Article

Die Glyptik des Ur-Utu-Archivs. Ein allgemeiner Überblick zur Struktur des Materials und seiner Erforschung. I. Teil

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Abstract

The Ur-Utu archive is one of the largest interrelated corpora of Old Babylonian glyptic representations found in Mesopotamia. Impressed on sealed envelopes, tablets and pseudo-envelopes from Sippar Amnanum and dated from Immerum to Ammi-saduqa 18 its seals allow the first precise chronological classification of Old Babylonian seal iconography. The sealings of the archive are classified in four groups covering three partial archives. Dated from Iluma-ilu to Samsu-iluna, to Abiesub’s reign, from Ammi-ditana to Ammi-saduqa 18 or undated, the seal impressions from the archive also provide fine tuned indicators for the geographical distribution of Old Babylonian seals and reveal the art historic and sociological traditions and novelties of the Old Babylonian era. The sealings from the Early Old Babylonian Period appear on real estate deeds only indirectly connected to the archive and thus offer insights into the wider society of Sippar. The patterns of seal use of this important Old Babylonian family can be followed over a long time. The archive shows the particular importance family relationships had for the carving and use of seals. The iconography of the earliest seal impressions of the Ur-Utu archive corresponds to the ‘classical’ iconography of the Early Old Babylonian Period. These early sealings contribute to the elucidation of the transition from Ur-III to the First Dynasty of Babylon. Because sealed documents from Abi-esuh’s reign were not found in great numbers yet, the seal representations from his era constitute a novelty. The seal impressions dated to Ammi-ditana and Ammi-saduqa reveal profound changes in iconography and composition of glyptic images. Overall, the Late Old Babylonian tendency of reducing the number of figures and placing more emphasis on the inscription is not confirmed for Sippar. Features premodelling Kassite glyptic are evident in the archive.

How to Cite:

Colbow, G., (2011) “Die Glyptik des Ur-Utu-Archivs. Ein allgemeiner Überblick zur Struktur des Materials und seiner Erforschung. I. Teil”, Akkadica 132(1), 59–97. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/akkadica.99606

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