As evidenced by archaeological finds
The rider and chariot date to around 2500 BC and are from the Ur standard, which dates all the way back to the 5th BC era.
Embellishment by the Sumerians
Additionally, the Sumerians embellished these works of art in the form of jewelry and ceramics using cedar oil paints.
The standard of Ur
The standard of Ur is likewise thought to be one of the most obvious surviving examples of a Sumerian artifact. This artwork, which is comprised of lapis lazuli and inlaid shells from a wooden box, is said to date back to around 2500 B.C. (Ajanta Caves 12).
Discovery of the artifact
The standard of Ur artifact was discovered in a tomb PG 779, which was presumed to be the largest royal tombs and it's believed it where king Pabilsag was buried in 2550 Before Christ. This artifact was found with a man lying near it in the corner of the chamber by SirWoolleyLeonard who was doing excavations in years between 1928 and 1927 in Mesopotamia. It's from this discovery that the artifact was given the name standard by Woolley though there is insufficient evidence to prove the reality of this assertion by new investigations (Woolley 86).
Condition and excavation
In addition to the above assertion, the artifact was kept in a condition that is fragmented because there was ravaging of the bitumen glue which had cemented the mosaics in place and decay of the wooden frame which had taken place for over four thousand years. The object was characterized with broken and fragmented end panels which had been caused by the weight of the soils that crushed it. This forced Woolley to instruct his team to wax or plaster the shape of the object that resembled the victims of Pompeii plaster casts for proper excavation because the ground was filled with objectives that decayed.
Description of the artifact
When it comes to the current description of this object, it's believed that it's just a representation of the original artifact which has been reconstructed. This artifact is made up of lapis lazuli and red limestone, inlaid with a mosaic shell, with dimensions of 49.53 by 21.59 centimeters in the form of a hollow wooden box. The artifact has lines of a Toblerone that are situated at the bottom which is wider than the top, a shape that is irregular with pieces of the end resembling truncated triangle shapes.
Mosaic panels
In addition, the standard is covered with mosaic panels that are inlaid which reflect scenes of different categories like the bottom, middle, and upper. One of the 2 mosaics has been branded peace and war which explain scenarios that happened a long time ago like scenes of banquet and military campaign. Moreover, there has been the restoration of fantastic animals that were situated at the end of the panels and were damaged during the processes of burying.
Interpretations of the artifact
When it comes to the interpretation of this artifact, it's believed that there is no enough information concerning the original use of this object. Moreover, there is contestation that it was a representation of a standard as it's being stressed by Woolley. Some scholars go ahead to argue that this artifact was a musical instrument sound box. However, people like Villani Paola argue that it was used for religious works or civil duties or as a chest for storing warfare funds. In conclusion, therefore, since the artifact does not have any inscription, it's hard to trace its real purpose which is information of background information.
Works Cited
“Ajanta Caves”. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-p.12-22
Woolley, Leonard (1965). Excavations at Ur: a record of twelve years’ work. Crowell. p. 86
