In the Epic of Etana, the titular shepherd king—the first monarch to rule after the great flood—is tasked with repopulating the ravaged earth. To obtain the plant of birth for his childless wife, he flies to heaven on the back of an eagle. On this cylinder seal, Etana appears on the eagle, its wings fully extended in flight. With less than two inches of vertical space in which to work, the artist was able to suggest the eagle’s upward movement by placing two sheep dogs on the ground, looking up and barking. On either side of the scene, a shepherd raises an arm towards Etana, further focusing attention on the ascending bird.
Ancient cylinder seal with modern impression, Etana’s Flight to Heaven on the Back of an Eagle. Mesopotamia, Akkadian period (ca. 2334–2154 B.C.). Serpentine. Overall: 1 7/16 x 1 1/8 in. (3.7 x 2.8 cm). Morgan Seal no. 236. Acquired by Pierpont Morgan sometime between 1885 and 1908.