Cylinder Seal

roughly cut. long 2 in 9.

PBS XIV: The worshiping of a strange seated deity with both hands up right and left and perhaps a small figure seated crosswise in her lap and holding a vase or bird (?). her head is in front face (?), very indistinct, with hair on either side and a heavy horned mitre, not unlike a bull’s face. She has a flounced robe, a seat covered with the same material and resting on lance shaped legs and a footstool. The sharp weapon near her hand is perhaps an emblem like the spear of Marduk. There are a club or libra in front of her seat and an arrow behind.

A colossal offering table is spread in front. It rests on a columnar shaft with three curved legs, the two foremost of which only are drawn. On each leg stands a square headed instrument like a hammer, a shovel, or a fan used for ritual purpose. Each has a knob halfway of the handle. The upper part of the table is built like a gridiron with serrated bars for holding charcoal. A kid offering is placed upon it and fenced in between two posts arising from the table. The left one is just another shovel or fan with a knob half way of the handle. A small attendant in short skirt seems to touch or seize it. A second attendant on the opposite side steps toward the right post, a small fan in hand. They are probably servant priests attending to the sacrifice.

behind the goddess, a female servant with a strange head in profile and a flounced robe adores with one hand up. A tall bareheaded figure in checkered or fringed robe holds point down a lance with a side buckle or a door post symbol of the shire (?). Last of all the worshiper in turban and fringed shawl adores with one hand up. His hair is tied in a short tail behind.

On the reverse there are a scorpion over a tree of life – or a serpent, and an eagle (?).

Cyl. seal. Soapstone, 64 x 29 mm MS Coll.