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Cylinder Seals in Ancient Mesopotamia # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
12 min

Cylinder Seals in Ancient Mesopotamia # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Among the most interesting and revealing artifacts discovered from ancient Mesopotamia are the objects known as cylinder seals. These fairly small items may be seen today in museum exhibits around the world but, perhaps owing to their size, they are not given the kind of consideration by the general public which larger and more commanding artifacts, such as reliefs or statuary, enjoy. The cylinder seal, however, was an integral part of daily life in ancient Mesopotamia and te

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Eclipse Tablet Inscribed in Babylonian # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Eclipse Tablet Inscribed in Babylonian # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Tablet Inscribed in Babylonian with a Ritual for the Observances of Eclipses Mesopotamia, seleucid period(ca. third-first century B.C.)Baked clayMLC 1872 See more information » Item description: Lunar eclipses figured prominently in the prognostications of the Babylonian seer. This text was part of the temple ritual. Specific roles and chants are assigned to different types of priests and laypeople. Aromatic woods are to be burned on an altar throughout an eclipse; dirges are

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Striding Bull # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Striding Bull # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Striding Bull Cylinder seal and impression Persia, Achaemenid periodca. 550–330 B.C.Chalcedony25 x 13 mmSeal no. 837 See more information » #Kingdomsofsumeria #sumerians #sumerianblog

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Persian Warrior with Greek Prisoners of War # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Persian Warrior with Greek Prisoners of War # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Persian Warrior with Greek Prisoners of War Cylinder seal and impression Persia, Achaemenid period(ca. 550–330 B.C.)Carnelian23 x 10 mmSeal no. 833 See more information » #kingdomsofsumeria #sumerianblog #sumerians

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King Standing on Sphinxes # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

King Standing on Sphinxes # Kingdoms of Sumeria

King Standing on Sphinxes and Holding a Lion in Each Hand; Palm Tree with Winged Sun Disk Above Cylinder seal and impression Persia, Achaemenid periodca.550–330 B.C.Agate32 x 15 mmSeal no. 824 See more information » Item description: Even though cylinder seals had been carved in Mesopotamia for over three thousand years, the form was by no means exhausted by the time of the Persian conquest. Some of the most exquisite cylinders were produced in the Achaemenid workshops. On th

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Four Rows of Striding Boars # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Four Rows of Striding Boars # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Four Rows of Striding Boars Cylinder sea and impression Persia, Achaemenid period(ca. 550–330 B.C.)Rock crystal30 x 13 mmSeal no. 836 See more information » #kingdomsofsumeria #sumerians #sumerianblog

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Eye Stone Amulet # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Eye Stone Amulet # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Eye Stone Amulet with a Dedication Inscription of King Nebuchadnezzar II in Akkadian Inscribed: To Marduk, his lord, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, son of Nabopolassar, gave this for his life Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian period, reign of Nebuchadnezzar IIca. 604–562 B.C.Agate3.84 cm diameterMLC no. 2624 See more information » Item description: Taking advantage of the stone's natural banding, agates were carved to resemble an eye. The votive inscriptions indicate the placemen

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Tablet Inscribed in Akkadian # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Tablet Inscribed in Akkadian # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Tablet Inscribed in Akkadian with a Fragment of the Epic of Etana Mesopotamia, First Dynasty of Babylon(ca.1895–1595 B.C.)ClayMLC 1363 See more information » Item description: Etana was according to the legend, the first king after the Flood. In the Epic, Etana is childless; meanwhile an eagle has ignored his own children's advice and eaten the children of his friend, a serpent. All three pray to Shamash (the sun god) for help. Shamash helps the serpent avenge his loss but se

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Hero Grasping Two Struggling Birds
# Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Hero Grasping Two Struggling Birds # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Hero Grasping Two Struggling Birds and Stepping on a Third Bird Cylinder seal and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian period(ca.1000–539 B.C.)Chalcedony24 x 12 mmSeal no. 764 See more information » #KingdomsofSumeria #sumerians #sumerianblog

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Hero Grasping Two Male Sphinxes # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Hero Grasping Two Male Sphinxes # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Hero Grasping Two Male Sphinxes Cylinder seal and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian period(ca.1000–539 B.C.)Siliceous stone33 x 16 mmSeal no. 757 See more information » #kingdomsofsumeria #sumerians #sumerianblog

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Centaur with a Bow and Arrow Attacking Winged Lion # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Centaur with a Bow and Arrow Attacking Winged Lion # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Centaur with a Bow and Arrow Attacking Winged Lion Cylinder seal and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian period(ca.1000–539 B.C.)Agate30 x 9 (11) mmSeal no. 749 See more information » #sumerians #sumerianblog #kingdomsofsumeria

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Attendant Waving Palm Whisk over Table # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 2, 2018
1 min

Attendant Waving Palm Whisk over Table # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Attendant Waving Palm Whisk over Table Before Seated King Raising Cup, Attendant with Fan and Towel Behind King Cylinder seal and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian period(ca.1000–539 B.C.)Chalcedony27 x 12 mmSeal no. 776 See more information » #KingdomsofSumeria #sumerians #sumerianblog

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The Cyrus Cylinder # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 1, 2018
7 min

The Cyrus Cylinder # Kingdoms of Sumeria

The Cyrus Cylinder is a document issued by Cyrus the Great, consisting of a cylinder of clay inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform script. The cylinder was created in 539 BCE, surely by order of Cyrus the Great, when he took Babylon from Nabonidus, ending the Neo-Babylonian empire. This document is clearly propaganda, praising the Achemenid ruler Cyrus and treating Nabonidus like an impious and bad king. 📷 Cyrus Cylinder The text can be divided in two parts: Lines 1 to 18 tell a s

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Armed Hero Grasping Kicking Ostrich # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 1, 2018
1 min

Armed Hero Grasping Kicking Ostrich # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Armed Hero Grasping Kicking Ostrich; Worshiper Behind Two Fish Men with Pollen Baskets Flanking Sacred Tree; God in Winged Sun Disk Above Cylinder sea and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian period(ca.1000–539 B.C.)Carnelian37 x 17 mmSeal no. 773 See more information » #Kingdomsofsumeria #sumerians #sumerianblog

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Herodotus on Babylonians # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 1, 2018
8 min

Herodotus on Babylonians # Kingdoms of Sumeria

I:192. As to the resources of the Babylonians how great they are, I shall show by many other proofs and among them also by this: For the support of the great king and his army, apart from the regular tribute the whole land of which he is ruler has been distributed into portions. Now whereas twelve months go to make up the year, for four of these he has his support from the territory of Babylon, and for the remaining eight months from the whole of the rest of Asia; thus the As

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Goddess with Ring and Scimitar

Feb 1, 2018
1 min

Goddess with Ring and Scimitar

Goddess with Ring and Scimitar on Star-Studded Throne over Lion (?); Worshiper Facing Armed God Standing on Bull Cylinder seal and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Assyrian period(ca.1049–609 B.C.)Chalcedony34 x 16 mmSeal no. 694 See more information » #KingdomsofSumeria #sumerian #sumerianblog

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Nabu # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 1, 2018
9 min

Nabu # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Nabu (sometimes known as Tutu) is the Babylonian god of wisdom, learning, prophecy, scribes, and writing and was also responsible for the abundant harvest and all growing things. His name means "the Announcer" which refers to his prophetic and creative powers in calling forth words, the harvest and other plant life, and the visions of prophecies. His wife was Tashmit (also known as Tasmetu) and, later, Nanaya who was originally the divine consort of the Sumerian god Muati who

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Archer Attacking a Lion Griffin #Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 1, 2018
1 min

Archer Attacking a Lion Griffin #Kingdoms of Sumeria

Archer Attacking a Lion Griffin, Tree with Winged Sun Disk Above Cylinder seal and impression Mesopotamia, Neo-Assyrian period (ca.1049–609 B.C.) Chalcedony 27 x 13 mm Seal no. 719 See more information » #Kingdomsofsumeria #sumerian #sumerianblog

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Griffin Fighting Griffin Demon # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Feb 1, 2018
1 min

Griffin Fighting Griffin Demon # Kingdoms of Sumeria

Griffin Fighting Griffin Demon Armed with Dagger for Small Calf Below Cylinder seal Mesopotamia, Middle Assyrian period (ca. twelfth/eleventh century B.C.) Chalcedony 42 x 16.5 mm Seal no. 608 See more information » #KingdomsofSumeria #sumerian #Sumerianblog

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Winged Lion Griffin Attacked by Hero over Kneeling Calf # Kingdoms of Sumerian

Feb 1, 2018
1 min

Winged Lion Griffin Attacked by Hero over Kneeling Calf # Kingdoms of Sumerian

Winged Lion Griffin Attacked by Hero over Kneeling Calf Cylinder seal Mesopotamia, Middle Assyrian period (ca. twelfth/eleventh century B.C.)Carnelian 32 x 13 mm Seal no. 607 See more information » #kingdomsofsumeria #sumerian #sumerianblog

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