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Antiquity


Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Imperial Roman Period, Ancient Middle East.



6 subcategories
Ancient Egypt

ANCIENT EGYPT

Ancient Greece

ANCIENT GREECE

Ancient Israel

ANCIENT ISRAEL

Ancient Jordan

ANCIENT JORDAN

Ancient Middle East

ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST

Imperial Roman Period

IMPERIAL ROMAN PERIOD

7,469 photos
Gold bowl, from Ur,Southern Iraq,2600-2400 BCE. It was found in the Queen's Grave in the cemetery at Ur. The chamber contained the body of a woman and her two female servants, a cylinder seal identified the woman as Pu-Abi. The bowl is made of beaten gold with small tubes of gold attached to the sides,through which strands of gold wire are threaded to make a handle. ANE, 121344
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Gold bowl, from Ur,Southern Iraq,2600-2400 BCE. It was found in the Queen's Grav...

Shell plaque from Ur, showing two rams.From the grave of Pu-Abi, see 03-03-01/8. Presumably the decoration of a lyre or harp.Shell was one of the most popular ways of decorating objects in Sumer. Bitumen was used as a glue.Here, animal scenes are silhouetted on the shell, with the background and details filled with bitumen. ANE 121529
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Shell plaque from Ur, showing two rams.From the grave of Pu-Abi, see 03-03-01/8....

Ostrich egg and jar found by Leonard Woolley in the cemetery at Ur. In antiquity the ostrich,known for its swiftness and strength, was hunted by kings. Ostrich shells were often cut open at the top to serve as cups or bowls and decorated with a band of mosaic round the rim. A disk of similar mosaic was added at the base. ANE, 123556
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Ostrich egg and jar found by Leonard Woolley in the cemetery at Ur. In antiquity...

Sceptre from Ur,Mesopotamia,2600-2400 BCE. Found by Leonard Woolley in the largest of the Royal Graves in the cemetery at Ur, Iraq.Robbers had broken in through the roof; only a few bones and this sceptre remained. The top end has a mushroom-shaped shell inlaid with a blue and red rosette.Five bands of very thin gold foil with designs in relief as if from cylinder seals; between the gold bands are rings of lapis lazuli. Reconstructed 1966. ANE 122201
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Sceptre from Ur,Mesopotamia,2600-2400 BCE. Found by Leonard Woolley in the large...

A child's diadem, found in one of the simpler graves at the cemetery of Ur,Mesopotamia. A small wooden coffin containing the bones of a very young child lay at the bottom of a shaft. The child was wearing the diadem around its head. There are three gold disc ornaments; four concentric gold rings are inlaid with lapis lazuli and cornelian. ANE, 122206
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A child's diadem, found in one of the simpler graves at the cemetery of Ur,Mesop...

Steatite jar, from Ur,southern Iraq, 2600-2400 BCE. This bowl demonstrated the extensive trade network that linked the cities of southern Mesopotamia with the rest of the Near East. It was found in one of the graves in the cemetery at Ur and may have been made in Iran, at Tepe Yahya, known for such carved chlorite vessels. ANE 121697
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Steatite jar, from Ur,southern Iraq, 2600-2400 BCE. This bowl demonstrated the e...

Stone basin, Ur, southern Iraq, early Dynastic period, 2600-2400 BCE. Soft stone, such as steatite or chlorite, are found in both Iran and Arabia and such vessels have been found from the Gulf to Pakistan. Nothing is known of what was transported in these pots,but this one was found in the tomb of Pu-Abi, one of the richest in the cemetery of Ur, and most probably held luxury goods. ANE 121695
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Stone basin, Ur, southern Iraq, early Dynastic period, 2600-2400 BCE. Soft stone...

Silver jar, from Ur, southern Iraq, 2600-2400 BCE. This spouted silver jug comes from the "Queen's Grave" in the Royal cemetery at Ur,southern Iraq. The jug may have been used for serving wine at banquets; the silver probably came from Iran or Anatolia,brought down the river Euphrates. ANE, 12450
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Silver jar, from Ur, southern Iraq, 2600-2400 BCE. This spouted silver jug comes...

A set of Hematite weights from Ur, southern Iraq, 1900-1600 BCE. Hematite was consistently used in Mesopotamia for weights from the late 3rd milennium BC; it is a hard stone which wears well and it would be obvious if it had been tampered with. A system of weights and measures was adopted, so that payments to workers could be reckoned, and also in order to calculate the value of precious objects. ANE 117891, ANE 117.
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A set of Hematite weights from Ur, southern Iraq, 1900-1600 BCE. Hematite was co...

Gypsum head of a man, from Sippar, southern Iraq, early Dynastic period, 2500 BCE. This very worn head was probably once part of a votive figurine, set up in a temple in Sippar to pray on behalf of the donor. The eyes would originally have been inlaid; traces of bitumen survive in the sockets. ANE 91877 (1882.9-18.a.5.)
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Gypsum head of a man, from Sippar, southern Iraq, early Dynastic period, 2500 BC...

Stone statue of Kurlil, responsible for building work on the temple of Ninhursag, Tel al-Ubaid, southern Iraq. A sign in cuneiform on the right shoulder of this statue forms part of Kurlil's name. The statue is typical of figurines set up in a temple to pray on behalf of the donor. ANE, 114207 (1919.10-11.2607)
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Stone statue of Kurlil, responsible for building work on the temple of Ninhursag...

Pottery jar, Mitannian, from Alalakh (modern Tel Atchana,Syria. Thie distinctive style of painted pottery appears across north Syria and north Mesopotamia from around 1500 to the 13th BCE. Atchana ware dates from a time when north Mespotamia and Syria were dominated by Mitanni,the name for a lose confederation of Hurrian city states. ANE,126193
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Pottery jar, Mitannian, from Alalakh (modern Tel Atchana,Syria. Thie distinctive...