Sumerian Collection (page 3)

Early Sumerian stone tables, inscribed with very early archaic pictographic symbols
Early Sumerian stone tablets, inscribed with very early archaic pictographic symbols, and one of the earliest examples of Sumerian writing. From the British Museums collection

Sumerian stone plaque showing ritual offerings to a King, now in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum

Side of the Sumerian Standard of Ur, southern Iraq, about 2600-2400 BC
The Standard of Ur from a Royal tomb at Ur, southern Iraq, about 2600-2400 BC. Inlay of shell, red limestone, and lapis lazuli in Bitumen on a hollow box. The main panels are known as War and Peace

Detail of the Sumerian ruler from the Standard of Ur, about 2600-2400 BC
Detail of the Sumerian ruler from the Standard of Ur from a Royal tomb at Ur, southern Iraq, about 2600-2400 BC. Inlay of shell, red limestone, and lapis lazuli in Bitumen on a hollow box

Detail of Sumerian soldiers from the Royal Standard of Ur, about 2600-2400 BC
Detail of Sumerian soldiers from the Royal Standard of Ur from a Royal tomb at Ur, southern Iraq, about 2600-2400 BC. Inlay of shell, red limestone, and lapis lazuli in Bitumen on a hollow box

Akkadian cylinder-seal impression of a hero fighting a lion
Akkadian cylinder-seal impression of a hero (possibly Gilgamesh) fighting a lion

Akkadian cylinder-seal impression of Gilgamesh and a Lion

Akkadian cylinder-seal impression of a bull-man and hero. Each is holding a bull by the horns, and in the centre is a stylised mountain with a sacred tree on top

Babylonian terracotta plaque of Gilgamesh, from the British Museums collection

Gudea, ruler of the city-state of Lagash in southern Babylon, Neo-Sumerian, 22nd century BC. Seated diorite figure of Gudea (c2144-c2124 BC). From the Musee du Louvre, Paris

Ur-Nanshe, king of Lagash, Sumeria, c2500 BC. Detail of a limestone relief showing Ur-Nanshe, one of the kings of the Ur Dynasty I (2650-2350 BC) wearing the traditional fur skirt or Kaunakes

Standard of Ur, the war side, from the Royal Cemetery at Ur, Sumerian, c2500 BC. Made from lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, shell and coloured stone mosaic, it depicts the Sumerian army

Administrative tablet of clay, Mesopotamian / Sumerian, 3100-2900 BC
Administrative tablet of clay, Mesopotamian/Sumerian, 3100-2900 BC. The earliest tablets with written inscriptions represent the work of administrators, perhaps of large temple institutions

Tablet with bilingual inscription erected by King Hammurabi
Tablet with bilingual inscription in Sumerian and Akkadian erected by King Hammurapi of Babylon from Ur, from the British Museums collection

Cuneiform tablet depicting beer allocation. 2351-2342 BC. From Girsu. Uruinimgina King. British Museum. London

Helmet of King Meskalamdug. Sumerian art
Gold helmet of King Meskalamdug. ca. 2400 BC. Sumerian art. Jewelry. IRAQ. Bagdad. Baghdad Museum. Proc: IRAQ. Ur

Illustrated map of ancient Sumer with rivers Tigris and Euphrates

Cuneiform script. Diagram showing the development of pictographs into stylised Cuneiform characters. Cuneiform, the first written language

A Lama, Lamma or Lamassu, a Sumerian or Assyrian diety which had a human head, the body of a bull or a lion, and bird wings. From Cassells Universal History, published 1888

Head Bull 3000-2000 BC Sumerian Iraq Tigris-Euphrates valley
Head of a Bull, 3000-2000 BC. Sumerian, Iraq, Tigris-Euphrates valley, 3000-2000 BC. Chalcedony; overall: 3.1 x 2.9 x 4.3 cm (1 1/4 x 1 1/8 x 1 11/16 in.)

Mesopotamia. Commemorative stone stela. Babylonian, about 900-800 BC. Iraq. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Lions head. Temple of Ninhursag, Tell al-Ubaid. Iraq. 2600-2400BC. A guardian figure for the temple. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Early Dynastic Period. Statue of Kurlil. From T
Mesopotamia. Early Dynastic Period. Statue of Kurlil. Found next to the Temple of Ninhursag in Tell al-Ubaid. Southern Iraq. 2500 BC. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Early writing. Pictographs drawn. Clay tablet. Administrativ
Mesopotamia. Early writing. Pictographs drawn. Clay tablet. Administrative text. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Limestone statue of a woman. Kingdom of Lagash. 2500BC. From Tello (ancient Girsu). Iraq. Probably a votive donation in a temple. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Terracotta vase. Probably from Umma. Iraq. Early Dynastic Period. 2330 BC. Document referring to a conflict between the city-states of Umma and Lagash in ancient Sumer

Mesopotamia. Clay foundation peg. 1st Dynasty of Lagash. 2400Bc. From Bad-Tibira. Iraq. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Gypsum statue of a woman. Early Dynatic period. 2400-2300 BC. Placed in an temple as an act of decotion. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Summer. Archaic Dynasty III. King Eannatum of Lagash. From Girsu. 2424-2405BC. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Sacred Basin. Gudea Period. 2144-2124 BC
Sacred Basin. Gift of Gudea, governor of Lagash, to the temple of the God Ningirsu. Gudea Period. 2144-2124 BC. Relief depicting winged goddess reaching and holding a round based vessel

Mesopotamian Art. Gudea, city ruler of Lagash, Sumer. 2144-2
Mesopotamian Art. Gudea, a ruler (ensi) of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who rule ca 2144-2124 BC. Telloh. Sumer. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Denmark

Mesopotamian Art. Sumerian ruler. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. De
Mesopotamian Art. Sumerian ruler. 3rd Millenium B.C. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Copenhagen. Denmark

Mesopotamian stone cult vessel. Uruk
Stone cult vessel with anthropomorphic decoration, supported by two heroes wearing belts. 3300-3000 BC. Late Uruk Period. Mesopotamian-Sumerian art. Probably from Uruk. British Museum. London

Mesopotamian art. Sumer. Gudea of A?a?A?a?Lagash (2150-2100 BC). Sculpture of the neo-Sumerian period, in diorite. Girsu (modern Tello). Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York. United States

Early Sumerian Sculpture
A double page from The Illustrated London News, 19 May 1934, entitled An Extraordinary Discovery of Early Sumerian Sculpture

Archaeological excavations at Kish, Mespotamia, Iraq
" Visible proof of the flood: the great discoveries at Kish" - a page from the Illustrated London News, featuring an article by Dr

Breastplate in the form of a lion-headed eagle, from Tell Hariri (ancient Mari) c.2500 BC (gold, copper, bitumen & lapis lazuli). Sumerian art. Decorative Arts. SYRIA. Damascus. National Museum

Illustration of ancient Sumerian next to a map highlighting ancient Sumer

ZIGGURAT AT UR. Reconstruction of the Sumerian third dynasty ziggurat at Ur, c2100

ZIGGURAT OF UR-NAMMU. Projection of a reconstruction of the ziggurat of Ur-Nammu at Ur. Third Sumerian Dynasty, originally built c2100 B.C

SUMERIAN CUNEIFORM. List of five fields on a Sumerian circular plano-convex clay tablet form Lagash, c. 1980 B. C
SUMERIAN CUNEIFORM. List of five fields on a Sumerian circular plano-convex clay tablet form Lagash, c. 1980 B.C

IRAQ: ZIGGURAT IN UR. The partially restored Third Sumerian Dynasty ziggurat in Ur, originally built c2100 B. C
IRAQ: ZIGGURAT IN UR. The partially restored Third Sumerian Dynasty ziggurat in Ur, originally built c2100 B.C

Reconstruction of White Temple at the Sanctuary of Anu, Uruk, Mesopotamia, drawing, Sumerian civilization
Sumerian civilization. Reconstruction of White Temple at the Sanctuary of Anu, Uruk, Mesopotamia. Drawing

Administrative neo-Sumerian clay tablet with cuneiform inscription, Sumerian civilization
Sumerian civilization, 3rd millennium b.C. Administrative neo-Sumerian clay tablet with cuneiform inscription

Mesopotamia. City state of Uruk. Stone bull. Late Uruk Period. 3300-3000 BC. Probalby from Uruk. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Early Dynastic Period III. Votive pebble with inscription. Eanmtum I King. 2424-2405 BC. From Girsu. British Museum. London. England. United Kingdom

Mesopotamia. Record of food supplies. Iraq. Late Prehistoric
Early writing. Pictographs drawn. Mesopotamia. Record of food supplies. From Iraq. Late Prehistoric period. About 3000BC. Early administrative text. Cuneiform tablet. British Museum. London. England

Mesopotamia. Foundation nails. 3rd Millenium BC. Bronze. Iraq British Museum. London. England. Kingdom

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The Sumerians, an ancient civilization that thrived in Mesopotamia, left behind a rich legacy of art and artifacts. From the epic tale of Gilgamesh to the intricate Layard Relief, their artistic prowess is evident. The towering Ziggurat in a Sumerian city dating back to 4500-400 BC stands as a testament to their architectural brilliance. Inscribed clay tablets adorned with pictographs provide glimpses into their written language and culture. These precious relics from Iraq's Late Prehistoric era offer valuable insights into the lives of these early inhabitants. The Neo-Sumerian statue of Gudea found in Girsu, Iraq showcases the mastery of sculpture during 2120 BC. Carved with cuneiform script, it serves as a reminder of their advanced writing system. A fascinating glimpse into Sumerian governance can be seen through a cylinder-seal impression depicting the introduction of a governor to the king. This small yet significant artifact sheds light on their political structure and hierarchy. The ruins of Ur's Third Sumerian Dynasty ziggurat in Iraq stand as silent witnesses to centuries gone by. Built around 2100 BC, they reflect the grandeur and religious significance attached to these monumental structures. Amongst these remnants lies an intriguing copper figure - King Shulgi carrying a basket - symbolizing his role as provider for his people during 2094-2047 BC. An Akkadian inscription on a baked clay brick-stamp reveals linguistic influences within this region during ancient times. It highlights cultural exchange and intermingling between neighboring civilizations. One cannot help but marvel at the intricacy and beauty displayed on "The Peace Frieze" from Ur's Standard artifact excavated from royal tombs. This stunning piece depicts scenes from daily life, showcasing craftsmanship unparalleled even today. Sumerian jewelry also captivates with its exquisite designs crafted centuries ago; each piece tells a story of their aesthetic sensibilities and craftsmanship.