Excavations at Nimrud, 1949-1953: Seals and Seal Impressions

Excavations at Nimrud, 1949-1953: Seals and Seal ImpressionsAuthor(s): Barbara ParkerSource: Iraq, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Autumn, 1955), pp. 93-125Published by: British Institute for the Study of IraqStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4241722 .

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93

EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, 1949-195 3

SEALS AND SEAL IMPRESSIONS

By BARBARA PARKER

Introduction

This

article is concerned with the seals and seal impressions on clay labels

and business documents discovered at Nimrud during the five seasons of

excavations conducted by the British School of Archaeology in Iraq, from 1949-

1953. The seals, and particularly the impressions of seals on dated tablets,

and a few bullae provide a valuable addition to our knowledge of the development of Assyrian seal engraving. One of the aims of this study is, of course,

to obtain as close a dating as possible for the different types. For this we have

previously been dependent on the few seals in public and private collections,

dated by inscription; on the seals and impressions from the excavations at

Assur, dating mostly to the thirteenth century B.C., and to the ninth-eighth centuries B.C.; on the few seals found at Khorsabad, presumably not later than

the reign of Sargon; and on the impressions upon clay sealings found by

Layard in Sennacherib's palace at Quyunjik, (a few of these Layard illustrated

and others he described). The new material leaves inevitably a number of gaps and problems ; one of

the principal gaps seems to be the lack of evidence for seals made at the time of

Tiglath-pileser III; for example, we do not know whether the delicate engraving of seals such as ND.305 (Pl. XI, 1) was practised in his reign. The stone

reliefs from Nimrud of Tiglath-pileser III are evidence of a distinctive development in design, and a comparable development in the art of seal engraving

might be expected. The dating of seals, whether found in the course of excavations, or as

impressions on dated tablets, is always problematical and at best the evidence

as a rule can only indicate the latest date at which the seal could have been made.

There are a number of possible reasons for the appearance of an earlier seal

in the later context; a son may use his father's seal;1 some seals may have been

kept for several generations as heirlooms, and others already antique may

1 In studying the Nuzu seal impressions Miss Porada suspected that seals were not infrequently handed down from father to son A.A.S.O.R. XXIV, ii, note i. The handing down of dynastic seals is rather a different matter, cf. Sidney Smith, A.J. XIX (1939), 40 f. Many examples of the use of a dynastic seal were discovered at Ugarit where the inscribed tablets had frequently been sealed with a cylinder of Yaqarum which had been made in the

Isin-Larsa period probably I9th-i8th century b.c. and was still used four centuries later on documents of Niqmadu III in the 14th century. At this later period replicas were manufactured in addition to the original seal. See J. Nougayrol, Le Palais Royal d'Ugarit III, p. XL f. and XLIII, footnote (1), for other examples of dynastic seals from Boghaz-koi, and Tarsus.

(5178)



94 BARBARA PARKER

have been discovered during the course of building operations and reused.

Assyrian kings often built their palaces on brick foundation-platforms many courses deep; such operations necessitated extensive excavation and must

have displaced much ancient material.

Chronological Groups

Most periods of the occupation of the tall at Nimrud are represented in the

collection. ND.1016 (Pl. X, 1) appears to be a Sumerian seal of the second

or third Early Dynastic period. This would represent some occupation a

little later than that of the people using Nineveh V pottery (about 3000 B.C.), whose sherds can be picked up at the south end of the tall.

ND.1681 and 3228 (Pl. X, 2 and 3) are seals of the fifteenth-thirteenth

centuries B.C., which may have belonged to the city of Shalmaneser I (1280- 1260 B.C.) mentioned by Assur-nasir-pal in his building inscription. A clay

label, ND.891 (Pl. XX, 1) bears the impression of another seal of the same

period of the characteristic style known as Mitannian. This comes from a

deep sondage, which penetrated to the ruins of houses of the thirteenth century B.C.

The period of Assur-nasir-pal II who was the real founder of Calah as a

capital, is unfortunately poorly represented. There are two seals, ND.1015

(Pl. X, 4) and ND.1007 (Pl. XV, 1) which are likely to belong to his reign;

they were found in the vicinity of the north doorway to the state apartments of the North-West palace. These seals are of a type which is known to date

to the ninth-eighth centuries B.C. from finds at Assur.

The bullae and tablets from the Governor's Palace provide material dating between 808 and 710 B.C. This is unfortunately a poor collection so far as

seal impressions are concerned; of some hundred tablets and clay labels, only about half a dozen bear seal impressions. This is largely due to the practice

during the eighth century B.C. of impressing nail marks instead of seals. The

seal impressions from the Governor's Palace are all in poor condition; only the best, or dated examples have been published, ND.231 (Pl. XX, 2), ND.476

and 494 (Pl. XXI, 1 and 2), ND.802 (Pl. XXII, 3). All except the last are of

a type which is dated by inscribed seals from elsewhere to the reign of Adad-

nirari III, others not published and hardly legible appear to be of the same type; the style no doubt continued some time after that king's reign and may be

discerned on a tablet dated to the year 706 B.C. (see ND.3488, Pl. XXVIII, 4,

and page 000) but the seal may not be contemporary with the tablet.

A floor of the ivory room HH in the domestic wing in the North-West

palace, dated to the reign of Sargon, has provided a few clay sealings with

impressions of stamp seals of the very highest quality; one of the bullae is

itself dated to the year 716 B.C. (ND.808, Pl. XXII, j). The other three clay



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949-I953 95

bullae are uninscribed (ND.806, 807, 809, Pl. XXII, 2, 1, and 4). A bulla (ND.

802) from the Governor's Palace (Pl. XXII, 3) is so similar in technique that

it is difficult to believe that it is far removed in date. The impressions show

that during the reign of Sargon some of the finest engraving was executed; this

has already been deduced from two seals found at Khorsabad (Loud, Khorsabad II,

pl. 58, no. 112, and Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XXXV, d). It also appears that stamp seals were commonly used by court officials at the time. Some

cylinder seals, which from their find place probably date to the reign of Sargon, are of a coarser type. Two of these, ND.1086 and 2151 (Pl. XII, 2 and 3), were found in the Burnt Palace and probably belong to the floor level of the

ivories. They show the shallow linear engraving and designs of animals

and monsters characteristic of seals of the ninth-eighth century B.C.; this type of seal is also found at Khorsabad. Two seals from room 31 of the Ziggurrat

Terrace, ND.3254 and 3227 (Pl. XIII, 2 and 3) from a level dated by a tablet

to the year 706 B.C., are also examples of seals imitating designs of the ninth

and eighth centuries B.C. It seems, therefore, that at this time the coarser

seals followed old fashioned designs, while the finest seals, as shown by the

bullae from the North-West palace, were of quite a different type. There is some doubt whether the old fashioned style continued to be used

into the seventh century B.C., for there are two seals of this type, although the execution is poor and debased, from a partly excavated administrative

building which probably covered the greater part of the seventh century B.C.,

ND.887 and 889 (Pl. XVI, 3 and 4). There are also seals of yet another

distinctive type, ND.3211 (Pl. XII, 4), a fragment from the post-Sargon level

in the Burnt Palace, and two seals ND.3582 and 3589 (Pl. XII, 1 and Pl. XIII,

4) from the post-Assur-bani-pal level in the town wall houses (T.W.53). These have features which are reminiscent of seals of the eighth century B.C.

and are quite unlike any impression found on seventh century tablets. Whether

they had been preserved from the end of the eighth century B.C.1 as is probably the explanation of the ivory bulls found in room 43 of T.W.53 (from which

came ND.3582 and 3589), or whether such seals continued to be made in the

seventh century, can only be decided when further evidence becomes available.

The rest of the cylinder seals, dated by their find place to the seventh century

B.C., are a motley collection, mostly of poor quality: ND.3310 (Pl. XVI, 1), and ND.3598 (Pl. XVII, 4) and ND. 751 (Pl. XVII, 2), all from a level dating to the seventh century B.C. in the town wall houses (T.W.53). ND.3301

(Pl. XVII, 3) is from the occupation of the seventh century B.C. in the ruins

of the palace in PD.5. Two other seals of the seventh century in the town

wall houses ND.3259 and 3597 (Pl. XI, 3 and 4) are better work; the former

possibly Babylonian.

1 This must be so in the case of ND. 3 226 (Pl. XIII, 1) a typically ninth-eighth century seal, found in the late seventh century level in T.W.53.

(5178) A 2



96 BARBARA PARKER

Examples of stamp seals are shown on Pl. XVIII and XIX; none unfortunately of the highest quality. Pl. XVIII, 1-3 and 5, and Pl. XIX, 3-6, are Assyrian seals

of the seventh century B.C. It will be seen that three of these are in the form

of animals or birds; a sheep, ND.3208 comes from room 30 of the Ziggurrat

Terrace, and two ducks, ND.3224 and 3261, from the houses in T.W.53. These are parallelled by examples from elsewhere; a seated bull from the

French excavations at Khorsabad and two ducks, of unknown provenance, all in the Louvre collection. There are two double sided seals, ND.3225

(Pl. XIX, 3) from the Ziggurrat Terrace, and ND.772 (Pl. XVIII, 5)possibly from the Sargon level, in the North-West palace; presumably either side might be used for putting its owner's seal to documents. The latter seal is rectangular and oblong; it will be seen that there are several examples of square seal impressions on the business documents dating to the reign of Assur-bani-pal, e.g.

ND.3464 (PL XXVI, 3). There are three Neo-Babylonian seals (Pl. XIX,

i~2 and 8) from post-Assyrian graves which represent an impoverished period of occupation after the fall of Assyria.

The business documents from the Ziggurrat Terrace and the town wall

houses (T.W.53), dating mostly to the reign of Assur-bani-pal, provide a good series of seal impressions of varied quality and shape, as might be expected from

the variety of people concerned in the documents. We have here seals of

persons of high rank (ND.2307, p. 125 and ND.2093, p. 125); a qatinnu official

(ND.3463, Pl. XXV, 1); a bird catcher (ND.3423, Pl. ????, 2); possibly another bird catcher (ND.3432, Pl. XXVII, 2); the son of a gate official (ND.

3428, p. 124); a messenger of the Crown Prince's household (ND.2325, Pl.

XXIV, 1) poor men who hire out their relatives or children (ND. 2.094, p.

123, ND.3441, p. 120); a man receiving grain for his ilku or feudal service

(ND.2331, Pl. XXVII, 5); a harvesting contractor (ND.2320, p. 124). The

impressions on two tablets (ND.3412 and 3433, Pl. XXVIII, 3 and 2) seem to

be precursors of a scene which is commonly shown on Neo-Babylonian seals.

Two bullae from the occupation of the seventh century B.C. in PD.5 with

the impressions on the tablets from Z.T. (ND.3326 and 3341, Pl. XXIX, 2 and

1, and ND.2307, 2093, p. 125) are the only examples of the finely cut court-

official seals, which are represented by the impressions on the bullae, found by

Layard in Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh.

N.D1016, Pl. X, 1. Cylinder seal, broken in half, mottled brown onyx, from the top soil in A. 51, mud brick nouses against the inner face of the citadel wall. (See plan in

Iraq XVI, pt. 2, Pl. XXVIII.) The seal is much worn, but it is clearly a Sumerian design, of the second or third Early

Dynastic periods. There are a pair of crossed animals in the centre, and two other rampant animals on the outside of the group; one may be human (cf. H. Frankfort. Stratified

Cylinder Seals from the Diyala Region, Nos. 272 & 502). The Nineveh V sherds which can be

picked up on the southern slopes of the tall at Nimrud prove that the site was occupied




at the beginning of the Early Dynastic period. Not far distant, some 45 miles away across the river down stream is Assur, where the early levels contained a predominantly Sumerian culture of the late Early Dynastic period (Andrae, Die Archaischen Ischtar-Tempsl in Assur). It is therefore not surprising that the inhabitants of Nimrud at that time should possess a

cylinder seal of the Early Dynastic type. Renderings or copies of such seals are found further afield in Syria (Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, 232).

ND.1681, Pl. X, 2. Cylinder seal, broken in half, chalcedony, in the fill above the floor on which lay the ivories in room 8 of the Burnt Palace; the ivories belong to the reign of

Sargon {Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 7if.)? This seal is clearly Kassite of the fourteenth to thirteenth centuries B.C. ; there is a standing

figure with hand raised and traces of three lines of inscription. The seal must belong to the city which Shalmaneser I built at Calah, according to the records of Assur-nasir-pal (King, A.K.A. 2191). Its discovery in post-Sargonid rubbish can easily be explained by the Assyrian method of building their palaces on mud brick platforms, many courses deep, and thus disturbing earlier levels.

ND.3228, Pl. X, 3. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2*6 cm, from the dump, T.W.53 (houses against the citadel wall).

A figure holding a tree ; beside him are two gazelles seated, and below them a tress pattern. The seal is clearly Mittanian and must belong to the city of Shalmaneser I. It is therefore unconnected with the houses of the citadel wall which belong to the seventh century B.C.

ND.1015, Pl. X, 4. Cylinder seal, serpentine, length 2 ? 9 cm., found in the filling of room

E.C., North West palace {Iraq XIV, pt. 1, p. 10), probably ninth century B.C. The seal is much worn, the engraving is shallow. There is depicted a kneeling archer,

drawing his bow at an advancing sphinx which raises one paw. Between them is an ear of corn or a small tree. Above the sphinx is the moon crescent, and behind the archer the

lozenge symbol (cf. p. io6f.). This seal is clearly related in style to ND.1007 (Pl. XV, 1, p. 103) which was found on the original floor of the North-West palace, paved with inscribed bricks of Assur-nasir-pal. Both seals belong to a group characterised by shallow linear

engraving and astrological scenes2 of hunters and beasts dating to the ninth-eighth century B.C. (Moortgat, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel, 66-69, ta^ 7^> nos? ^37, 639, 647)? We know from the excavations at Khorsabad and Nimrud that this style lasted to the end of the eighth century B.C. It is by no means easy to distinguish the earlier from the later seals; the

examples of the ninth century B.C. can perhaps be distinguished by greater freedom of line.

ND.305, Pl. XI, 1. Cylinder seal, chalcedony, length 2 * 7 cm., from room B, Governor's Palace, upper debris; (published by Mallowan in I.L.N., 29th July, 1950, and Iraq, XII, pt. 2, p. 170 qv. for description and details). The top of the seal has been ground down for some reason difficult to explain, this has caused the abrasion of the top of the god's head in the winged disc and the cock's. Was it perhaps damaged in removing a mount of some metal, possibly gold?

1 Standard inscription, line 15. 2 An interpretation suggested many years ago by Sidney Smith, in Early History of Assyria, f 331. See also ND. 2151, p. 100.

?i>178) a 3



98 BARBARA PARKER

It is indeed a tragedy that the seal was found out of position in thrown debris, for there is still no precise dating evidence for this fine style of engraving, other than the seal of Urzana of Musasir in The Hague collection (Menant, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Cabinet Royale des M?dailles ? la Haye, nos. 135-150).

When this style started or how long it lasted we do not know. The excessive crowding of the scene on the Nimrud seal is unusual and possibly to be explained by the individual

requirements of the person for whom the seal was made. The seal may from the circum- stances of its find be dated to not later than 710 B.C., the latest date of the archive, and may well be some years earlier, but it is not likely to have been made before 808 B.C. when the archive began to be kept. Of the appearance of the cock Professor Mallowan says

" a notable feature of this seal is that it depicts a cock, a bird very rarely represented in Assyria at that time, and it is therefore interesting to recall that the cock was, after about 750 B.C.,

being freely drawn for the first time on Proto-Corinthian pottery, a Greek ware which was

finding an export market on the Syrian coast, for example, at al Mina."

ND.3210, Pl. XI, 2. Cylinder seal, broken, black serpentine, length 2 ? 2 cm., from the Burnt Palace, room 47, found out of position in debris with brick inscribed with the name of

Sargon (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 83). Owing to a break in the seal, the impression could not be rolled to show the complete

scene. This depicts two deities advancing towards a worshipper or priest, who stands on

the far side of an altar or standard, of which only the base can be seen. The first deity is

bearded and holds an axe ; a bow is slung over each shoulder and there is a sword at his waist.

The second deity is not bearded (although it would appear so in the impression) and is pre-

sumably the goddess Istar; she also has a bow over either shoulder and a sword at her waist; if she holds anything in her lowered hand it cannot be distinguished. The figures of the

deities have all the characteristics of those found on seals dated to the reign of Adad-nirari III

(cf. p. 11 of.). An interesting parallel is, however, afforded by an impression on a tablet from

the Ziggurrat Terrace dated to the year 706 B.C. (cf. PI. XXVIII, 4 and p. 122, ND.3488). Our evidence is, however, insufficient to prove whether these seals were made in the reign of

Sargon or whether they belong to an earlier period.

ND.3259, Pl. XI, 3. Cylinder seal, blajck steatite, length 2 ? 5 cm., from the dump, south

end of site T.W.53 (houses against the Akropolis wall, cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 68). The design shows a prancing goat1 beside a stylized tree; behind it is a winged griffin,

and behind this monster is a worshipper. Between the griffin and the gazelle is a star, and

low down an object that looks like a ball of wool, but must be intended for a rosette. The

worshipper may wear Babylonian dress, although the characteristic edge of material towards

the back of the skirt is not clear. This figure, in contradistinction to the gazelle and the tree, is poorly engraved; there appears to be no attempt at a face and the line which gives the impression of a hat is continued as far as the tree and is probably unintentional.

The occupation of the houses is dated by the tablets from room 19 to the reign of Assur-

bani-pal {Iraq XVI, pt. 2, p. 140). The seal may be Babylonian, of that date. It is noticeable

that the vigorous figure of the goat, the tree, and the rosette are in the tradition of Kassite

engraving of the fourteenth and thirteenth centuries B.C. (cf. Porada, The Problem of Kassite

Art, Archaeologia Orientalia in memoriam Ernst Her^feld, p. 179 ff, pl. XXIX).

1 Of the " Skuehorn " variety, a domesticated breed.




ND.3597, Pl. XI, 4. Cylinder seal, pinkish grey stone, length 3 ? 2 cm., found in room

5 3, upper rubbish of level 2, T.W. 53 (houses against the Akropolis wall).

The seal is much worn; there is the figure of a goddess, probably Istar, surrounded by rays. An Assur-bani-pal text recording the appearance of I Star to encourage his expedition against the faithless Elamite describes her thus: " on her right and left she had quivers, she held a bow in her hand " and " before her a flame burst forth."1 Here the objects on either side of her shoulders are probably quivers and not the continuation of the rays ; the bow has been discarded in favour of the rod and ring which she holds in her lowered hand. Before her stands a worshipper or perhaps a priest, for he appears to wear some form of head gear; ordinary individuals are always shown bare-headed, it is only certain high officers who wear a fillet. Behind the goddess is a costumed priest or "

genie " who bears an object that may

be the mysterious " tress symbol

" (cf. ND.806, p. 1 i2f) but if studied closely through a mag-

nifying glass, is seen to be unevenly engraved and more resembles a branch with two leaves and a bud. There are several examples from the sculptures of the North-West palace of

winged beings bearing branches of fruit, often much stylised but in some cases clearly pome- granate ? (Layard, Monuments of Nineveh, ist series, pl. XXXVIII, compare ibid. 2nd series,

pl. IX, the attendant carrying pomegranates and locusts for the feast). There is however little resemblance between these branches and the object shown on the Nimrud seal. Behind the priest is a puzzling motif; two parallel lines within which are irregular shaped strokes. A cuneiform inscription or fish are the most obvious explanations, but the strokes bear no resemblance to any cuneiform signs, and their irregularity disposes of the possibility that fish are intended.

Although the figure of the goddess surrounded by rays is often used on seals of the ninth and eighth centuries B.C., the rather heavy

" castellated " treatment of the rays is found on a seal impression from Sennacherib's palace at Quyunjik (amongst the bullae whose find place is described by Layard, Nineveh and Babylon, 15 3). The seal comes from a level which probably dates between 630-614 B.C.

ND.3582, Pl. XII, 1. Cylinder seal, black steatite, length 3-2 cm., level 2, room 43, T.W. 53 (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 2, p. 149).

A pair of prancing goats2 or ibexs beside the sacred tree. Above the tree is the winged disc; between the goats a star, the lozenge (cf. ND.751, p. 105f.) and a broken wedge, perhaps the emblem of the god Nabu. The wedges on either side of the tree may possibly read AN.ME or MES {il?ni).

The seal comes from a level thought to date between about 630 and 612 B.C. (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 68). The method of engraving the animals' bodies with a series of lines is similar, but not identical with the technique used on ND.2151 (Pl. XII, 3) which is probably not later than 705 B.C. The rather stiff attitude of the beasts is also reminiscent of the Sargonid seal. It was found with a group of damaged ivories, possibly discarded palace furniture of Sargon's reign, preserved in the family of lesser officials inhabiting this quarter of the citadel. The seal may also have been preserved from the end of the eighth century B.C., for it is quite unlike any impression found on business documents from room 19.

1 Cylinder ?, col. V, lines 50-55 and 73, L.A.R. II, para. 861. Also Rassam Cylinder, col. IX, 79

" IStar of Arbcla who is clothed in fire " L.A.R. II, para. 829.

* Professor F. E. Zeuner tells me this would be the " wild " be%oar variety, from Iran. The difference

between the horns of this animal and the ibex is not usually distinguishable on seals.

(5178) ? 4



IOO BARBARA PARKER

ND.1086, Pl. XII, 2. Cylinder seal, serpentine, length 2 ? 5 cm., broken, from the Burnt

Palace, room 8, perhaps belonging to the level of the ivories and if so, may be dated to the

reign of Sargon {Iraq XIV, Pt. 1, p. 15). A winged crested griffin and a bird monster stand opposed on either side of a small tree

or ear of corn. In the field is the moon crescent, a globe, and a three cornered object. The shallow linear engraving is characteristic of a class of seals of the ninth-eighth century B.C.

(cf. ND.1015, p. 97). There are parallels for the type of crest given to the griffin on seals

belonging to this group (e.g. Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre,

pl. 86, 4). The lightness of the engraving suggests that the seal is earlier than the Sargonid level in which it was found, but there is not sufficient evidence of Sargonid seals to be able to ascribe it without hesitation to an earlier period. The fact that it is broken suggests that it comes from a disturbed level.

ND.2151, Pl. XII, 3. Cylinder seal, dark red stone, length 2-2 cm., from the Burnt

Palace, room 45. A kneeling archer draws his bow at a bull, which stumbles forward but turns back its head.

Between them is a small tree or ear of corn, and the lozenge symbol (cf. p. 106). Above the moon crescent and an eight pointed star.

The seal belongs to the same class of seals as ND.1015 (Pl. X, 4, p. 97) characterised by a linear style of engraving, often very shallow and showing scenes which are probably astro-

logical of hunters and animals or monsters. Here are the arrow, Sirius, the bow, Canis

Major, the archer, perhaps Orion (the true shepherd) or Sagittarius, Taurus, and the ear

of corn, the goddess Shala (Virgo). These seals date to the ninth and eighth centuries b.c.

The particular style of engraving in this case is not unlike that of a seal from Assur thought to date about 800 b.c. (Moortgat, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel, taf. 77, 647) while the detail of

the star is found on two other seals from Assur thought to be of about the same date {op. cit.

taf. 79, 672, 668). The detail of the archer's quiver which has ribbons or strings hanging from it is paralleled by a seal from Sargon's palace at Khorsabad {Khorsabad II, pl. 57, 87). The seal comes from just above the floor level 2A of the ivories (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 8 if) which belong to the reign of Sargon. Seals of this type from Khorsabad {op. cit. pl. 57, no. 87, and Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre I, pl. 57, nos. 3, 8

(K.2, 3)) suggest that they were still being used and perhaps made in Sargon's time. This

seal may have been engraved any lime in the eighth century b.c. and it is possible that it belongs in date to the level in which it was found.

ND.3211, Pl. XII, 4. Cylinder seal, broken, existing length 1-9 cm. From the Burnt

Palace, room 23, north of the west transept in later debris, i.e. post-ivory (level 2B, cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 82).

This nicely cut seal depicts two goats ; they should face each other but the break in the seal

has interfered with the rolling of the impression. There is a crescent and below a small

wedge. Some other object may have been engraved below this but is now destroyed. Above

is the moon crescent, the seven globes of the Sibitti, and a star. Along the top of the seal, and perhaps the bottom also, is a chevron border.

The form of the star is identical with that on the preceding seal, ND.2151 which comes

from a Sargon level; the same detail occurs on seals from A?Sur (Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 79, 668 and 672) thought to date to Shalmaneser III, and others probably dating to the eighth

century b.c. {ibid, taf 78, 654-656). The first two A?Sur seals have chevron borders; this

is also found on a seal from Khorsabad (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949-I953 ???

du Louvre, I, pl. 57, no. 8 (K.3)) but all of a different pattern from the border on the Nimrud seal. The design moreover is not particularly characteristic of seals of the ninth and eighth centuries b.c. The seal comes from a level dating to the end of Esarhaddon or the beginning of the reign of Assur-bani-pal. There are no parallels amongst the seal impressions of the seventh century b.c. (the Quyunjik bullae and Nimrud tablets). Our evidence is, however, far from complete ; in view of the known persistence of designs and motifs over one or two centuries it would be rash on this account to ignore the evidence of the find place and ascribe this seal to an earlier period. On the other hand the broken condition suggests that it comes from disturbed debris, and it is possible that it should be dated to the end of the eighth century b.c.

ND.3226, Pl. ???, 1. Cylinder seal, rock crystal, length 2*9 cms., from room 3, level 2,

(630-612 b.c.) T.W.53 Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 68). A kneeling archer and rampant goat, which springs away but turns back its head. The

archer has a quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder and behind him is a broken wedge, the emblem of the god Nabu. Like ND.1015 (Pl. X, 4, \>. 97) the design and execution are characteristic of a group of shallow cut linear seals of the eighth and ninth centuries b.c. In this case the very shallow cutting and freedom of line in the design suggest a date in the ninth

century when the tradition of the middle-Assyrian style was still apparent amongst the better seals (cf. Moortgat op. cit. taf. 76, 637, said to have been found in Assur-nasir-paPs palace at Assur). It is however not yet possible to assign a precise date to seals within the ninth-

eighth centuries b.c. We may however conclude with some confidence that this seal is

unlikely to belong to the last period of the city'between 630 and 612 b.c., the date of the houses in which it was found. It must either have been kept by a family for a hundred years or so, or else be intrusive in this level ; it might have been excavated by the householders in digging up soil to make mud-plaster.

ND.3254, Pl. XIII, 2. Cylinder seal, black soapstone, length 2 ? 1 cm. found on the bench with storage jars in room 30 of site 2.T.E. (the Ziggurrat Terrace) (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 67, and pt. 2, p. 128).

A figure standing in an attitude of devotion beside a large wheel-like emblem, perhaps a rosette. Behind him is a goat, above it the moon crescent.

There are a few other examples of this motif on cylinder seals (cf. Corpus of Near Eastern

Seals, 635, Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre, II, pl. 85., 11

(A.618)). The seal published in the Corpus may well be ninth rather than eighth century b.c.; 635 is a particularly well cut seal in the shallow engraved style and shows a bull beside a rosette as on the following seal. The cutting of this Nimrud seal and ND.3227 is identical, both rather inferior work; they come from the same room in a level dated by a tablet from the adjacent room 31 to the year 706 b.c. and may indeed belong to the time of

Sargon.

ND.3227, Pl. XIII, 3. Cylinder Seal, rock crystal, length 2-9 cm., from Z.T.E.30 (Ziggurratt Terrace).

A bull between rondels; above it is the moon crescent and before it the lozenge symbol. The engraving of this seal is identical with that of the previous one and must be the same

date, i.e. probably Sargon.



I02 BARBARA PARKER

ND.3589, PL ???, 4. Cylinder seal, broken, black steatite, length 3 ? 3 cm., from room

43, level 2 (630-612 b.c.) T.W.53 (cf Iraq XVI, pt. 2, p. 150).

A goat or ibex beside a stylised tree ; above is a large star and a small moon crescent. There

are two apparently meaningless wedges in front of the animal.

The engraving of the star is identical with that found on ND.2151 and 3211 (Pl. XII, 3, 4) and also occurs on seals of the ninth century b.c. from ASsur (see p. 100). This seal comes

from the same room and level as ND.3 5 82 (see p. 99 and Pl. XII, 1). The fact that it is broken

suggests that it comes from disturbed debris and it may be older than the level in which it was found.

ND.2152, PL XIV, 1. Cylinder seal, shell, length 2*4 cm., from the upper rubbish

against the south side of the heavy boundary wall of the Ziggurrat Terrace.

A libation ceremony performed by a bearded figure who holds a cup on the tips of his

fingers and his bow before him, the tip resting on the ground. A band which hangs down

his back and a slight protuberance on his forehead suggest that he wears the sort of fillet

worn by certain high officers (e.g. cf. I.L.N. 23rd August, 1952, p. 295, fig. 9). Behind this

figure is a broken wedge, perhaps the emblem of the god Nabu, and behind this again is a

tree. In front of the bearded figure is a large jar on a stand; the jar has an unusually wide

neck, and it may be that it is really an ordinary Assyrian water jar with a dipper placed on top.

Beyond the jar stands an attendant with a flag-like fly whisk and holds in his lowered hand the

end of a napkin. The stole hanging down his back may be another napkin or the same one, as on the A?sur-nasir-pal relief (Layard, Monuments of Nineveh, ist series, PL XII). There is a

whole group of seals in the shallow cut linear technique showing this scene, dating to the

ninth and eighth centuries b.c. (Moortgat, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel, 70, taf. 79) and there are

three seals of this type from Khorsabad (KhorsabadII, pl. 57, no. 85, and pl. 58, nos. 91 and 92). The seal comes from rubbish that may be as late as 630 b.c. The engraving seems to give more body to the figures than that of the normal " kerbschnitt

" examples, but this may be

due to the material. The latest example of this scene is on the seals from Khorsabad already mentioned. So far as our information goes, therefore, it seems likely that the seal belongs to the end of the eighth century b.c. The flag-like fan is still to be found in North Iraq, where it is made of palm leaf strips. Shell is a material quite often used for cylinder seals in

early times, but after the Agade period it is rare. Although shell is not used during the Assyrian

empire for cylinder seals, it served for making button-like ornaments on horse trappings, of which many have been found in the Sargon level in the North-West palace. This seal may therefore represent an isolated venture in using a material intended for some other purpose. A shell cylinder at this period was an anachronism.

ND.892, Pl. XIV, 2. Cylinder seal, mottled marble badly cracked, fitted with a bronze

rod which has an eye for attachment, length 2-4 cm., from the North-West Palace, room

QQ, level 3, perhaps Sargon.

Kneeling figures beside the winged disc; each touches the emblem with one hand. The

right hand figure wears a tiara, the left hand figure is bare headed and perhaps nude; he may be the nude hero with curling locks of the Khorsabad gate relief. Beneath the winged disc

is a bull, above it some wedges which probably compose a cuneiform sign or signs, but

are illegible. Between the two figures is an eight pointed star. There seems no reason to

doubt that the seal should be ascribed to the date of the level in which it was found.



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949-I953 I03

ND.2197, Pl. XIV, 3. Cylinder seal, buff coloured polished stone, length 3-8 cm., from room 14 of Z.T. (Ziggurrat Terrace, cf. Iraq XV, pt. 1, p. 34 ff).

This confusing scene represents a horseman hunting a wild bull. The bull is a strange looking creature, but the occurrence of much the same scene on a seal from Assur suggests that a bull

is intended (cf. Moortgat, op. cit., taf. 77, 653, and Weber, A.O. 17-18, no. 514). By the

ingenious use of the cylindrical surface the engraver has made a continuous frieze in which one bull serves for the two shown on the Assur seal. The horse's forelegs overlap the bull, but it in turn attacks the hind quarters of the horse and the rider turns to shoot behind him. The horse has a double profile, but there are no other indications of a second horse or rider. There is an ear of corn or small tree beneath the belly of the horse and a star in the field above. The seal has a chevron border.

The seal from Mint probably belongs to the eighth century b.c., but the Nimrud seal was found with an inscribed stone duck weight of ASSur-nasir-pal II on a floor which produced tablets dating mostly to the reign of Assur-bani-pal. The design, the type of linear engraving and the chevron border all suggest a date in the.eighth century b.c., but further evidence may prove that the seal is indeed contemporary with the tablets.

ND.1036, Pl. XIV, 4. Cylinder seal, broken, carnelian, existing length 1 ? 8 cm., from the

North-West palace, room ZZ.

A gazelle hunt by chariot, the top of the scene is missing but the bodies of the two horses, the chariot with only a four-spoked wheel, and two gazelles can be seen. One of the gazelles has expired and is lying on its back, while the other runs before the chariot.

The four-spoked wheel is unusual and is presumably due to careless engraving. The seal from its find place probably belongs to the reign of Sargon and need not be any earlier, but it may date to any time within the eighth century b.c. (cf. examples in Porada, Corpus of Ancient Near Eastern Seals, pi. XCVI).

ND.1007, Pl. XV, 1. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2 ? 6 cm., from the North-West Palace, room EC, on the floor paved with inscribed bricks of Assur-nasir-pal {Iraq XIV, pt. 1, p. 10).

The seal is much worn but enough is visible to show that the subject is the archer and

horned serpent which is characteristic of a group of faience seals of the ninth and? eighth centuries b.c. The design must have been superior to the majority of this group, (cf. Moortgat, op. cit., taf. 82). There are traces of a tree between the archer and the serpent and there are

objects, possibly wedges, behind the head of the serpent, as on two examples from Assur

(ibid. 689 and 891). The theme is no doubt astrological: the snake god, the constellation

Hydra is the god Ningishzida, lord of the earth (underworld) (Bezold, Zenit und Aequatorial-

gestirne, 23, col. II, 1. 8). There is no reason to think that the seal does not belong to the

pavement on which it was found and date to the reign of Assur-nasir-pal.

ND.2153, Pl. XV, 2. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2-3 cm., from above the floor in room 38 of the Burnt Palace, perhaps the ivory level (2a).

A crude figure, bow in hand, appears to ward off a horned serpent. This is a rendering of the subject of ND.1007 crudely done. If the real belongs to the floor level of the ivories it must date to the reign ot Sargon.



I04 BARBARA PARKER

ND.1009, PL XV, 3. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2 ? 5 cm., from the North-West palace, room AB, possibly the Sargon level.

This is again the archer and serpent theme (cf. ND.1007); little can be distinguished except the figure of the archer and the serpent, which does not appear to be horned, coiled round itself. There are two similar seals from Khorsabad (Khorsabad II, pl. 57, nos. 83, 86) with which this seal is probably contemporary.

There is a rather similar, but even rougher representation of this scene on a seal ND.3303 in the Iraq Museum, which comes from T.W.53, room 12, level 2, and belongs to the last

period of the city (630-615 b.c.). The theme evidently persisted for a long period of time.

ND.1686, Pl. XV, 4. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2 cm., from the North-West palace, room MM from the libn wall blocking of a door in the south wall, probably the Sargon level.

A roughly executed design representing a procession of great birds, probably monsters. The design is a common one during the ninth and eighth centuries b.c. (Moortgat, op. cit. taf.

84, 714-719, 715 comes from a level at Assur dating to Shalmaneser III). There is an example from T. ed Duweir in Palestine which is perhaps even earlier (Iraq XI, pt. 1, Pl. 1, 4). There

is also an example from Khorsabad which is probably the same date as the Nimrud seal

(Khorsabad II,.pl. 58, no. 94).

There is a seal impression on a bulla in the Iraq Museum, ND.3323, which is extremely faint; one can however just distinguish that it shows two human headed birds in procession, somewhat similar to a seal from Assur (Moortgat, op. cit., taf. 84, no. 710) but better engraved. This bulla comes from PD.5, Adad-nirari III palace (Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 71) and probably

belongs to his reign.

ND.3310, PL XVI, 1. Cylinder seal, grey stone, length 2? 1 cm., from room 23, level 2

(630-615 b.c.) of T.W. 5.3 (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 68).

Gazelles or goats on either side of a tree. The design is executed with much use of the drill.

This is a seal of no particular style and although it is not characteristic of seal designs of the seventh century b.c. it may be contemporary with the houses in which it was found.

The subject is reminiscent of Mittanian seals of the second millenium b.c. but obviously does

not belong to that very distinctive group.

ND.3260, PL XVI, 2. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2-4 cm., from PD.4, half a metre below the surface in wind-blown soil (Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 70).

The design shows an archer drawing his bow at a large bird monster; it has the head of a

griffin and a square tail of a bird of prey. There is a tree between the archer and the bird.

The seal belongs, like ND.1007, to a group of faience seals showing archers and animals

or monsters, of the ninth and eighth centuries b.c. (cf. Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 83). The compo- site griffin bird is found on a seal from ASsur (ibid. taf. 84, 713). Little was left at this site, but the seal must have belonged to some superficial dwellings perhaps of the eighth century b.c., now completely denuded.



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949-I953 IO5

ND.887, PL XVI, 3. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2-5 cm., from site B.50, level 2 floor, seventh century B.c. (cf. Iraq XII, pt. 2, p. 174).

An archer and a goat (?); between them is a small tree. Above the goat is the moon crescent and in the field some wedges. The design obviously belongs to the archer-and-

quarry type found on seals of the ninth and eighth centuries B.c. The characteristic linear

style of engraving exhibited by such seals as the foregoing and ND.3226 (Pl. XIII, 1, p. 101) is lacking. It may be that this is a late rendering of an old-fashioned subject and belongs to the seventh century building from which it comes. It may on the other hand be a seal of the

eighth century b.c. which has been preserved, or been found by accident. All that can be said is that the design is not characteristic of seals of seventh century b.c., as we know them from available seal impressions.

ND.889, PL XVI, 4. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2 cm., from B.50, room III, in the fill above the level 2 floor (cf. Iraq XII, pt. 2, p. 174).

Two long robed figures standing on either side beneath the winged disc, from which descend two bands, flanking the sacred tree. ? The double band in this instance, suggests the streams of water shown on a second millenium seal (O.LP. XXII, no. 416, and Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, 213, fig. 65). The single bands, which may or may not be an abbreviated rendering (Frankfort, ibid., 214) are a feature of seals of ninth and eighth centuries b.c. (Frankfort, op. cit.

pl. XXIII, a, h, and Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 80, 677, 678). This is a common type of scene on seals of that period. The seal comes from the fill of a building of the seventh century. Like the previous seal (ND.887) it is a debased rendering of an eighth century design and the date is uncertain.

ND.856, PL XVII, 1. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2-3 cm., from room XXV of B.50 (cf. Iraq XII, pt. 2, pl. XXVI and p. 174).

A series of emblems, perhaps astrological; a serpent (Hydra), an ear of corn (Virgo),1 and the spade standard of the god Marduk (Jupiter). It may be that seal designs of this kind

represent a series of astral emblems which spell something. It is known that the Assyrians conceived a writing of the constellations, si tir burume, and with such symbols Esarhaddon

spelled his name on the Black stone and two clay prisms (cf. Gadd, Ideas of Divine Rule in the Ancient Near East Schweich Lectures, 1945, 93, and Luckenbill, A.J.S.L. 41, 145).

The seal comes from an administrative building of the seventh century. This appears to be the only purely Assyrian example of a type of design which is probably of Syrian origin like ND.3301, and there is another example, probably also Syrian, in the Biblioth?que Nationale (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux de la Biblioth?que Nationale, pl. XXXIV, no. 5T1).

ND.751, Pl. XVII, 2. Cylinder seal, grey limestone, length 1-5 cm., from A.50, in the rubbish above the houses against the inner face of the Akropolis wall (adjoining T.W.53) seventh century b.c.

A bull passing left with its head turned back, above it a star, behind the seven globes of the Sibitti and below the lozenge. Beyond this is a long robed human figure and behind him a

pillar on a base with a cross bar half way up. This is perhaps the abbreviated form of the

1 cf. Thureau Dangin, Tablettes d'Uruk, no. 12, where the illustration of the ear of corn held by the

goddess Sala (Virgo) looks very much like the plant shown on this seal.



ICO BARBARA PARKER

sacred tree with metal yoke found on Mittanian seals of the fifteenth and fourteenth centuries B.c. (cf. Mallowan, Iraq IX, pt. 2, p. 140) where it is used to enclose the design in a panel. Like the previous seal there are here a series of symbols that may be astrological emblems :

Taurus, the planet Venus, a human figure which on the analogy of Esarhaddon's Black stone

might be the Cultivator (Aries). It also appears from the Black stone that there was an artificial tree in the heavens (Guide to the Babylonian and Assyrian Antiquities, British Museum 1922, 288) The seven globes of the S ibi t ti may be the Pleiades.

The strange symbol in the shape of a lozenge, with a solid centre or central rib, is characteristic of Kassite seals and is found on Assyrian seals from the ninth century to the end of the

empire. It occurs on prehistoric seals of the Jamdat Nasr period but does not appear again on seals until Kassite times, although it is used as a border on the gaming board and other

shell inlay from the Royal Cemetery at Ur (Woolley, Royal Cemetery, pis. 95, 103, 116). It

resembles more than anything else a stylised eye, particularly the unnaturally elongated eye

given to human figures throughout Babylonian and Assyrian art. Eye amulets are, however,

rarely found in Babylonia or Assyria. There is one of faience from the Istar temple of

Tukulti Ninurta I at ASSur (Andrae, Die Jungeren Ischtar Tempel, pp. 76-78, taf. 36). In the

same hoard was found the woman's head rhyton of a Cypriot type, so the eye may also have

been of foreign origin, although it does not resemble the Egyptian "

eye of Horus " found in

Syria and Palestine.1 An eye amulet of grey sardonyx with a dark pupil was found by Place

at Khorsabad amongst the foundation deposits beneath the town gates;2 neither of these

examples appear to be pierced for suspension. Certain beads were called " eyes

" but this

seems to have been a technical word to describe the type of bead and not that it was intended

to represent an eye. (D.A.C.G. pp. xl-xli). Certain pieces of agate with dedicatory inscriptions have been regarded as eyes (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre,

(II, ?pl. 93, 6 (A.827) 13 (A.825)), but there is nothing in the inscriptions to say that they were

so regarded by the ancients. The amuletic use of an eye still persists in the Near East, for

lorries can be seen in Baghdad with a realistic eye painted on the front. It is called the " envious eye," i.e. it is to protect the property against envious eyes and all that implies of

danger to the property and owner. It is noticeable that the lozenge occurs on Assyrian seals

with clearly astrological figures, (Delaporte, loc. sit. II, pl. 86, no. 20^.653)). ** may, there-

fore, have become identified with some small group of stars.

ND.3301, PL XVII, 3. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2 ? 7 cm., from the entrance to room

2-3 of PD.5 (palace in the outer town founded by Adad-nirari III, cf. Iraq, XVI, pt. 2, p. 157. The moon crescent on a standard, with tassels, the standard of Sin at Harran (see p. 116.);

beyond it is the ma*at feather and a cobra.

The seal is distinguished by the introduction of Egyptian symbols and is therefore probably of Syrian workmanship. This seems to be the conclusion to be drawn from the fact that

seal designs with Egyptian figures, used in the seventh century b.c. appear unmixed with

Assyrian or Babylonian figures. Amongst the bullae found by Layard in Sennacherib's

palace at Quyunjik, he mentions an impression showing a squatting god, which he compares with figures on the ivories (Nineveh and Babylon, 155 f ). There is in addition, an impression

showing a Horus headed winged figure. The Nimrud business documents from the town wall

houses (T.W.53) kear two impressions (ND.3425 and 3424, Pl. XXVI, 1, and p. 119, Fig. 13)

exhibiting purely Egyptian figures. The owners have Assyrian names, but it is probable that the seals are of Syrian origin or the work of foreign engravers living in Calah at the time.

The present cylinder seal comes from a pavement on which was found a late Babylonian tablet and probably dates to the seventh century.

1 e.g. Woolley, Carchemish II, pl. 26, b 4. and

Tufneil, Lachish II, The Fosse Temple, pl. ????, B, no. 18.

2 Pottier, Catalogue des Antiquit?s Assyrienne du Mus?e du Louvre, 1917, 117, pl. 26.



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, 1949?195 3 IO7

ND.3598, PL XVII, 4. Cylinder seal, faience, length 2*9 cm., from level 2, room 43

T.W.53. The design is a continuous overlapping frieze, a feature of ND.2197 (Pl. XIV, 3, p. 103)

also from a late level. A quaintly drawn bird with long neck appears to peck the tail of a

scorpion, which in turn grabs the tail of the bird. The bird is probably the large griffin bird

shown on two faience seals from Assur (Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 84, nos. 712, 713) of the ninth-

eighth centuries B.c. Over the bird's tail is an oddly drawn crescent. The seal comes from

a level dating after 630 B.c. and in spite of its connection with seals of the ninth and eighth centuries b.c. there is no reason to ascribe it to an earlier period.

ND.858, PL XVIII, 1. Scarab faience, size ? ?8? 1 cm., from B.50, room XXV, found with ND.856(P1. XVII, 1).

The design shows the crescent decorated with tassels, on some structure, as on ND.772 (Pl. XVIII, 5). The scarab comes from a partly excavated administrative building of the seventh century b.c., situated in square F.5 and 6 of contour map in Iraq XII, pt. 2, pl. XXVI and p. 174.

ND.3224, PL XVIII, 2. Seal in the form of a duck, carnelian, length 2 cm., perforated horizontally, from T.W.53, *evel *> of room 4 (Iraq XVI, pt. 2, p. 136). The base of the duck is engraved with a fish. For a similar amulet from the same site cf. ND.3261, PI. XIX, 4, ?. 109, probably belonging to the same period, end of seventh century b.c.

ND.3208, PL XVIII, 3. Seal-amulet in the form of a seated sheep, red mottled limestone, length 2 ? 1 cm., perforated horizontally, from the fill east of room 10 in Z.T.E. (the Ziggurrat Terrace).

On the underside, a roughly engraved, long robed figure, perhaps female. This amulet is very similar to one found at Khorsabad (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre I, pl. 57, no. 5 b (K.8)) of white limestone, described as a seated bull. The underside is similarly engraved with an indistinct but clearly Assyrian figure. The Nimrud

sheep comes from a level which is probably seventh century, but its similarity to the Khorsabad

example suggests that it may be earlier; the two duck amulets, however, come from houses of the late seventh century b.c.

ND.3201, PL XVIII, 4. Stamp seal with lug perforated horizontally, red mottled limestone, 4-5x6 cm., from the Burnt Palace, room 47, in ash debris above level 3 occupation, probably late seventh century b.c. (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 83, 93, 94).

A figure, perhaps a god, seated on a chair with ribbed back, holding a branch or portable tree. The head is roughly indicated but shows a long lock of hair or pigtail. Before this figure is a gazelle and above it the moon standard with tassels placed on a smaller but similar chair with ribbed back. Above the head of the seated figure is the moon crescent.

This remarkable seal, as Professor Mallowan has suggested, is probably of Syrian origin. The form of standard, which gives the impression that the tassels hang from the crescent and not the shaft is exactly paralleled on a scaraboid found at Zencirli; the standard in this case is shown between two branches (Andrae, Ausgrabungen in Sendschirli, Heft V, taf. 38 fand p. 15



??8 BARBARA PARKER

(S.3689)). The fin place is not mentioned by Andrae and is presumably unknown. See

also C. J. Gadd in Anatolian Studies I, 108 and Pl. X.3 for a tasselled standard from the district of Harran; a similar emblem occurs in the orthostat of Bar-rekub, a contemporary of Tiglath- pileser III, Sendschirli IV, taf LX. It is also of interest that a similar high-backed chair with

spikes is depicted on an ivory seal from an Etruscan tomb at Marsiliana, c. 700 b.c., cf. Minto, Marsiliana d'Albegna (Firenze 1921), fig. 19. The chairs may be derived from the throne with

high back outlined by stars on which an Assyrian goddess is frequently shown on seals of

the seventh century b.c.

ND.772, PL XVIII, 5. Rectangular stamp seal, black limestone, 22 ? ?? ? ? mm.

perforated longitudinally, from the North West palace, room FF, level IV.

The obverse is bevelled and facetted and engraved with the crescent on some structure, decorated with tassels, The reverse bears a design of a cow with calf seated beneath. In the

field above there may be a stylized plough, and on either side of the cow are inset circles.

It is in the form of a cow that iStar of Nineveh suckled the infant A?sur-bani-pal (L.A.R. II,

para 1129, Craig, Religious Texts, ? 1285, pl. VI, rev: 6-8) NIN.L?L. the sovereign cow,

rimtu elliltu, attacks the enemies of A?Sur-bani-pal with her great horns (Rassam Cylinder,

IX, 75, L.A.R. II, para 829). This is in the Sumerian tradition, where the great mother, under

her various titles, NIN.HUR.SAG,1 Bau, NIN.SUN is symbolised as a cow.2

This seal from its find place may date to the reign of* Sargon; it will be seen that there are

three examples of square seal impressions on tablets dating to the reign of Assur-bani-pal

(Pl. XXIV, 2, 4, and PL XXVI, 3).

ND.3386, PL XIX, 1. Conical stamp seal, pale yellow quartz, height 2 ? 3 cm., from PD.5

(palace in the outer town founded by Adad-nirari III) associated with grave in room 13,

sub-surface (Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 70).

The base of the seal is engraved with a priest or worshipper before two standards on a base.

The standards are the spade of Marduk and the wedge of Nabu, but the engraving is so far

debased that the spade is reduced to a small globe at the end of a shaft and the wedge of the

god of writing has all the appearance of cricket stumps. The seal is of course typically Neo-

Babylonian and comes from graves of that period dug into the ruins of the earlier palace.

ND.3383 (Pl. XIX, 8) and ND.3384 (Pl. XIX, 7) were found nearby.

ND.3212, PL XIX, 2. Conical stamp seal, perforated horizontally, chalcedony, height

1 ? 8 cm., from upper debris in room 45 of the Burnt Palace (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 82). The

base of the seal is engraved with the standard of Nabu and the seven globes of the Sibitti.

The seal was found at a high level and must belong to the post-Assyrian occupation of those

who squatted amongst the ruins of the palaces.

1 On NIN.yUR.SAG symbolised as a cow, cf. Gadd in Hall and Woolley, Ur Excavations J, AlAJbaid, 143 ff. and her relation to the milking scene on the

limestone freize. 2 cf. Labat, Le Caract?re religieux de la royaut?

AssyrchBabyIonienne, 67 f.



PLATE ?

,<V,

?. ND. 1016.

2. ND. 1681.

3. ND. 3228.

4. ND. 1015.

Nimrud Cylinder Seals (pp. 96-97).



PLATE XI

i. ND. 305.

2. ND. 3210.

3. ND. 3259.

4. ND. 3597.




PLATE XII

i. ND. 3582.

2. ND. 1086.

3. ND. 2151.

4. ND. 3211.




PLATE XIII

i. ND. 3226.

2. ND. 3254.

3. ND. 3227.

4. ND. 3589.




PLATE XIV

i. ND. 2152.

2. ND. 892.

3. ND. 2197.

4. ND. 1036.




PLATE XV

i. ND. 1007.

2. ND. 2153.

3. ND. 10C9.

4. ND. 1686.




PLATE XVI

i. ND. 3310.

2. ND. 3260.

3. ND. 887.

4. ND. 889.




PLATE XVII

^^rnm^^

i. ND. 856.

3. ND. 3301.

4. ND. 3598.




PLATE XVIII

i. ND. 858.

/?' S$?

2. ND. 3224 (top). 3. ND. 3208.

4. ND. 3201.

^is?

5. ND. 772.

Nimrud Stamp Seals (pp. 107-108).



PLATE XIX

i. ND. 3386.

2. ND. 3212.

4. ND. 3261.

3. ND. 3225.

5. ND. 3294. 6. ND. 3308.

7. ND. 3384. 8. ND. 3383.

Nimrud Stamp Seals (pp. 108-110).



PLATE XX

?f ? *? ? ? *%.

Q

G O

c/">

?? e

?

Q ?



PLATE XXI

i. ND. 476.

2. ND. 494.

Nimrud Tablet and Bullae (pp. 110-111).



PLATE XXII

i. ND. 807. 2. ND. 806.

3. ND. 802.

5. ND. 808.

Nimrud Bullae (pp. 111-114).

4. ND. 809.



PLATE XXIII

1>?

If? 5?|

Q ?

4

;V ?>*1

???

Sk? V ... *fi?**

Atti**1"

H*?*? V* S* 4! ft ? AM ? ?fel ??tow j| ? * f* ^r ?^ <*

tel ?1L

O,

ci

H -o

e ?

Q ?



PLATE XXIV

ZJ* ?-V-W+

i. ND. 2325.

5. ND. 2078.

2. ND. 2081.

3. ND. 2336.

6. ND. 3437. 4. ND. 2308.

Nimrud Tablets with Impressions (pp. 115-117).



PLATE XXV

IJWff

i. ND. 3463.

2. ND. 3427.

3. ND. 3435.




PLATE XXVI

i. ND. 3424.

2. ND. 3449. 3? ND? 3464.




PLATE XXVII

i. ND. 3460.

2. ND. 3432.

3. ND. 3436.

4. ND. 3422. 5. ND. 2331.




PLATE XXVIII

i. ND. 3421.

2. ND. 3433.

4. ND. 3488. 3. ND. 3412.




PLATE XXIX

?.?

?. ND. 3341? 2. ND. 3326.

3. ND. 3434-

4. ND. 3447-

Nimrud Tablets and Bullae (pp. 122-123).



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949?1953 IO9

ND.3225, PL XIX, 3. Oval seal, perforated longitudinally, alabaster, length 1 ? 8 cm., from Z.T.E. 27 (Ziggurrat Terrace), lower rubbish. The obverse is slightly rounded and in the centre on a levelled surface is engraved a rosette. On the reverse is engraved a winged griffin; one wing is held erect and the other hangs down; the beast's fourth leg is perhaps intended to be obscured by this wing for it is not engraved. In the field are four globes. ND.772 (Pl. XVIII, 5) is another example of a double-sided seal. Seal impressions showing a rosette only are not uncommon on the Nimrud tablets dating to the reign of A?sur-bani-pal (see p. 124). The seal is probably of the seventh century b.c.

ND.3261, PL XIX, 4. Seal in the form of a duck, white chalcedony, length 2*5 cm.,

perforated horizontally, from T.W. 5 3 (houses against the akropolis wall), room 6, probably level 2 and therefore end of seventh century b.c.

On the underside is engraved a prancing gazelle. It is roughly done with much use of the drill and is reminiscent of the engraving of Neo-Babylonian seals such as ND.3386 (PL XIX,

I). ND.3224 and 3208 (PL XVIII, 2, 3) are other examples of seals in the form of animals

coming from levels of the seventh century b.c. ; the former a carnelian duck. The ducks are of course shown in the form used for stone weights, generally from one mana upwards, but

Layard mentions finding others at Nimrud of small size and made of agate and onyx (Nineveh and Babylon, 601). Our ducks are, however, undoubtedly seals or amulets1, and there are two other examples in the Louvre of unknown provenance made of agate and chalcedony, engraved with the figures of winged priests and genii (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre II, pl. 91, 3 a and b (A.631) and 4 (A.632)).

ND.3294, PL XIX, 5. Seal, black steatite, 12X7 mm., with one convex side, perforated longitudinally, from the dump but possibly from level 3, room 30 of T.W.53 (cf? Ifaa> XVI, pt. 2, p. 144).

The underside is engraved with the figure of an ibex. There are other marks on the stone which are not identifiable and may be fortuitous. This is a very small seal and possibly really an amulet, but there is the impression of a much smaller seal on the Quyunjik bullae

5X3 mms., engraved with a duck-like bird. The seal possibly comes from a level dating to the reign of ASSur-bani-pal.

ND.3308, PL XIX, 6. Oval seal with one convex side, perforated longitudinally, chalcedony length 2 ? 7 cm., from pavement level 2, room 23 of T.W. 5 3 (Iraq XVI, pt. 2, p. 142).

The underside is engraved with the figure of a deity, possibly Istar, surrounded by rays (cf. ND.3597, PL XI, 4, p. 99). The seal comes from a level dating to the last half of the seventh century B.c.

ND.3384, PL XIX, 7. Conical seal, perforated horizontally, steatite, height 2 cm., from

room 13 of PD. 5 (palace founded by Adad-nirari III in the outer town). The base is engraved with two opposing birds. The engraving although not of high quality

and unpretentious shows a sense of decorative design unusual in Assyrian art, which suggests that it might be a foreign seal. Like ND.3386 and 3383 (pp. 108, no) it was associated with a disturbed grave of the Neo-Babylonian period.

1 The difference being that one is used for sealing documents and the other is not. Both have amuletic value.

(5178)



IIO BARBARA PARKER

ND.3383, PL XIX, 8. Conical seal perforated horizontally with remains of copper in the perforation; chalcedony, height 1-7 cm., from 1 m. below the surface at south end of room 13, PD.5.

A figure, priest or worshipper, wearing a fringed robe, before two standards on a base,

probably intended as the wedge of the god Nabu and the spade of Marduk ; above the standards is a star. The seal is Neo-Babylonian. Another seal of the same type was found nearby associated with the same late grave dug into the ruins of the earlier palace (ND.3386, Pl. XIX, 1 and p. 108).

ND.891, PL XX, 1. Clay fragment bearing seal impression, size 3*5x3 cm., from B.50, on the floor of mud-brick chambers 6 metres below the surface.

The impression shows a nude winged female holding two gazelles by their hind legs. Alongside this scene is the sacred tree between two seated goats, who turn back their heads towards the tree. Above them is a tress pattern, and above again there are other animals. The impression is obviously of a Mitannian type seal of the fifteenth-thirteenth centuries b.c.

The remains of the mud-brick buildings in which the bulla was found probably belong to

the city of Shalmaneser I (cf. Iraq XII, pt. 2, p. 175). Similar Mitannian seal impressions were

found on tablets of the thirteenth century b.c. at ASsur, alongside impressions of the type of

seal called Middle-Assyrian (Moortgat, Z.A., N.F.XIII (1942), 85 ff).

ND.231, PL XX, 2. Fragment of tablet (cf. Iraq, XII, pt. 2, p. 190) with seal impression, width 2*5 cm., but the impression is incomplete, from the Governor's Palace, room K.

The name of the person sealing the document is broken away and the date is destroyed, but

the approximate date is provided by the mention of the brother of Bel-tarsi-ilima, the governor, fakin, of Calah, who was limmu for the year 797 b.c.

The impression is much damaged but it is possible to make out a striding god holding a mace or knob-headed sceptre like that held by a deity mounted on a horned lion on a gypsum

plaque from Assur (Andrae, Weider erstandene Assur, s. 50, taf. 22). In front of him stands a

worshipper and between them is some object, which might be the wedge symbol of the god Nabu or some kind of cult furniture. Behind the god are traces of two other figures; one

may be a second deity and the other possibly another worshipper or attendant.

ND.476, PL XXI, 1. Impression of ? cylinder seal on a tablet; the length of the seal must

have been about 3 ? 5 cm., with the border, which may bear the impression of a metal cap; from the Governor's Palace, room ? (the archive room, cf. Iraq, XII, Pt. 2, p. 171, and Wiseman,

Iraq XIII, pt. 2, p. 114). The impression shows a god mounted on a horned lion, which may have a scorpion tail

as on the Maltai reliefs (Thureau Dangin, R.A. 21, p. 185 ff), where it appears as one of the

mounts of both A??ur and Adad. The god holds an axe and a ring in his lowered hand and

the other is raised in acknowledgement of devotions rendered by a worshipper, probably the owner of the seal, who stands before him. The god wears a sword, the point of which

is marked by five small stars; there are stars on either side of his head, which probably mark

the end of bow and quiver slung over his shoulders. The worshipper standing before him

wears the usual Assyrian dress of which no details can be seen; he appears to be beardless

like the figure of the bel pihati on the stele of Bel-harran-usur (cf. Publications des Mus?es

d'Antiquit?s de Stamboul, III; Unger, S tele des Bel-harran-usur). In the field above is an unusual

emblem comprising a crescent on a staff which is encircled by a ring; is this an attempt to

represent both the crescent and the full moon ? The seal has six Unes of inscription the script



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, 1949-I953 III

appears in reverse on the impression. The text as far as it has been possible to decipher it reads (1) sd (m) Bel-LAL.(2) sag sd 70 sab?(b?) (3).amei sakin (GAR.KUR) (al) kal-hu. The title " officer of seventy

" occurs on a tablet from the same site (Wiseman, Iraq XIII, pt. 2, p. 117). The date is destroyed, but the documents from this archive were written between the years 797 and 710 b.c., and this tablet is likely to date within that period. In fact, the style and subject of the seal impression places it in a class of seals well dated by their

inscriptions to approximately the years 876 b.c. (Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 71, 595); 809 B.c.

(Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre II, pl. 88, no. 2 (A.678)); 790 b.c. (Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 71, 596); 800 b.c. (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux de la Biblioth?que Nationale, pl. XXIV, no. 354); 789 b.c. (the seal of the sag officer of Be-tarsi- ilima the Governor of Calah, who features in the tablets from the Governor's Palace,

(R.L.V. 2, 416, taf 194, e). The characteristics of these seals is the star-like effect of the engraving and the figures of

deities armed with various weapons outlined by stars. A distinctive figure is the god holding an axe, a weapon not previously associated with any Babylonian or Assyrian deity, and was

perhaps introduced from Syria or Cappadocia. The god in question is possibly Adad, the weather god, like his axe-wielding counterpart in Syria, because a relief of Tiglath-pileser III, which may represent the carrying away of Babylonian gods, shows the statue of the weather

god armed with lightning and wielding an axe (Assyrian Sculpture in the British Museum from Shalmaneser III to Sennacherib, pl. X (lower register)).

ND.494, Pl. XXI, 2, Text Fig. 1. Im-

pression of a cylinder seal on an inscribed

clay bulla; the seal was probably 3 ? 5 cm. long; from the Governor's Palace, room M (Wise- man, Iraq XIII, pt. 2, p. 117).

The impression shows a bearded god hold-

ing an axe and ring. He has a bow hung over each shoulder, the points of which are marked

by a star. The god is faced by a worshipper, possibly beardless, clad in the usual Assyrian robe with fringed shawl. The seal has been so rolled that this figure appears at one end of the impression and the god at the other with the

inscription between them. The inscription is unfortunately illegible because only the first

two signs of each line remain. The bulla records a certain number of wool-bearing sheep witnessed by an individual called Bani. The bulla is undated but must belong somewhere between 797 and 710 b.c., the date of the tablets from this room and the adjacent room K.

The seal design belongs to the same class as the previous seal.

Text Fig. i

ND.807, PL XXII, 1, Text. Fig. 2. Three impressions of the same

seal on a clay bulla; size about 1-5 ? ??5 cm.; from the North-West

Palace, room HH with the ivories on the floor dated to the reign of

Sargon, see p. 112. The impression shows a figure, possibly female, apparently in an

attitude of devotion before a scorpion; the seal has a tress border. The

scorpion figures in Sumerian engraving from very early times ; it is quite

clearly connected with fertility (cf. Van Buren, A.f.O. 12, where much

evidence is collected). It was identified with the goddess I?hara (Campbell Thompson, Reports of the Magicians, No. 223, and D.P.M., X, 25). Her

temple at Assur, as Mrs. Van Buren observes, was in the court of the Istar temple and

(5178) ? 2



112 BARBARA PARKER

amongst the erotic lead figures found in that temple were a number of models of scorpions. In room HH in which this bulla was found, there was a cache of shells of different sizes and

ivory buttons placed in an air vent, which also served as a cupboard. Many of these shells were

engraved with figures of scorpions. These probably belonged to the palace women; a woman's

grave beneath the floor was found in the adjacent room, with a fine carnelian necklace and a

gold signet (I.L.N., 29th July, 1950, p. 183). These shells and buttons may have been used for fortune telling, in which case the scorpion, a symbol of fertility, would obviously be most

appropriate. The seal of which we have the impression may have belonged to a palace- woman. The image of a scorpion was engraved on an alabaster vase found at Assur,

belonging to Sennacherib's wife Tasmetum-Sarrat (M.D.O.G. 21, (1914), 12). Amongst the

bullae found by Layard in Sennacherib's palace at Quyunjik (Nineveh and Babylon, 153 f) there

are a number of impressions of a fine seal surrounded by a tress border, showing a scorpion.

ND. 806 and 809, PL ???, 2 and 4, Text Fig. 3. Two clay bullae bearing seal impressions of the same seal, size about 2X2 cm., from the North-West Palace, room HH on the floor with the ivories, dated by a bulla, 716 b.c. (ND.808, p. 114) and a docket, 706 B.c.

(cf. Iraq XII, pt. 1, p. 176 ff). The impression of this finely engraved seal shows two bearded

and long robed figures standing on either side of a seated camel. Above the camel is an Omega shaped symbol, about which there has been much discussion, but we are still uncertain about its

meaning. It seems to appear first on a seal of Third Dynasty of

Ur, subsequently on two clay plaques of the Larsa period (cf.

A.f.O. IX, 165 ff, in which article Mrs. Van Buren has collected all the evidence). Hinke1

observed that this symbol which appears so often on the Kassite boundary stones, fre-

quently occurs in fourth place after the symbols of Anu, Enlil and Ea, and in several of

these contexts the goddess of procreation, NIN.HUR.SAG. or ???.???? follows Anu, Enlil and Ea in the text. He therefore thought it likely that the symbol2 represented this goddess, an identification which although not certainly proved, has been widely

accepted (cf. Unger in Realexikon der Vorgeschichte IV, 2, 431). Hayes Ward seems to have

first suggested that it represented the locks of a goddess by analogy with the locks

of the Egyptian goddess Hathor (cf. Hinke, op. cit. 121, note 2). This symbol, so often

shown on the kudurru certainly resembles in shape the locks of the nude goddess on seals of

the First Dynasty of Babylon. On Syrian sculpture of the second millenium, the likeness

to both the locks of Hathor and the object on the boundary stones is pronounced (Gressman Alte Orient Bilder, abb. 130, 138, 151), although this may be due to direct Egyptian influence.

Since however the symbol first appears on a seal of the Third Dynasty of Ur and a plaque of

the Larsa period, it seems doubtful if its appearance in Babylonia can be attributed to Egyptian influence but we could not deny that hypothesis. The identity of the nude goddess is uncertain

and she may have more than one tide or name. She is a common figure on seals of the second

lyaf

1 Hinke, A New Boundary Stone of Nebuchadressor I, B.E. Senes D, vol. IV, p. 95.

2 There are at least three alternative symbols by which the goddesses may be represented if this theory is accepted; a flattened band curling at the ends which Mrs. Van Buren regards as the same as the Omega shaped symbol (cf. D.P.M. VU, pl. XVII, Hinke, op cit. fig. 30); a very strange curling object (King,

Babylonian Boundary Stones, plates I and LXXVI), the former example is reminiscent of the double spiral, the latter example, not, but suggests some part of the intestines. There is yet another object, perhaps also intestinal (D.P.M. VII, fig. 453 and Hinke, op. cit.

fig. 2). Sometimes the Omega shaped symbol may itself be shown upside down (D.P.M. I, 172, pl. XVI and Hinke, op. cit. fig. 11).



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949-I953 II3

millenium, in Syria and Mesopotamia. At Nuzu she may be shown with an ear of corn, which

suggests that she represents the goddess Sala (Porada, A.A.S.O.R., XXIV, 31 ; at Nuzu, however, she usually lacks the distinctive locks). In other cases she may be NIN.MAH.1

The goddess's locks seems a more satisfactory interpretation of the Omega shaped symbol than Mrs. Van Buren's, that it represents a new born child's swaddling bands (cf.

op. cit.) although neither is entirely satisfactory, e.g. what has a knife to do with the tresses on

the kudurru of Melishipak? (See below.) Professor Frankfort (J.N.E.S. III, 198) thought it might be connected with the double spiral ornament which had a wide distribution in the Near East and is found in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. The spiral, however, is probably an

essential feature of the ornament. Sidney Smith pointed out that it probably represented the intestines, in view of its use as an amulet for childbirth in modern times (B.M.Q. XI, 62). Other possible explanations are the placenta or umbilical cord, which would account for the

fact, noted by Mrs. Van Buren, that on the kudurru of Melishipak from Susa (D.P.M. I, pl. XVI) the symbol appears to rest on a knife. Mrs. Van Buren has also noted that one of the titles of NIN.HUR.SAG is " the midwife of heaven and earth." The billowing form of the

object shown on the kudurru does not, however, suggest this. The Arabian camel here

depicted was an animal scarcely known to the Assyrians before the ninth century b.c. and may simply represent an essential feature of the seal owner's business, for in the same room as these bullae was found a tablet giving details of a herd of camels (3 females and 36 males, cf. Wiseman,

Iraq XIII, pt. 2, p. 118, ND.805). The appearance of the Omega shaped symbol over the camel

suggests that it may in some way be connected with fertility.

ND.802, PL ???, 3, Text Fig. 4. Impression of a stamp seal on a

clay bulla, size about 1-5 ? ? ? 5 cm., from the Governor's Palace, room S (cf. Iraq XII, pt. *, p. 163).

The impression shows a large bird standing on a stylised hill. The bird has a long neck which it cranes round to look behind it, so that its head overlaps its body; beyond the bird is a dagger or sword. The

length of the bird's neck suggests a vulture; a bird not often shown in Assyrian art. The best example is on the relief of Tiglath-pileser III in the British Museum, where it replaces the eagle usually shown in attendance on the battlefield. A vulture occurs on a mid-Assyrian seal (fourteenth- thirteenth centuries b.c.) of unknown provenance (Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XXXI, i). It is probably an emblem of the god Ninurta representing the vanquished Zu bird, who drew his chariot in the New Year festival (Labat, Le Po?me Babylonien de la Cr?ation, 40-41). There is an interesting fragment of relief found by Layard at Nimrud {Nineveh and its

Remains, II, p. 462, and Monuments of Nineveh, ist series, pl. 67a) the whereabouts of which is unknown, but it seems likely to belong with the other relief of Tiglath-pileser III

showing Assyrian soldiers bearing foreign gods, possibly Babylonian, for the text on the slab refers to Babylon (Assyrian Sculptures in the British Museum from Shalmaneser III to Sennacherib, pl. X). On the lost fragment the soldiers are carrying the statue of a large bird of the eagle type which may have been associated with Ninurta2. The

god of death, Nergal, is usually called the dagger bearer, nal patri, but there is also a

description of one of Ninurta's weapons being " the sword, the dagger of my divinity?

nam-sa-rupat-ru a-nu-ti-ia.(M.V.A.G., 1903, taf III, line 28 (k. 38) and II R.19, 2).

?

vfffV *

Text Fig. 4

1 From the number of clay figures of the nude goddess discovered in the Temple of NIN.MA?J at Babylon, Koldewey concluded that they might represent this goddess (Koldewey, Excavations at Babylon (English Edition) 65 and 277, fig. 202).

2 If Layard is correct in drawing an arrow in the hands of the preceding statue, then it might be Ninurta himself, with the weapon which names his constellation, the arrow Jiltafru (Sirius).

(5178) ? 3



114 BARBARA PARKER

The tablets in room K, M, and S of the Governor's Palace date between 797 and 710 b.c.

Comparison of this impression with the stamp seal impressions from the Sargon level in the North-West palace (Pl. XXII, nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5) suggests that this seal is contemporary. Moreover we have no evidence of the revival of stamp seals before his reign, although this

may be due to the accident of discovery.

ND.809, PL ???, 4. See under ND.806, Pl. XXII, 2.

ND.808, PL ???, 5. Impression of stamp seal on an inscribed clay bulla, size about

3-5 ? 2*5 cm., from the North-West Palace, room HH, on the floor with the ivories, dated to the reign of Sargon (Iraq XII, pt. 1, p. 3).

This unusually large and fine stamp seal impression is unfortunately not well preserved. It shows a god mounted on a bull; he wears an open tunic and carries a mace, but owing to the poor condition of the bulla I am unable to identify any other weapons. Behind him is another deity mounted on a lion, who is undoubtedly the goddess Istar; with one hand she holds her mount by a rein, while the other is raised in acknowledgement of the devotions rendered by the two standing figures. The first figure is bearded, wears the royal tiara, and is undoubtedly the king himself; behind him is probably an attendant or officer, too much

damaged to show any details. The bulla records 3 5 sheep with the shepherd of Nabu-d?r- beli-ia and is dated by the limmu of Tab-sil-esarra to 716 b.c.

It might be expected that so large and fine a seal showing the king himself might be the

king's personal seal, but it seems very unlikely that it would be used on a bulla recording the

giving out of sheep to a shepherd, and we know that the official royal seal was engraved with the figure of the king stabbing a lion (cf. Sachs, Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 167 f). Amongst the bullae from Sennacherib's palace at Quyunjik (Layard, Nineveh and Babylon, 15 3 f) there are the impressions of at least six different seals showing the figure of the king. It seems, therefore, that courtiers might own personal seals showing the figure of the king. There is a seal in the British Museum, probably of the ninth century b.c. which shows the figure of the king, dupli- cated, performing some ceremony with the sacred tree attended by costumed priests or "

genii "

(Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XXXIIIa). The seal is inscribed .as the property of a private individual.

ND.2328, PL XXIII, 1 and Text Fig. 5. Seal

impression on a tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i, p. 43) from Z.T., room 17, width of impression ? ?6 cm. The seal belongs to Gabbu-amur, who sells a slave for 5 2 shekels of silver. The transaction took place in the year 650 b.c.

A bearded worshipper and a priest in a fish robe, who holds a lustral "

bucket," stand on either side beneath the winged disc. The head and shoulders of the god rise from the disc and one arm is extended towards an artificial tree; a seated monkey (see ND.2078, p. 116) touches a branch with fruit which springs from the middle palmette. Behind the figures are the standard of Marduk and Nabu on a base, and above is an

eight pointed star.

Text Fig. 5




The form of the artificial sacred tree is very unusual; the nearest parallel is to be found on a cone-shaped chalcedony seal in the Biblioth?que Nationale collection (Delaporte, op. cit.

pl. XXXV, no. 537) where it is shown beneath the winged disc, flanked by winged sphinxes.1 The seal described by Delaporte is of unknown provenance and date, but from the shape and design must belong to the seventh century b.c., and may be roughly contemporary with this impression.

ND.3423, PL XXIII, 2 and Text Fig. 6. Tablet (see Iraq, XV, pt. 2, p. 140) with cylinder seal impression, width about 1-8 cm., from room 19 of T.W.53. The seal of

Mati-ilaa, a bird-catcher from the town Rapa, who sells his

daughter for fifteen shekels of silver. The tablet is dated by the limmu of Nabu-sar-usur (after 648 b.c.).

The impression shows two bearded and long robed figures on either side of the sacred tree; above is the winged disc. Behind the figures is a lozenge (see ND.751, p. 105f) and above it some object difficult to explain; above this again a star shows very faintly.

df ts?

mr

Text Fig. 6

ND.2325, Pl. XXIV, 1. Tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i, p. 42) with three impressions of the same oval seal, about 1*5 ? ??2 cm., from Z.T., room 17. The seal of Qurdi-Istar, a

messenger of an official of the crown prince's palace, who sells his slave woman for one Carchemish mana of silver. The tablet is dated to the year 658 b.c.

The design consists of a number of emblems thrown together confusedly. There is an

eight-pointed star in the centre, with a globe within each point; above are two crescents, one within the other. On one side is a globe on a shaft, with a cross bar just below the globe; this is possibly intended to represent the spade standard of Marduk. On the other side is a

strange object which seems to be two globes joined by parallel lines; it is difficult to explain unless it is intended to represent the wedge standard of Nabu. There are two other impressions of seals depicting a similar m?l?e of emblems, cf. PI. XXVI, 2 and pp. 119-120.

ND.2081, Pl. XXIV, 2. Tablet envelope (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 33) with square seal im-

pression, about 1 ? 8 X 1 ? 5 cm., from Z.T., room 17. The seal of Ahi-eriba, who is advanced ten shekels of silver to be returned partly in barley. The tablet is dated to the year 658 b.c.

The impression shows a prancing bull; above it is the moon crescent and a star; below the bull is a horizontal line. This impression and Pl. XXIV, 4 are interesting evidence that

square or rectangular seals such as ND.772 (PL XVIII, 5) were not uncommon in late Assyrian times.

ND.2336, PL XV, 3. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XVI, p. 45) with cylinder seal impression, width about 1 ? 7 cm., from Z.T., room 17. The seal of Sakilia, who receives silver, possibly for some commercial enterprise. The tablet is dated to the year 658 b.c.

The impression shows two long robed and bearded figures in an attitude of devotion before the moon crescent on a standard, to which is tied tassels. This is known to be the standard

1 M. Delaporte describes the tree thus: "Trois est vers le haut; la ligne sup?rieure est surmont?e de vasques dispos?es en pyramide et dans chacune rayons." desquelles sont deux lignes ovales dont la convexit?

(5178) ? 4



Il6 BARBARA PARKER

of the moon god at Harran for the relief of Bar Rekub of Sam'al is inscribed to this effect

(Von Luschan, Ausgrabungen in Sendschirli, IV, taf. LX, pp. 344-348 and Gadd in Anatolian

Studies, I, 108). The head of the left-hand figure is hardly visible owing to some accident in impressing the seal. Behind the figures is the lozenge (cf. ND.751, p. io5f) and above it the winged disc.

ND.2308, PL XXIV, 4. Tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 1, p. 3 9) with rectangular seal impressions, size about 1-4 ? ??2 cm., from Z.T., room 16. The seal is that of Mannu-ki-abi, who releases a slave in return for a sum of silver. The date is destroyed but from the occurrence of names of witnesses on other tablets, it may be assigned to the reign of AS3ur-bani-pal.

The design consists of a kneeling stag, with four pointed antlers; over the rump of the animal is a crescent. Stags are not infrequently shown on Mittanian seals of the fifteenth- thirteenth centuries b.c., and also on the seals known as Middle-Assyrian, but are rarely found on Assyrian seals of later periods. They were amongst the herds kept at Chagar Bazar during the time of Samisi-Adad I, and one is said to belong to the house of the diviners (Gadd, Iraq VII, pt. 1, p. 22). It is known that during the old Babylonian period stags were sacrificed on certain special occasions. On the reliefs from the North-West Palace at Nimrud one of the several winged figures bearing fruits and animals carries a dappled stag (Assyrian Sculptures in the British Museum I, pl. XXVI).1

ND.2078, PL XXIV, 5, Text Fig. 7. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i, p. 33) with two impressions of the same seal, about

1-3 ? ??2 cm., from Z.T., room 14. The seal of I?di-Nabu, the

grandson of a palace-woman, who receives a sum of silver on security of some land, perhaps for a business enterprise. The tablet is dated by the limmu of A??ur-gimil-tirri (after 648 b.c.).

The impression shows two seated monkeys playing pipes; the right hand animal wears a collar, but this cannot be seen in the second

impression, perhaps owing to the stamping of the impression. An earlier tablet, ND.3437 (PL XXIV, 6 and p. 117) dated to the year 650 b.c., bears an impression of a seal, which

appears to be identical, although being on the edge of the tablet it is not so clear. It will be seen that this is not the principal impression on this tablet, which is presumably that of the man mentioned as sealing the document. It is puzzling that no one of the name of I?di-Nabu is concerned in this contract, either as principal, witness or scribe.

Monkeys are represented on seals, clay figurines or amulets of various materials, from quite early times in Mesopotamia. There are several clay figurines of monkeys from T. Brak,2

dating to the Jemdat Nasr period. A monkey surmounts the well known gold pin from Ur,3 from the Royal Cemetery; there are amulets of silver and lapis from Khafajah;4 a monkey

playing a pipe is depicted on a seal from Ur of the Third Early Dynastic period.6 Hardly

recognisable animals, which must be monkeys, are often represented on seals of the First

Dynasty of Babylon; there is a clay plaque from Ur of the Assyrian or Neo-Babylonian period which shows a man leading two monkeys,6 rather similar to the scene on the relief from the

Text Fig. 7

1 An antler found at Nimrud in houses behind the citadel wall (A. 51) was that of the red deer. I am again indebted to Prof. F. E. Zeuner for this information.

2 Mallowan, Iraq IX, PI. VII, 6 and XI, pts. 1 and a, pp. 97, 103.

8 Woolley, Ur Excavations II (The Royal Cemetery), pl. 165.

4 Frankfort, OJ.P., 17, fig. 61. 6 Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XIII h. ? Woolley, A.]. Ill, 332 (U. 216).




North-West palace at Nimrud.1 During the recent excavations a broken terracotta figure of a monkey was found at Nimrud, with traces of blue paint inside the mouth (ND.1682). A late Babylonian seal depicts a seated monkey in a collar, playing a pipe, in rather the same

attitude as on the present impression.2 Koldewey found clay figurines of squatting monkeys in the Neo-Babylonian Ninurta temple and a considerable number from all over the site at

Babylon.3 There does not appear to be any evidence that the monkey was ever indigenous to

Mesopotamia. It is interesting and significant that the many representations show such

wide variations in the standard of portrayal. Some are reasonably life-like, e.g. the amulets

from Khafajah or the pin from Ur; or the monkey depicted on ND.2328 (PL XXIII, 1). The craftsmen who portrayed them must obviously have seen such an animal. In other

cases, e.g., the monkey on the Early Dynastic seal from Ur, or the seventh century Babylonian seal, or the present impression, the animals are so poorly depicted that the engraver must

have been working from hearsay: a description given him of an animal he had never seen.

The most likely explanation is that monkeys were imported from time to time, probably from India,4 but they would soon have died from human infection, to which they are very

susceptible, and from unsuitable treatment, being dragged round the streets on a collar and

chain. It would appear, therefore, that they were to be seen occasionally in Mesopotamia and their grotesque human-like appearance must have struck the imagination of the

Babylonians as most suitable for repelling demons and evil spirits, and consequently a

fitting subject for amulets. The idea of a monkey playing a pipe goes back at least to the Third Early Dynastic period,

although there is no monkey included in the animal orchestra on the lyre from the Royal Cemetery at Ur (Woolley, Ur Excavations, II, pis. 104-105), but perhaps this ceremony (cf. Sidney Smith, J.A.R.S. 1928, 866), or the idea behind the scene goes back to the time before

monkeys were known in Babylonia. A sculptured relief from T. Halaf also shows an animal orchestra including a monkey, which however is not taking part in the music, but mixing the

drink that is making the animals dance (Von Oppenheim, Tell Halaf (English edition),

pl. XXXVIII and p. 179).

ND.3437, PL XXIV, 6, and Text Fig. 8. Tablet in

envelope {Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 142) with cylinder seal impression, width about 2 cm., from T.W.53, room 19. The document

is dated to the year 650 b.c. The seal is stated to be that of

Mannu-ki-Nabu, a feeder of birds, or aviarist, who receives an advance of silver. The second impression of a small stamp seal on the left edge of the envelope, which is identical with

that on ND.2078, is presumably that of some other person. The cylinder seal impression shows a long robed and bearded figure in an attitude of

devotion before a god, of whom little can be seen because the figure is on the edge of the

envelope. One hand of the god is raised towards the worshipper, while the other holds a ring (on the question of the ring, often held with the sceptre, probably an emblem of royalty, cf. Gadd, Ideas of Divine Rule, 90). Beyond, a figure in an open tunic is striking a bull, which he grasps by the horn. Above are the seven globes of the Sibitti and the winged disc ; over the other pair is a rosette.5

Text Fig. 8

1 Gadd, The Assyrian Sculptures, British Museum, 1934, pl. XIII and p. 50.

* Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux de la Biblioth?que Nationale, pl. XXV, no. 383.

3 Koldewey, Excavations at Babylon (English edition), 234 f.

4 From the illustrations it is probably the Rhesus

monkey. I am indebted to Professor F. E. Zeuner for this information about the monkeys.

5 A text published by R. Campbell Thompson, J.R.A.S. 1924, 153, reads " The Imhur-aSra plant like the brilliance of Ktar." Campbell Thompson says that the daisy-like IStar emblem may well be the chrysanthemum segetum.



Il8 BARBARA PARKER

ND.3463, PL XXV, 1, and Text Fig. 9. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 146) with cylinder seal impression, width about 2 cm., from

T.W.53, room 19. The seal of Nabu-ka-ahi-usur, the qatinnu official of the god Nabu, who sells his house in Calah; the tablet is dated by the limmu A??ur-garua-niri (after 648 B.c.).

The impression depicts a god wearing an

open tunic, mounted on a winged beast with lion's body, but the head is defaced. The

god wears some kind of tiara, but this figure is much damaged by the action of the salt in

the tablet. He is battling with a rampant sphinx, lion's body, wings, and human head.

Beyond this scene stands a worshipper; before him in the field, a fish; behind the god is

the lozenge (see p. 106).

?///?,

s/?

Text Fig. 9

ND.3427,P1. XXV, 2. and Text Fig. 10. Tablet (cf. Iraq

XV/pt. 2, p. 141) with cylinder seal impression, width about 1 * 7

cm., from T.W.53, room 19. The tablet is dated by the limmu

Sarru-na'id .(after 648 b.c.). The seal is that of A-hi-?-i-di, who sells a slave.

The impressions shows two figures on either side of some

object which is indistinct, possibly an offering table or altar

(the two figures in the drawing should face each other but the

first repeat of the design is badly defaced). Above this object is a crescent and within it a globe; if it is really a star no points can be distinguished in

the impression. The figure wearing a sword is no doubt a god; the other figure holds

his arms in an attitude of devotion, but appears to wear an open tunic, a garment usually reserved for gods and godlings or "

genii." Beyond the figures is the spade standard of

Marduk, with tassels.

?It?

Text Fig. io

ND.3435, PL XXV, 3, and Text Fig. 11. Tablet in

envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 142) with seal impression, 2 X 1-9 cm., from T.W.53, room 19. The seal is that of

Bariki, who receives a sum of silver, probably for trading

purposes. The document is dated by the limmu Bel-Sadua

(after 648 b.c.). The impression shows a passing animal, which is difficult

to identify. The curly tail suggests a dog, but the tail curls

the wrong way. Above this animal is a star, and on either

side of it two groups of globes which may make up the

seven globes of the Sibitti, but the impression is damaged and only six can be seen. In front of the animal is an oval, which may be the lozenge

symbol (cf. p. io5f). Dogs are rarely shown on Assyrian seals, although they were commonly depicted on

Kassite seals. There is, however, another example of a dog on an Assyrian cylinder seal

(Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux de la Biblioth?que Nationale, pl. XXII, 328). The

dog is associated with the goddess Gula. It was essentially, of course, the defender of the

Text Fig. i i



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, 1949-I953 II9

house, from man and devil, as is evident from the models of dogs found buried under houses

(Woolley and Smith, in J.R.A.S. 1926, 689). The dog was identified with the star Hercules, which stands opposite Gula/s constellation Lyra (the goat: the goddess Gula, Bezold, Zenit und Aequatorialgestirne 21, col. I, lines 24-25). On the boundary stones Gula is often shown seated on a stool with the dog sitting in front (e.g. D.P.M., Tome VII, fig. 452, p. 140).

ND.3424, Pl. XXVI, 1, and Text Fig. 12. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2,

p. i4o)with four impressions of the same seal, 1-4X9 cm-> fr?m T.W.53, room 19. The tablet is dated to the year 665 b.c. Mannu-ki-ili and

Pagu( ?)-ili-usur are both said to seal the document, but as not infrequently happens, only one seal is used. Whether or not we are to understand that the first person mentioned is he to whom the seal belongs would seem to

depend on the reasons for this failure to complete this part of the document.1 The two men mentioned sell a slave woman.

The design of the seal is entirely Egyptian and shows a squatting god holding the ma'at feather; the god may be hawk-headed. Judging by the

shape of the impression, the seal may have been a scarab. The following seal, ND.3425 is another example of a purely Egyptian design. The use of such seals in the seventh

century b.c. is discussed on p. 106 in connection with ND.3301.

Text Fig. 12

ND.3425, Text Fig. 13. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 141) with two

impressions of the same seal; size about 2X1-2 cm., from T.W.53, room 19. Two men are named as affixing their seals, Sepa-Nabu-asabat and Isdi-Sibitti, the son of a gate official ?tu, but both impressions are of the same seal ; the tablet is dated by the limmu of Zababa-eriba (after 648 b.c.).

The impression shows the figure of a pharaoh, wearing the battle

crown and holding the ceremonial crook. The hieroglyph sa can be

seen in front of him and there are traces of further engraving beneath

it, so that there may originally have been other hieroglyphs. The

engraving is very shallow and sunk to an even plane in a technique

quite unlike the Assyrian or Babylonian, but akin to that of scarab

cutting. Seals with this peculiarity are found in Palestine (cf. Cylinder Seals from Palestine, Iraq XI, pt. i, p. n); the shallowness of the engraving may be due to

the hardness of the stone used. A figure wearing the battle crown is found on the Nimrud

ivories (Barnett, Iraq II, Pl. XXIII, 4). For a discussion of seals with Egyptian figures see ND.3301, p. 106. This seal is undoubtedly of foreign workmanship, possibly Syrian.

Text Fig. 13

ND.3449, PL XXVI, 2, and Text Fig. 14. Heart shaped grain docket

(cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 144) with seal impression, 2X2 cm, from T.W.53, room 19. The owner of the seal is probably Qurdi-Nergal, who receives

grain without interest for trading or some service. The docket is dated

by the limmu Sarru-mitu-ballit (after 648 B.c.). The design is very similar to that on the following tablet; a number

of emblems scattered about the field. There is a star, the winged disc, the seven globes of the Sibitti, and the standards of Marduk and Nabu. There are two other objects; one may be the lozenge symbol (cf. ND.751, p. 106).

It may be that there was another copy of the tablet bearing the seal impression of the second seller.



I20 BARBARA PARKER

ND.3441, Text Fig. 15. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 143) with seal impression incomplete, size 2 X ? cm., from T.W.53, room 19. The seal of Nabu-eriba, who gives his daughter as security for a loan of

silver. The tablet is dated by the limmu Nabu-sar-usur (after 648 b.c.). The design, as that of the foregoing seal, is composed of a number of

emblems; the winged disc, a star, and an oval object which may be the

lozenge symbol. The impression is incomplete and there are more objects to the right, including, probably, the seven globes of the Sibitti.

ND.3464, PL XXVI, 3, and Text Fig. 16. Heart shaped grain docket

(cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 146) with seal impression, about 2X1-9 cm-> from T.W.53, room 19. Two men are mentioned as sealing the docket, PAP.E.DI and Adad-iski-eres, although only one seal impression is

evident. The docket is dated ic8 B.c. The impression shows a cow suckling a calf; in the field are a star, the

seven globes of the Sjbitti, the moon crescent, and possibly the lozenge symbol (cf. ND.751, p. 106). For another rectangular seal with cow and calf see ND.772, pl. XVIII, 5 and p. 108.

Text Fig. ? 6

ND.3460, Pl. XXVII, 1, and Text Fig. 17. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV,

pt. 2, p. 145) with three impressions of the same seal, size about 1-2 ? 1-2 cm., from T.W.53, *oom 19. The name of the man sealing the tablet is broken away, but it was presumably one of the persons concerned in the sale of a female slave. The tablet is dated by the limmu Bulutu (after 648 b.c.).

The impressions show the figure of a goat, roughly depicted, like a child's drawing. The impression of a seal on a following tablet is of much the same standard (cf. ND.3436, PI. XXVII, 3).

Text Fig. 17

ND.3432, Pl. XXVII, 2. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 142) with three impressions of the same seal, size about 1-2 ? 0-8 cm., from T.W.53, room 19. The seal belongs to Lahidan, the son of Qurdi-Nergal (possibly the owner of the seal impressed on ND.3449) who takes an advance of silver for the delivery of two KUR.GI birds. The tablet is dated

by the limmu Sin-sar-usur (after 648 b.c.). The design of the seal appears to be a narrow lozenge; in the first impression the outline

of the lozenge is in high relief, whereas in the following the outline is sunk. It is difficult to see how all these impressions could have been made by the same seal; possibly it was engraved with the same design on both sides, but if each had been differently executed, that would have accounted for the variation. The impression may depict lozenge symbol, so frequent on Assyrian seals (cf. ND.751, p. 106).

ND.3436, Pl. XXVII, 3, Text Fig. 18. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 142) with two impressions of the same seal on the obverse and reverse, size about ??? X 0-9 cm., from T.W.53, room 19. The seal belongs to Zer-Istar who borrows a large number of doves to be returned in three months. The tablet is dated to the year 660 b.c.

The animal depicted is possibly a gazelle. The impression can best be compared with prehistoric seals such as that from Brak of the 'Ubaid or Uruk period (cf. Iraq IX, PL XX, 12, and p. 129). A seal such as this may be the

product of some out of the way mountain village, where the tradition of the prehistoric craftsmanship still lingered.1

Text Fig. i 8

L In the same way as Kurdish embroidered caps still use designs found on T. Halaf prehistoric pottery.



121 EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, 1949-1953

ND.3422, PL XXVH, 4, and Text Fig. 19. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV,

pt. 2, p. 140) with two seal impressions, impressed upside down on the

tablet; width of cylinder impression, 1-7 cm.; size of round seal im-

pression, 1 ?3 ? 1 ?3 cm., from T.W.53, *oom 19. The seals belong to Isdi-Nabu and Nabu-asbate, the owners of a female slave who is sold. The tablet is dated by the limmu Arad-Nabu, unknown, but presumably after 648 b.c.

The cylinder seal impression is incomplete, being on the edge of the

tablet; it shows a winged divine being (or costumed priest), beside the artificial sacred tree

above which is the winged disc. The winged figure holds something in his lowered hand; this is often a lustral bucket, as on two seals from Assur (which may belong to the time of Sargon, cf. Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 88, 749, 750). In this case it has more the appearance of a branch of flowers or fruit, such as are carried by the divine bringers of herds and

fruits, who are pictured on the walls of the North-West Palace of Assur-nasir-pal at

Nimrud. Behind this figure on the ground is some object which might be the lozenge symbol; above is a star.

The round seal shows the winged disc and beneath it some stylised plant.

.<n.

m?i

Text Fig. 19

ND.2331, Pl. XXVn, 5, Text Fig. 20. Tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. ?, p. 43) with impression on the obverse and reverse of the same cylinder seal, from Z.T. room 17. The seal belongs to Sangu-Istar, who receives barley as his ilku or feudal dues. The tablet is dated to the year 679 b.c.

The impression shows a bull and a large human-headed

bird, who may wear a headdress, but the impression is not clear. Behind this figure is some object, of which only a blurred outline can be seen; the shape suggests a small tree, rather than the wedge emblem of the god Nabu (see the tree as represented on a seal from Assur (Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 76, no. 644)).

Text Fig. 20

ND.3421, Pl. XXVIII, 1, and Text Fig. 21. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV,

pt. 2, p. 140) with two impressions of the same seal, size about 2-3 ? 1-9 cm., from T.W.53, toom 19. The seal is that of Handaburi, who sells a female slave; the tablet is dated by the limmu Assur-sar-usur (after 648 B.C.).

The impressions are very faint, but show a spirited design of a

prancing bull. The objects in the field on either side of the bull are very difficult to distinguish, but look like plant motifs, as shown in the drawing. The decorative treatment of the subject and its adaptation to the outline of the oval seal is unusual in Assyrian engraving; the complete absence of any of the usual

Assyrian symbols is also noticeable, so the seal may be of foreign origin or workmanship.

Text Fig. 21

ND.3433, PL XXVIII, 2, Text Fig. 22. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 142) with two impressions of the same seal, size about

1-3 ? 1 -o cm., from T.W.53, toom 19. The name of the person sealing the document is not given, but this is presumably Ahi-edi, who receives an advance of silver on security of his house and sons. The tablet is dated by the limmu Upaqa-ana-Arbaili (after 648 B.c.).

The impressions show a long robed and bearded figure standing before an object, perhaps some kind of incense burner? A somewhat similar object is shown on a Neo-Babylonian seal in the Newell collection Text Fig. 22



122 BARBARA PARKER

(cf. von der Osten, O.LP. zz, 118, pl. XXX, 438)? Above is the crescent and a star. This and the following impression seem to be precursors of the type of seal design which came into use during the Neo-Babylonian empire and occur at Nimrud in the post-Assyrian occupation on the mound (mostly graves, cf. PL XIX, ? and 8).

ND.3412, PL XXVIII, 3, Text Fig. 23. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2,

p. 139) with two impressions of the same seal, about 2x1-3 cm? from

T.W.53, room 19. The seal belongs to Izbu, who receives a sum of silver in payment of a debt; the date of the tablet is destroyed, but the earliest year mentioned on the associated tablets is 666 b.c. and the archive probably covers the whole of the reign of Assur-bani-pal.

The impression shows a figure standing in devotion before the standard of Marduk, with heavy tassels decorating the top of the shaft; above is the moon crescent. Between the figure and the standard is an object which shows faintly in the impressions; it might be the wedge of Nabu, or some piece of cult furniture. Of the worshipper or priest, few details can be seen, but the robe is unusually short; this detail is clear in the impression.

ND.3488, PL XXVIII, 4 and Text Fig. 24.

Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 148) with two impressions of the same seal, one on the obverse and reverse, width i-8 cm., from Z.T., room 31. The seal is that of Hasini who is advanced a quantity of different kinds of grapes. The tablet is dated to the year 706 B.c.

The drawing has been made from details provided by both impressions; the photograph is of the most complete impression on the reverse. The seal has been rolled upside down on the tablet. The impression shows a god holding an axe, with a bow sluhg over either shoulder. Before the god is a brazier and beyond it a worshipper or priest; behind the figures is probably the wedge of the god Nabu. The

god with the axe and bows is characteristic of a class of seals dated by inscription to the

reign of Adad-nirari III, also occurring on undated bullae from an archive (797-710 B.c.) found in the Governor's Palace (cf. ND.476 and 494, Pl. XXI and pp. no, in). The brazier or altar occurs on seals of the shallow engraved type dating to ninth-eighth centuries b.c. (Moortgat, op. cit. taf. 78, 655, and 651). The evidence available suggests that this type of seal belongs to the first half of the eighth century B.c. and that Hasini may be using his father's seal. A seal of the same type was indeed found in the Burnt Palace, out of position in company with a Sargon brick, but that seal was broken and might equally well have

belonged to an earlier period (cf. ND.3210, p. 98) so that our evidence for this type of seal

continuing to be made during the reign of Sargon is inconclusive.

Text Fig. 24

ND.3341, PL XXIX, 1. Clay bulla with seal impression, size about 2X2 cm., from the main floor of room 4 of P.D. 5 (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. 2, p. 157).

The impression of a finely engraved seal, showing a scene which is paralleled by several

impressions occurring on bullae found by Layard in Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh (cf. Nineveh and Babylon, 153; the impression is described but not illustrated). To the left is a

figure who wears the royal tiara and must be the king, as on the Nineveh impressions. Before



EXCAVATIONS AT NIMRUD, I949-I953 I23

the king is a prancing horse which is held by a rope from its neck; over the horse's head is an

umbrella; confronting the horse is an attendant who is standing and apparently not engaged in any special activity. It is clear that the attendant is not holding the umbrella, but there is no indication of how it is supported. The Nineveh impressions show the prancing horse before the king, behind whom stands an attendant shading the royal person with an umbrella. The two seals cannot be far removed in date and must belong to the seventh century B.c.; the Nimrud bulla comes from the same floor level at which a late Babylonian tablet was found in an adjacent room.

ND.3326, PL XXIX, 2. Clay bulla with seal impression, broken, 1-9 X (?) cm., from the main floor level, room 5 of P.D. 5 (palace founded by Adad-nirari III) in the outer town, but doubtful if it belongs to the foundation of the palace.

The impression show a god in the moon crescent; there is probably a worshipping figure beneath the crescent to the right, and there are other objects to the left, which cannot be identified. The existing parallels are not earlier than the seventh century b.c. and the bulla

probably belongs with the late Babylonian tablet and ND.3301 found on the pavement in rooms 2-3 of PD.5 (cf. p. 106). This scene of a god in the moon crescent is fairly common

during the seventh century and later. Two impressions show the same subject on the bullae found by Layard in Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh (Layard, Nineveh and Babylon, 153). The same scene appears on the other stamp seals late Assyrian or Neo-Babylonian, of unknown

provenance in public and private collections (cf. Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux de la Biblioth?que Nationale, pl. XXXV, 538a, and Catalogue du Mus?e du Louvre II, pl. 91, 12

(A.640) and pl. 92, 1 (A.732) 8 (A.735)).

ND.3434, Pl. XXIX, 3. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 142), with three

impressions of the same seal, size about 1 X 1 cm. The seal is that of Arbailia, who receives a small sum of silver for some enterprise, possibly connected with birds. The tablet is dated to the year 646 b.c.

The impression shows a cross.

ND.2094, Text Fig. 25. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i,

p. 35) with three impressions of the same seal, size about 1 X 1 cm. The seal is that of Assur-lisir, who receives an advance of silver on a contract for the hire of his brother. The tablet is dated by the limmu

Paqa-ana-Arbaili (after 648 b.c.). The design of the seal consists of a quatrefoil. Text Fig. 25

ND.3447, PL XXIX, 4. Heart-shaped grain docket (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2, p. 144), two impressions of the same seal, size about 1-2 X 1*2 cm., from T.W.53, room l9- The seal belongs to Ninurta-nadin-ah? who receives an advance of grain; the tablet is dated by the limmu Musallim-Assur (after 648 b.c.).

The impressions show a many pointed star; it is possible to count nineteen points or rays in all; some of these are paired together and give the impression of the symbol engraved over the figure of the king on the stele of Assur-nasir-pal (cf. Wiseman, Iraq XIV, pt. 1, pl. II) to whomsoever this emblem belongs.1 The other marks on the docket are inexplicable for

only one person is said to seal it.

1 Probably the star of Istar; her emblem as shown on the boundary stones is very similar. The emblem

of SamaS also has eight points, but four of these are wavy lines.



124 BARBARA PARKER

ND.3428, Text Fig. 26. Tablet (cf. Iraq XV, pt. ?, p. 141) with seal

impressions; the first two impressions (from the left) are of a seal 1 ? 1 X 1 ? 1 cm., illustrated ; the two following impressions are too faint to distinguish the design. Two. men are mentioned as sealing the document, Rimute, the son of a gate official (S?L.DU^) and Abad-bel-ibni, the son?of a weaver. Together they sell a

slave, a baker's assistant. The date is destroyed but the tablets in this archive

date between 666 b.c. and 628 b.c. or thereabout. The design consists of an eight pointed star.

Text Fig. 26

ND.2138, Text Fig. 27. Small tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i, p. 40) with

seal impression on left edge, size about 1-4 ? 1-4 cm., from Z.T., room 16. The seal belongs to Laquipi, who obtains a credit for a sum owed

for donkeys. The tablet is dated by the limmu Sin-?ar-usur (after 648 B.c.). The impression shows an eight-petalled rosette, an emblem of IStar

cf. p. 117. footnote 5. Text Fig. 27

ND.2320, Text Fig. 28. Small tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i, p. 41),

possibly tablet and envelope complete, with rectangular seal impression, size about 1 ? 7 ? ? ? ? cm., the impression is incomplete ; from Z.T., room 16. The seal belongs to Urdi, who receives an advance of grain on

an agreement to provide harvesters; he may be a tenant of the man

advancing the grain. The tablet is dated by the limmu MuSallim-As'sur

(after 648 B.c.). The impression shows the moon crescent on a standard, with tassels, the

standard of the moon god at Harran (cf. ND.2336, p. 115L). Beside the standard is

possibly an ear of corn.

Text Fig. 28

ND.2332, Text Fig. 29. Tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. ?, p. 43) with hree

impressions of the same seal, size about 1 -7 ? 1 -4 cm., from Z.T., room 17. The subject of the tablet is difficult but it concerns some action taken by a

palace officer {rab ekalli). There is no indication of who is sealing the tablet, and one would expect a palace officer to have a grander seal than this; like that

of the cultivator( ?) of the foregoing tablet, it shows the moon standard

of Sin of Harran, with characteristic tassels. Text Fig. 29

ND.3446, Text Fig. 30. Heart-shaped grain docket (cf. Iraq XV, pt. 2,

p. 144) bearing three impressions of a very small seal, size about 8x8 mm., from T.W.53, room 19. The seal presumably belongs to Gutusu, who

receives an advance of corn for some service. The tablet is dated by the

limmu Zababa-eriba (after 648 B.c.). The impression shows a frog (cf. frog amulets from T. Brak, Mallowan,

Iraq IX, PL XIV, 2-5, and p. 108; for discussion on frog amulets see p. 100). Such amulets were common in Mesopotamia during the prehistoric and Early Dynastic

periods. Being water creatures, they were probably connected with the fertility of the land;

they may have been rain symbols as Professor Mallowan suggests. A miniature frog of

bronze was found at Nimrud, dating to about 800 b.c. (cf. I.L.N., 15th August, 1953), but this was probably a jeweller's weight.

Text Fig. 30




ND.2333, Text Fig. 31. Tablet in envelope (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. ?, p. 44) with two impressions on the obverse and two on the reverse, all of the same

seal, size about ? ?6 ? ? -6 cm., from Z.T., room 16. The seal belongs to

Nabu-rimani, who borrows a sum of silver possibly for trading, leaving his son to serve the creditor for a year until the debt is repaid. The tablet is dated to the year 672 B.c.

All the impressions are extremely faint. They show a goat with long curving horns; it may have a beard, but in front of the animal there is something else as well which is indistinguishable, possibly an ear of corn. The attitude of the goat is

peculiar but a goat in much the same attitude is engraved on the metal end of the mount of a seal in the Louvre (Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux du Mus?e du Louvre II,

pl. 98, 5a (A.958)) from a tomb near Aleppo of Neo-Babylonian date. The border is

interesting and obviously copied from metal work.

Text Fig. 31

ND.2093, Text Fig. 32. Tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. ?, p. 35) with three

impressions of the same seal, size about 1-5 ? ? - ? cm., from Z.T., room 14. The tablet is dated by the limmu Nabu-sar-usur, the palace-scribe (after 648 b.c.). The name of the person sealing the tablet is not given, it might be

any one of the five men, who are said to receive a sum of silver from the royal treasury. The original seal must have been finely engraved, but all the impressions are uneven and incomplete, so that the drawing has been made from details obtained from the different impressions.

The design consists of two bull men, with arms aloft, but instead of supporting the winged disc, as on the following seal, there are only two parallel lines which divide off the top of the seal. Between the bull men are the standards of Marduk and Nabu, on a base.

Text Fig. 32

ND.2307, Text Fig. 33. Tablet (cf. Iraq XVI, pt. i, p. 37), with three

impressions of the same seal, size about 1 -4 ? ? -7 cm., from Z.T., room 16. The tablet is dated by the limmu Sarru-na'id (after 648 B.c.). The text records the marriage of the daughter of a female officer sakintu of the new

palace at Calah, to Milki-ramu, possibly the eponym of 656 B.c. Inadequate space has been left for the seal impressions; none of the three impressions on this seal is complete, and the drawing has been made from details taken from each. There are traces of the impression of a second seal. There is no indication of to whom the seals belonged. It seems likely that both the sakintu and Milki-ramu sealed the document.

The impression shows two bull men supporting the winged disc; between them is the sacred tree. The lower part of the seal is ruled off, and filled in with two rows of pear-shaped dots, probably representing mountains.

Text Fig. 33



Documents

Excavations at Nimrud, 1949-1953: Seals and Seal Impressions