Meskalamdug’s war helmet is an artifact discovered in one of the tombs in the Royal Cemetery in Ur. This tomb was discovered to belong to an ensi (roughly translated as ‘ruler’) of Ur named Meskalamdug. Based on inscriptions on lapis lazuli beads discovered in the ancient city of Mari, Meskalamdug was King of Kish, a title believed to have been held by the ruler of both Sumer and Akkad. However, there were two rulers named Meskalamdug, one was the grandfather of the other, and it is unclear whether the owner of the war helmet was the older or younger Meskalamdug.
The Meskalamdug tomb was discovered in 1924 by famous British archaeologist Leonard Woolley. This tomb was originally named PG 755 (PG stands for ‘Private Grave’). In the grave, Woolley discovered a skeleton buried with many grave goods. Based on bone analysis, the skeleton belonged to a man who was probably under 30 years old at the time of death. This man has a strong build and is about 1.7 m (5.5 ft.) tall.
PG. 755 “Private Grave” ( sumerianshakespeare.com )
As archaeological evidence shows, the deceased were buried with a large amount of grave goods, including jars containing simple household items, weapons, tools, and personal decorations. Among these objects were a bronze vase and three gold vases inscribed with the name ‘Meskalamdug’, although untitled. It is from these inscriptions that people have identified the owner of the tomb. Although a seal was said to have been found on the belt of the man buried in PG 755, it was too damaged to be deciphered.
As mentioned earlier, an inscription on lapis lazuli beads at Mari shows that there was once a king named Meskalamdug. Additionally, such inscriptions have also been found in several other tombs in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. For example, RT. (Royal Tomb) 1054 once contained a rotting wooden box before Woolley discovered the tomb. Although the box no longer exists, inside it, two golden daggers and a seal were found. It was determined that the seal was inscribed for a man named Meskalamdug, who held the title lugal, or ‘king’. Some people believe that Meskalamdug in PG. 755 and the person mentioned on the inscriptions outside that tomb are two different individuals, the former a less illustrious nephew of the latter.
In addition to the inscription, another object can help identify the person buried at PG. 755 is the golden helmet found in the tomb. The helmet is designed to look like the wearer’s own hair. Details that can be seen on this hat include a knotted bun at the back, a woven band at the top, and ears on the sides. At the bottom of the helmet there are small holes, which are believed to have contained a piece of fabric lining the object.
Golden Helmet ( apuntes.santanderlasalle.es )
Made of gold, people often assume that the owner of this helmet has royal status. However, it has been argued that rather than just royalty, the owner of the helmet was the King of Kish, who ruled both Sumer and Akkad. It has been pointed out that two other figures who wore such a helmet were Sargon the Great and Eannatum. Since both of these men are said to have held the title ‘King of Kish’, experts believe that this type of helmet was only used by the kings of Kish. Based on this line of reasoning, the person buried in PG. 755 is actually Meskalamdug as mentioned in inscriptions found on locations outside his tomb.
