ium, but it never recovered the place of eminence it occupied under
the brilliant Ur-Nina dynasty. It is manifest that it must have
enjoyed under the various overlords, during the interval, a
considerable degree of independence, for its individuality remained
unimpaired. Of all its energetic and capable patesis, the most
celebrated was Gudea, who reigned sometime before 2400 B.C. In
contrast to the Semitic Naram Sin, he was beardless and pronouncedly
Sumerian in aspect. His favoured deity, the city god Nin-Girsu, again
became prominent, having triumphed over his jealous rivals after
remaining in obscurity for three or four centuries. Trade flourished,
and the arts were fostered. Gudea had himself depicted, in one of the
most characteristic sculptures of his age, as an architect, seated
reverently with folded hands with a temple plan lying on his knees,
and his head uplifted as if watching the builders engaged in
materializing the dream of his life. The temple in which his interests
were centred was erected in honour of Nin-Girsu. Its ruins suggest
that it was of elaborate structure and great beauty. Like Solomon in
later days, Gudea procured material for his temple from many distant
parts--cedar from Lebanon, marble from Amurru, diorite from Arabia,
copper from Elam, and so forth. Apparently the King of Lagash was
strong enough or wealthy enough to command respect over a wide area.

Another city which also rose into prominence, amidst the shattered
Sumerian states, was Ur, the centre of moon worship. After Gudea's
death, its kings exercised sway over Lagash and Nippur, and, farther
south, over Erech and Larsa as well. This dynasty endured for nearly a
hundred and twenty years, during which Ur flourished like Thebes in
Egypt. Its monarchs styled themselves as "Kings of the Four Regions".
The worship of Nannar (Sin) became officially recognized at Nippur,
the seat of Enlil, during the reign of King Dungi of Ur; while at
Erech, the high priest of Anu, the sky god, became the high priest of
the moon god. Apparently matriarchal ideas, associated with lunar
worship, again came into prominence, for the king appointed two of his
daughters to be rulers of conquered states in Elam and Syria. In the
latter half of his reign, Dungi, the conqueror, was installed as high
priest at Eridu. It would thus appear that there was a renascence of
early Sumerian religious ideas. Ea, the god of the deep, had long been
overshadowed, but a few y