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269 time," only to become a "phantom god" and a mere memory in later (Babylonian and Assyrian) times. The Era of Ninurta in Sumer, lasting through the Gutian inva- sion and the ensuing period of reconstruction, was only an inter- lude. A mountain dweller at heart, Ninurta soon began to roam the skies again in his Divine Black Bird, visiting his rugged domains in the northeast and even farther away. Constantly perfecting the martial arts of his highland tribesmen, he gave them mobility through the introduction of cavalry, thereby extending their reach by hundreds and even thousands of miles. He had returned to Mesopotamia at Enlil's call, to put an end to the sacrilege perpetrated by Naram-Sin and to the upheavals caused by Inanna. With peace and prosperity restored, Ninurta again ab- sented himself from Sumer; and, never one to give up, Inanna seized upon this absence to regain the kingship for Erech. The attempt lasted only a few years, for Anu and Enlil did not condone her deed. But the tale (contained in an enigmatic text on a partly broken tablet catalogued as Ashur-13955) is most fascinat- ing; it reads like an ancient legend of the Excalibur (King Arthur's magical sword, which was imbedded in a rock and could be pulled out only by the one who was chosen for kingship); and it throws light on preceding events, including the incident by which Sargon had offended Marduk. We learn that when "Kingship was lowered from Heaven" to begin at Kish, Anu and Enlil established there a "Pavilion of Heaven." "In its foundation soil, for all days to come," they implanted the SHU.HA.DA.KU—an artifact made of alloyed metal whose name translates literally "Supreme Strong Bright Weap- on." This divine object was taken to Erech when kingship was transferred there from Kish; it was moved about as kingship moved about but only when the change was decreed by the Great Gods. In accordance with this custom, Sargon carried the object to Agade. But Marduk protested, because Agade was a_ brand-new city and not one of the cities selected by "the great gods of Heaven and Earth" to be royal capitals. The gods who chose Agade— Inanna and her supporters—were in Marduk's opinion "rebels, gods who wear unclean clothing." It was to cure this defect that Sargon went to Babylon to the spot where its "hallowed soil" was located. The idea was to remove some of that soil "to a place in front of Agade," there to implant the Divine Weapon and thus legitimize its presence in Agade. It the Prelude to Disaster