Fish-Cloaked Apkallu

Illustration

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
by
published on 18 April 2016
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In order to protect the household, this protective figure (apkallu or sage) would be buried beneath the floor in groups of seven. This figurine represents a wise man dressed in a fish-cloak sent by the god Ea to impart knowledge to humans. For cultic purposes, priests wore such cloaks made from giant species of carp living in the River Tigris. From Nimrud or Nineveh, Northern Mesopotamia, Iraq. Neo-Assyrian Period, 900-612 BCE. (The British Museum, London)

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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. (2016, April 18). Fish-Cloaked Apkallu. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4929/fish-cloaked-apkallu/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Fish-Cloaked Apkallu." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 18, 2016. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4929/fish-cloaked-apkallu/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Fish-Cloaked Apkallu." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 18 Apr 2016. Web. 21 Feb 2025.

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