Trade in precious materials like lapis lazuli was very important to Sumer's rulers. One early text concerns relations between Enmerkar, semi-legendary king of Uruk and predecessor of Gilgamesh, and the Lord of Aratta, a city described as lying beyond 'seven mountains of Anshan' in Iran.
Enmerkar wishes to procure precious materials from Aratta to decorate the temple of Uruk's patron deity Inanna (Ishtar). After making threats, negotiations result in Enmerkar agreeing to send a large consignment of grain in exchange for the materials he requires, as this extract describes.
