 3149
About this person
It is generally thought that Lugalanda lived on for 4 or 5 years after the ascension of Urukagina with the title "ensi-gal". The wife of Urukagina was named Sagsag, and a statue of her in the temple of Baba in Lagash was still being venerated centuries later in the Ur III dynasty. When Baranamtarra, the wife of Lugalanda, died in the 2nd year of Urukagina's reign, Sagsag was responsible for the funeral and repeated memorial rites. The funeral included "177 slave-girls, 92 lamentation singers, and 48 ‘wives of elders (?)’, who participated on two consecutive days at the ‘place of mourning’ (ki.ḫul)".
