The Uruk Trough

Illustration

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
by
published on 06 September 2017
Subscribe to author
The Uruk Trough Download Full Size Image

The Uruk Trough, one of the earliest examples of formal religious art from Mesopotamia. It was probably a cult object in the temple of Inanna (Ishtar); it cannot be used as a trough or basin. The carving shows sheep approaching a reed hut from which lambs emerge. The meaning of the scene is unknown but probably reflects the fertility of flocks under the protection of Inanna. The high volutes on either sides of the hut and elsewhere are symbols of the goddess Inanna. From Uruk (Warka), Southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Late Uruk Period, 3300-3000 BCE.

The British Museum, London.

Remove Ads
Advertisement
Subscribe to this author

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. (2017, September 06). The Uruk Trough. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7192/the-uruk-trough/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "The Uruk Trough." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 06, 2017. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7192/the-uruk-trough/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "The Uruk Trough." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 06 Sep 2017. Web. 22 Feb 2025.

Membership