The foundation figurines in the shape of a basket carrier, which first appear under
Gudea and remain standard until the Isin-Larsa period, are icons of the ruler as temple
builder (Rashid 1983 ). In addition, the statues of Gudea that portray him drafting the
plan for a temple on his lap and, in a more general way, the statue that shows him in
possession of the overflowing vase, can also be linked to this theme (Suter 2000 :
figs. 10. 4 – 6 ).
Another aspect of the king’s role as provider was that of establishing justice. While
Early Dynastic kings began to set legal standards, the earliest law codes date to the Ur
III dynasty (Yang 1991 ). Like the Codex Hammurabi, they were inscribed on stelae set
up in the major cities of the realm (Michalowski and Walker 1989 ). An anonymous
stela top from Susa, attributable to a late Ur III or early Isin king, is likely to have
crowned a law stela (Figure 10. 5 ). It depicts a ruler pouring a libation before an
enthroned god who extends insignia of kingship to him, thus visualising the reciprocal
relationship of king and god. Since the king is invested in his office by the gods and
performs his duties towards them, his authority to dispense justice is divinely sanc-
tioned. The image of the king personally feeding the gods is also depicted on the
Ur-Namma Stela (Canby 2001 : pl. 10 ) and on Akkad and Ur III seals of high officials
(for example, Collon 1982 : no. 226 ; Suter 2010. figs. 16 – 17 ), while Early Dynastic
–– Claudia E. Suter ––Figure 10.5
Stela top from Susa
(drawing by author)