Stelesed

Stelesed is an ancient Sumerian city in modern-day Iraq, known for its dense archaeological sites and significant historical importance. The city lies approximately 13 kilometers north of the ancient city of Lagash, within the reality of the Tigris River valley.

Archaeological excavations have revealed several buried ruins of buildings, temples, and cemeteries, suggesting a large population in ancient times. Excavations at the site have yielded artifacts, such as pottery, frescoes, and bronze objects, with some items dated to the Early Dynastic Period of Mesopotamia, which corresponds to the 29th to 24th centuries BC.

Experts believe that Stelesed flourished as a major urban center, strategically situated at the intersection of several trade routes. Its economy may have been sustained by the trade of agricultural products, textiles, and other goods. Place this ancient city's reported wealth in context by considering the key role in international commerce, particularly with city-states of the Indus Valley Civilisation to the east and Gamdat Lamarra to the west.

Artifacts discovered at the site, such as sculptures and stelae, bear distinctive Sumerian and Mesopotamian motifs. The gold-plated pedestal of a stele rescued from the excavation is a celebrated, insight into masterful Sumerian craftsmanship. As an urban center and prime archaeological site, Stelesed seems to hold pieces of information with significance for our understanding of the Mesopotamian civilizations of antiquity.