box
- Museum number
- 91004
- Description
-
Pottery box within which the sun-god tablet and its covers were deposited by Nabopolassar.
- Production date
- 620BC-610BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 7 inches
-
Length: 19 inches
-
Width: 15.50 inches
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
-
In set with BM.91000
-
The tablet 1881,0428.34.a BM. 91000) was found in this earthenware box or coffer (1881,0428.34.b (BM. 91004)). In the coffer with the tablet were two clay impressions of the sculptured relief (1881,0701.3422 (BM. 91001) and 1881,0428.33 (BM. 91002)), on the back of one of which, 1881,0428.33 (BM. 91002) is an inscription of Nabopolassar. It is clear that the coffer was made by Nabopolassar as a receptacle for the tablet. It has been assumed that the clay impressions of the sculptured scene were intended to protect the latter from injury. But it appears far more probable that Nabopolassar placed them in the coffer to enable some future ruler, in case the tablet should be broken, to restore the scene; in doing so he would have been influenced by the fact that Nabu-aplu-iddina was enabled to restore the Sun-god's missing statue from a clay model found on the bank of the Euphrates, as related on the tablet.
- Location
- On display (G55/dc2)
- Exhibition history
-
2008 26 Jun-5 Oct, Berlin, Vorderasiatisches Museum-Pergamonmuseum, 'Babylon, Myth and Truth'
2008 14 Mar-2 Jun, Paris, Musée du Louvre, 'Babylon'
- Acquisition date
- 1881
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 91004
- Registration number
- 1881,0428.34.b
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: 12137d (Old Big.no)
