if it were fully reconstructed the statue would be well over 3 metres high and the largest yet discovered sculpture of the ruler. Dedicatory inscription The dedication of the diorite statues normally tell how ensi Gudea had diorite brought from the mountains of Magan, formed it as a statue of himself, called by name to honour god/goddess (x) and had the statue brought into the temple of (y). Most of the big (almost lifesize, D is even bigger than life) statues are dedicated to the top gods of Lagash: Ningirsu, his wife Ba'u, the goddesses Gatumdu and Inanna and Ninhursanga as the "Mother of the gods". Q is dedicated to Ningiszida, Gudea's personal protective deity more properly connected to rand Abu Salabikh, the smaller M, N and O to his "wife" Gestinanna. The connection between Ningiszida and Gestinanna was probably invented by Archaeologists in order to effect a closer connection to Lagash. Table of statues Further reading Dietz Otto Edzard, "Gudea and His Dynasty" Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia Early Periods - RIME 3/1 (Toronto University Press 1997). F. Johansen, "Statues of Gudea, ancient and modern". Mesopotamia 6, 1978. A. Parrot, Tello, vingt campagnes des fouilles (1877-1933). (Paris 1948). H. Steible, "Versuch einer Chronologie der Statuen des Gudea von Lagas". Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft 126 (1994), 81-104. References External links Photographs of the Gudea statues at Louvre Insecula.com Statue M The Detroit Institute of Arts The true face of Gudea. A realistic statue of Gudea shows us how he may have looked in real life. Sumerian art and architecture Sculpture of the Ancient Near East Dhi Qar Governorate