Article in special issue

Personnel dealing with temple treasures in the Ur III period (ca. 2100-2000 BCE)

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Abstract

In the Ur III period, Mesopotamian temples functioned as major repositories of wealth, housing valuable objects acquired primarily through royal and elite donations. This article examines the individuals responsible for the custody and administration of divine treasures, focusing on texts that explicitly mention both treasure terminology and named custodians. Drawing on administrative receipts that record the reception and storage of precious goods, the study analyses the vocabulary and practices associated with temple treasuries, including the terms for treasures, storage spaces, and receipt annotations. The article first investigates the technical expressions used in receipt texts, clarifying their functional roles in the transfer and final deposition of valuable objects within temple contexts. It then analyses the priests and officials entrusted with temple treasuries, showing that the gudu4 (“nourishing attendant”) most frequently acted as custodian of divine wealth across several cities, including Keš, Umma, Ur, and Urusagrig. While individual careers are often poorly documented, selected case studies—most notably that of Lugal-azida of Umma—illustrate the close integration of cultic duties with administrative and economic responsibilities. The evidence further reveals occasional female custodians and instances in which scribes combined administrative and custodial roles. Overall, the article sheds new light on the management of sacred wealth and the intersection of cultic, administrative, and political authority in Ur III temple economies.

Keywords: Ur III period, temple treasuries, gudu4 priests, administrative texts, cultic administration

How to Cite:

Such-Gutiérrez, M., (2025) “Personnel dealing with temple treasures in the Ur III period (ca. 2100-2000 BCE)”, Akkadica 146(2), 91-112. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/akkadica.100530