The Lamentation over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur

The Lamentation over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur Volume 1 provides the first complete presentation of a significant Sumerian poem. This work of elegiac poetry details the widespread suffering and devastation in Babylonia during the collapse of the Third Dynasty of Ur. As a piece of native historiography, the text serves as both a literary composition and a vital record of ancient Mesopotamian history.

Piotr Michalowski offers a detailed introduction that situates the poem within the broader context of Sumerian language texts. This volume evaluates the poem as a historical source and includes comprehensive indexes along with copies of previously unpublished texts. This scholarly edition ensures the preservation of an important cultural narrative from one of the earliest civilizations.