Bible History
Bible History
Choose a Category

Ancient Near East

Pair of Bull Statuettes

A pair of bull statuettes is a common find in archaeological sites from the ancient world. Bulls were often revered as symbols of fertility, strength, and power. They were also associated with gods and goddesses, such as Zeus, Hera, and Mithras. Bull statuettes were made from a variety of materials, including clay, metal, and stone. They were often...

Read More

Colossal Bull Head

Iran: Persepolis, Hundred-Column Hall; Achaemenid Period Reigns of Xerxes/Artaxerxes I, ca. 485-424 B.C. Dark gray limestone; restored. Excavated by the Oriental Institute, 1932. "Carved in the court style typical of the Achaemenid Empire, this highly polished stone head originally belonged to one of two guardian bulls flanking the portico of the h...

Read More

Striding Lion

Iraq: Babylon, Processional Avenue north of the Ishtar Gate Neo-Babylonian Period; Reign of Nebuchadnezzar II, ca. 604-562 B.C. Molded brick with polychrome glaze; Purchased in Berlin, 1931. "This colorful striding lion, its mouth opened in a threatening roar, once decorated a side of the 'Processional Way' in ancient Babylon (the Biblical city of ...

Read More

Court Servant with Covered Tray

5th century B.C.; Iranian, Achaemenid Dynasty; Limestone. This relief depicts a Persian court servant holding a covered tray on his shoulder. He wears the distinctive Persian garment of long sleeves and draped skirt, with a folded soft cap. Text and images courtesy The Detroit Institute of Arts....

Read More

Banquet Plaque

Iraq: Khafajah, Sin Temple IX; Early Dynastic II-III, ca. 2700-2600 B.C. Gypsum. Excavated by the Oriental Institute, 1933-4. "The top register of this plaque shows a seated man and woman celebrating an unidentified event or ritual by participating in a banquet. Two servants attend them while others bring a jar (probably filled with beer), an anima...

Read More

Female Figurine from Ur

Iraq: Tell Asmar, Trench D; Ur III/Isin-Larsa Period, ca. 2100-1800 B.C. Baked clay. Excavated by the Oriental Institute, 1935-6. "Figurines like this one have been found in the excavated remains of Mesopotamian houses, temples, and other public buildings of the early second millennium B.C. They have no definite divine attributes and their exact fu...

Read More

Court Servant with Covered Tray

From The Detroit Institute of Arts: Court Servant with Covered Tray; 5th century B.C.; Iranian, Achaemenid Dynasty; Limestone; height 54.6 cm (21 1/2 in.); Gift of Lillian Henkel Haass; 31.340. "This relief depicts a Persian court servant holding a covered tray on his shoulder. He wears the distinctive Persian garment of long sleeves and draped ski...

Read More

Human-headed Winged Bull

A human-headed winged bull, also known as a lamassu, is a mythical creature with the body of a bull, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a human. It is a common motif in Mesopotamian art, and it was often used to guard the entrances to palaces and temples. Lamassus were believed to be powerful protective spirits, and they were also associated wi...

Read More

Frieze of Striding Lions

Iran: Persepolis; Achaemenid Period; Reign of Darius I/Xerxes, ca. 522-465 B.C. Limestone. Excavated by the Oriental Institute, 1932-4. "An Achaemenid artisan carved this piece of stone to represent part of a cloth canopy that was decorated with woven or appliquéd figures of rosettes and striding lions. A pair of diamonds joined as a figure-eight ...

Read More

Clay Tablet and Envelope

Iraq: Nuzi; Mitannian Period; Second half of the 15th century B.C. Baked clay. Oriental Museum. Gift of the Iraq Museum and the American Schools of Oriental Research, 1934. "Enclosed in its clay envelope, this tablet was stored in a private archive of more than 1,000 texts. The tablet records the outcome of a litigation between two men, both of who...

Read More

61 Bible Translations

Popular Articles

Explore the Bible Like Never Before!

Bible History Online

Bible Study Tools

Top Tags