Investigating Mesopotamian Cylinder Seals Iconography by using artificial neural networks. The Isin-Larsa period14_Viaggiu

7252019 Investigating Mesopotamian Cylinder Seals Iconography by using artificial neural networks The Isin-Larsa period1hellip

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullinvestigating-mesopotamian-cylinder-seals-iconography-by-using-artificial-neural 120

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INVESTIGATING MESOPOTAMIAN CYLINDER SEALSICONOGRAPHY BY USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

THE ISIN-LARSA PERIOD

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Modelling has always been an integral part of the development of ar-chaeology at least over the past forty years In the broadest sense archaeologyis the study of the human activity from the past and a model is a simplifiedrepresentation of reality As a model does not represent reality but gives ususeful information and allows us to see aspects of the world that we haveselected in advance in a computational model reality is summed up in a fewkey features omitting unnecessary details Human societies in their naturalenvironment can be considered as complex systems

Such systems consist of many parts that interact with each other andare present in every hierarchy in the universe from the molecular level to thebig planetary systems up to the large-scale structure of the universe Model-ling can help to identify the relationships between items within a complexsocio-environmental system in a particular hierarchy Simulations relatedto large populations and their non-linear interactions are operations thatrequire a substantial commitment in terms of resources both human andtechnological In recent years however the introduction of new mathemati-cal techniques rapid advances in computing and tools for modelling havegreatly improved the potential of complex systems analysis in archaeology(R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 2010 2013)

Fieldwork and research have always produced large amounts of quali-tative and quantitative data Without some hope to handle their complexitydata derived from non-archaeological research may never be interpreted orpublished Therefore archaeologists are able to apply usual statistical meth-ods such as averages and medians to name just a few in order to facilitatethe reading of the results and produce graphs as histograms and pie chartsIn order to adopt a Bayesian method it is necessary to go beyond the classi-cal statistical methods and to use a model-based approach In each projectresearchers need to get an idea of the problem concerned by investigating ex-amining data and observing how they are distributed Graphs and histogramsare of particular importance in the construction of a model that is very usefuland widely used by archaeologists because it allows to simplify the problemand to interpret the results in a clearer and more precise way Thanks to themodelling of the problem and to the choice of prior evaluations one canthrough the Bayesian theorem get the information retrospectively In other

Archeologia e CalcolatoriSupplemento 6 2014 243-262



I Viaggiu

244

words through the Bayesian approach a priori knowledge and assumptionscan be included explicitly in the equations and thereafter the interactionbetween old and new information can be formalised

Archaeological data are not only a simple record that can be representedcompared collected coded and from which information can be extractedthe record is an integral part of an information process in which the object isonly a mean and not the goal of the information flow influenced by a numberof factors in which the context is determined by the dynamics of a cognitivesystem that auto-organise so often difficult to decode with ldquosimplerdquo proba-bilistic and statistical systems that help an interpretation that is more like asnapshot than a tale that unfolds in the plot of time

Like other fabrics the seals were the subject of both these different linesof research on one hand the simple analysis of the different variables linkedto the figurative components identified within a scene on the other handthe search of connections that overcome this step bringing us to a level ofunderstanding that is as close as possible to the cognitive processes of whomade these objects (R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 2005) Of fundamental importance are thestudies that Camiz and Rova have developed since 1994 through the analysisof a corpus of 1247 seals of Jamdat Nasr period (C983137983149983145983162 R983151983158983137 1996 20012003 C983137983149983145983162 et al 1998 2003 2007) The purpose of their research wasto obtain an overview of the relationships between different groups of sealsstudied and classified according to their iconographic features and other fac-tors such as geographical origin dating and context of discovery

The methodological basis of this study is based primarily on MultipleCorrespondence Analysis up to the elaboration that considers not only thepresence or absence of certain iconographic elements but also the order (aswell as their remoteness or proximity) and the way in which they are as-sociated Their composition can then be examined according to two levelsof increasing complexity The first level is represented by fixed sequencesof elements that form small substructures the second is represented by thecomposition of the whole image The third level of analysis is carried out byturning the image into a sequence of symbols or strings Suitable algorithmsare then developed to examine the distance between different sequences Oncea matrix is produced an analysis of the main coordinates is conducted on thesequences and followed by a Cluster analysis

Another approach to the problem of the analysis of the seals is repre-sented by Artificial Neural Networks In short Artificial Neural Networks(ANNs) are information processing systems that try to simulate in a com-puter system the operation of biological nervous systems which are formedby a large number of nerve cells and connections (synapses) between themNeural networks are based on connective methods consisting of many smallunits connected together by links weighed and working synchronously and



Investigating Mesopotamian cylinder seals iconography

245

asynchronously While in traditional computers the data are processed indi-vidually and sequentially in a neural network data work in parallel and areable to handle a considerable volume of information Artificial Neural Net-works come from the need to reproduce typical activities of the human brainas the so-called associative memory processes the perception of images thecomprehension of language and the sense-motor coordination

An artificial neural network attempts to emulate the behaviour of thebiological neural network which we usually call the brain or more accu-rately to capture the essential features of the processes that allow thanks topartial knowledge of certain words (patterns) to remember whole sentencesor phrases connected to circumstances and places There are various types ofneural networks the classical classification distinguishes between supervisedand non-supervised networks The first type is characterised by an input anda known output and the weights are updated during the procedure accord-ing to the wanted output This procedure is called ldquotrainingrdquo of the networkThe ldquosupervisionrdquo consists precisely in knowing the answer you would expectfrom a given input A neural network is then able to give consistent answersto inputs that had not been presented in the training phase The most com-mon network of this type which is also the most popular is the multilayernetwork (ie where the nodes are placed in parallel layers usually 2 or 3maximum 4) another one is the back propagation network called after thetraining algorithm name

A classic example of a similar network is used for character recognitionA series of characters (usually contained in a square grid) are presented to thenetwork and the network is trained to recognise which characters they areThen it will be able given any symbol to determine which character it ldquolookslikerdquo Non-supervised networks are generally used to perform input classifica-tions such as the famous Kohonen networks (SOMs ndash Self-Organizing Maps)which have a wide range of applications (K983151983144983151983150983141983150 1997) These networksgroup the inputs into categories consisting of similar inputs (according tocertain criteria) A SOM also creates a map of the inputs putting close togethersimilar inputs A particularly effective application of the use of SOM to thefigurative analysis is the study carried out on seals of the Akkadian and Ur IIIperiod by Di Ludovico and Ramazzotti (D983145 L983157983140983151983158983145983139983151 R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 2008)

Another study that uses a special type of neural networks called Auto-Contractive Maps was published by D983145 L983157983140983151983158983145983139983151 and P983145983141983154983145 (2011) andcovers in particular cylinder seals of the Ur III period Auto-Contractive Maps(Auto-CM) are a particular type of non-supervised neural network developedby PM Buscema at the Semeion Research Centre Those networks are able totrace the natural relationships between variables highlighting soft and weaklinks that would escape from a traditional statistical analysis One can thushighlights the semantic map of the variables identified studying the figura-



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tive representation of the seals developing a graph which points out someimportant connections hardly detectable with other standard probabilisticmethods This method is the one used in the research presented in this paper

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The first part of this experiment is represented by the creation of adatabase containing data as homogenous and standardised as possibleThe idea of creating a dataset consisting of a collection of seals and theirstamps belonging to period of Isin and Larsa (2000-1750 aC) presents notfew difficulties that are related to the inherent problems both the choice ofseals themselves and the computer support necessary for the collection of

information Computer tools represent a fundamental instrument to enableresearchers to always keep on top of the data to easily check all the objectscollected and to interchange and compare information (R983145983162983162983137 2006) Thestructure of the database includes two types of variables those that can bedefined as concrete variables and the abstract ones The latter are a reflectionof our way of understanding the data inside of a quest that has a breath ofscientific type You begin to collect stamps having in mind a theory which isat that time only at an initial state with the awareness of having to makechoices that may not be easy and painless but which are nevertheless inevi-table It is therefore a step forward from the level of ideas to the level of the

objective reality which does not always shines for clarity and completenessof the information it contains

The corpus of data must therefore necessarily take into account thefollowing two realities On the one hand the seal is a physical object and avehicle of direct information on the other hand the seal can become a se-meion between two systems of thought that are very distant in time In thisperspective the seal is an object that allows us to move from a reconstructivelevel to an interpretation level and a sign that transforms the act of sealingor of possessing the seal itself into a communicative moment for the varioussocio-cultural aspects that are involved in the study of these objects Returningto the problem of the selection of seals the first criterion of inclusion that Ichose was determined by the ldquocertaintyrdquo of dating

Regarding the glyptic production and other elements the period ofIsin and Larsa is indeed a moment that raises numerous difficulties in dating(C983151983148983148983151983150 1986) There are stylistic criteria used for dating as the presenceof intercession scene in place of the presentation scene or technical criteriaas the prevailing use of hematite a material for the manufacture of the sealor the development of a new technique of realisation that can help us butthey cannot give us the certainty of dating which can then fluctuate from thetime of the Third Dynasty of Ur to Old Babylonian period Everything that




247

concerns all aspects of human artistic production may be subject to datingcriteria that are not necessarily stylistic but may involve other levels andmental experience that are not always so mechanically interpretable This hasled to a drastic reduction of the number of items considered since in mostcataloguing works the Isin and Larsa period is included in the discussion ofEarly Babylonian period or is considered as the final moment of the ThirdDynasty of Ur Another criterion of selection was the geographical origin thatit was possible to determine being almost entirely the Mesopotamian land

The seals included in this research are also selected from catalogues ableto offer complete information about the materials of their manufacture andtheir state of wornness since these information convey crucial observationswhich are not exclusive of the seal as an object but may also involve its useand function The homogeneity of figurative representations led to anotherimportant guideline for the selection of the material as a guarantee of a moretimely recognition of formal and aesthetic variables At the end of this firststep of the research the selected seals were 130 This number permits to reachan acceptable compromise between quality and quantity of inserted objectsand above all given the number of variables considered for classificationrepresents an important measure of data The selected seals and their stampsare from Babylon (51 of the total) from Diyala (43) and only for threeseals the origin is outside Mesopotamia These three seals were included inthe database to offer an example of production outside Mesopotamia Mostof the records examined originate from places that were the subject of ex-cavations especially by H F983154983137983150983147983142983151983154983156 (1955) for the Diyala region and byA P983137983154983154983151983156 (1954) for the area of Girsu and Larsa (excavations 1931-1933)Geographical origin when not explicitly stated is not determined Only for46 seals out of 130 it was possible to establish the exact place of discoveryOther seals come from private collections that have been edited separately asthe Chiha collection (D983151983157983149983141983156 1922) or are part of other museum collectionsas the seals from the British Museum or the seals of the Egyptian Museumof Turin (B983141983154983143983137983149983145983150983145 1987)

The seals have always represented a strong economic attraction for theantiquarian market for the material which can be invaluable as well as for theease of transport and also for their possible transformation into a variety ofpendants this explains the significant presence of these objects within privatecollections One of the richest collections was bought by the British Museumin 1825 from the heirs of Claudius James Rich (1786-1821) a member of theEast India Company resident in Baghdad

The archaeological excavations can give us only the certainty of theplace of discovery but cannot prove if the seal was actually manufacturedin that same place Even dating presents considerable challenges becausethe seal is a type of object often subject to reuse (re-carving) The reuse of



I Viaggiu

248

a seal results in a prolongation of its life and in a consequent falsificationof the date of its manufacture but it also offers extra details of stylistic andtechnical nature

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Among interpretative disciplines of history of art iconology deals withthe subject or meaning of the artwork as opposed to its shape At a first readinglevel some primary keys were identified to give us the basic information forthe study of figurative representation of the seals of the period examined Fivetypes of scenes were so identified The first and prevalent with a percentage of45 of the total is the intercession scene recognised by virtually all scholars

as the innovative scene typical of the Isin and Larsa glyptic The second typeof scene is the presentation scene with a percentage equal to 39 typical ofthe production period of the third dynasty of Ur and still considerably usedin this period The third type involves a character in front of the deified Kingwith a percentage of 10 The fourth kind presents a character in front ofdeity with a percentage of 5 The fifth and final type is present on one sealand represents a deity in front of another deity (1)

We proceed by locating within every single group significant elementsoperating a kind of syntactic deconstruction to discover for every scene con-stituent base elements that present a meaning not changing in contact withother variables (Figs 1-2) The intercession scene is based on three elements

1) The interceding deity2) The worshipper or another character that is introduced in front of the deity3) The object of devotion which can be either a deified King or another maleor female deity

These characters interact with each other into a quite standardisedcompositional scheme the interceding divinity is represented behind itsworshipper with both hands raised the worshipper follows with his handsgathered below in front of a deity which can be standing or sitting and rep-

resented with iconographic features that identify it as a deified King or asa deity with no particular signs that could identify it or on the contrary asa specific deity of the pantheon These are the main characters of this typeof scene that we can certainly interpret as a cult scene offering all sorts ofvariations on the theme These variations do not change the syntactic levelstructure of the scene but are just different interpretations of it due to reasonsthat are related to another sphere of investigation leading back to regionaltype variations re-carved or engraverrsquos errors unable to interpret it correctlyThe increasing number of the actors appearing in the figurative field does notcover the principal level characteristic of this iconology




249

Some variations in the pattern do not seem to affect the deep meaning

of the scenes as for example in the intercession scene on the seal classifiedas BM 108777 where three deities intercede some other variations like theone on the seal classified as BM 89479 where a woman is represented insteadof a worshipper (although the interpretation is uncertain) somehow modifythe meaning but not the syntactic structure On another seal classified as BM89552 the worshipper is upside down which has been interpreted as linkedto a funerary context (C983151983148983148983151983150 1986)

It is as if in a sentence like ldquoI eat an applerdquo simple in its structure witha subject a verb and a complement we would add other words as ldquoI eattwo applesrdquo or ldquoI eat an apple with gustordquo the structure does not change

but the fact of eating two apples provides an extra information that needsdecoding however using other information which often are not availablewhy two apples One is too small or the subject is hungrier Often lackingthis depth of information for the seals our task is to annotate these featuresin an attempt to shed some light on their meaning that surely exist becausenothing is added to the case especially on an object as the seal so importantat a social level

The second type is the presentation scene The syntactic structure issimilar to that of intercession but it changes in the spatial arrangement andposture of the protagonists who are always the worshipper the interceding

deity and the divinity or the deified King The order however is differentthe goddess interceding before the worshipper that introduces him in thesight of the deity taking him by hand This type of depiction may havevariations on the theme as the previous type with the introduction here ofother characters as the dwarf with arched legs and severed head depicted inprofile well attested and in a larger number in the intercession scene Thethird type of scene stars a character in front of the deified King In this casethe figure of the interceding goddess is missing Here too the characters infront of the deified King may be more than one and attend other secondarycharacters

Fig 1 ndash Intercession scene Fig 2 ndash Presentation scene



I Viaggiu

250

We are again in front of a cult scene but the lack of the characterwho intercedes in front of the deity would have in this case a much deepermeaning that could be related to a different interpretation of the relation-ship between the character that stands in front of the deity and the deityitself The absence of interceding deity from the figurative field might leadto think that the worshipper now enjoys a ldquoclosenessrdquo a physical relationto the King This could indicate a direct access of this character to the Kingmaybe as the holder of a high office within the palace bureaucracy and itsmultiplication within the scene may be explained with a father and son (orsons) relationships

The other two types of scenes examined represent only a variation inthe typology of the two main characters involved in the unfolding of thescene but I nevertheless decided to classify them because the fact that thereis a deity in front of another deity meaning that the character is faced with adeity and not in front of the deified King perhaps could narrow the field ofuse of the seal to the templar and not palatial bureaucracy (W983145983150983156983141983154 1991)

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The analysis shifts at this point to the iconographic study of thepeculiarities of the variables that do not characterise each typology eitherbecause these are basically constant in all scenes or because they are only oc-casionally detectable and as such can be considered as elements that enrichthe figurative field but are not decisive enough to modify the interpretationat the semantic level

Three main classes of variables can be distinguished

1) Human or divine characters2) Animals and hybrid beings3) Objects that are not bound to the characters but are free in the figurativefield

For each of these classes variables will be examined within the typologi-

cal characteristics of the scene The divine figures that can be found withinthe scene when they are not replica of the interceding goddess can offer usconsiderable enrichment about the iconography of the deities On the sealBM122834 we can find one deity that presents all the iconographic featuresof the goddess Ishtar although in the catalogue I preferred to interpret itmore cautiously as a warrior goddess Some interpretations recognise her asthe goddess Shala the paredra of the storm god Adad The goddess is repre-sented interceding with an advanced foot on the back of a little lion Torsoand face are in frontal position Two quivers are crossed on her back Heroutstretched hand holds a rod and a ring Usually she holds in one hand a




251

mace with a double headed lion and clutches a curved weapon (harpeacute) in theother one (M983137983156983156983144983145983137983141 2000)

Other deities appear only in two seals the BM 129500 and BM 102048The first is in a scene with a character in front of a deity the second is theso-called nude goddess in an intercession scene Her identification as a deityis questioned because her attitude with the hands clasped on her belly infrontal position on a small pedestal or lion cub would simply identify heras a devout woman connected to fertility cult practices This type of figuredoes not seem to appear before 1825 and disappears around 1750 Its pres-ence is linked to a manufacturing type limited to provincial environmentsand characterised by a linear shape which makes think of a Northern origin(M983137983156983156983144983145983137983141 2000)

We shall now proceed to the examination of non-divine figures Oneof them is the one defined ldquothe King with the macerdquo who appears on threeseals BM 102058 (the character in front of the deity) BM 116280 (presenta-tion scene) and BM 89552 (intercession scene) He is represented on the firstseal while holding the harpeacute with one hand and a stick with the other on thesecond seal again while holding the stick and on the third seal naked with adouble belt around the waist and a small stick in the hand Another characterhas been classified as a ldquoherordquo since he is engaged in mythical battles On thefirst seal (BM 101972) the ldquoherordquo is in frontal position and he is holding acup from which water gushes on seal BM 132858 he is represented with a

short skirt standing while the right hand grasps the rear paw of the lion hisright leg over the animalrsquos head and finally on the BM 89198 (Fig 3) in thesame position but naked

The so-called dwarf from bowed legs is one of the filling characters thatdistinguish the glyptic production of Isin and Larsa and Early Babylonianperiod He occurs in all types of scenes and is represented with both handsraised or with hands folded on the belly front facing or turned right or lefthanded upside down naked wearing a cap or bald On two other seals arepresent the so-called ldquodetached headsrdquo bizarre fill patterns with obscure mean-ing except perhaps their pictorial value as the representation of the sign sag

Our analysis now focuses on the types of animals and fantastic creaturesoften represented as human-animal hybrids The first is the so-called ldquobullmanrdquo recalling mythical fight scenes that characterised the glyptic of the Ak-kadian period He is represented standing grabbing the forelegs of a lion onBM 89303 in heraldic position with another bull man with the arms raisedon BM 129500 standing and front facing holding a spear as on BM 89456or grasping with the right the rear paw of the lion and holding the left pawon the felinersquos neck as on BM 89026

Interesting are the representations of all kinds of hybrids between fishand man with all their variations fish with human head and arms fish with



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252

human head and cap with crest fish with human head and fish animal hy-brids the so-called goat fish All appear individually in the intercession sceneexcept for the goat fish that is present on the BM 129495 seal that representsa presentation scene

The figure of the hybrids is connected with Enki and has a long icono-graphic history from the representation of the seven sages apkallu civilisingheroes sent by Ea to bring culture to the ancient inhabitants of Mesopotamiauntil Roman times especially at the time of Augustus when the Capricornzodiac sign becomes the symbol of the emperor Another animal that recurswith some frequency is the lion that appears as a victim of the assault of the

ldquobull manrdquo or as associated to the deity or as standing in the figurative fieldwithout a particular relationship with the other characters in the scene Thedog is quite frequent and is often represented as sitting The inscriptions ofthe kudurru identify him as the symbol of the goddess Gula who provides forthe health of his worshipper and could also recall a symbology which sees theseal as an amulet with apotropaic functions and a lucky charm for the healthof its possessor The monkey is another animal that had excellent luck in thisperiodrsquos glyptic Always sitting often found next to the inscription he is alsoconnected somehow with the sun god and associated with the astral symbolism

The focus now moves on the analysis of the unconstrained variables

These can be further subdivided into symbols that do not have a specific astralmeaning and real astral symbols Astral symbols have an almost ubiquitouspresence within the corpus of data examined We can distinguish various types

1) The crescent moon often represented in top centre of the figurative scene2) The star disk with crescent moon3) The star4) The disk with crescent moon

The crescent moon is universally referred to as the symbol of the god-dess Inanna and it is often interpreted as linked to a magical and protectivesphere The addition of the sun disk in figurative composition was also seen

Fig 3 ndash BM 89198




253

as a symbol of Eclipse while for the starry disk very interesting is the theoryadvanced by Mehmet-Ali A983156983137983271 (2008) that comparing astral symbols con-nected with the sun in the stele of Naram-Sin with those present in the sealshighlighted the triangular elements inside the iconography of the star diskwith crescent moon and distinguishes the ones with straight sides as matchinga symbolisation of the light of the sun from those with wavy lines represent-ing the heat of the sun Mehmet-Ali Ataccedil interprets this as the symbol of asyncretism between the representation of the Akkadian god Shamash and theworship of the Sumerian goddess Shamash

5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143

At this point after the identification of the variables we can start the ex-perimental data processing previously identified and selected within the corpus of the seals The data collected in an Access file are exported to an Excel fileThe file consists of 160 variables and 130 records and the defined variables areclassified in 4 main areas previously identified iconology characters (divine andhuman) animals and symbols Each main area includes additional subdivisionsthat add variables of iconographic nature such as the type of clothing wornby a particular character or the posture of animals and characters up to thedefinition of their location within the figurative field including symbols The filehas been encoded to a text file with the extension txt The data so processed

have been loaded in the experimental software developed by dr MassimilianoCapriotti and used by the Laboratory of Analytical Archaeology and ArtificialAdaptive System (LAAampAAS) ready for the algorithm processing and weightdefinition The parameters chosen for this step were

1) Input Type variables2) Weight metrics Auto-Contractive Maps Linear Correlation Prior Prob-ability3) Auto-CM parameters Epochs 100000 Energy 00001 Learning Rate 15

The result is the generation of graphs according to all three types of

metrics To display the corresponding graph we used the open source softwareGEPHI v 081

6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141

The next step was the graph visualisation and layout to make it ldquoread-ablerdquo and the study of the Minimum Spanning Tree resulting from statisticalmeasures already examined in previous chapters The order in which variablesappear is determined by the value set by the Auto-CM matrix The greater theirvalue the higher is their representation in this scale that analyses the multiplic-ity of their connections within the graph The variables in position number



I Viaggiu

254

two and three immediately gain our attention and stimulate our curiosity Ifwe made a simple analysis of occurrences ie how often these variables appearin the figurative field their position would have been far more modest Alsothe graph is susceptible to this sort of trichotomy and expands by followingthese three branches The one with hybrid with fish is more peripheral butthe first two are very centrally located The role represented by a worshipperis certainly a semantically significant character but the position of the ldquoballand staffrdquo is definitely a surprise

Not interpreted univocally still remains a ldquomysterious objectrdquo Associ-ated with the pot that often accompanies it in the figurative field of the sealthe ldquoball and staffrdquo is interpreted by some scholars as an object in some waylinked to the world of shepherds or connected to the naked goddess and inthis sense the pot would have performed as a comb and the ldquoball and staffrdquoas a toiletry item (C983151983148983148983151983150 1986) For the allocation to the pastoral worldthe ldquoball and staffrdquo is indicated as a not better identified subject connectedto the carding of wool The naked goddess does not appear so close in theramifications of the graph while the pot turns out to be included in the samegroup Interesting that the ldquoball and staffrdquo appears instead associated withmany elements linked somehow to the sphere of gifts and divine attributesharpeacute and stick scepter harpeacute just to name a few

The network may suggest something that the only examination relatedto its mere pictographic representation might not leap immediately to the eyesMore enlightening at this point could be the interpretation of this object as asymbol of the zodiac sign of Libra (C983151983148983148983151983150 1986) The Libra symbol tied tojustice could now justify a central location of this element within an object asthe seal in which justice is seen as the seal of ldquolegalityrdquo Certainly striking is thesimilarity between the iconographic yield of this sign and the cuneiform sign

Fig 4 ndash Zibanitu





255

that indicates the scales the Akkadian zibanitu and the later zodiac abbreviationof Libra (D983157983154983145983150983143 C983137983155983152983141983154 1997) In this case we could be in the presence of aparticular historical moment in which the zibanitu has not been ldquocanonisedrdquoyet and still suffers from his pastoral tradition tied to a farming calendar anda rendition of the pictographic nature sign (R983151983143983141983154 1998) (Figs 4-5)

7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143

In the table below the variables are ranked according to the multiplicityof their connections

Id Label Degree60 [CHAR]worsh1 11132 [SYMBOLS] ball and staff1 811 [ANIMAL]hyb fish1 780 [CHAR][POST]intH up supp 449 [ANIMAL][POST] stand 444 [ANIMAL][POST] lie 426 [ANIMAL] bird1 4140 [SYMBOLS] drill hole1 4141 [SYMBOLS] drill hole2 421 [ANIMAL] monkey1 455 [CHAR]god 4

87 [CHAR][POST]stand 448 [ANIMAL][POST] sit 483 [CHAR][POST]H right up greet 484 [CHAR][POST]H left up greet 3109 [CHAR][ATTR] animal 38 [ANIMAL] goat 337 [ANIMAL][POS]hight c 333 [ANIMAL][POS]front 328 [ANIMAL] bull man1 39 [ANIMAL] oyster 340 [ANIMAL][POS]low l 356 [CHAR] Sun god 315 [ANIMAL] fly 379 [CHAR][POST]Asc 395 [CHAR][CLOTHES] short skirt 366 [CHAR] interc 3158 [SYMBOLS][POS] low r 338 [ANIMAL][POS]low 361 [CHAR]worsh2 398 [CHAR][CLOTHES] naked 390 [CHAR][POST]stand+object 376 [CHAR][POS]front 367 [CHAR] male1 3

58 [CHAR] w deity 385 [CHAR][POST]sit 3150 [SYMBOLS][POS]right 394 [CHAR][CLOTHES]skirt+ lines 329 [ANIMAL] bull man2 296 [CHAR][CLOTHES]flound Skirt+wrap 264 [CHAR] char1 2126 [SYMBOLS] tree 245 [ANIMAL][POST] advan 225 [ANIMAL] turtle 291 [CHAR][POST]stand offer 247 [ANIMAL][POST] stood hinds legs 2

31 [ANIMAL][POS]left 270 [CHAR] king 274 [CHAR] head 210 [ANIMAL]griffin lion h 217 [ANIMAL] goat fish 2138 [SYMBOLS] dates 263 [CHAR]dwarf 2152 [SYMBOLS][POS]center 2118 [CHAR][ATTR] wedge+ring 2143 [SYMBOLS] globes 2160 [SYMBOLS][POS] low c 250 [ANIMAL][POST] upright 230 [ANIMAL][POS]right 268 [CHAR] male2 2108 [CHAR][HAT] turban 2123 [CHAR][ATTR] scepter 271 [CHAR] K_mace 2134 [SYMBOLS] crook 2159 [SYMBOLS][POS] low l 224 [ANIMAL] snake 23 [ICO] Char In fr of deif K 259 [CHAR] hero 2131 [SYMBOLS] staff 2



I Viaggiu

256

36 [ANIMAL][POS]hight l 2155 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight l 2

157 [SYMBOLS][POS] low 2154 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight r 22 [ICO] Char in fr of D 243 [ANIMAL][POST] grab 213 [ANIMAL] lion1 27 [ANIMAL] dog 2153 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight 2149 [SYMBOLS] pot 24 [ICO] Pres Sc 2100 [CHAR][CLOTHES]flound dress 257 [CHAR]Deity 252 [CHAR]goddess2 2

35 [ANIMAL][POS]hight r 2101 [CHAR][CLOTHES] dress+lin 2151 [SYMBOLS][POS]left 272 [CHAR] deif K 2135 [SYMBOLS] moon cres 2105 [CHAR][HAT]crested cap 2102 [CHAR][CLOTHES] dress+vertistrip 251 [CHAR]goddess1 262 [CHAR]worsh3 21 [ICO] D in frD 1130 [SYMBOLS] post+horn 1

78 [CHAR][POST]H up suppl 154 [CHAR]nak goddess 142 [ANIMAL][POS]upright 1137 [SYMBOLS] star disc+moon cres 15 [ICO] Interc Sc 1127 [SYMBOLS] bush 120 [ANIMAL] hedg 146 [ANIMAL][POST] float 165 [CHAR] char2 16 [ANIMAL] eagle lion h 1

136 [SYMBOLS] disc with mooncrescent 1

122 [CHAR][ATTR] mount m sh 134 [ANIMAL][POS] hight 116 [ANIMAL] fish 127 [ANIMAL] bird2 1113 [CHAR][ATTR] jag knife 139 [ANIMAL][POS]low r 193 [CHAR][CLOTHES] flound skirt 122 [ANIMAL] monkey2 114 [ANIMAL] lion2 112 [ANIMAL]hyb fish2 1

18 [ANIMAL] fish+hum h 1110 [CHAR][ATTR] axe 1

99 [CHAR][CLOTHES]tight dress 175 [CHAR][POS]]up down 123 [ANIMAL] scorpion 1112 [CHAR][ATTR] crook 192 [CHAR][POST]stand roy post 189 [CHAR][POST]stand H up 1142 [SYMBOLS] drill hole3 1103 [CHAR][HAT] point 1119 [CHAR][ATTR] rod+ring 1147 [SYMBOLS] harpAtildecopy 1139 [SYMBOLS] fork 1120 [CHAR][ATTR] mace 1

146 [SYMBOLS] lion scim 1116 [CHAR][ATTR] HarpAtildecopy+stick 1125 [CHAR][ATTR] flow vase 119 [ANIMAL] frog 141 [ANIMAL][POS]low c 132 [ANIMAL][POS]center 1148 [SYMBOLS] star 169 [CHAR] small figure 173 [CHAR] priest 1128 [SYMBOLS] altar 1117 [CHAR][ATTR] wedge 1

88 [CHAR][POST] int+obj 153 [CHAR]goddess3 1144 [SYMBOLS] spear 1133 [SYMBOLS] ball and staff2 197 [CHAR][CLOTHES]long dress 1

81 [CHAR][POST]int A left up rightback 1

114 [CHAR][ATTR] cup 1129 [SYMBOLS] post 177 [CHAR][POST]H _Belly 1156 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight c 1107 [CHAR][HAT] tiara 1

104 [CHAR][HAT] cap 186 [CHAR][POST]sit+obj 1145 [SYMBOLS] mace+doub lion h 182 [CHAR][POST]intA r back l H_belly 1111 [CHAR][ATTR] stick 1115 [CHAR][ATTR] sh Stick+axe 1106 [CHAR][HAT]squared 1121 [CHAR][ATTR] sm vess 1124 [CHAR][ATTR] cur sword 1

Tab 1 ndash The ranking




257

Id Label BetweennessCentrality

132 [SYMBOLS] ball and staff1 066507443760 [CHAR]worsh1 065114242549 [ANIMAL][POST] stand 045466125380 [CHAR][POST]intH up supp 045012339851 [CHAR]goddess1 0442958363

48 [ANIMAL][POST] sit 035562455228 [ANIMAL] bull man1 034989252421 [ANIMAL] monkey1 031470424333 [ANIMAL][POS]front 030730037487 [CHAR][POST]stand 0291218852109 [CHAR][ATTR] animal 0175941406152 [SYMBOLS][POS]center 0171960831140 [SYMBOLS] drill hole1 01660695867 [CHAR] male1 015349096437 [ANIMAL][POS]hight c 013151819183 [CHAR][POST]H right up greet 0120452193

95 [CHAR][CLOTHES] short skirt 010906774991 [CHAR][POST]stand offer 010747551926 [ANIMAL] bird1 009768330544 [ANIMAL][POST] lie 009720563611 [ANIMAL]hyb fish1 008629886255 [CHAR]god 008590080498 [CHAR][CLOTHES] naked 008550274730 [ANIMAL][POS]right 0073083353154 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight r 0073083353100 [CHAR][CLOTHES]flound dress 0073083353158 [SYMBOLS][POS] low r 006177852185 [CHAR][POST]sit 0061778521

17 [ANIMAL] goat fish 006130085250 [ANIMAL][POST ] upright 0061300852135 [SYMBOLS] moon cres 006130085215 [ANIMAL] fly 004959796276 [CHAR][POS]front 004959796231 [ANIMAL][POS]left 004935912770 [CHAR] king 004935912724 [ANIMAL] snake 00493591273 [ICO] Char In fr of deif K 0049359127105 [CHAR][HAT]crested cap 0049359127141 [SYMBOLS] drill hole2 003749701584 [CHAR][POST]H left up greet 0037417403

8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161

With a few tweaks Between Centrality measure also confirms the sameprovision of the variables of the graph (Tab 2)

56 [CHAR] Sun god 003741740338 [ANIMAL][POS]low 003741740361 [CHAR]worsh2 0037417403

47 [ANIMAL][POST] stood hindslegs 003725818

68 [CHAR] male2 00372581813 [ANIMAL] lion1 003725818

149 [SYMBOLS] pot 003725818101 [CHAR][CLOTHES] dress+lin 003725818151 [SYMBOLS][POS]left 0037258188 [ANIMAL] goat 00250776219 [ANIMAL] oyster 002507762140 [ANIMAL][POS]low l 002507762179 [CHAR][POST]Asc 002507762166 [CHAR] interc 002507762190 [CHAR][POST]stand+object 002507762158 [CHAR] w deity 0025077621150 [SYMBOLS][POS]right 0025077621

94 [CHAR][CLOTHES]skirt+ lines 0025077621126 [SYMBOLS] tree 00249980174 [CHAR] head 002499801160 [SYMBOLS][POS] low c 002499801123 [CHAR][ATTR] scepter 002499801159 [SYMBOLS][POS] low l 002499801157 [SYMBOLS][POS] low 0024998012 [ICO] Char in fr of D 00249980143 [ANIMAL][POST] grab 0024998017 [ANIMAL] dog 00249980152 [CHAR]goddess2 00249980129 [ANIMAL] bull man2 0012578616

96 [CHAR][CLOTHES]floundSkirt+wrap 0012578616

64 [CHAR] char1 001257861645 [ANIMAL][POST ] advan 001257861625 [ANIMAL] turtle 001257861610 [ANIMAL]griffin lion h 0012578616138 [SYMBOLS] dates 001257861663 [CHAR]dwarf 0012578616118 [CHAR][ATTR] wedge+ring 0012578616143 [SYMBOLS] globes 0012578616108 [CHAR][HAT] turban 0012578616

71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258

134 [SYMBOLS] crook 001257861659 [CHAR] hero 0012578616

131 [SYMBOLS] staff 001257861636 [ANIMAL][POS]hight l 0012578616155 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight l 0012578616153 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight 00125786164 [ICO] Pres Sc 001257861657 [CHAR]Deity 001257861635 [ANIMAL][POS]hight r 001257861672 [CHAR] deif K 0012578616

102 [CHAR][CLOTHES] dress+vertistrip 0012578616

62 [CHAR]worsh3 00125786161 [ICO] D in frD 0

130 [SYMBOLS] post+horn 078 [CHAR][POST]H up suppl 054 [CHAR]nak goddess 042 [ANIMAL][POS]upright 0

137 [SYMBOLS] star disc+mooncres 0

5 [ICO] Interc Sc 0127 [SYMBOLS] bush 020 [ANIMAL] hedg 046 [ANIMAL][POST] float 065 [CHAR] char2 06 [ANIMAL] eagle lion h 0



18 [ANIMAL] fish+hum h 0110 [CHAR][ATTR] axe 099 [CHAR][CLOTHES]tight dress 075 [CHAR][POS]]up down 023 [ANIMAL] scorpion 0

112 [CHAR][ATTR] crook 092 [CHAR][POST]stand roy post 0

89 [CHAR][POST]stand H up 0142 [SYMBOLS] drill hole3 0103 [CHAR][HAT] point 0119 [CHAR][ATTR] rod+ring 0147 [SYMBOLS] Harpeacute 0139 [SYMBOLS] fork 0120 [CHAR][ATTR] mace 0146 [SYMBOLS] lion scim 0116 [CHAR][ATTR] Harpeacute+stick 0125 [CHAR][ATTR] flow vase 019 [ANIMAL] frog 041 [ANIMAL][POS]low c 0

32 [ANIMAL][POS]center 0148 [SYMBOLS] star 069 [CHAR] small figure 073 [CHAR] priest 0128 [SYMBOLS] altar 0117 [CHAR][ATTR] wedge 088 [CHAR][POST] int+obj 053 [CHAR]goddess3 0144 [SYMBOLS] spear 0133 [SYMBOLS] ball and staff2 097 [CHAR][CLOTHES]long dress 0

81 [CHAR][POST]int A left upright back 0

114 [CHAR][ATTR] cup 0129 [SYMBOLS] post 077 [CHAR][POST]H _Belly 0156 [SYMBOLS][POS] hight c 0107 [CHAR][HAT] tiara 0104 [CHAR][HAT] cap 086 [CHAR][POST]sit+obj 0

145 [SYMBOLS] mace+doublion h 0

82 [CHAR][POST]intA r backl H_belly 0

111 [CHAR][ATTR] stick 0115 [CHAR][ATTR] sh Stick+axe 0106 [CHAR][HAT]squared 0121 [CHAR][ATTR] sm vess 0124 [CHAR][ATTR] cur sword 0

Tab 2 ndash Betweeness Centrality




259

Fig 6 ndash The graph

9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155

Variables were grouped into 17 classes that are identified with differentshades of colours

Examination of peripheral and central components

ndash Peripheral components devices are isolated groups of variables associatedwith seals that have peculiarities in the figurative field Example Hybrid withfish 1 isolated the seal BM 129500 (Fig 7) that show in the figurative field ahedgehog the naked goddess Bull man hybrid beings with fish Green class

A 16968 seal isolated That presents singular elements too as the tortoise anda stylised tree Same thing for the seal BM 89392 with the presence of a frogin the figurative field (Fig 6)ndash Central components connections are very consistent with what we wouldexpect to find in the graph For the ball and staff refer to the comments of theprevious paragraph while for the worshipper it is definitely not a surprise tosee him tied to the deified King to the posture of the interceding goddess andthe rising moon again this is a prototype that does not fall into the singular-ity but the usual way of the representation of an intercession scene typicalof the period of Isin and Larsa (Fig 7)



I Viaggiu

260

Summarising for the definition of the graph in its more peripheralcomponents the network has detected in these classes ldquosingularitiesrdquo aroundwhich it reconstructed the entire field of a figurative seal which assumedin this case a prototypical function and meaning using parameters that go

beyond a simple comparative and purely statistical analysis

10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150

Altought Neural Networks alone are not the only method of analysisnevertheless together with a classical approach they can introduce a newway of thinking They can find logical connections not affected by the socalled western thought and they are able to find similarities between differ-ent cultures without analyzing every single component Another fundamentalelement emerging from this analysis is the ldquowealthrdquo of information that is

found in the class of seals of Isin and Larsa although examined within alimited group of 130 items The extreme richness of the figurative field andthe number of combinations it offers give us the opportunity to reflect onthe presenceabsence of any single variable and its persistence in connectionwith other variables Small yet great objects which do not ldquocloserdquo as was oncetheir task but open a thousand doors

I983154983141983150983141 V983145983137983143983143983145983157Dipartimento di Scienze dellrsquoAntichitagrave

LAAampAASSapienza Universitagrave di Roma

Fig 7 ndash BM 129500 in the graph




261

REFERENCES

A983156983137983271 MA 2008 King of Sumer and Akkad King of Ur Figural Types Astral Symbol andRoyal Titles in the Neo-Sumerian Period in B983145983143983143983155 M983161983141983154983155 R983151983156983144 2008 233-246B983137983142983142983145 F D983151983148983139983141 R M983137983162983162983151983150983145 S P983145983150983150983151983139983147 F 2005 (eds) ldquoina kibrat erbettirdquo Studies in

Honor of Paolo Matthiae Offered by Colleagues and Friends on the Occasion of His65th Birthday Rome La Sapienza

B983141983154983143983137983149983145983150983145 G 1987 Sigilli a cilindro Glittica mesopotamica dai Sumeri agli Assiri CisalpinoMilano

B983145983143983143983155 RD G983145983138983155983151983150 M983139G (eds) 1991 The Organization of Power Chicago Oriental Insti-tute Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 46 Chicago Chicago University Press

B983145983143983143983155 RD M983161983141983154983155 J R983151983156983144 M (eds) 2008 Proceedings of the 51st Rencontre AssyriologiqueInternationale (Chicago 2005) Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 62 ChicagoOriental Institute Publications

C983137983149983145983162 S R983151983158983137 E 1996 Metodi di analisi per lo studio di un gruppo di sigilli cilindrici vicino-orientali e di altre immagini strutturate laquoArcheologia e Calcolatoriraquo 7 647-659C983137983149983145983162 S R983151983158983137 E 2001 Exploratory Analyses of Structured Images A Test on Different

Coding Procedures and Analysis Methods laquoArcheologia e Calcolatoriraquo 12 7-45

C983137983149983145983162 S R983151983158983137 E 2003 Quantitative study of images in archaeology I Textual coding inS983139983144983137983140983141983154 G983137983157983148 V983145983139983144983145 2003 624-632

C983137983149983145983162 S R983151983158983137 E T983157983148983148983145 V 1998 Exploratory Analysis of Images Engraved on Ancient Near-Eastern Seals based on a Distance Among Strings laquoStatisticaraquo 58 670-689

C983137983149983145983162 S R983151983158983137 E T983157983148983148983145 V 2003 Quantitative Study of Images in Archaeology II SymbolicCoding in M S983139983144983137983140983141983154 W G983137983157983148 M V983145983139983144983145 (eds) Between Data Science and AppliedData Analysis Berlin Springer 633-641

C983137983149983145983162 S R983151983158983137 E T983157983148983148983145 V 2007Modelling the Archaeologistrsquos Thinking for the Automatic Classi-fication of UrukJamdat Nasr Seals Images laquoArchaelogical Computing Newsletterraquo 67 1-9

C983151983148983148983151983150 D 1986 Catalogue of Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum Cylinder SealsIII Isin-Larsa and Old Babylonian Periods London

D983145 L983157983140983151983158983145983139983151 A P983145983141983154983145 G 2011 Artificial Neural Networks and Ancient Artefacts Justificationsfor a Multiform Integrated Approach Using PST and Auto-CM Models laquoArcheologiae Calcolatoriraquo 22 99-128

D983145 L983157983140983151983158983145983139983151 A R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 M 2008 Reconstructing Lexicographyin Glyptic Art Struc-tural Relations between the Akkadian Age and the Ur III Period in B983145983143983143983155 M983161983141983154983155R983151983156983144 2008 263-280

D983151983157983149983141983156 C 1922 Sceaux et Cylindres Orientaux La Collection Chiha Orbis Biblicus etOrientalis 9 Fribourg Academic Press

D983157983154983145983150983143 C983137983155983152983141983154 ECL 1997 The Gate-post in Mesopotamian Art A Short Outline of itsOrigin and Development laquoJaarbericht Ex Oriente Luxraquo 22 211-227

F983154983137983150983147983142983151983154983156 H 1955 Stratifield Cylinder Seals From the Diyala Region Oriental InstitutePubblications 72 Chicago

K983151983144983151983150983141983150 T 1997 Self-Organizing Maps New York Springer

M983137983156983156983144983145983137983141 P 2000 Storia dellrsquoarte dellrsquoOriente Antico II Gli stati territoriali Milano ElectaMondadori

P983137983154983154983151983156 A 1954 Glyptique meacutesopotamienne Fouilles de Lagash (Tello) et de Larsa (Senkereh)(1931-1933) Paris P Geuthne

R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 M 2005 Segni codici e linguaggi nellrsquolaquoagire comunicativoraquo delle culture pro-tostoriche di Mesopotamia alta Siria e Anatolia in B983137983142983142983145 D983151983148983139983141 M983137983162983162983151983150983145 P9831459831509831509831519831399831472005 511-565

R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 M 2010 Archeologia e Semiotica Linguaggi codici logiche e modelli TorinoBollati Boringhieri



I Viaggiu

262

R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 M 2013 Mesopotamia antica Archeologia del pensiero creatore di miti nelPaese di Sumer e di Accad Roma Editoriale Artemide

R983145983162983162983137 A 2006 Sigilli impronte e corpora elettronici in I luoghi i modi e gli strumentidellrsquoamministrazione in Egitto e Vicino Oriente laquoQuaderni di Acmeraquo 83 361-371

R983151983143983141983154 H 1998 Origins of Ancient Constellations The Mesopotamian Traditions laquoJournalof Astronomical Associationraquo 108 9-30

S983139983144983137983140983141983154 M G983137983157983148 W V983145983139983144983145 M (eds) 2003 Between Data Science and Applied DataAnalysis Berlin Springer

W983145983150983156983141983154 IJ 1991 Legitimation of Authority through Image and Legend Seals belongingto Officials in the Administrative Bureaucracy of the Ur III State in B983145983143983143983155 G9831459831389831559831519831501991 59-100

ABSTRACT

The analysis of a corpus of seals belonging to the period of Isin and Larsa carried outthrough the use of the Artificial Neural Network Auto-Contractive Maps allows us to under-stand the complexity of the relationship of the different elements of the visual domain and itsvariety The point of view adopted here is that of reading the iconology and iconography ofthe so-called ldquopresentation scenerdquo by offering an interpretation that goes beyond the conceptof standardised and homogeneous production without any special innovative connotations



I Viaggiu

244

words through the Bayesian approach a priori knowledge and assumptionscan be included explicitly in the equations and thereafter the interactionbetween old and new information can be formalised

Archaeological data are not only a simple record that can be representedcompared collected coded and from which information can be extractedthe record is an integral part of an information process in which the object isonly a mean and not the goal of the information flow influenced by a numberof factors in which the context is determined by the dynamics of a cognitivesystem that auto-organise so often difficult to decode with ldquosimplerdquo proba-bilistic and statistical systems that help an interpretation that is more like asnapshot than a tale that unfolds in the plot of time

Like other fabrics the seals were the subject of both these different linesof research on one hand the simple analysis of the different variables linkedto the figurative components identified within a scene on the other handthe search of connections that overcome this step bringing us to a level ofunderstanding that is as close as possible to the cognitive processes of whomade these objects (R983137983149983137983162983162983151983156983156983145 2005) Of fundamental importance are thestudies that Camiz and Rova have developed since 1994 through the analysisof a corpus of 1247 seals of Jamdat Nasr period (C983137983149983145983162 R983151983158983137 1996 20012003 C983137983149983145983162 et al 1998 2003 2007) The purpose of their research wasto obtain an overview of the relationships between different groups of sealsstudied and classified according to their iconographic features and other fac-tors such as geographical origin dating and context of discovery

The methodological basis of this study is based primarily on MultipleCorrespondence Analysis up to the elaboration that considers not only thepresence or absence of certain iconographic elements but also the order (aswell as their remoteness or proximity) and the way in which they are as-sociated Their composition can then be examined according to two levelsof increasing complexity The first level is represented by fixed sequencesof elements that form small substructures the second is represented by thecomposition of the whole image The third level of analysis is carried out byturning the image into a sequence of symbols or strings Suitable algorithmsare then developed to examine the distance between different sequences Oncea matrix is produced an analysis of the main coordinates is conducted on thesequences and followed by a Cluster analysis

Another approach to the problem of the analysis of the seals is repre-sented by Artificial Neural Networks In short Artificial Neural Networks(ANNs) are information processing systems that try to simulate in a com-puter system the operation of biological nervous systems which are formedby a large number of nerve cells and connections (synapses) between themNeural networks are based on connective methods consisting of many smallunits connected together by links weighed and working synchronously and




245







I Viaggiu

246


2 T983144983141 983140983137983156983137983155983141983156









247







I Viaggiu

248


3 A983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983148983151983143983145983139983137983148 983154983141983152983154983141983155983141983150983156983137983156983145983151983150983155 983145983150 983156983144983141 CORPUS










249










I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





245







I Viaggiu

246


2 T983144983141 983140983137983156983137983155983141983156









247







I Viaggiu

248


3 A983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983148983151983143983145983139983137983148 983154983141983152983154983141983155983141983150983156983137983156983145983151983150983155 983145983150 983156983144983141 CORPUS










249










I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

246


2 T983144983141 983140983137983156983137983155983141983156









247







I Viaggiu

248


3 A983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983148983151983143983145983139983137983148 983154983141983152983154983141983155983141983150983156983137983156983145983151983150983155 983145983150 983156983144983141 CORPUS










249










I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





247







I Viaggiu

248


3 A983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983148983151983143983145983139983137983148 983154983141983152983154983141983155983141983150983156983137983156983145983151983150983155 983145983150 983156983144983141 CORPUS










249










I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

248


3 A983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983148983151983143983145983139983137983148 983154983141983152983154983141983155983141983150983156983137983156983145983151983150983155 983145983150 983156983144983141 CORPUS










249










I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





249










I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

250



4 T983144983141 983145983139983151983150983151983143983154983137983152983144983145983139 983137983150983137983148983161983155983145983155 T983144983141 983158983137983154983145983137983138983148983141 983141983148983141983149983141983150983156983155 983151983142 983156983144983141 983155983139983141983150983141983155









251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





251










I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

252












253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





253


5 T983144983141 983156983154983137983145983150983145983150983143






6 T983144983141 MST 983156983154983141983141




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

254









255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





255


7 T983144983141 983154983137983150983147983145983150983143








I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

256


















257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





257






8 B983141983156983159983141983141983150983141983155983155 C983141983150983156983154983137983148983145983156983161









71 [CHAR] K_mace 0012578616



I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

258























259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





259


9 M983151983140983157983148983137983154983145983156983161 983139983148983137983155983155







I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

260



10 C983151983150983139983148983157983155983145983151983150









261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT





261

REFERENCES

























I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT




I Viaggiu

262






ABSTRACT


Documents

Investigating Mesopotamian Cylinder Seals Iconography by using artificial neural networks. The Isin-Larsa period14_Viaggiu