Feeding the people : the social and economic role of the granary in Ur III Umma
The late third millennium BCE saw the unification of MesopotamiaÍs independent city-states under a dynasty of kings known as the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the centralisation of the means of production and redistribution of foodstuffs and other produce. The quantity of texts left by the complex administrative network offers a wealth of data unparalleled in the ancient Near East. One aspect of the redistributive system that remains mostly unstudied is the granary, guru7, and the extent of its control over barley, the principal foodstuff and method of payment for workers during the period. Using quantitative analysis techniques on >1000 cuneiform texts, and focusing on one province, Umma, this thesis takes a broad view of the functioning of the granary within the Ur III society and economy, proving that the granary was an administrative unit, rather than a central warehouse as has been previously suggested, controlling a network of storage facilities in various locations in the province. The quantitative methodology has led to some striking conclusions, including my original observations on the nature of the guru7 institution; firstly, that it was primarily a state institution, operating to provision state livestock
Johnson, H.
Feeding the people : the social and economic role of the granary in Ur III Umma. The late third millennium BCE saw the unification of MesopotamiaÍs independent city-states under a dynasty of kings known as the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the centralisation of the means of production and redistribution of foodstuffs and other produce. The quantity of texts left by the complex administrative network offers a wealth of data unparalleled in the ancient Near East. One aspect of the redistributive system that remains mostly unstudied is the granary, guru7, and the extent of its control over barley, the principal foodstuff and method of payment for workers during the period. Using quantitative analysis techniques on >1000 cuneiform texts, and focusing on one province, Umma, this thesis takes a broad view of the functioning of the granary within the Ur III society and economy, proving that the granary was an administrative unit, rather than a central warehouse as has been previously suggested, controlling a network of storage facilities in various locations in the province. The quantitative methodology has led to some striking conclusions, including my original observations on the nature of the guru7 institution; firstly, that it was primarily a state institution, operating to provision state livestock
feeding people social_economic role granary iii bce saw unification independent city_state dynasty king know third dynasty centralisation mean production redistribution foodstuff produce quantity text leave complex administrative network offer wealth data unparalleled ancient_near_east one_aspect system remain mostly granary extent control barley principal foodstuff method payment worker period using quantitative_analysis technique cuneiform text focus_one province take_broad view function granary within iii society_economy prove granary administrative unit rather central previously_suggest control network storage facility various location province quantitative lead striking conclusion include original observation nature institution firstly primarily state institution operate provision state livestock