Babylonian 'kudurru' ©
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This black limestone 'kudurru' (height 61cm) was probably set up in a temple as evidence of a royal land-grant. It shows the Babylonian king Marduk-nadin-ahhe (1099-1082 BC), captioned 'the avenger of his people' in cuneiform, holding a bow and two arrows as symbols of victory.

He wears a feather-topped crown decorated with rosettes, winged bulls and a tree. His garment, with pleats at the back and straps across the chest, is in the style of Babylonian royal dress that persisted for centuries. It is elaborately patterned with hexagons and rich borders depicting stylised trees, and beneath it the king wears quilted slippers.

Above the king are divine symbols, and part of a snake divides the scene from the cuneiform text on the back.

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