stela
- Museum number
- 90864
- Description
-
Stone stela of Ashurbanipal: the king is shown with a ritual basket of earth on his head as royal builder for the accession of Shamash-shum-ukin and the restoration of Esagila in Babylon. Cuneiform inscription on the front and back.
- Production date
- 668BC-655BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 36.80 centimetres
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Weight: 24.50 kilograms
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Width: 22.20 centimetres
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Depth: 10.20 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Inscription subject
royal
- Curator's comments
-
The pose of the king imitates the copper foundation figurines deposited by Sumerian Kings; examples of these had probably been found during the rebuilding works, and were adopted as models offering the sanctity of time. The material was previously called marble but this reflects loose historical usage rather than a scientific identification.
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It is interesting to note that a third similar stele exists, worn and somewhat defaced (1880,0617.3, BM 90866), found by Rassam in 1880 at Borsippa, representing in this case Shamash-shum-ukin, as King of Babylon and rebuilder of E-Zida. Text and illustration in Lehmann (1891), pp.10-11.
- Location
- On display (G55/dc3)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2018-2019 8 Nov-24 Feb, London, BM, I am Ashurbanipal, king of the world, king of Assyria
2014 - 2015 22 Sep - 5 Jan, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 'Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age'
2013 - 2014 22 June - 6 Jan, Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, 'Mesopotamia, Inventing Our World'
2013: 30 Jan-13 May, Museum of History, Hong Kong, 'The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia'
2012: 4 May-7 Oct, Melbourne Museum, 'The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia'
2011 28 March-26 June, Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, 'Splendours of Mesopotamia'
2008 26 Jun-5 Oct, Berlin, Vorderasiatisches Museum-Pergamonmuseum, 'Babylon, Myth and Truth'
2008 14 Mar-2 Jun, Paris, Musée du Louvre, 'Babylon'
2000, Barcelona, 'Foundation of the City'
- Acquisition date
- 1881
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 90864
- Registration number
- 1881,0324.367
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: BM.12110
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Miscellaneous number: Stele S(3)
