Head of Gudea, ensi of Lagash
Unknown Artist
2144–2124 BCE
Medium
dolerite
Dimensions
21 × 17.8 × 20.4 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1963.680
About this artwork
Gudea was an ensi or ruler of the southern Mesopotamian city-state of Lagash in the 22nd century BCE. Archaeologists have found over 30 complete and fragmentary statues of his likeness and over 2,400 inscriptions mentioning his name. Gudea was both a political and religious leader, and most of the statues depicting him were housed in temples.