Gatumdug

Gatumdug (Sumerian: 𒀭𒂷𒉐𒄭; dĜa2-tum3-dug3;[1] also romanized as Gatumdu[2]) was a Mesopotamian goddess regarded as the tutelary deity of Lagash and closely associated with its kings.

She appears in a number of literary compositions, including the hymn inscribed on the Gudea cylinders and Lament for Sumer and Ur.

[5] Some of the early Lagashite kings, including Enanatum I and Enmetena, designated her as their divine mother, though for other rulers of this state role was fulfilled by a different local goddess, Bau, as attested as in the case of Eanatum, Lugalanda and Urukagina).

[7] It has been suggested in past scholarship that Gatumdug and Bau were initially two names of the same deity, but Gebhard J. Selz [de] considers this implausible.

[2] Sources from Lagash state that the temple was set on fire by Lugalzagesi, who also stole precious metals and lapis lazuli from it and destroyed statues displayed in it.

[13] Despite her apparent importance in Lagash, Gatumdug is ultimately relatively sparsely attested in Early Dynastic sources.

[21] Passages alluding to this event are considered evidence of lamma being regarded as separate from a personal deity, as it is well attested that Ningishzida played this role for said ruler.

[25] Gatumdug is mentioned in the text inscribed on the Gudea cylinders,[26] a hymn commemorating the rebuilding of Ningirsu's temple E-ninnu.