KISH, Dynasty of (4401 to 3815 s.c.), the second of the Babylonian dynasties of the Su merian rulers. It followed the Opis dynasty, which appeared in the north of Arabia, and east of the Tigris, and counted six known rulers. The Kish dynasty arose in the east of Babylonia superseding the Opis rulers; and the sovereigns appear to have been both tem poral and spiritual rulers, that is, they were both high priests and kings; and it seems prob able that, at this time in the history of Baby lonia, belief was held that the sovereigns were of divine origin and hence the representatives of the gods, or at least the chief of the deity upon earth. That the Kish sovereigns played an important role in Babylonia in their day is evident from their written records which have survived the ravages of time. These are comparatively plentiful. They show that the dynasty consisted of at least eight rulers des ignated as follows: Azag Bau, who is said to have been a woman and to have reigned 100 years; Basha Enzu, 25 years; Ur Zamama, 6 years; Zimudar, 30 years; Uziwidar, 6 years; Elmuti, 11 years; Igu Babbar, 11 years; Nani yachi, 3 years; a total of only 192 years, more than half of which time is occupied by the reign of one sovereign out of the eight. Yet the total length of the duration of the dynasty is given as 586 years. Undoubtedly the first sovereign, Azag Bau, is either altogether tradi tional, or is the family or tribal name of a number of sovereigns. Even at this early pe
riod in their history the Sumerian people gave every evidence of having been highly advanced in civilization. They had their own peculiar system of writing which was quite different from that of the Semitic races, by whom they were surrounded then or at a later date. From the nature of the existing records of the Kish dynasty it seems probable that they recount the deeds of the prominent of the rulers of the at this comparatively early period in their national existence. The records give lists of other rulers who flour ished on or about the same time as the kings of the Kish dynasty; but, so far, there seems to be no reason for supposing that they be longed to the dynasty itself ; but rather that they were rulers of adjacent territory over which they held independent sovereignty. Prob ably further discoveries of records and the decipherment thereof may bring to light more definite and detailed information relative to the Kish rulers, those ancient Asiatic sovereigns who appear upon the sun-line of the horizon of semi-mythical history, behind which even the brightest tradition grows cloudy. See EGYPT, History.