Burney Relief / Queen of the Night

DESCRIPTION

It is 49.5 cm high, 37 cm wide, and 4.8 cm thick.

It represents a nude female figure with sharp wings and claws.

The figure is represented standing with the legs together, the legs are bird's feet and
the feet end in six sharp claws.

The arms are in a raised position, with each one around the head.

In his hands he is holding the symbol formed by the rod and the ring (a combination
of a rope and a measuring rod).

On each wrist he wears a bracelet and around his neck he wears a necklace.

The head is crowned with a headdress, which consists of four pairs of horns topped
by a disk.
The crown of horns in the form of a tiara that she wears on her hair indicates
that it is the representation of a goddess.

They think that it could be the representation of one of these three goddesses:

- the goddess Ishtar (goddess of love, war, life, sex and fertility)
- the goddess Ereshkigal (goddess of the underworld)
- the demonic Lilitu (evil creature)

At the bottom you can see a scale pattern that represents mountains or
mountainous terrain.

Above it and under the figure's claws are a pair of lying lions and an owl is
represented on both sides of each lion.
TYPE OF SCULPTURE

The sculpture is a rectangular high relief.

CHARACTERISTICS

Material: baked clay (terracotta).

Colour: Originally painted in red.

TO WHAT CIVILIZATION IT BELONGS. HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Belonging to Mesopotamian art, specifically to the Old Babylonian period.

DATES (APROXIMATELY)

Between 1.800 BC and 1.750 B.C.