Divine World Glyptics
Az i.e. I. évezredi pecséthengerek korpusza
MTA–ELTE Lendület
Újasszír és Újbabiloni Pecséthengerek és Istenvilág Kutatócsoport
| Object no. | S00736 |
| Description of the seal image | The scene is framed by line borders at the top and bottom. Ninurta aims his globe-studded bow at the rampant Anzu (lion-griffin) while standing on the back of the charging Abubu (lion-dragon). He is further armed with star-topped, tasselled bows crossed on his back, a sickle sword (scimitar) hanging from his quiver and a sword in a sheath at his waist. Behind Ninurta, there is a worshipper in a devotional pose wearing a long, fringed robe, while in front of Anzu, Adad appears, holding a lightning bundle (double fork) in his lowered right hand. In the sky, there is an eight-rayed, globe-centred star, a winged sun-disc and a crescent moon. Three lines of a cuneiform inscription are engraved between the worshipper and Ninurta, between Ninurta and Anzu, and between Adad and the worshipper. The upper part of the latter is missing due to a large chip. |
| Figures, motifs/symbols |
- Abubu: lion-dragon, charging, with a bull horn, a forked tongue and a scorpion tail - Adad: holding a bundle of lightning (double fork) in his lowered right hand and raising the left (smiting pose), wearing a star-topped, horned headdress and a long, multi-tiered, broad-belted fringed robe over a short tunic - Anzu: lion-griffin, rampant, with donkey ears and bird tail - borderlines (2): line borders at the top and bottom - crescent moon - inscription: cuneiform, three lines - Ninurta: armed god, archer, aiming globe-studded bow, star-topped, tasselled bows on his back, a sickle sword (scimitar) hanging from his quiver, and a sword at his waist, wearing a star-topped, horned headdress and a long, double-belted, tiered and fringed open robe over a short tunic, aiming a globe-studded bow - star: eight-rayed, globe-centred - winged sun-disc - worshipper: in a devotional pose, wearing a long, fringed robe |
| Subcategory | cylinder seal |
| Collection | Vorderasiatisches Museum |
| Museum number | VA 5180 |
| Condition, shape | chipped upper and lower edges; large chip distorts the worshipper's head and the legend behind him |
| Culture | Neo-Assyrian |
| Provenance | excavated at Assur |
| First occurence | before 1940 |
| Archaeological context | Assur |
| Registration number | Ass 9451 |
| Dimensions (mm): height, diameter | h: 42, d: 17 |
| Material and features | "Chalcedon" |
| Style | drilled |
| Scene | pursuing |
| Writing system, language | cuneiform: Akkadian |
| Transliteration |
1. šá {md}MAŠ–EN–PAB 2. LÚ*.SAG 3. [šá {md}M]AŠ?–SAG |
| Translation |
1. Property of Ninurta-bēlu-uṣur, 2. the eunuch 3. [of] Ninurta-ašarēd. |
| Bibliography |
Moortgat 1940, 66, 139 no. 595 and Taf. 71. Moortgat, A.: Vorderasiatische Rollsiegel. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Steinschneidekunst. Berlin, 1940. |
| Object history | The publications mentioning the objects in this database were collected and the objects classified by ZN; data for the present object was input and preliminary description of the object done by ER based on the relevant publication provided, then the data was checked by MNy, the present object descriptions done by HL, and the transliteration and translation of the seal legend done by ZN; object data and description were finalized by ZN. HL – Huba Lőrincz, ZN – Zoltán Niederreiter, MNy – Mónika Nyitrai, ER – Erika Roboz |