Lugal-dalu

Lugal-dalu (Sumerian: 𒈗𒁕𒇻) was a Sumerian ruler of the Mesopotamian city of Adab in the mid-3rd millennium BCE, probably circa 2500 BCE.

His name does not appear in the Sumerian King List, but he is known from one of a statue bearing his name. The statue is similar in style to those of other Sumerian kings such as Meannesi or Entemena, sons of En-anna-tum I.

The statue, made of grey gipsum or limestone, was discovered by Edgar James Banks, who described it in an article published in 1904 as "The Oldest Statue in the World".

The inscription in archaic cuneiform on the statue reads 𒂍𒊬 𒈗𒁕𒇻 𒈗𒌓𒉣𒆠 è-sar lugal-dalu lugal adab-(ki) "In the temple Esar, Lugaldalu king of Adab", referring to the Esarra Temple in Adab.

• Detail of the inscription.

• Lugaldalu inscription:𒂍𒊬 𒈗𒁕𒇻 𒈗𒌓𒉣𒆠 è-sar lugal-dalu lugal adab-(ki) "In the temple Esar, Lugaldalu king of Adab"

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  The name "Lugal-dalu" (𒈗𒁕𒇻) vertically in the inscription, with its rendering in stylized early Sumero-Akkadian cuneiform