between 2112 and 2004 B.C.
black steatite ;
Morgan Seal 292
Description
1 cylinder seal : black steatite ; 25 x 13.5 mm
Provenance
Acquired by Pierpont Morgan sometime between 1885 and 1908.
Notes
"A new feature of the seals of the Third Dynasty of Ur, as contrasted with those of the Akkad period, is the figure of a king who, in the manner of a god, receives a worshiper introduced by a minor deity (291-294). This representation originated because the kings of this dynasty were deified during life. Details that differentiate the representations of the deities of the pantheon from renderings of a deified king are the latter's attire--a firinged cloak and a round cap with upturned brim--and his throne, which is a stool, apparently upholstered, and covered with a flounced material or perhaps fur. Gods, in contrast, wear horned miters and flounced robes and sit on thrones shaped like shrines. Furthermore, the king always holds a cup, whereas the god as a rule merely raises his hand in a welcoming gesture ... The unusually large size of this seal, as well as the bold modeling, suggests that the stone belongs to the early part of the period."--Porada, CANES, p. 35
Summary
Worshiper led by minor goddess toward enthroned king holding cup -- In field: scorpion ; star disk in crescent -- Terminal: inscription.
Catalog link
Classification
Place
Southern Mesopotamia.
Department