Author Archives: khaled gamelyan

لأول مرة ، تم تحليل الأيدي اليمنى المقطوعة لـ 12 شخصًا من الناحية العظمية. وضعت الأيدي في ثلاث حفر داخل فناء أمام غرفة العرش للأسرة الخامسة عشرة (حوالي 1640-1530 قبل الميلاد) في قصر الهكسوس في أفاريس / تل الضبعة في شمال شرق مصر. على الرغم من أن هذا النوع من الممارسة معروف من نقوش المقابرContinue reading “أول دليل عظمي على أيدي مقطوعة في مصر القديمة”

Whetstone with bronze handleLuristan cultureabout 1000-700 BCThis is a whetstone, used to sharpen weapons and tools of bronze and iron. It dates to the early first millennium BC. Although by this time the use of iron had become widespread, bronze remained one of the most commonly used metals. Normally they were very simple tools: justContinue reading “Whetstone with bronze handleLuristan cultureabout 1000-700 BC”

White and cream calcite (marble) cylinder sealFrom Uruk, southern IraqAbout 3200-3100 BCOne of the tools of a Mesopotamian bureaucratAt the time this seal was made, Uruk was one of the largest settlements in the world, estimated at around 250 hectares(about 620 acres).Such a large centre, with several thousand inhabitants, required sophisticated means of administration; thisContinue reading “White and cream calcite (marble) cylinder sealFrom Uruk, southern Iraq”

White calcite (marble) cylinder seal with a combat sceneProbably from southern IraqEarly Dynastic period, about 2700 BCBull-men and HeroesThis seal is engraved with a combat scene typical of the Early Dynastic period. It has been suggested that such scenes indicate the owner of the seal was male, while seals owned by women were carved withContinue reading “White calcite (marble) cylinder seal with a combat sceneProbably from southern Iraq”

White calcite (marble) cylinder sealFrom MesopotamiaLate Uruk / Early Jemdet Nasr period, about 3200-3000 BCAn extensive trade route between eastern Mesopotamia and Syria and EgyptThis seal shows animals and pots in front of a shrine or temple. It is perhaps a ritual scene. Monumental buildings dating to the late fourth millennium and decorated with nichesContinue reading “White calcite (marble) cylinder sealFrom Mesopotamia”

Bronze fitting in the form of a seated figureElamiteabout 1450-1200 BCFrom south-west IranThis bronze figure was originally fitted onto a larger object such as a piece of furniture, hence the two rivet holes for attachment through the tail-liker projection. It was obtained in south-west Iran, near the ancient town-site ofTang-e Sarvak.The form and appearance ofContinue reading “Bronze fitting in the form of a seated figureElamiteabout 1450-1200 BC”

Bronze figure of a godUrartian8th-7th century BCFrom Urmia, north-western Iran, or Van, modern TurkeyA deity in a horned head-dressThe Urartians adopted many of the traditions of Mesopotamia, including cuneiform writing. Mesopotamian gods were usually depicted wearing horned headdresses and this also became a feature of representations of Urartian deities, as this figure demonstrates.The identity ofContinue reading “Bronze figure of a godUrartian”

Bronze door-slabNeo-Babylonian dynastyabout 604-562 BCFrom Borsippa, southern IraqMetal protection and decoration for steps leading into a templeThis door-slab comes from the lower part of a flight of steps in the Temple of Ezida in Borsippa, part of the building works of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC).The recess is for a door-post.The pattern representsContinue reading “Bronze door-slab”