War goddess and god with mace

between 1894 B.C. and 1595 B.C.
hematite
26 x 14.5 mm
Morgan Seal 377
Provenance: 
Acquired by Pierpont Morgan sometime between 1885 and 1908.
Notes: 

Cylinder damaged.
"The war goddess Ishtar, first pictured on Akkad cylinders, as in 237, appears in numerous Old Babylonian seal desins. The main difference between the Akkad representations and those of the present group is that in the latter the weapons no longer sprout from the shoulders of the goddess but are transformed by a more literal realism into arrows contained in two quivers slung over her shoulders, and into a lion club held in her hand... In her other hand she holds a scimitar. She is always seen full face. Often, as in 371-374, 377, there stands before her a figure referred to as the god with a mace (p. 51). This figure is frequently followed by a suppliant goddess... Other interesting designs are the fish-monster in 377 and the two dogs in the lower register of the secondary motif of this seal." . Porada, CANES, p. 46

Summary: 

Suppliant goddess, god with mace, war goddess -- In field: human head above blurred object; star disk in crescent and fish-monster (before war goddess) -- Secondary motif: above, two priests each with pail and sprinkler, facing -- Below, dog standing as though barking at seated dog balancing crook.

Place: 
Southern Mesopotamia.
Classification: 
Department: