Tell al-'Ubaid

<p>Tell al-'Ubaid  also (Tall al-'Ubaid) is a low, relatively small ancient Near Eastern archaeological site about six kilometers west of the site of ancient <a href="/facts/Ur/buNPcTEL">Ur</a> and about 6 kilometers north of ancient <a href="/facts/Eridu/g2G57aXV">Eridu</a> in southern <a href="/facts/Iraq/pqYSFJw8">Iraq</a>'s <a href="/facts/Dhi_Qar_Governorate/rMvRqUBK">Dhi Qar Governorate</a>. Today, Tell al-'Ubaid lies 250 kilometers from the <a href="/facts/Persian_Gulf/W78AfnC1">Persian Gulf</a>, but the shoreline lay much closer to the site during the Ubaid and Early Dynastic periods.  Most of the remains are from the <a href="/facts/Chalcolithic/asevzSXh">Chalcolithic</a> <a href="/facts/Ubaid_period/l3bTHRht">Ubaid period</a>, for which Tell al-'Ubaid is the <a href="/facts/Type_site/GmpVEq2Q">type site</a>, with an <a href="/facts/Early_Dynastic_Period_(Mesopotamia)/BcFtVWBQ">Early Dynastic</a> temple and cemetery at the highest point. It was a cult center for the goddess <a href="/facts/Ninhursag/wEYr09Xb">Ninhursag</a>. An inscription found on a foundation tablet (BM 116982) in 1919 and on
a copper strip in 1923 read "For Nin-hursag: A'annepada, king of Ur, son of Mesannepada, king of Ur, built the temple for Ninhursag". <a href="/facts/Mesannepada/kGGlpVcY">Mesannepada</a> (c. 26th century BC) and <a href="/facts/A%2527annepada/zJjCy4mJ">A'annepada</a> were rulers of the <a href="/facts/First_Dynasty_of_Ur/xxkVszr4">First Dynasty of Ur</a>.
</p><p>Its ancient name is unknown but Nutur (alt Enutur) has been proposed, mainly based on the 20th year name of Ur III Empire ruler <a href="/facts/Shulgi/oKElFrmT">Shulgi</a> (c. 2094–2046 BC) "Year: Ninḫursaga of Nutur was brought into her temple".
</p>

Tell al-'Ubaid open-in-new

Tell al-'Ubaid