Puzer-Mama


Puzer-Mama or Puzur-Mama was a ruler of Lagash before Gudea, circa 2200 BCE. Though he adopted the title of King, Puzer-Mama shows kinship with future Lagashite kings in the religiosity of his inscriptions.
He took control of Lagash during Shar-kali-sharri’s reign, when troubles with the Guti left the Sargonic king with only “a small rump state whose center lay at the confluence of the Diyala and Tigris river.”
Puzer-Mama’s royal inscription — wherein he receives the various gifts of the gods appropriate to rulership: power by Ningirsu, intelligence by Enki, and position by Inanna, — may be contrasted with the contemporary religious element in Shar-kali-sharri's various inscriptions: a call for the gods to punish any who alter his inscriptions, and specifically to “tear out his foundations and destroy his progeny”
Puzer-Mama appears in Babylonian inscription as one of the ancient rulers of Lagash, particularly the list of "The rulers of Lagaš":
Puzur-Mama also appears in a letter about territorial disputes between two Governors, apparently sent to Shar-Kali-Sharri:
According to other inscriptions however, his tutelary god was Shulutula.
Puzer-Mama also appears as "King of Lagash" in a document also naming the Elamite ruler Puzur-Inshushinak, suggesting the synchronicity of the two rulers.