Seals and Seal Impressions from the Nimrud Excavations, 1955-58

Seals and Seal Impressions from the Nimrud Excavations, 1955-58Author(s): Barbara ParkerSource: Iraq, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Spring, 1962), pp. 26-40Published by: British Institute for the Study of IraqStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4199710 .

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Z6

SEALS AND SEAL IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NIMRUD EXCAVATIONS, I955-58

By BARBARA PARKER

THIS iS the second catalogue of seals and seal impressions found during the excavations of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq at Nimrud.

The first instalment was published in Iraq XVII, Pt. z, pp. I95 5. In the last catalogue some seals were dated according to certain preliminary

archaeological conclusions, which have since required modification. It is now clear that the destruction level in the North West Palace, the Town Wall Houses, Ezida, and the Burnt Palace was that of the final destruction of 614-6i2 B.C. (Mallowan, Iraq XIX, Pt. i p. 20 and XVIII, Pt. I, p. 17). Fort Shalmaneser has provided evidence of two destructions within a year or so of each other (Iraq XXIII, Pt. i, p. 9 if.). Thus the context of ND. 215I

(Iraq XVII, Pt. i, p. ioo) and ND. 807 (op. cit., p. i i i) is not the reign of Sargon, but that of Sin-sar-iskun; however that may be, the objects themselves may be much older than the destruction level in which they were found. It is clear that seals were preserved a long time. The seal of the god Assur on the Esarhaddon Vassal Treaties (Wiseman, Iraq XX, Pt. I, pp. 17 ff.) dates to the Old Assyrian period, a thousand years earlier. The fine seal ND. 5 z6z, Plate IX, I, was found on the pavement of the outer gate chamber of the Nabu Temple, which also produced a tablet, ND. 5550, dated to 614 B.C.

The date ascribed to this seal on stylistic grounds is the eighth century B.C., over a hundred years earlier. It is known that families preserved seals through several generations (at Alalakh, Ras Shamra and Nuzi), but it is also certain that the inhabitants of Calah unearthed old seals in the course of building operations (e.g. the seals found in a Hellenistic grave, P.G. 2I). Some very worn seals have obviously rolled about in loose earth and on the surface for some length of time. Their use as seals would scarcely wear them almost smooth for the ancient seal of the god Assur on the treaty gives quite a clear impression. This is an indication of the origin of some of the very worn early seals found in later levels (e.g. ND. 5365, 5367, P1. XIII, 3, 7 and 5318, P1. IX, S). By far the larger number of seals are not found in dateable contexts. The nine seals found on floors (ND. 5242, P1. X, I; 5329, P1. XI, I; 5486, P1. XII, 4; 6023, P1. XVI, S; 7835, 7833, P1. XVIII, 3, 4), are an unspectacular collection, with the exception of ND. 5262, already mentioned which belongs stylistically to a hundred years earlier. A tablet ND. 5240 and a sealing ND. 5486 (P1. XII, 4), found on the latest destruction level, are dated 776 B.C. and 7I3 B.C. respectively. This illustrates a curious fact revealed by the excavations;



27 BARBARA PARKER

the extent to which the Assyrians allowed old tablets and dockets to accumulate. When the house of the rab ekalli in Fort Shalmaneser collapsed in the destruction of c. 6I4 B.C. there fell from the upper storey onto the wine store below a collection of wine ration lists and receipts dating to the reign of Shalmaneser III in the second half of the ninth century B.C., two centuries earlier. On the floor of the oil magazine of the Ninurta Temple, besides the jar sealing ND. 5486 already mentioned, was an administrative tablet dated 784 B.C. These were not documents which it would normally be necessary to preserve, like land and slave sales.

In the absence of inscribed seals the best guide to the development of seal design are the impressions on dated tablets. Fort Shalmaneser has provided a good series of seal impressions of the late seventh century B.C. and these, together with the seal impressions published in the previous catalogue, pro- vide a useful body of material. Mr. (now Professor) Wiseman gave me facilities to study the seal impressions on the Nineveh contracts in the British Museum, published by C. H. W. Johns in his Assyrian Deeds and Documents. There are more tablets dating to the early part of the century than in the Nim- rud collection, but the general picture is much the same; there are double the number of stamp seals to cylinders, as against two thirds as many in the Nimrud collection. According to the evidence available the stamp seal came into general use in the reign of Sargon (Iraq XVII, Pt. i, p. 114), although the earliest royal state seal found was a stamp (Shalmaneser III, Iraq XV, Pt. z, p. I67 f.). There is, however, no trace of a stamp seal on the tablets of the early eighth century B.C. from the Governor's Palace (Wiseman, Iraq XII, Pt. 2, I71 if. and Iraq XVII, Pt. i, p. i io). The introduction of the stamp seal would then coincide with the extension of Assyrian direct control to Syria and the large scale deportations of people from Syria, Palestine and Cilicia.

The Assyrian engravers kept fairly closely to their orthodox repertory and most of the seals showing outlandish figures are probably of foreign origin. These seem to have been extensively used from the reign of Esarhaddon on- wards, even by people with Assyrian names, but not necessarily of Assyrian origin. The population of Assyria at that date must have been very cosmo- politan, owing to the deportation policy and the contingents of foreign troops taken into the army.

There are two groups of seals resulting from ancient collections. One group of ten seals (Plate XVII) was found in a Hellenistic grave P.G. 2I,

which provides the first seal of the Agade period ever found at Nimrud. The Hellenistic villagers conducted extensive excavations to obtain stone and baked paving bricks from Assyrian levels and in the course of these excavations found a number of seals. The second group is that of a burial of temple property at the back of the sanctuary of the Ninurta temple. It is of course a well-known practice for the old and broken temple property to be buried within the sanctuary as in the Abu Temple at Khafaje, (O.I.C. 19, p. I3), and



SEALS AND SEAL IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NIMRUD EXCAVATIONS, 195 5-5 8 28

at Nippur (I.L.N. gth September, I96I). The seals show a wide range of dates, including some belonging to the Ist Dynasty of Babylon, long before the foundation of the temple about 879 B.C. The Old Babylonian seals are very much worn, which suggests that they were found in the course of building operations, perhaps even of the temple itself, and dedicated to the god. There is an early Kassite seal which is little worn except along the edge and may have belonged to the town of Shalmaneser I. Although these remains lay fairly deep they had been extensively disturbed by the deep foundations excavated for the North West Palace (to a depth of izo courses according to Assur- nasir-pal) and other public buildings. The curious collections of primitive faience seals which may have connections with the hinterland of Iran, might be votive offerings from travellers and visitors, which could hardly be welcomed as additions to the god's treasury.

Amongst the jar sealings and bullae from Fort Shalmaneser is one bearing the impression of a very large state seal inscribed as the property of Esarhaddon (ND. 7080, P1. XXI, i). This is a cylinder, not a stamp as the other known impressions of this type. Another interesting royal seal was inscribed with the name of Adad-nirari III (ND. 7104 P1. XXII, i), but wnether this was a personal or a state seal is uncertain because the first part of the inscription is lost. It is not the usual state seal design, but neither is it the ujual type of personal seal. A unique sealing depicts horses in human attitudes, clearly of late Assyrian date. It seems to be the latest example of this curiovs motif which recurs sporadically throughout Mesopotamian history.

I am indebted to Mr. Eric Von Gericke for the careful drawings and for the discovery of the inscription on the Adad-nirari III bulla and the curious impression of the pillar on the back of an animal found on a jar sealing (ND. 7045, Pl. XXII, 6), along with other impressions.

Catalogue ND. 5262. Plate IX, I. Pale grey chalcedony, 4 5 x I'8 cm. originally covered with

copper caps. Found in a broken patch of pavement on the south side of NT., S. I3 i.e. in the proximity of the outer entrance to the Nabu Temple (see Mallowan in Iraq XIX, Pt. I, p. I8, P1. IV). A god clad in a long garment, holding in one hand a mace and raising the other hand in acknowledgement. Over one shoulder there appears the tip of a bow, and perhaps a quiver over the other. The end of a sword appears at his back; two other drill holes are difficult to explain. The headdress is a round cap with one pair of horns surmounted by a globe. Before him are two worshippers, the first clean shaven and the second bearded, in the Assyrian attitude of prayer. Above them are seven globes, a star and crescent. Before the god is a seated bull, bearing on its back the rnarru of Marduk and stylus(?) of Nabu. Behind the god is an artificial tree, surmounted by the winged disc. The material and style of the engraving, distinguished by much use of the drill, suggest a connection with a class of seals dated by inscription in the late ninth and early eighth century, B.C. On these seals a star-like effect is obtained by use of the drill and the heavily armed deities are also characteristic. The seal was found while cleaning the pavement.

ND. 5293. Plate IX, 2. Black serpentine broken z I X I * 3 cm., from the dump, Nabu Temple. All that remains of the design is the hindquarters of a winged and crested griffin.

(1151) C



29 BARBARA PARKER

Behind this is a palm tree, above it the winged disc from which descend two lines representing streams of water. To the left are traces of the seven globes.

ND. 5247. Plate IX, 3. Faience, length z *4cms., unstratified, east of N.T. 8. A fguie resting a bow on the ground raises a cup or bowl in the other hand. He stands before a jar on a stand, over which a fan or fly whisk is waved by an attendant. This is a very common design on seals of the ninth and eighth centuries B.C. and perhaps later. In some examples the libation is being performed by the king, but on other seals, such as this, there is nothing to distinguish the libator (see also N.D. 6083 Plate XVII, 9).

ND. 6o26. Plate IX, 4. Stamp seal, dark stone, cone-shaped, ovate base, height 2 cm., in the fill 40 cm. above pavement in courtyard of Ezida. The base is roughly engraved with a scene of a worshipper in devotion before two divine standards, but the engraving is too poor to be able to distinguish them. The seal is neo-Babylonian, of a kind found at Nimrud in post-Assvrian graves.

ND. 5318. Plate IX, 5. Cylinder seal, much worn black steatite, height i * 3 cm., from the Nabu Temple, NT. 13 in a pit together with a haematite pendant (ND. 5 3 I7) and beads. A further libation or feasting scene. The principal figure is very faint and no distinctive details can be seen. The attendant is carrying a spiked shield over his shoulder of a type used at the time of Assur-nasir-pal. The fan appears to be flag-shaped. The jar and stand are of the usual type. In front of the seated figure there is something which resembles a plant or ear of corn, and a similar object behind the chair. There is no means of identifying the seated figure. For parallels see Moortgat, Vorderasiatiscbe Rollsiegel, taf. 78, 66o, 66z, 664.

ND. 5242. Plate X, i. Chalcedony, iz X I4 mm. From N.T. I3, in rubbish at the east end of the room associated with ivories. Pierced horizontally. Engraved on one face with a winged griffin seated, above it a star and before it a plant (a rhomb would not be set on end). Below it are two dots joined by a line. The treatnment of the wings is reminiscent of the technique of Mitannian seals.

ND. 5255. Plate X, z. Scaraboid, perforated longitudinally, light brown stone, 2 X I * 5 cm., from the cache in NT. I3 (see ND. z 6i), engraved on one face with a four-winged male? figure holding on either hand stick-like objects, possibly representing streams of water on the analogy of the goddess riding a dragon on an Akkadian seal (Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, P1. XXIId). The figure probably wears a quasi-Egyptian type headdress, the details of which are no longer visible because the seal is much worn. Below are four Aramaic letters, which are too faint to distinguish.

ND. 5420. Plate X, 3. Tablet fragment from upper part of a contract tablet, S * 5 x 6o cms., from NT. 13 with the ivories (see ND. 5242). Obverse, z lines only and seal impression. The text reads 'kunukkU DINGIR MU DU'G.GA S[A4A.]2 er-Ju-,a qi-bit-su la . 1l The god who makes known his good name2 the wise one whose word does not [alter] (for this title of Nabu see Tallquist, Go/terepithet, 376). The reverse has 7 lines giving the names of witnesses and the date, 776 or 756 B.c. (limwu Pin-A99ur-[la-murl). The seal impression shows a god standing on a seated dragon of the muiruliu type. The god holds a ring resembling a necklace in one hand and raises the other in acknowledgement of devotions rendered by a bearded mortal. The god wears a long Assyrian robe and a horned tiara on his head surmounted by a star. The top of the tiara has a serrated edge, which suggests feathers and resembles in outline that worn by Istar on the British Museum seal, (published by Wiseman, Cylinder Seals of Wlestern Asia, 67), but the details are not clear. If the seal had been correctly rolled the two godlings would have stood on either side of the devotional scene. They imitate the gesture of the worshipper as if praying that his prayers be received like the suppliant goddess of the Old Babylonian Seals. They have stars on their heads, but




otherwise conform to the Assyrian " Gilgamesh " figure (Khorsabad gate relief). They have long hair, three curls on either side of their face and a short tunic with a tassel hanging between the legs. The cord which hangs down their backs is probably the counter-weight of a necklace. The same details can be seen on the dress of the god, who appears to have another cord hanging from the waist. This may be part of the counterweight cord. Such a length is known e.g. the goddess with the overflowing vase from Mlari (Syria XVIII, I937,

Third Campaign at Mari, Plate XIII). An inscription reads 'kunukku "'Sepa-s"arri 2buiu-iu lil-bur; "The seal of Sepa-Sarri, may his property grow old." Bricks made for the repair of the Nabu temple at Nimrud, by Ag?ur-etil-ilini have stamped on them a design of the muwlruJ dragon bearing on its back the marru of Marduk and the wedge or stylus of Nabu. The god on the seal may therefore be Nabu, having assumed the prorogatives of his father Marduk, the dragon and the ring. It was in the reign of Adad-nirari III that Nabu rose to great popularity in Assyria, a great temple being dedicated to him by that king. This was called E-zida, like his temple at Borsippa. Assur is never associated with this breed of dragon, but with a more leonine creature.

ND. 5254. Plate X, 4. Black steatite with copper caps and suspension loops. Length 3 * 5 cms., from the cache in the south-east corner of NT. I3. A frieze consisting of a large bird and an ibex. In the field the standard of Marduk, a rhomb, a fish, star and crescent. The bird with its long neck may represent an ostrich, but it is not a good likeness.

ND. 5244. Plate X, 5. Scaraboid, 2- 3 X i * 6 cms., grey stone, from the Nabu Temple, surface find. Poorly engraved with two figures representing probably, the goddess Istar in her war-like aspect, and a suppliant. There is a moon crescent above; other symbols if any, indistinguishable.

ND. 5246. Plate X, 6. Stamp seal or amulet, height I*2 cm., base I 5 cm., with pierced lug handle from the Nabu Temple, L.6 in debris. The design is an eagle? with outstretched wings.

ND. 5329. Plate XI, i. Grey steatite, length I 7 cm., found on the floor of a room containing storage jars in DD i.e., large houses along the southern wall of Calah town; late seventh century B.C. The design consists of a figure clad in a short tunic, holding a scimitar and grasping a goat or ibex by the horns. In the field the standard of Marduk and above, a star and crescent.

ND. 5248. Plate XI, z. Scaraboid, faience, 17 X ii mm., from upper rubbish of DD. The design is a series of drill holes connected into a rosette like design. This type is not uncommon in Palestine in the znd mill. B.C. (0. Tufnell, Lachish III, pl. 44, nos. iI8-IzI). The impression of a similar, if not identical, seal appears on a tablet ND. 23 I6 from the ZT building of the North West palace (Iraq XVI, Pt. I, p. 40) of more or less the same dimensions, i6 x iomm.

ND. 5294. Plate XI, 3. Yellow limestone, broken, present length 2 cm., from DD surface find. Archer and bull with scorpion above the bull.

ND. 4I78. Plate XI, 4. Faience, length a cm., from west of Nabu Temple, C.5. A cobra, moon crescent on a standard with fillets and ear of corn (compare the ear of corn carried by the genius in the Agsurnasirpal relief (Barnett, Assyrian Palace Reliefs, pl. 1) for a similar style of design see ND. 6030, p. 33.

ND. 4x64. Plate XI, S. Faience, length I"5 cm., from NWP.3, North-West Palace. A figure holding a tree the branches ending in globes. Alongside two registers divided by a guilloche; above and below, seated cattle. The seal is Mittanian of the fifteenth-fourteenth centuries B.C. and must belong to the town of Shalmaneser I.

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31 BARBARA PARKER

ND. 4225. Plate XI, 6. Black steatite, length I 5 cm., upper half only, from H.6, Nabu Temple. The heads of two prancing bulls and a tree can be seen; above, the star and crescent.

ND. 5345. Plate XII, i. Lapis lazuli, length I * 8 cm., traces of gold caps at either end, from the rubbish above floor in room 8 of Ninurta Temple. A bearded figure stands with one arm raised before a four line inscription. On the other side of the inscription is a rampant lion, and above the inscription is the winged disc. The inscription is unintelligible, but a key to the origin of this curious seal is provided by the winged disc, which is of a form resembling that on carved ivory chair backs found in Fort Shalmaneser and thought to be of North Syrian origin (Iraq XXI, Pt. z, P1. XXVb.). It imitates the winged disc of the imperial Hittites.

ND. 5327. Plate XII, z. Ovate seal, pierced longitudinally, buff stone, 2 f4 X I'9 cm. 7 mm. thick, top slightly convex, from the upper fill of room 9 of the Ninurta temple (see Mallowan, Iraq XIX, Pt. i, p. I9 f.) The design shows a cow and feeding calf, in the field an ear of corn, a rhomb, and above a star and crescent. This is a popular subject on ivories and stamp seals of the 8th-7th centuries B.C. (see Iraq XVII, Pt. I, p. io8 (ND. 772) and impression ND. 3464, P1. XXVI, dated 666 B.C.) The motif comes into the iconography of seal design during the ist Dynasty of Babylon from Egypt and the Aegean (for a discussion see Thureau Dangin, Arslan Tash, pp. iz4ff.).

ND. 5331. Plate XII, 3. Black steatite, length z2 8 cm., surmounted by a copper loop for suspension, from the Ninurta Temple, room i i (the oil magazine; Mallowan, Iraq XIX, Pt. I, p. I9 f.) The god Adad holding an axe and standing on a seated bull. Before him two bearded worshippers in Assyrian dress. Between them a wedge-shaped object standing on ground level, an ear of corn or tree and, scattered about the field, four small wedges which do not form an inscription. This type of scene is very popular in the eighth century B.C.

(Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XXXIII) and the flipper-like hands connect with the kerbschnitt style of ND. 5247 (Pl IX, 3).

ND. 5486. Plate XII, 4. Large bulla, i i 8 cm., from the Ninurta Temple room II

(oil magazine). Impression of a cylinder and stamp seal. On the cylinder a beardless and bareheaded figure in Assyrian dress stands in devotion before two gigantic arrows placed point upwards on the ground; one appears to be larger than the other. On the far side stands a figure whose head has been obliterated, but a ribbon hanging down his back might belong to the royal tiara. Beyond this in an empty space are two rhombs side by side, and a z line inscription reading 1kanumkk Allur-ba-an 2LU1a-kin URUKal-bu. This governor of Calah was eponym in the year 7I3 B.C.

The stamp seal impressions are circular and show two arrows pointing upwards, flanked by two objects which may be rhombs. Mimta4u arrow, is the name of Ninurta's star, Sirius.

ND. S374 Plate XIII, i. Rock crystal, length 2 7 cm., from a cache of seals and beads buried under the floor of the corridor behind the sanctuary of the Ninurta Temple (see Iraq XIX, Pt. I, p. zo). Two bearded figures holding scimitars. In the field between them the sign KI and a bird; on the far side, a gazelle? head, a rhomb and a seated cervoid. Five lines of inscription. The seal is early Kassite.

ND. 5364. Plate XIII, 2. Black steatite, length 2 i cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Kneeling archer, dog and ibex or goat. Ninth-eighth century B.C. linear style. (Moortgat, Vorderasiatische Rollsie,gel, p. 69).

ND. 5368. Plate XIII, 3. Black steatite, length 2z4 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Kneeling archer, dog and quarry, perhaps bull. In the field above, a crescent, and below a plant motif? (this object behind the archer's back does not appear to be the correct position for a quiver). The seal is much worn, but of the same class as the foregoing. These



SEALS AND SEAL IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NIMRUD EXCAVATIONS, I 9 5 5 - 5 8 3 2

scenes with the archer are rarely found on tablets of the seventh century. The style of engraving is difficult to judge because fine lines do not show in impressions on clay, but there is one example (on K.341, J.A.D.D. 364) dated 679 B.C. which is obviously very stylized and debased. There is an elaborate seal showing a standing archer and prancing bull in a landscape (knoll and tree, on Rm i6i J.A.D.D., 2z2), but the date is missing. There is also a sealing on a tablet from Balawat, dated 689 B.C., but none of these resemble closely the seals found in the excavations (see Iraq XVII, Pt. i, p. ioo). The archaeological dating for ND. 2 I 5 I given there must be revised, as it is now known that the Burnt Palace was destroyed at the same time as the Nabu Temple in 614-6I2 B.C. when Calah shared the fate of Nineveh (Mallowan, Iraq XVIII, Pt. I, p. 17).

ND. 5365. Plate XIII, 5. Haematite, length z cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. A worshipper, a god with his foot raised on some eminence, holding a sceptre with six globes. Behind, a striding figure with arm raised in combat, perhaps a lion-headed dagger-bearer. It is not possible to identify any symbols in the field because the seal is very worn. It is to be dated to the ist Dynasty of Babylon.

ND. 5363. Plate XIII, 6. Black steatite, length a 6 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Apparently a battle scene; an archer in a chariot aims his bow at a running foot soldier also armed with a bow. Above is a star and crescent and a circular object with a cross within it. Mr. Tariq Madhlum has pointed out to me that certain details of this scene are not Assyrian. The position of the wheel under the body of the chariot, instead of at the back like the Assvrian chariots, and the small size of the horse in relation to the charioteer can be found on the chariot relief from Singirli (Von Luschan, Ausgrabungen in Sendschirli, III, pl. XXXIX. The spear at the back of the chariot is a special feature of the reliefs of Agsur-nasir-pal and Shalmaneser III (Balawat Gates), but is discontinued after Tiglath- pileser III.

ND. 5367. Plate XIII, 7. Black steatite, length I * 8 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Two figures in short tunics, one perhaps the person with the mace, between them the crooked stick emblem of the god Amurru (Kupper, L'Iconographie du Dieu Amurr). There were three lines of inscription, now illegible.

ND. 5386. Plate XIV, i. Ivory or boar's tusk, length 2 3 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. A frieze of animals, perhaps lion and bull. The seal is too worn to be able to identify the animals or judge the style. It may belong to the 3rd or 2nd millennium. for there are a number of seals of this type of design found in Palestine and Syria in 2nd millennium contexts (Iraq XI, P1. XXI, 140 also ivory seal P1. XX, I29 of Jamdat Nasr shape and perhaps of that date or a little later).

ND. 5372. Plate XIV, 2. Black steatite, length 3 z cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. A figure in a short fringed tunic stands full face, head and feet in profile. There are traces of some objects behind his shoulders (quiver and bow?). In the lowered hand he holds a curved stick and in the raised hand a stone. He appears to be bare-headed and bearded, but the seal is very worn and the details of the head are not clear. There is no sign of this seal being re-cut. It is very worn and must originally have been fairly deeply cut. An ostrich moves away from him, but turns back its head. Between them is a small animal, or animal in miniature. The long neck suggests a horse, but the tail is that of a dog. There is a plant with flowers or shoots beyond the ostrich and stylized mountain terrain under its feet. The dress of the figure somewhat resembles that of a genius on a seal in Berlin (Frank- fort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XXXIV, b). The landscape, on the other hand belongs to Assyrian glyptic of the twelfth-thirteenth centuries B.C. This feature is, however, also found on a sealing from Nineveh alreadyi mentioned (ND. 5 368 see above on Rm. i6i, J.A.D.D., z2 5).



3 3 BARBARA PARKER

ND. 5373. Plate XIV, 3. Black steatite, length 2 z cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. A winged griffin and ibex. In the field, the moon ctescent, two globes and another object of uncertain nature. The seal may come from Luristan (Cf. Sialk II, pl. XXX, 3. I am indebted to Dr. Edith Porada for this reference).

ND. 5371. Plate XIV, 4. Black steatite, length 2I S cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Archer and lion; in the field are two plants. The object immediately behind the archers back may be his quiver. There is something which resembles an axe between the archer's legs. The seal is obviously made by the same hand as Corpus of Ancient Near Eastern Seals I, 1130. (This also is Dr. Porada's reference.)

ND. 5379. Plate XV, i. Faience, length 3.6 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Between chevron borders, a frieze of prancing winged goats and another horned animal of uncertain species. The winged goat is a particularly Babylonian creation, and this seal may be Babylonian (Porada, Corpus, p. 89).

ND. 5385A. Plate XV, z. Seal fragment, faience, existing length I S cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. A primitive design with a quadruped, perhaps a cervoid (compare the tail) and probably a human figure. There are two circles, on either side of the figure?

ND. 5385B. Plate XV, 3. Seal fragment, faience, existing length 2 4 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Chevron border, torso of bearded human figure, and two rhomb- shaped objects one above the other; perhaps fish? There is some other unidentifiable object between the figure and the rhombs.

ND. 5380. Plate XV, 4. Faience length 3 5 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. Two figures in a chariot drawn by a single horse. In a lower register there are passing animals of an uncertain species and between them a plant. This rough seal is reminiscent of Hissar (H.89g, fig. iI8, p. I98), from IIlb. It probably comes from the Zagros or elsewhere in Iran.

ND. 6o28. Plate XVI, i. Rock crystal, length I 5 cm., from A.B. building room 4 in rubbish I * 8 m. below the earliest Hellenistic level (see Oates, Iraq XX, Pt. i, p. I09). A bearded figure standing in devotion before a moon crescent on a staff with fillets. Beyond is an artificial tree, above it hovers the winged disc. Both the tree and the standard are on bases. Behind the figure is a fish, a rhomb, and a star. It is noticeable that the standard of the moon god, possibly Sin of Harran or copied from his cult, becomes increasingly popular in the seal designs of the seventh century B.C., both in this form and as the man in the moon (Iraq XVII, P1. XXIX z, and impression on J.A.D.D. 329 dated limmu of Nabu- daninani).

ND. 6027. Plate XVI, z. Dark grey stone, length z cm., unstratified, A.B. building. Kneeling figure holding scimitar, grasps by the foreleg a prancing ibex? There may be some objects in the field which cannot now be identified as the seal is very worn (Cf. Moortgat, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel, Tf. 76, 643-644 from Assur, seals of the ninth-eighth century B.C.).

The very worn condition of the seal suggests that it had been displaced from its original resting place and lain on the surface for some time; stone seals would not get worn to this extent bv use on wet clay.

ND. 6030. Plate XVI, 3. White limestone? length 2z 6 cm., from an ancient (Layard) dump beside A.B. building. An ear of corn, cobra, wedge? and moon standard with fillets. This belongs to a well-known type at Nimrud (ND. 4I78, P1. XI, 4 and Iraq XVII, Pt. i,

P1. XVII, i and 3). The examples from Nimrud are in seventh century contexts. There is an example found at Gerar (T. Jemmeh) in Palestine Nougayrol, Cylindres de Palestine TG. i,




p1. XI, which he regards as Babylonian in spite of the uraeus. This is not, however, a foreign motif generally accepted into the Assyrian seal repertory, so a Syrian origin for these seals seems more likely.

ND. 6029. Plate XVI, 4. Limestone, length I V 7 cm., from Layard's dump AB building. Archer and serpent; see below.

ND. 6023. Plate XVI, 5. Glazed limestone, length z z cm., from an Assyrian pavement in AB building room I. Archer and serpent; a debased rendering. This subject which appears to begin in the ninth-eighth century B.C. (Moortgat, Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel, p. 72) remains popular in the seventh century B.C. judging by the number of this type found in differing styles. Also there are impressions of this scene on a tablet from Nineveh (J.A.D.D. 134) dated 686 B.C. and on 'one from Balawat (BT. io8) dated 682 B.C.

ND. 6086. Plate XVI, 6. Black steatite, length 3 4 cm., from grave PG. zi. This and the following seals were found in a grave of Hellenistic date sunk into the throne room of the AB building, together with a silver bangle, amulets and a silver drachm of Alexander the Great (see Oates, Iraq XX, Pt. i, p. izo). The seal is very worn, but appears to depict a battle scene in which a mounted archer aims behind him at a foot soldier (shown in front on the impression which is wrongly rolled). In the upper field are the seven globes of the Sibitti (d VII-bi). It will be seen that the heads of two horses are shown, although all trace of the second cavalier is missing. It was the practice in the Assyrian army of A'sur-nasir- pal, and his son Shalmaneser, for the cavalry to ride in pairs, one shooting arrows and the other protecting him with a shield (see Bronze gates of Balawat of Shalmaneser III) and holding his rein when he aimed (Gadd, Assyrian Sculpture in the British Museum, p. 36). This practice was abandoned by the time of Tiglath-Pileser III. This feature and the large size could date the seal to ninth or early eighth century B.C. The so-called " Parthian shot " is recognized as first appearing on Assyrian seals of the eighth century. Most of the scenes in which it is shown depict hunting and it is thought to be a method of hunting learnt by the Assyrian from their Cimmerian neighbours (Rostovtzeff, A.J.A. 47, I943, p. i8of. I am indebted to Dr. Porada for this and a number of references.) On the Nimrud seal there may be something under the horse, but there is no other trace of game.

ND. 6098. Plate XVII, I. Black steatite, length 2 5 cm., sides slightly concave, from PG.zx. A bearded nude figure with curling side locks struggles with a buffalo, while a bull man struggles with a lion. The pair are arranged on either side of an inscription panel reading KU.KU. Between the groups is a seated gazelle. The seal belongs to the Agade period (Compare Parrot, Syria XXIX (7th campaign of Mari) p. I98). Agade seal with the name NAM.GI. Here the bull-man holds the lion by the forelegs and not as on the Nimrud seal (Published by Mallowan, I.L.N., 23rd Nov. 1957).

ND. 6079. Plate XVII, 2. Grey limestone, imitation scarab, from PG. z I. Base engraved with seated lion, above it or perched on its back, a bird of uncertain species. Compare a similar design on a scaraboid in the Fitzwilliam Museum (Munn-Rankin, Iraq XXI, Pt. I,

p. 30, no. 41). Probably eighth-seventh century B.C. of Syrian origin. (I 4 X I cm.).

ND. 6092. Plate XVII, 3. Terracotta, length 2 4 cm., from PG.z i. The design shows an archer drawing his bow at a gigantic scorpion. Between is a tree or an outsized ear of corn. There is an unidentified mark beyond the scorpion.

ND. 6078. Plate XVII, 4. Dark grey stone, 2 X I-8 cm., perforated longitudinally, from PG.2I, upper side slightly convex, underside engraved with seated winged sphinx, before it a tree with roots ?, above a plough and fish.



3 5 BARBARA PARKER

ND. 60gg. Plate XVII, 5. Pinkish limestone, length zv8 cm., from PG.xi. Winged disc with streams of water above the sacred tree. Beside it bearded worshipper and figure in fish cloak carrying a lustral bucket. In front of the worshipper is an object which may be a censor and behind him the myarre of Marduk with fillets and the stylus of Nabu on a base. Above, crescent and star. For the magical nature of the apkallu in the fish cloak see Gurney, A.A.A. XXII, p. 3' for the tree compare Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, pl. XXXIIIe. There is an impression of a comparable seal on a seventh century B.C. tablet see Iraq XVII, Pt. 4, P1. XXIII (ND. 2328).

ND. 6082. Plate XVII, 6. Amethyst quartz, length 2z 3 cm., from PG.zi. Upper and lower edges broken. The seal may originally have had gold caps, since torn away, breaking the seal in the process. A figure in fringed robe, opening down the front to show an embroid- ered tunic; the head is missing. There is a trace of a bow or quiver over the right shoulder and there is a dagger at his belt. He holds by the foreleg, on either hand, a rampant winged bull. The seal is typical seventh century B.C. (compare ND. 5 5 50 P1. XIX, i).

ND. 6087. Plate XVII, 7. Ovate seal, red serpentine, pierced, I ' 5 X I z 2 cm., obverse sligthly convex, from PG.zi. The impression shows a nude goddess with four wings (a form of Iftar, see Amiet, apropos a shell plaque from Mari, R.A. XLVIII, p. 33). She appears already winged on Syrian seals of eighteenth-seventeenth centuries B.C., but not with four wings until the seventh (or perhaps eighth century; see ivory plaque from Nimrud Iraq XVI, Pt. z, P1. XXXI; see also ND. 708I, P1. XXI, z).

ND. 608o. Plate XVII, 8. Ovate seal, grey stone, i * 8 x I * 4 cm., from PG.z i. A deity surrounded by rays, generally Istar, holding before her a bow, while the other hand is raised in salutation. The engraving is very poor and perhaps unfinished because the seal is not pierced.

ND. 6083. Plate XVII, 9. Black steatite, length 3 cm., from PG.zi. A libation scene distinguished by two jars, instead of the usual one. There is an attendant cupbearer with napkin over his shoulder and a flag shaped fly whisk, also shown on a Mittanian seal of fifteenth century B.C. (see Frankfort Cylinder Seals, pl. XLIIIf). This may have been archaic when the seal was cut, for it is not shown in the libation scene of A'sur-nasir-pal on the reliefs (Barnett, Assyrian Palace Reliefs, pl. 28). The figure making the libation rests a bow on the ground. The ribbon down his back suggests the royal tiara, but there is no other trace of it on his head. Private individuals might make libations for the life of the king (Iraq XIX, Pt. I, p. 136, ND. 5550, lines I2-14) and it could be an appropriate design for a courtier's seal. The libation scenes seem to begin in the ninth century (Moortgat op. Cit. p. 70, Tf. ) but there is no evidence that they continued in favour in the seventh century B.C.

ND. 7834. Plate XVIII, i. Black serpentine, length 2 7 cm., from Fort Shalmaneser, S.E. courtyard (see Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. I, p. I07). Worshipper, winged disc with streams of water, ending in pomegranates, a curious mound in sections and prancing goat beside a spruce? tree. In the upper field, seven globes, a rhomb and star. Above the worshipper, the moon crescent and before him a wedge-shaped object of uncertain nature. I know of no parallel for the mound, which suggests a copy of the artificial tree, misunderstood. The seal however, does not suggest an unpractised hand. A mound may be intended, but in Assyrian art mountains are represented by a scale pattern. There is one other un-Assyrian feature, the way in which the heavy fringed shawl is shown covering the shoulder. This peculiarity is shown on the Ziwiye ivories (Iraq XXII, Pt. 2, P1. XXX(i)). The seal may be a peripheral copy of an Assyrian seal, made somewhere near the Urartian border.

ND. 7829. Plate XVIII, 2. White limestone, length z2. cm., from the dump S. end of Fort Shalmaneser. Emaciated sphinxes seated face to face. In the field, star and crescent.



PLATE IX

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 's

i. ND. lz6z _E~~~~~~-

2. ND. 5293

3. ND. 5247 4. ND. 6oz6

S ND. 53I8

Seals from the Nabu Temple (pp. 28-29).



PLATE X

i. ND. 5242 2. ND. 5255

3. ND. 5420

4. ND. 5254

5. ND. tNT44 6. NDe 5246

Seal frm th Nau Teple(pp. 29-30).



PLATE XI

I. ND. 329 z. ND. 5248

3. ND. 5294

4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ND- 4178

5. D- 4064

Seals from the town D.D.Nabu Temple and NrthWestPalace(p6. ND3 4225



PLATE XII

I. ND. 5345

z. ND. 5327

4. ND. 5486

3. ND. 533I

Seals and bulla from the Ninurta Temple (p. 3'I).



PLATE XIII

rND 5374

2. ND. 5364

3. ND. 5368

4. ND. 13 69 5. ND. 5365

6. ND. 5363 7. ND. 5367

Sel fro the Ni t Tepl Cach (pp 3.-32)



PLATE XIV

i. ND. 5386

G:=~~~~0

Z. ND. 5372

3. ND. 5373

4. ND. 5371

Seals from the Ninurta Temple Cache (pp. 32-33).



PLATE XV

. ND. S379

z. ND. 385Ado I

. ND. ; 538A3. ND- 5385B

aSs '' ~~~~~~I. -W

Aa _

4ND. 5380

Seals from the Ninurta Temple Cache (p. 33).



PLATE XVI

x. ND. 6oz8

a . .a* l. . . .9..saf * -

z. ND. 6027

3. ND. 6030 _ ~~~~~~~~~~~S

4. ND. 6029 5. ND. 6023

_ 6 N

6. ND. 6o86

Seals from the A.B. building and ND. 6o86 from P.G.ai (pp. 33-34).



PLATE XVII

z. ND. 6079

i. ND. 6098

4. ND. 6078 3. ND. 6092

5. ND. 6099

7. ND. 6087

6. ND. 6o8a

1teA

8. ND. 608o 9. ND. 6083

Sasfrom Hellenistic grave P.G.zi (pp. 34-3S).



PLATE XViii

I. ND. 7834

2. ND. 7829

3. ND. 7835

4. ND. 7833 S. ND. 7836

6. ND. 8090

Seals from Fort Shalmaneser (pp. 3 5-36).



PLATE XIX

z. ND. 7049

i. ND. 555.

3. ND. 7046

4. ND. 7037 5. ND. 7039

Taltfo_h auTml n ulc rmFr hlaee p.363)



PLATE XX

I. ND. 7067 2. ND. 7074

3. ND. 7005 4. ND. 7070

5. ND. 7065 6. ND. 7086

Tab1etc from Fort Shalmaneser (pp. 37-38).



PLATE XXI

Ic-~ ~ ~ ~~~

to

x. ND. 7080

A I

z. ND. 7081

Jar Sealings from Fort Shalmaneser (p. 38).



PLATE XXII

2. ND. 7001

j..

I. ND. 7104

3. ND. 7092

5. ND.7o71X

I4 -

4. ND. 7010 6. ND. 7045

Tablets and Jar Sealing from Fort Shalmaneser (pp. 38-40).



SEALS AND SEAL IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NIMRUD EXCAVATIONS, I95 5-5 8 36

ND. 7835. Plate XVIII, 3. White chalcedony, length 3 -I cm., in the fill, with beads, secondary floor S.I7, late seventh century B.C. Winged disc with streams of water, sacred tree, genius and fish man on either side. Between them a rhomb, beneath the fish man an object in the form of a cross, a dagger? There is a predeliction for fish men apkal/e in seventh century iconography. The outer gate to the Nabu temple, thought to have been built by Sargon, was provided with a pair of these monsters in stone, and a bronze relief found in the Nabu temple at Khorsabad showed a frieze of fish men. They also- appear on numerous stamp seals of the later seventh century, see further.

ND. 7833. Plate XVIII, 4. Brown stone, length 3 * 3 cm., from the floor of SE 6. The winged disc with streams above a small palmette tree. Long robed figures stand on either side; the right-hand one may be beardless and hold a flower? They extend their hands to the winged disc. In the field is a rhomb. The tree resembles those on some seals of the kerbschnitt style, and may be a peripheral copy (Moortgat, op. cit., Tf. 80).

ND. 7836. Plate XVIII, 5. Ovate seal, mottled grey chalcedony, 3 *6 x I 9 cM., upper side slightly convex, from rubbish in room SE io. Worshipper before goddess mounted on an animal which resembles a large dog. Above the moon crescent.

ND. 8090. Plate XVIII, 6. Grey stone, length z 5 cm., from X.2 late occupation inside the west wall of Fort Shalmaneser (Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. I, p. l23). Standing archer and Scorpion man. In front of the Scorpion man is written MES. There are isolated and apparently meaningless wedges in front and behind the scorpion-man's head.

ND. 5550. Plate XIX, i. Tablet (published Iraq XIX, Pt. I, P. 136), with seal impression, dated limtu of Bel-iqbi (c. 6i6 B.C.) width of impression 2.8 cm., from the Nabu Temple, North gate. The impression shows a genius in a fringed robe holding on either hand, by their beards, scorpion men. In the upper field is a standing bird, and two monkeys. Below, two miniature figures of apkalle in fish cloaks. Behind the right hand scorpion man is perhaps a fish-ram (kusariqqu), also a creature of the god Ea and a magical figure. The impression is very shallow, probably made after the tablet had been written and the clay become dry. It has not been easy to identify the details. The objects to the right of the genius copied by the draughtsman are very uncertain, but they appear to be too far from the genius to represent tassels from his tunic. The monkey experienced a revival of popularity on seal designs in seventh and sixth centuries B.C. (Iraq XVII, P1. XXIII (I); P1. XXIV, 5, p. 114

and i i6). In most cases they are not the Egyptian baboon.

ND. 7049. Plate XIX, 2. Bulla, I * 9 X I * 7 cm., burnt black, flat back bears the impression of striated material, perhaps papyrus, also the impression of string, horizontally across the bulla, from SE. i the bathroom of an official residence, the house of the rab ekalli, (see Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. i, p. io8 f.). This room was filled with debris including tablets, bullae and ivories thought to have fallen from an upper storey, when the house was destroyed in 6I4-6I2 B.C. (see later conclusions of Oates in Iraq XXIII, Pt. I, p. 9). The impression shows a round seal engraved with two fish men, holding lustral buckets beside an artificial tree or standard, beneath the winged disc.

FG I

FIG. I.



37 BARBARA PARKER

ND. 7046. Plate XIX, 3. Jar sealing, 4 S x 5 cm., from S.E. i. Square seal impression showing a coarsely engraved design of a goat or ibex before a column (perhaps the sacred tree) moon crescent and two standards on a base, probably those of Marduk and Nabu. The impression of this seal appears on another jar sealing, see ND. 7045.

ND. 7037. Plate XIX, 4. Bulla, 4 X 3 .4 cm., from S.E. io (another room in the rab ekalli's house, see Oates, op cit.) with letters and contracts dated to the reign of Sin-sar-iskun (ND. 70I 5). The design consists of a suppliant standing before a god mounted on a mufruss& dragon. In the field behind the deity there are two objects, perhaps a dagger and a mace. The details of the suppliant figure are not clear because of the angle of the impression.

ND. 7039. Plate XIX 5. Bulla, 2 X i . 8 cm., burnt black, impression of papyrus? on the back, from S.E. i. The impression shows an apkallu bearing a lustral bucket, crescent and star above and some indeterminate object behind the apkallu.

ND. 7067. Plate XX, i. Tablet with 2 rectangular seal impressions, size 2z 2 X z I2 cm., apparently irregular in shape. The letter is dated by circumstantial evidence to the reign of Sin-sar-igkun, from S.E. io (rab ekalli's house). A procession of apotropaic figures, a fish man (kulilu), a bull man and an apkall/ in a fish cloak, holding a lustral bucket.

ND. 7074. Plate XX, 2. Tablet with envelope intact, dated lirnt'u BeI-iqbi (c. 6i6 B.C.), 2 impressions i X I *7 cm., from S. IO Fort Shalmaneser (see Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. i, p. II9 ff.). A feeding ibis? The edge of seal appears to have been broken in two places.

ND. 7005. Plate XX, 3. Tablet dated by limmu Sin-sar-usur, c. 622 B.C. Two impressions of ovate seal, 2 2 X i 8 cm., from S.E. I (see ND. 7049). A figure surrounded by rays, with bow and quiver slung over the shoulders. The puffy hair suggests that the figure is Istar, and the appearance of a beard is acci- dental, see the same detail on ND. 6087. This is poor engraving with unmasked use of the drill; it is a style characteristic of the period; compare duck seal in the Fitzwilliam Museum (Munn- Rankin, Iraq XXI, Pt. i, Plate X, 46).

ND. 7070. Plate XX, 4. Heart-shaped docket, date if any missing, from S.E. i (rab ekalli's bathroom), incomplete impression, height i .9 cm., cylinder seal stamped instead of rolled (see also ND. 7080 and 7045). The complete design must have consisted of a four-winged genius supporting a monster on either hand, but only the genius appears on the impression. A poor style of engraving with much unmasked use of the drill. Iate seventh century B.C.

1 4

Ii f

z

I

I

I

-1

f I

I

FIG. 7.

FIG. 3.

IIf

"I.

II I I I

I 1. .1 a I II I I I I I i I ol II 11 I

FIG. 4

-d

FIG. 5.-



SEALS AND SEAL IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NIMRUD EXCAVATIONS, 1955-58 38

ND. 7065. Plate XX, 5. Heart-shaped docket, undated, from S.E. io (rab ekalli's house). Impressions obverse and reverse of an ovate seal, probably a scaraboid, size i x i * 6 cm. The design perhaps shows debased Egyptian motifs, a cobra? and sun disc.

ND. 7086. Plate XX, 6. Envelope and tablet intact, from S. io (see Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. i, p. ii9), limmu Sin-alik-pani c. 6I5 B.C. Two impressions of ovate seal, I * 5 X I * 4 cm. Suppliant standing before two standards on a base; the spade of Marduk and the stylus of Nabu in the form shown on Neo-Babylonian seals. Behind the suppliant is another emblem of uncertain nature, perhaps a sword.

ND. 7080. Plate XXI, i. Jar sealing, I3 X i6 cm., from S.E. io (rab ekalli's house) with bullae and tablets. Seven impressions of medium sized royal seal, now perhaps better called " palace " seal, diam. 3 cms., four impressions of smaller palace seal, diam. I 5 cm,. In the centre of the sealing the impression of a very large cylinder seal, which has been twice stamped instead of rolled. The design is the same as the others, i.e. the king wrestling with a rampant lion, a feat enacted in real life according to the record of the palace reliefs (Barnett, As.yrian Palace Reliefs, pl. 94). There is the impression of metal, probably gold caps at the top and bottom of the impression. The figure of the king and part of the lion appear in one impression and the 4 line inscription on the other. This reads (I) KUR

Assur-abbe-iddina (2) LUGAL dan -LUGAL SU LUGAL

m"7atA Wr(p) (3) Apil(A.) Sin-abhbe-eriba LUGAL A'tAs'/r (4) api ?arrukin(LuGAL.GI.NA) LUGAL mat'Aur ma. "Palace of Esarhaddon, great King, king of the universe, king of Assyria, the son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, the son of Sargon, also king of Assyria." The inscription is engraved directly on the seal so that in the impression it appears reversed.

ND. 708I. Plate XXI, z. Cylinder seal impression on the rim of a large jar, 8 3 x 3 8 cm., from the dump, Fort Shalmaneser. The impression is very faint. The central figure is a four-winged nude goddess (see above ND. 6087). The closest parallel is the impression of an ovate seal on J.A.D.D. I 82 (K. I 5 i 8), dated by circumstantial evidence to the reign of Ashurbanipal. The goddess, four-winged stands with arms outstretched in this attitude. In the Nimrud sealing the goddess is flanked by winged genii. The jar rim cannot be dated on typological grounds, but in view of the seventh century parallels for a four-winged goddess, which are lacking at earlier periods, (see above ND. 6087 p. 35 ) a seventh century date seems indicated. The chevron border is probably made by gold caps, because it cuts into the top of the seal, a disregard for a work of art not unusual.

ND. 7104. Plate XXII, i. Clay docket, uninscribed, from S.E. io, 6 5 x 62z cm. The incomplete impression of a circular seal with guilloche border showing a lion with out-

FIG. 6.

FIG. 7.

FIG. 8.



39 BARBARA PARKER

stretched paw. Only the end of the inscription is preserved, it reads apil j' Su1-#,an-as'aridu sar")"t Asisur-ma. As the enclitic-&ia is always added at the end of the geneaology (see the palace seal of Esarhaddon, ND. 7080), the king whose name was written on this seal must be a grandson of Shalmaneser. There is only one likely candidate, Adad- nirari III, the grandson of Shalmaneser III, the builder of Fort Shalmaneser. The attitude of the lion with outstretched paw is reminiscent of the seal of Nigmadu. king of Ugarit, the impression of whose seal was found at Ras Shamra (Schaeffer, Ugaritica [II, p. 78).

ND. 7001. Plate XXII, 2. Tablet dated by libimx Assur-mata-taqqin to the reign of Sin-sar-iskun. Ovate seal impression, I 7 X i cm., from S.E. i (the rab ekalli's bathroom). ND. 7000 bears an identical seal. It is probably that of Sepa-Sarri, a correspondent of the rab ekalli (in ND. 7000) to whom garments are issued (in 700I). The design probably shows Istar with rays in her war-like aspect. She wears a curious cylindrical tiara. The moon crescent above is probably quite separate.

ND. 7092. Plate XXII, 3. Heart-shaped docket, undated, from S. io (Fort Shalmaneser palace), three impressions of an ovate seal, 7 x 7 mm. A bearded figure before a six-pointed star on a staff. His garment opens down the front to show the knee, a style not usually worn by worshippers, but by gods and genii.

ND. 7010. Plate XXII, 4. Tablet, li;imlu Assur-mata-taqqin (c. 624 B.C.) from S.E. 8 (see Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. i, p. 107) 2 impressions of ovate seal showing a nude child squatting on a lotus. This is most likely derived from the motif so common on the Syrian ivories of the birth of Horus (De Mertzenfeld, Ivoires Phe'niciens, pl. VIII, 37 and p. 34). This impression appears to be identical with one on a bulla from Nineveh, illustrated by Layard in INTineveh and Babylon, p. I 5 6. It is not clear from the tablet to whom the seal belongs. There is a most interesting impression on a tablet from Nineveh (J.A.D.D., 513; K. i6i8) of an ovate seal showing the same nude child on the lotus as the Nimrud sealing, but it is there being paid devotions by a typically Assyrian figure. This suggests that the infant Horus had been taken into the seal cutters' repertory, no doubt under the influence of the Syrian elements in the army and in settlements on the land.

ND. 7107. Plate XXII, 5. Jar sealing, 4 2 X 3 cm., from S. 5 ? (see Oates, Iraq XXI, Pt. 2, p. I 7). The impression shows a scene of a horse seated on a stool, drinking through a tube from a jar on a stand, attended by a I second horse opposite, while a third plays a small string instrument. The nearest parallel to this scene is the Akkadian seal impression from Tel Asmar (O.I.C. I7, p. 37), on which a lion and a donkey sit on stools and drink through tubes from a jar between them. The Nimrud impression is clearly dated to the late Assyrian period by the jar and stand which appear on numerous seals of eighth-seventh centuries B.C. in the libation scenes. I know of no other scenes of animals in human attitudes in Assyrian

c --

2s4 X~y 4~I

FIG. 9.

FIG. 10.

FIG. II.

FI.12.




art, except the monkeys playing pipes on a seal (Iraq XVII, p. i I6, ND. 2078). The nearest example in time is the relief from Tell Halaf showing various animals feasting and dancing (Tall.Halaf II, Tf. ioo-Ioi). The impression is incomplete and much damaged.

ND. 7045. Plate XXII, 6. Jar sealing, 6 x 3 5 cm., from S.E. 8, with impressions of three different seals (i) identical wi th ND. 7046; (2) very small circular seal, design too faint to identify; (3) impressions stamped by a cylinder. There are three impressions, one shows the inscription only. The seal appears to depict the god in the winged disc over a pillar or base on the back of a winged animal. There are three lines of inscription giving a dedi- cation to the god Nabu. I cannot explain the pillar over which the winged disc hovers. It is different from the curious emblem of Nusku on the altar of Tukulti-Ninurta I, which has a vertical rib down the middle.

ND. 5369. Plate XXI, 4. Black steatite, length i * 9 cm., from the Ninurta Temple cache. A frieze of griffins and winged bulls? The seal is much worn but, so far as it is possible to judge the style, it suggests the ninth or eighth centuries B.C.

FIG. I3. (-7

FIG 14

FIG. I14.

