Long-standing Sumerian tradition held that kingship was handed down from heaven; however, without warning or provocation, kingship might be removed from one city and bestowed on another. The Sumerian King List is apparently a composition from the period of the Third Dynasty of Ur (circa 2112 - circa 2004 B.C.E.), whose kings sought to legitimize their assumption of hegemony in southern Mesopotamia. The text is known from many Old Babylonian period (circa 1750 B.C.E.) copies, which are often at variance with each other. The list usually opens with kingship being handed down to the city of Eridu and passing to four other cities before "the flood swept over."
After the flood had swept over, and the kingship had descended from heaven, the kingship was in Kish. In Kish, Gushur became king; he ruled for 1200 years. Kullassina-bel ruled for 900/960 years. Nangishlishma ruled for 670 years. Entarahana ruled for 420.....
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