The Sumerian King List (abbreviated as SKL and also known as Chronicle of the One Monarchy) is an ancient Sumerian document whose earliest version is dated to Mesopotamia's Ur III period (circa 2112 to circa 2004 BCE) relating how kingship was first established and how it was passed on from city to city from Eridu to the Dynasty of Isin (circa 1953 to circa 1717 BCE) and its contemporary, the Dynasty of Larsa (circa 1961 to circa 1674 BCE).
The document was heavily redacted and revised as city-states came to use it to legitimize their right to rule over the region, and so the latter part recognizing the Isin-Larsa period did not appear in the original version, nor in others until the Isin dynasty found it useful. The purpose of the text was to legitimize rulers, not to document actual history.
Further, the early section of the original manuscript lists kings who ruled for impossible lengths of time and are not historically attested to elsewhere. Some early variants of the text omit the antediluvian kings entirely, and one reason could be these impossible lifespans (such as Alulim of Eridu ruling for 28,800 years) but some scholars have suggested that the 'years' given could be read as months or that the long lifespans were given as a sign of respect and a nod to the divine nature of kingship – but these claims are speculative.
These are among the many problems noted by historians regarding the SKL as a reliable primary source, as noted by scholar Marc Van de Mieroop:
Some parts – especially the earlier portions – are certainly unreliable, and for others we are unable to establish historical accuracy. Consequently, the list loses much of its value as a historical source, although it remains our primary means of structuring the Early Dynastic history…These texts are more important for the view they provide on the Sumerians' sense of the past than as sources on the Early Dynastic Period.
(Near East, 43-44)
The Sumerians' sense of the past included the history of their cities, and the SKL shows how the Sumerians understood that history, even though later archaeology has come to tell another story. According to the SKL, the first five cities that ruled in Mesopotamia before the Great Flood were:
- Eridu
- Bad-tibira
- Larak
- Sippar
- Shuruppak
After the flood, according to the SKL, kingship passes in an unbroken line down through the Isin-Larsa period. Other texts and archaeological evidence have proven this progression fictional. Actually, many of the dynasties mentioned ruled at the same time, and the transfer of power did not follow the ordered progression the SKL suggests.
The Sumerian King List is still important, however, as it shows how ancient Mesopotamian scribes blended history with myth in creating documents to present a certain worldview. The actual event that had taken place was not as important as the worldview it could be used to support (a literary conceit that defines Mesopotamian naru literature). The SKL is also an important example of political propaganda and clearly expresses the Sumerian concept of kingship as divine in origin. It is no longer considered a reliable historical source, however, and some scholars have advocated ignoring the piece completely.
History of the SKL & Uses
The earliest complete text of the SKL comes from the Ur III period and would have been written to legitimize the city of Ur as the divinely appointed ruler of the region. To the Sumerians, the city of Eridu was the first city established by divine will and so the SKL begins by stating, "After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridu" and then, according to the view of the SKL, kingship was handed down in succession – except for the chaotic interruption of the Gutian invasion – to Ur. The Gutians' rule is sometimes understood as characterized by the line, "Then who was king? Who was not king?" as the world the scribes knew seemed to have lost all order and sense.
The last part of some versions of the SKL, bringing kingship to the Isin-Larsa period, are later additions but, in some versions, so is the entire introductory section that mentions the first five cities reigning before the Great Flood. The purpose of later revisions and redactions, and most likely the purpose of the original composition, was to
- establish the divine nature of kingship
- link the diverse kings together in a long line of succession
- legitimize a reigning dynasty as part of that succession.
There are 16 known copies of the SKL (known as A-P versions), all written in Sumerian cuneiform, and suggesting the Sumerian scribes were interested in creating a document that legitimized their rule of the region from the establishment of the first city in the world to the time of the SKL's composition.
Other rulers, such as the Akkadians, are included in the succession, but, clearly, it is the Sumerians of cities like Kish, Uruk, and Ur, among many others, who are divinely appointed to rule.
The most complete version of the Sumerian King List is the Weld-Blundell Prism (circa 1800 BCE), discovered in the ruins of ancient Larsa in 1922. Most modern-day translations rely on this version of the SKL, though some prefer one of the other versions. Even though it is no longer considered a reliable primary source historically, it remains culturally significant for what it says about the people who wrote and revised the document, what they valued, and how they presented their history to themselves and others.
The piece is closely associated with the Eridu Genesis, the earliest Great Flood story that inspired later works, or sections of works, including the Atrahasis, the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Book of the Heavenly Cow, and the story of Noah's Ark from the biblical book of Genesis.
The question, "Then who was King? Who was not King?" is at the heart of interpreting the Sumerian King List, as in many sections, it is difficult – or impossible – to determine historical fact from historical fiction.
Text
The following translation is taken from The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (using the Weld-Blundell Prism in translation), cross-checked and edited with the Sumerian King List translation from Livius.org, which uses Version G from the Larsa Prism. Parenthetical comments, references to translation variants, and line numbers have been omitted, and some spellings have been changed for clarity. The texts used are listed below in the bibliography and the External Links.
After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridu. In Eridu, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28,800 years.
Alalgar ruled for 36,000 years. Two kings; they ruled for 64,800 years.Then Eridu fell and the kingship was taken to Bad-tibira.
In Bad-tibira, Enmen-lu-ana ruled for 43,200 years.
Enmen-gal-ana ruled for 28,800 years.The divine Dumuzi, the shepherd, ruled for 36,000 years. Three kings; they ruled for 108,000 years.Then Bad-tibira fell and the kingship was taken to Larak.
In Larak, En-sipad-zid-ana ruled for 28,800 years.
One king; he ruled for 28,800 years.Then Larak fell and the kingship was taken to Sippar.
In Sippar, Enmen-dur-ana became king; he ruled for 21,000 years. One king; he ruled for 21,000 years.Then Sippar fell and the kingship was taken to Šuruppak.
In Šuruppak, Ubara-Tutu became king; he ruled for 18,600 years. One king; he ruled for 18,600 years.Five cities; eight kings ruled for 385,200 years.
Then the Flood swept over.After the Flood had swept over, and the kingship had descended from heaven, the kingship was in Kišh. In Kišh, Gišur became king; he ruled for 1,200 years. Kullassina-bêl ruled for 900 years. Nan-GIŠ-lišma ruled for 1,200 years. En-dara-ana ruled for 420 years, 3 months, and 3½ days. Babum ruled for 300 years. Pu'annum ruled for 840 years. Kalibum ruled for 900 years. Kalumum ruled for 840 years. Zuqaqip ruled for 900 years. Atab ruled for 600 years. Mašda, son of Atab, ruled for 840 years. Arwi'um, son of Mašda, ruled for 720 years.
Etana, the shepherd, who ascended to heaven and put all countries in order, became king; he ruled for 1,500 years.
Balih, son of Etana, ruled for 400 years. Enme-nuna ruled for 660 years. Melem-Kiš, son of Enme-nuna, ruled for 900 years.
Barsal-nuna, son of Enme-nuna, ruled for 1,200 years.
Samug, son of Barsal-nuna, ruled for 140 years.
Tizkar, son of Samug, ruled for 305 years.
Ilku'u ruled for 900 years.
Ilta-sadum ruled for 1200 years. Enmen-baragesi, who destroyed Elam's weapons, became king; he ruled for 900 years.
Agga, son of Enmen-baragesi, ruled for 625 years.
Twenty-three kings ruled for 23,310 years, 3 months, and 3 1/2 days.Then Kišh was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Eanna.
In Eanna, Meš-ki'ag-gašer, son of Utu, became lord and king; he ruled for 324 years. Meš-ki'ag-gašer entered the sea and disappeared.
Enmekar, son of Meš-ki'ag-gašer, the king of Uruk who built Uruk, became king; he ruled for 420 years.
The divine Lugal-banda, the shepherd, ruled for 1200 years.
The divine Dumuzi, the fisherman, whose city was Ku'ara, ruled for 100 years.
Gilgamešh, whose father was an invisible being, the lord of Kulaba, ruled for 126 years.
Ur-Nungal, son of the divine Gilgamešh, ruled for 30 years.
Udul-kalama, son of Ur-Nungal, ruled for 15 years. La-bašer ruled for 9 years. Ennun-dara-ana ruled for 8 years. Mešhe, the smith, ruled for 36 years. Melem-ana ruled for 6 years.
Lugal-ki-gin ruled for 36 years.
Twelve kings ruled for 2310 years.Then Uruk was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Ur.
In Ur, Mes-ane-pada became king; he ruled for 80 years.
Meš-ki'ag-Nuna, son of Mes-ane-pada, became king; he ruled for 36 year. Elulu ruled for 25 years. Balulu ruled for 36 years.
Four kings ruled for 177 years.Then Ur was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Awan.
In Awan, [...] became king; he ruled for [...] years.
[...]-Lu ruled for [...] years.
Kul[...] ruled for 36 years.
Three kings ruled for 356 years.Then Awan was defeated and the kingship was taken to Kišh.
In Kišh, Su-suda, the fuller, became king; he ruled for 200 years.
Dadase ruled for 81 years. Mamagal, the boatman, ruled for 240 years. Kalbum, son of Mamagal, ruled for 195 years. Tug ruled for 360 years. Men-nuna ruled for 180 years. Enbi-Ištar ruled for 290 years. Lugalgu ruled for 360 years.
Eight kings they ruled for 3195 years.Then Kišh was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Hamazi.
In Hamazi, Hataniš became king; he ruled for 360 years.
One king ruled for 360 years.Then Hamazi was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Uruk.
In Uruk, En-šakuš-ana became king; he ruled for 60 years. Lugal-ure ruled for 120 years. Argandea ruled for 7 years.
Three kings ruled for 187 years.Then Uruk was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Ur.
In Ur, Nanne became king; he ruled for 54 years.
Mes-ki'ag-Nanna, son of Nanne, ruled for 48 years.
[...], the son of [...], ruled for 2 years.
Three kings ruled for [...] years.Then Ur was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Adab.
In Adab, Lugal-ane-mundu became king; he ruled for 90 years.
One king ruled for 90 years.Then Adab was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Mari.
In Mari, Anubu became king; he ruled for 30 years. Anba, son of Anubu, ruled for 17 years. Bazi, the leather worker, ruled for 30 years. Zizi, the fuller, ruled for 20 years. Lim-er, the pašišu-priest, ruled for 30 years. Šarrum-iter ruled for 9 years.
Six kings ruled for 136 years.Then Mari was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Kišh.
In Kišh, Ku-Baba, the woman tavern-keeper, who made firm the foundations of Kišh, became king; she ruled for 100 years.
One queen ruled for 100 years.Then Kišh was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Akšak.
In Akšak, Unzi became king; he ruled for 30 years. Undalulu ruled for 6 years. Urur ruled for 6 years. Puzur-Nirah ruled for 20 years. Išu-Il ruled for 24 years. Šu-Sin, son of Išu-Il, ruled for 7 years.
Six kings ruled for 93 years.Then Akšak was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Kišh.
In Kišh, Puzur-Sin, son of Ku-Baba, became king; he ruled for 25 years. Ur-Zababa, son of Puzur-Sin, ruled for 400 years. Simudara ruled for 30 years. Usi-watar ruled for 7 years.
Ištar-muti ruled for 11 years. Išme-Šamaš ruled for 11 years.
Nanniya, the stonecutter, ruled for 7 years.
Seven kings ruled for 491 years.Then Kišh was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Uruk.
In Uruk, Lugalzagesi became king; he ruled for 25 years.
One king ruled for 25 years.Then Uruk was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Agade.
In Agade, Sargon, whose father was a gardener, the cupbearer of Ur-Zababa, became king, the king of Agade, who built Agade; he ruled for 56 years.
Rimušh, son of Sargon, ruled for 9 years Maništušu, the older brother of Rimušh, son of Sargon, ruled for 15 years. Naram-Sin, son of Maništušu, ruled for 56 years. Šar-kali-šarri, son of Naram-Sin, ruled for 25 years.
Then who was king? Who was not king?
Irgigi was king, Nanum was king, Imi was king, Elulu was king; those four kings ruled 3 years. Dudu ruled for 21 years.
Šu-Durul, son of Dudu, ruled for 15 years.
Eleven kings ruled for 181 years.Then Agade was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Uruk.
In Uruk, Ur-nigin became king; he ruled for 7 years.
Ur-gigir, son of Ur-nigin, ruled for 6 years. Kuda ruled for 6 years. Puzur-ili ruled for 5 years. Ur-Utu ruled for 6 years.
Five kings ruled for 30 years.Uruk was defeated and the kingship was taken to the army of Gutium.
The army of Gutium, a king whose name is unknown.
Nibia became king; he ruled for 3 years.Then Ingišu ruled for 6 years. Ikukum-la-qaba ruled for 6 years. Šulme ruled for 6 years.
Silulumeš ruled for 6 years. Inimabakeš ruled for 5 years. Ige'a'uš ruled for 6 years. I'ar-la-qaba ruled for years. Ibate ruled for 3 years. Yarla ruled for 3 years. Kurum ruled for 1 year.
Apil-kin ruled for 3 years. La'arabum ruled for 2 years. Irarum ruled for 2 years. Ibranum ruled for 1 year. Hablum ruled for 2 years. Puzur-Sin, son of Hablum, ruled for 7 years.
Yarlaganda ruled for 7 years Si'u ruled for 7 years. Tiriga ruled for 40 days.
Twenty-one kings ruled for 91 years and 40 days.Then the army of Gutium was defeated and the kingship was taken to Uruk.
In Uruk, Utu-hegal became king; he ruled for 420 years and 7 days. One king ruled for 427 years and 6 days. Then Uruk was defeated, and the kingship was taken to Ur.
In Ur, Ur-Nammu became king; he ruled for 18 years.
Šhulgi, son of Ur-Nammu, ruled for 46 years. Amar-Sin, son of Šhulgi, ruled for 9 years. Šhu-Sin, son of Amar-Sin, ruled for 9 years. Ibbi-Sin, son of Šhu-Sin, ruled for 24 years.
Four kings ruled for 108 years.Then Ur was defeated. The kingship was taken to Isin.
In Isin, Išbi-Irra became king; he ruled for 33 years.
The divine Šu-ilišu, son of Išbi-Irra, ruled for 20 years.
Iddin-Dagan, son of Šu-ilišu, ruled for 21 years.
Išme-Dagan, son of Iddin-Dagan, ruled for 20 years.
Lipit-Išhtar, son of Išme-Dagan, ruled for 11 years.
The divine Ur-Ninurta ruled for 28 years. Bur-Sin, son of Ur-Ninurta, ruled for 21 years. Lipit-Enlil, son of Bur-Sin, ruled for 5 years. The divine Irra-imitti ruled for 8 years. The divine Enlil-bani ruled for 24 years. The divine Zambija ruled for 3 years.
The divine Iter-piša ruled for 4 years. Urdukuga ruled for 4 years. Sin-magir ruled for 11 years. Damiq-ilišu, son of Sin-magir, ruled for 23 years.
Thirteen kings ruled for 213 years.
