LaurieAnnie's photos with the keyword: cuneiform

Title: Cuneiform tablet: "Atra-hasis," Babylonian flood myth Period: Neo-Babylonian or Achaemenid Date: 7th–6th century B.C. Geography: Mesopotamia Medium: Ceramic Dimensions: 2.5 x 2.25 x 1 in. (6.35 x 5.72 x 2.54 cm) Classification: Ceramics-Tablets, Inscribed Credit Line: Purchase, 1886 Accession Number: 86.11.378a On View Text from: www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/collection_database/ancien... and The poem “Atrahasis,” named after its hero, is an ancient Near Eastern precursor to the biblical story of Noah’s ark. The text describes the creation of humankind and a great flood sent down by the god Enlil to destroy the people, who disturbed the gods with their noise. Atrahasis survived the flood by building a large boat. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Cuneiform tablet: list of magical stones Period: Achaemenid or Seleucid Date: ca. mid- to late 1st millennium B.C. Geography: Mesopotamia Culture: Achaemenid or Seleucid Medium: Clay Dimensions: 2.87 x 3.12 in. (7.29 x 7.92 cm) Classification: Clay-Tablets, Inscribed Credit Line: Purchase, 1886 Accession Number: 86.11.64 Text from: www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/3000...

Cuneiform Tablet: Tablet 3 of the Series Utukki Lemnuti Clay Mesopotamia, probably Babylon Seleucid period, 3rd-2nd century BC Accession # 86.11.379a-f Utukki Lemnuti, a series of incantations against attack by demons and ghosts, was recorded on cuneiform tablets from the mid-third millennium BC to the third century BC. Tablet 3 describes the role of the incantation priest in diagnosing the cause of illness. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Sickle sword, 1307–1275 b.c.; Middle Assyrian period, reign of Adad-nirari I Mesopotamia Bronze L. 21 3/8 in. (54.3 cm) Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1911 (11.166.1) This curved sword bears the cuneiform inscription "Palace of Adad-nirari, king of the universe, son of Arik-den-ili, king of Assyria, son of Enlil-nirari, king of Assyria," indicating that it was the property of the Middle Assyrian king Adad-nirari I (r. 1307–1275 B.C.). The inscription appears in three places on the sword: on both sides of the blade and along its (noncutting) edge. Also on both sides of the blade is an engraving of an antelope reclining on some sort of platform. Curved swords appear frequently in Mesopotamian art as symbols of authority, often in the hands of gods and kings. It is therefore likely that this sword was used by Adad-nirari, not necessarily in battle, but in ceremonies as an emblem of his royal power. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/11.166.1

Title: Amulet with a Lamashtu demon Date: early 1st Millennium BC Geography: Mesopotamia or Iran Medium: Obsidian Dimensions: 2.26 x 1.83 in. (5.74 x 4.65 cm) Classification: Stone-Ornament, Inscribed Credit Line: Purchase, James N. Spear Gift, 1984 Accession Number: 1984.348 On View Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/all/am... and Lamashtu, a female leonine demon with talons and blood-stained paws, was thought to usher in disease and death upon hot winds from the west. On the limestone amulet, she is shown suckling a pig and a dog and grasping double-headed snakes. While her malevolence was directed primarily against pregnant women and babies, the obsidian amulet bears a prayer that reads, "Do not approach the sick man." Each amulet depicts ceremonial objects and offerings to appease the demon: a lamp, legs of lamb, a shoe, a comb, and a spindle. Images of Pazuzu were used to counteract Lamashtu and drive her back into the underworld. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Cuneiform Tablet: excerpt from a list of deities Clay Mesopotamia Neo-Babylonian period, 5th-4th century BC Accession # 86.11.357 This tablet was part of a series that listed the names of many Mesopotamian deities, both major and minor. The fragment contains the name of the divine hero Gilgamesh, as well as the names of seven minor deities. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Human-headed bison Serpentine (lizardite) Southern Mesopotamia, probably Tello (ancient Girsu) Reign of Ur-Ningirsu of Lagash, 2150-2100 BC Accession # 1996.353 This creature, known as a kusarikku and associated with the sun god Shamash, wears the horned headdress of a divinity. Originally, another figure or element must have been set into the cavity on the back. The sculpture is dedicated to the goddess Nanshe for the life of the Sumerian ruler Ur-Ningirsu. The name of the donor is not preserved. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Axe Head Copper alloy Mesopotamia or Iran Akkadian period, 2350-2150 BC Accession Number: 1985.33 Inscribed: "Sin-bitum, the scribe" Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Stele of Ushumgal Alabaster (gypsum) Southern Mesopotamia, probably Umma Early Dynastic I-II, 2900-2600 BC Accession # 58.29 The Sumerian inscription records a transaction by the priest Ushumgal, involving three fields, three houses, and some livestock. Because of the archaic script, it is not clear whether he is buying, selling, or granting them. The transaction involving fields is inscribed between the figures on all sides. [The stele's sides show] 1) Shara-igizi-Abzu, daugther of Ushumgal the ESH.A 2) IGI.RU.NUN, the ESH.A, daughter of Mesi, the pab-shesh priest of the temple of Enun 3) Ag, chief of the assembly of Nanna, foreman of the assembly X.KU.EN, chief herald 4) [side shown in the photo] Ushumgal the pab-shesh priest of Shara. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Bowl Calcite Room 193, level VIIB Early Dynastic IIIa, 2600-2500 BC Accession # 62.70.10 Cuneiform inscription in Sumerian: "For Inanna, Aka-Enlil, the chief merchant, son of Heti, dedicated [this bowl]" Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Title: Cuneiform tablet: record of rations of beer, bread, oil, and onions for messengers Period: Ur III Date: ca. 2028 B.C. Geography: Mesopotamia, Umma (modern Jokha) Medium: Clay Dimensions: 1 3/16 x 1 1/8 x 1/2 in. (3 x 2.8 x 1.2 cm) Classification: Clay-Tablets, Inscribed Credit Line: Gift of Archbishop Elias F. Shaheen, 1985 Accession Number: 1985.180.2 Text from: www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/collection_database/ancien...

Foundation Tablet Creator: Mesopotamian (Artist) Period: 1834-1823 BC (Old Babylonian; Isin-Larsa) Medium: Egyptian blue (Ceramics) Accession Number: 48.2481 Measurements: H: 2 3/16 x W: 3 x D: 7/8 in. (5.6 x 7.6 x 2.2 cm) Geographies: Larsa (in present-day Iraq) (Place of Origin) The emphasis on sumptuous materials, such as precious metals and stones, is a common characteristic of foundation deposits. This tablet resembles the semiprecious stone lapis lazuli, prized by the Mesopotamians, although it is in fact made from a less costly material known as "Egyptian blue." It bears an inscription of King Warad-Sin, ruler of the city-state of Larsa, with a prayer and a dedication. Text from: art.thewalters.org/detail/17796/foundation-tablet/

Relief with Winged Genius Creator: Assyrian (Artist) Period: 883-859 BC (Neo-Assyrian) Medium: alabaster (Sculpture) Accession Number: 21.8 Measurements: H: 93 x W: 53 1/2 x D: 6 in. (236.2 x 135.9 x 15.2 cm) Geographies: Calah (in present-day Iraq) (Place of Origin) This relief decorated the interior wall of the northwest palace of King Ashurnasirpal II at Nimrud, which is situated in present-day Iraq. With his right hand, the genius (or benevolent spirit) uses a cone-shaped object to sprinkle from his bucket some magic potion upon either a sacred tree or the king depicted on the adjacent relief. The genius wears the horned crown of a deity and the elegant jewelry and fringed cloak of contemporary courtiers. [Translation] (Property of) the palace of Ashurnasirpal, vice-regent of Aszszur, chosen of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, beloved of the gods Anu and Dagan, destructive weapon of the great gods, strong king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, son of Tukulti-Ninurta (II), great king, strong king, king of the universe, / king of Assyria, son of Adad-nerari (II), great king, strong king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, valiant man who acts with the suppor of Aszszur, his lord, and has no rival. Text from: art.thewalters.org/detail/32526/relief-with-winged-genius/

Cylinder with Building Dedication Creator: Babylonian (Artist) Period: 604-562 BC (Neo-Babylonian) Medium: baked clay (Ceramics) Accession Number: 48.1800 Measurements: 9 1/16 x 5 1/8 in. (23 x 13 cm) Geographies: Babylonia (in present-day Iraq) (Place of Origin) In the first millennium BC, building dedications were written on cylinders with tapering ends, such as this, which were then concealed in walls. Here, the extensive text in three columns commemorates the rebuilding of the temple of the god Lugal-Marada at Marad by King Nebuchadnezzar II. Text from: art.thewalters.org/detail/16469/cylinder-with-building-de...

Dedication Nail Creator: Sumerian (Artist) Period: ca. 2100 BC (Neo-Sumerian) Medium: baked clay (Ceramics) Accession Number: 48.1457 Measurements: Body H: 6 5/16 x Diam: 1 3/4 in. (16 x 4.5 cm); Diam of Head: 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm) Geography: Lagash (present-day Telloh, Iraq) (Place of Discovery) Clay nails such as this one inscribed with the name of King Gudea of Lagash were embedded in the upper parts of walls, sometimes with the head protruding. They may have developed from the custom of hammering a peg into a wall to signal ownership. This example bears a dedication to a deity and would have symbolically marked a temple as divine property. Text from: art.thewalters.org/detail/3157/dedication-nail/

Cylinder Near Eastern, Mesopotamian, Babylonian, Neo-Babylonian Period, reign of Nebuchadnezzar I, 604–562 B.C. Babylon Dimensions: Overall: 17 x 8.4 cm (6 11/16 x 3 5/16 in.) Medium or Technique: Pottery Classification: Inscriptions Accession Number: 44.658 Clay cylinder of King Nebuchadnezzar II (reigned 604-562 B.C.) with cuneiform writing. The inscription on this cylinder records the restoration by Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, of the temple of the god Lugalmarada in the town of Marad. The text reveals that during the restoration, it was discovered that the ancient lower courses of the structure had been laid by Naram-Sin, king of Akkad, more than sixteen hundred years earlier. Text from: www.mfa.org/collections/object/cylinder-251934