GIR3 also works as a title sign in archaic lists
GIR3 is in the archaic professions list Lu2 A (GIR3, GIR3 PA, GIR3 NAM2 PA) and in the Pigs list (GIR3 SZUBUR), so GIR3 can be an official or title sign as well as 'foot'. ŠUBUR, which occurs alongside it, continues into Archaic Ur personal names (Ak-šubur, Šubur, Šubur-gal).
What it means
- Of the body-part signs that pair with NI, GIR3 is ambiguous; the test should be rerun with GIR3 excluded or split by context.For: Is the archaic designation GIR3 NI the Sumerian name giri3-ni, with NI writing the possessive -ni ('his')?
- ŠUBUR adds one literature-attested name element carried from Uruk III into Archaic Ur, supporting continuity of names.For: Do the roughly 440 personal names in the archaic texts follow Sumerian, Semitic or some other naming pattern?
Next steps 8
Details
Read the five non-name GIR3 NI entries (W 22135,0; IM 074298; MS 2427; MS 2443; MSVO 1, 217) in full context and classify each as person, office or commodity.
Details
Collate on photographs the NI names (P006268, P005573, P006053, P006118, P006182 and the SAG/SZU NI names) and the five counted GIR3 NI entries (W 22135,0; IM 074298; MS 2427; MS 2443; MSVO 1, 217): is the sign NI, does it stand inside the name, and are the counted entries persons?
Details
Have a specialist check on photographs that NI in P006268, P005573, P006053, P006118, P006182 and the SAG/SZU NI names is the NI sign (not a variant of a similar sign) and stands within the name, and whether the counted GIR3 NI entries at Uruk and Jemdet Nasr are persons.
Details
Collate the NI names on photographs with a specialist.
Sources 2
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). GIR3 also works as a title sign in archaic lists [Evidence EVD0DG2Z520NK3X]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DG2Z520NK3X
@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0dg2z520nk3x,
title = {GIR3 also works as a title sign in archaic lists},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DG2Z520NK3X},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DG2Z520NK3X}
}