‘The design consists of two standing, facing
figures. On the left is the god with mace,
Ninshubur, wearing a hat with a deep brim, a bib
and clothes that wrap around the body and fall
to just above the knees. He holds his mace at the
waist. The other hand hangs down. On the right
is Lamma goddess, in horned tiara and long
flounced robe with necklace counterpoise
hanging down at the back. She is holding up
both hands in a gesture of greeting and respect.
There is a crescent moon and solar disk in the
sky.
The remainder of the space was originally filled
with a three or four line cuneiform inscription
naming the first owner of this seal. But the seal,
of a hard stone, passed to a second owner who
did not of course want the previous owner’s
name on his seal, so it was rubbed off and only a
few traces now remain.
This is an Old Babylonian seal, c.2000-1700 BC.
It is fine detailed work of the highest quality and
the two figures are very well preserved. The god
was a messenger among the major gods of the
Babylonian pantheon and the Lamma goddess
was one of a large number, like female angels,
supporting major gods and goddesses. The
combined crescent and disc brought the power
of Moon God and Sun God into the use of the
seal.’
Interpretation and dating provided by Professor
Lambert.
