Three New IriKAgina “Reform” Fragments from Girsu

The well-known “Reform Texts” of IriKAgina, king of Lagash/Girsu (24th century BCE), are a key source for reconstructing the social and economic history of Early Mesopotamia. They offer insights through the lens of royal ideology and its legislative and political embodiments. This article presents an edition of three new fragments belonging to this important composition, which were recently discovered at Girsu during surface surveys conducted by the Girsu Project on Tell H and Tell V, and in their surroundings. To assess their historical value, the paper contextualizes the fragments within their broader archaeological and historical settings. It also provides a brief overview of the previously known sources for the “Reform Texts,” highlighting relevant parallels.Despite its fragmentary nature, the new evidence adds details to the textual record, including variant spellings of known legal formulations and a reference to past conflicts with foreign enemies.