War god and worshiper

between 1894 B.C. and 1595 B.C.
hematite
24 x 13 mm
Morgan Seal 379
Provenance: 
Acquired by Pierpont Morgan sometime between 1885 and 1908.
Notes: 

"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... Seal 379 shows a male deity resembling the war goddess except for the fact that his head is in profile and the quivers with arrows are omitted. Since the lion club is known from inscriptional evidence to have been also the weapon of Nergal, the latter may be the god who replaces the war goddess on this seal." . Porada, CANES, p. 46

Summary: 

Suppliant goddess and worshiper before god holding lion club, scimitar, and rein of lion on which he steps; attendant holding indeterminate object behind god -- In field, vessel above ball staff.

Place: 
Southern Mesopotamia.
Classification: 
Department: