Description:

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Sumer, Early Dynastic Period, 1st Dynasty of Lagash, reign of Enmetena (also Entemena) of Girsu, ca. 2400 BCE. A rare clay foundation cone of nearly complete form exhibiting a conical body and a discoid head. Inscribed on the body are dozens of lines of text in dedication of Enmetena, governor of Lagash, and translated as such: "For Inanna and Lugal-emus, En-metena, ruler of Lagash, built the E-mus, their beloved temple, and embellished it with inscribed clay nails. The personal god for En-Metena, the builder of the E-mus, is Sul-MUSxPA. At that time En-Metena, ruler of Lagash, and Lugal-kinesh-dudu, ruler or Uruk, established brotherhood." Size: 3.1" W x 7.7" H (7.9 cm x 19.6 cm); 9" H (22.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1999.190.1

Provenance: private Greenwich, Connecticut, USA collection, via descent, acquired in Western Europe in the 1950s - 1960s

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#185912

  • Condition: Repair across midsection, with small chips and light adhesive residue along break lines. Loss to lower tip as shown. Minor softening to some cuneiform characters, otherwise in excellent condition. Great preservation of cuneiform script. Previous inventory label handwritten atop discoid head.

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May 11, 2024 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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