ICOBASE

Object identity: IC010810-12

Museum identity: Ashmolean museum, Oxford: AN1967.1467

Object: Headless female figurine

Period: Bronze Age: Akkadian to Old Babylonian Period: 2000 to 1600 BC

Dimensions: H: 9.5cm.

Region: Sumer

Description: free-standing; handmodelled; greenish-buff fabric; Drum / tambourine / timbrel held against left side supported by her left hand; right arm held across the body with the right hand striking the tambour; breasts indicated; columnar figure with a slight depression indicating the legs below a long garment; slightly concave base.

Reference: ANET-23Bronze1MesII-Catalogue-2.

IC010810-12

Object identity: IC010810-11

Museum identity: Ashmolean museum, Oxford: AN1924.672

Object: Plaque

Period: Bronze Age: Akkadian to Old Babylonian Period, 2000 – 1600 BC

Dimensions: H: 5.8cm. W: 6.1cm.

Region: Sumer

Description: upper part only; female with pectoral timbrel / drum/ tambour; held against the body by both hands; mouldmade; baked; buff fabric with surface accretions; broken off across the abdomen; face with prominent nose overshadowed by heavy side-locks of hair necklace and bracelets; shoulders covered by a “shawl” indicated by a wide band of incised dots and lines; complete figures of this type indicate that the women wore a similarly depicted garment covering her genitals.

Reference: ANET-23Bronze1MesII-Catalogue-2.

IC010810-11

Object identity: IC270710-7

Museum identity: British museum BM ME 127338; 1935,0113.837; Field number: U.18062

Origin: Ur

Culture: Old Babylonian 2000 BC

Measurements: Height: 5.7 centimetres; Width: 4.5 centimetres; Thickness: 2.5 centimetres

Acquisition date: 1935

Acquisition name: Division of Finds Department of Antiquities of Iraq. Excavated by Sir Charles Leonard Woolley

IC270710-7

Object identity: IC270710-1

Museum identity: British museum: BM ME 123234; 1932,1008.247; Field number: U.18035

Location: British Museum:

Medium: Clay statuette

Culture: Old Babylonian 2000 / 1500

Origin: Ur, diqdiqqah

Description: Baked clay moulded figure of almost nude female with pectoral drum/timbrel/tambourine relief; wears cape and belt; round belly and pubic area indicated by short, vertical, incised strokes; hair in curls; possibly has small horns and protrusion in centre of forehead.

Measurements: Height: 13.2 centimetres; Width: 5.6 centimetres

Acquisition date: 1932

Acquisition name: Division of Finds Department of Antiquities of Iraq

Excavated: by Sir Charles Leonard Woolley

Acquisition notes: Antiquities assigned to the British Museum from the excavations at Ur, season 1931-1932.

IC270710-1

Object identity: IC200710-8

Museum identity: British museum: 1882,0905.6

Location: British museum

Medium: Baked clay statuette

Excavated: Carchemish ?
Date: 2000BC-1000BC

Dimensions: Length: 6.8 centimetres; width: 3.8 centimetres

Acquired: 1882

Baked clay statuettes of women with chest tambourines are very frequent. However, there is no textual evidence to explain the reason for this practice. This object was ornate with incisions into the clay with traces of some paint.

IC200710:8

Click on this link for access to the British Museum database for this object