following up his success, entered the walled city and
captured and slew the patesi. Then he took steps to stamp out the
embers of revolt in Umma by appointing as its governor one of his own
officials, named Ili, who was duly installed with great ceremony.
Other military successes followed, including the sacking of Opis and
Kish, which assured the supremacy of Lagash for many years. Entemena,
with characteristic vigour, engaged himself during periods of peace in
strengthening his city fortifications and in continuing the work of
improving and developing the irrigation system. He lived in the golden
age of Sumerian art, and to his reign belongs the exquisite silver
vase of Lagash, which was taken from the Tello mound, and is now in
the Louvre. This votive offering was placed by the king in the temple
of Nin-Girsu. It is exquisitely shaped, and has a base of copper. The
symbolic decorations include the lion-headed eagle, which was probably
a form of the spring god of war and fertility, the lion, beloved by
the Mother goddess, and deer and ibexes, which recall the mountain
herds of Astarte. In the dedicatory inscription the king is referred
to as a patesi, and the fact that the name of the high priest, Dudu,
is given may be taken as an indication of the growing power of an
aggressive priesthood. After a brilliant reign of twenty-nine years
the king died, and was succeeded by his son, Enannatum II, who was the
last ruler of Ur-Nina's line. An obscure period ensued. Apparently
there had been a city revolt, which may have given the enemies of
Lagash the desired opportunity to gather strength for the coming
conflict. There is a reference to an Elamite raid which, although
repulsed, may be regarded as proof of disturbed political conditions.

One or two priests sat on the throne of Lagash in brief succession,
and then arose to power the famous Urukagina, the first reformer in
history. He began to rule as patesi, but afterwards styled himself
king. What appears certain is that he was the leader of a great social
upheaval, which received the support of a section of the priesthood,
for he recorded that his elevation was due to the intercession of the
god Nin-Girsu. Other deities, who were sons and daughters of Nin-Girsu
and Nina, had been given recognition by his predecessors, and it is
possible that the orthodox section of Lagash, and especially the
agricultural classes, supported the new ruler in sweeping away
innovations to whic