cylinder seal

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Object Type
Museum number: 89851
Description: Cylinder seal; lapis lazuli; a goddess wearing a flounced robe and a multiple horned head-dress, with weapons rising from her shoulders, stands with one hand raised. Before her stands the bearded and kilted deified, victorious king who holds a multiple mace and rests the other hand on a long-handled axe. His right foot is placed on a fallen enemy who raises one hand in supplication. The group stands on the base-line. Terminal - a long line of inscription divided into two columns; the seal is worn and slightly weathered.
Authority
Cultures/periods: Old Babylonian; Third Dynasty of Ur (?)
Production date: 2000BC (about)
Materials
Dimensions: Diameter: 1.75 - 1.85 centimetres; Height: 3.05 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: Qarahar was probably south of modern Suleimaniah in the Zagros foothills in Eastern Iraq, where there are several rock reliefs carved by local rulers with similar scenes based on Akkadian prototypes.
Bibliographic references: Sollberger 1980a / Two new seal-inscriptions; Collon 1982a / Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum: Cylinder Seals II: Akkadian, Post Akkadian, Ur III Periods (472, pl. LII); Frayne, RIME 3/2 / Ur III Period (2112-2004 BC) (RIM.E.3/2.5.2.1)
Location: On display (G56/dc10)
Condition: Fair; seal is worn and slightly weathered.
Subjects: mesopotamian deity; king/queen; arms/armour
Associated names: Named in inscription: Zardamu; Named in inscription: Nergal; Named in inscription: Shulpae; Named in inscription: Shamash; Named in inscription: Tammuz
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1895
Department: Middle East
BM/Big number: 89851
Registration number: 1895,1022.3

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