Images

This stone weight, which weighs 30 minas (about 15 kilograms) was found in the north-west palace at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Mesopotamia, Iraq. It had been deposited there as booty. Babylonian, reign of Eriba-Marduk, circa 770 BCE...

In this clay tablet, Shamash-shum-ukin confirms a grant which was previously made by Ashur-nadin-shumi. The royal seal on this clay tablet is not an original impression, but a man-modelled copy. It depicts the Babylonia king fighting a oryx...

This monument depicts Shamash-shum-ukin as a basket bearer. He was the Assyrian king of Babylon from 668-648 BCE, and was the second son of Esarhaddon. Shamash-shum-ukin was killed after an unsuccessful rebellion against Ashurbanipal, his...

The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal carries a large basket of earth on his head. From Borsippa (modern-day Birs Nimrud, Babel Governorate, Iraq), Mesopotamia. Neo-Assyrian period, circa 668-655 BCE. (The British Museum, London).

This is one of the Amarna letters. In this clay tablet, the Kassite king Burna-Buriash II (in Babylon, Mesopotamia) corresponds with the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III, asking him to send more gold. Most of the Amarna letters were written...

In this clay plaque, an affectionate couple is depicted (domestic scene?). The man and the woman are looking at and holding each other. From Ur, southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. Old-Babylonian period, 2000-1600 BCE. (The British Museum...

This clay plaque depicts the goddess Lama. Her hands are raised in meditation. People prayed to Lama for their personal protection. Lama always wears a long tiered-skirt. From Ur, southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. Old-Babylonian period...

This clay plaque depicts a striding man who leads a large dog (domestic scene?). From Sippar (modern-day Tell Abu Hubba, Babel Governorate, Iraq), Mesopotamia. Old-Babylonian period, 2000-1600 BCE. (The British Museum, London).

Colossal guardian lion found at the entrance to the temple of Ishtar, Sharrat-niphi. The cuneiform inscriptions on the statue mention the name of Ashurnasirpal II as the temple's builder. This lion was one of a pair of lions which were found...

The inscription, unusually for a weight, is cut in reverse. It mentions that this stone weight was dedicated to the temple of Shamash, the sun god, at Sippar. It precisely gives the weight as 10 mina, 15 shekels, a little more than 5 kilograms...