Terracotta Lion from Tell Harmal

Illustration

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
by
published on 23 May 2019
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Terracotta Lion from Tell Harmal Download Full Size Image

This terracotta lion was found at the entrance to the Dagan Temple at Tell Harmal (ancient Shaduppum), in the eastern outskirt of Baghdad. The temple was dedicated to Nisaba (goddess of the grain and writing) and her consort, Haja.

The temple was a typical Old-Babylonian one, with a short staircase made of mudbricks and flanked by platforms, on which those lions once stood. The lion was constructed from many fragments. The gaping jaw and bristly mane would avert any evil from entering the temple.

Baked and molded clay (with a hollow interior). Old Babylonian period, c. 1800 BCE. On display at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, the Republic of Iraq.

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About the Author

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2019, May 23). Terracotta Lion from Tell Harmal. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10752/terracotta-lion-from-tell-harmal/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Terracotta Lion from Tell Harmal." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified May 23, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10752/terracotta-lion-from-tell-harmal/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Terracotta Lion from Tell Harmal." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 23 May 2019. Web. 22 Feb 2025.

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