The Ur Example is the oldest known example of a given trope. Some people will tell you it's named for the ancient Sumerian city of Ur, but "ur-" is just a German prefix meaning "proto-, primitive, or original." Typically, an Ur Example doubles as the Trope Maker -- but not always, and far less often with ancient tropes, which often evolved over a long period of time rather than suddenly burst forth from someone's head, fully formed. When they're distinct, a Trope Maker differs from an Ur Example in that the latter becomes an example of that trope only in retrospect.