Modern Names of Biblical Places: Ur of the Chaldees

“Ur of the Chaldees” (aka: Urin, Uru) is first seen in history in the 26^th Century BC/BCE.  The first recorded king of the Sumerian city-state Ur is the 25^th Century BC/BCE King Mesh-Ane-pada (aka: Mesannepada).  This is the city from which Abram (later renamed Abraham) was called by God.  This would mean that Abram, the father of the nation of Israel, was originally a Sumerian/Chaldean.  The city is mentioned in Genesis 11:31 and in Nehemiah 9:7.

The ruins of the ancient city are now located at Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq.