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shield
Object Type
shield
Museum number
1880,1216.1
Description
Copper alloy shield decorated with incised figures of lions and bulls; the concentric friezes are laid out with the lions and bulls changing direction and base line, so that when the shield is upright no animal is upside down, inscription in Urartian cuneiform of Rusa, son of Erimena. This was one of several fragmentary shields which may have decorated the façade of the temple.
Authority
Ruler:
Rusa III
Cultures/periods
Urartian
Production date
650BC
(c.)
Excavator/field collector
Excavated by:
Emilius Clayton
Excavated by:
Dr G C Raynolds
Excavated by:
Hormuzd Rassam
Findspot
Excavated/Findspot:
Toprakkale
Materials
copper alloy
Technique
incised
Dimensions
Diameter:
85.20 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments
Part of 1880,1216.3
Bibliographic references
Sigrist M et al 1996a / Catalogue of the Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum, II
Barnett 1950a / The Excavations of the British Museum at Toprak Kale near Van
(p.13, pl.X.1)
Budge 1922a / A guide to the Babylonian and Assyrian antiquities.
(p.169)
König F W 1955a / Handbuch der chaldischen Inschriften
(133e, pp.26,162, pl.99)
Perrot G & Chipiez C 1884a / Histoire de l'art dans l'antiquite, II Chaldee et Assyria
(p.756, fig.415)
Azarpay G 1968a / Urartian art and artifacts: a chronological study.
(pl.56 & 57, a,b)
Bossert H T 1942a / Altanatolien: Kunst und Handwerk in Kleinasien
(p.315)
Coogan M D et al 1994a / Scripture and other artifacts: Essays in the Bible and archaeology in honor of Philip J. King
(pp.286-295)
Location
On display
(G54/dc6/sB)
Exhibition history
Exhibited 1991 28 May-7 Oct, Israel, Jerusalem, The Israel Museum, 'Urartu, A metal working centre in the first millennium BC'
Subjects
wild cat/big cat
cattle
Associated names
Named in inscription:
Rusa III
Named in inscription:
Erimena
Associated places
Named in inscription:
Van (city)
Acquisition date
1880
Department
Middle East
Registration number
1880,1216.1
Conservation
Treatment
: 30 Dec 1994