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An Interpretation of the Sculptural Decoration of the Second Millennium Temple at Tell al-Rimah*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Theresa Howard-Carter
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Extract

The dominant feature of the walled town, now identified as Karana, is the temple ziggurat mound which rises prominently at the centre. In this paper we are concerned only with the phases of the principal temple in the second millennium. Suffice it to note that a small Neo-Assyrian temple dated to Adad-nirari III was placed later in the north-west angle formed by the earlier temple and ziggurat.

The great temple of Karana was entirely symmetrical in plan, and attached to a rectangular ziggurat on the east axis. The approach to the ante-chamber and cella was via a courtyard with surrounding rooms. Construction of temple and ziggurat was executed in mud-brick with an elaborate architectural decoration of multi-formed columns and pilasters across the façade of the ante-chamber and surrounding the courtyard. The principal phases of building activity are the Old Assyrian c. 1800 B.C., the Nuzi period after 1600 B.C., and the Middle Assyrian after 1400 B.C.

The additional decoration of major importance which concerns us in this essay consists of four carved stone members associated directly with the functioning of the ante-chamber door. One further piece to be considered with this group is a carved stone orthostat of a winged demon, which we date on stylistic grounds to the Old Assyrian period. It is discernible immediately to the trained eye that the five pieces fall into two groups: the earlier or Old Assyrian consists of Humbaba I, the Lady between Palms, and the Winged Demon; the later group, presumably executed by sculptors of the Nuzi period, consists of Humbaba II and the Bull-man between Palms. Additional evidence comes from the various find spots. It should be emphasized that although two of the stone blocks were excavated in situ, not one of the five reliefs occurred in original context.

Type
Research Article
Information
IRAQ , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , Spring 1983 , pp. 64 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 1983

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Footnotes

*

An abbreviated version of this paper was read before the 29th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, London, July 1982.

References

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1For ……2my lady, [personal name],

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47 The vertically striated hair on the crown is reminiscent of that identified with the classic Humbaba. Cf. also the pathos of the dying Humbaba (Opitz, D., AfO 5 (1929), 207Google Scholar; Parrot, A., Syria 45 (1968), 230, Fig. 23 top)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.