One of the most important cities of ‘city-states’ of Sumer, situated about 140 miles southeast of old Babylon City. Three times became the capital city of south Mesopotamia, its national deity was Nanna (moon-god) the father of Inanna.
Ur-Nammu king of Ur reign marked the beginning of the so-called renaissance of Sumerian art and literature; he wrote the first law in history, which contained thirty-one legal paragraphs. He also erected a magnificent Ziqqurat or the so-called ‘stage-tower’, in which its remains are the best preserved at the site in Iraq.
Sir Leonard Wooley excavated Ur between 1922 to 1934, and discovered the royal Cemetery tombs, dating to (4500 BC). Among the treasure uncovered were many carved animals, engraved seal-stones, gold molded bulls and also the magnificent Golden Lyre decorated in gold and lapis lazuli with a bull head, The golden and lapis lazuli statuette of the ‘Ram in the Thicket’, a Prince’s golden hamlet and many more rich ornaments.
Which all are now displayed at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology. "Treasures from
the Royal Tombs of Ur"
Biblically: Ur was the home of Abram (Abraham; recognized as the father of prophets) {Gen.11v28; Gen.15v7; Neh.9v7}.
