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Metal Objects from the 1957 Excavations at Nimrud

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

David Stronach
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Extract

During the course of last year's excavations at Nimrud many metal objects were found in both the Assyrian and Hellenistic levels, and the present article attempts a brief description of this material. The Assyrian buildings were especially rich in military equipment of various kinds while the Hellenistic villages included a good range of standard domestic implements. But it should be stressed that the finds of a single season cannot be regarded as a true reflection on the full range of metals, or of metal types, that were used in either period.

The bulk of the Assyrian metal-work was found in the building known as Fort Shalmaneser, which was a royal depôt in the S.E. corner of the outer town. For, despite the fact that the building seems to have been looted before it was destroyed in the sack of 612 B.C., many of its less precious metal objects were left in situ. One room in particular, F.S. N.W. 15, proved especially rewarding as it contained the remains of a rich collection of spearheads, armour and decorative metal plaques that would appear to have been abandoned when the upper walls threatened to cave in.

Type
Research Article
Information
IRAQ , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , Autumn 1958 , pp. 169 - 181
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 1958

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References

page 169 note 1 The excavations are described elsewhere in this volume, together with an appendix on the Hellenistic graves (see pp. 101–157).

page 169 note 2 For the identification of this and the other numbered rooms in Fort Shalmaneser see the preliminary sketch plan published in I.L.N., 11 23rd, 1957, fig. 3, p. 872Google Scholar.

page 170 note 1 Notably earlier finds from Nimrud which may be published at a later date. See also Thompson, R. Campbell and Hamilton, R. W., AAA XIX, Nos. 3–4, pl. LXV, 14Google Scholar.

page 170 note 2 Information kindly supplied by Prof. Rodney Young.

page 171 note 1 Haller, A., Die Gräber und Grüfte von Assur, 1954, p. 112 and pl. 23f (second and third examples from the right)Google Scholar.

page 171 note 2 See Thompson, R. Campbell and Mallowan, M. E. L., AAA XX, Nos. 1–4, pl. LXXVIII, 27Google Scholar and Lloyd, Seton, Anatolian Studies IV, fig. 6, 3Google Scholar.

page 171 note 3 Numerous examples found on the Acropolis in previous seasons include ND 3202, 3350 and 3624.

page 171 note 4 Barnett, R. D. and Watson, W., Iraq XIV, Pt. 2, Fig. 13 (left hand example)Google Scholar.

page 171 note 5 ND 3370 and 4152.

page 171 note 6 Seton Lloyd, op. cit., p. 107 and fig. 6, 4.

page 171 note 7 Cf. examples from such neighbouring regions as Luristan (Ghirshman, R., Village Perse-Achémenide, 1954, p. 65Google Scholar); Armenia (R. D. Barnett and W. Watson, op. cit., Fig. 12); and Anatolia, where unpublished examples from Kayseri Museum closely resemble the Nimrud arrowhead. A similar type, ND 4261, was found in burnt debris associated with the final destruction of Ezida, in 612 B.C.

page 171 note 8 E.g. ND 4145 from the burnt pavement of the Throne Room in Ezida; ND 4139 from late seventh century debris in a room on the south side of AD, domestic wing of the N.W. Palace; and ND 4143–4 from the Burnt-Palace. Presumably all of them should be connected with the final destruction.

page 172 note 1 R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hamilton, op. cit., p. 93 and pl. LXV, 2, 3, 5 and 7.

page 172 note 2 See Maxwell-Hyslop, R., “Daggers and Swords in Western Asia”, Iraq VIII, Pt. 1, p. 33 fGoogle Scholar.

page 172 note 3 See Layard, A. H., The Monuments of Nineveh, 1849, pl. 18, 19 and 29Google Scholar, and Layard, , A Second Series of the Monuments of Nineveh, 1853, pl. 20Google Scholar.

page 172 note 4 But a shorter skirt, which covered the tops of the thighs only, also seems to have been used as part of a lighter suit of armour. See Layard, A Second Series of the Monuments, pl. 20.

page 173 note 1 Starr, R., Nuzi, 1939, p. 475 f. and pl. 126Google Scholar.

page 174 note 1 Similar rosettes of stone seem to have been fastened in the same way. Cf. ND 2153 from the Burnt Palace.

page 174 note 2 See Layard, op. cit., ibid.

page 174 note 3 On a statue of Assurnasirpal II found at Nimrud. Layard, A. Second Series of the Monuments, pl. 4.

page 175 note 1 von Merhart, G., Über Blecherne Zierbuckeln (Faleren), Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseüm Mainz, 3 1956, p. 28 ffGoogle Scholar.

page 175 note 2 Cf. examples from Giyan, Tepe and Tepe Sialk Necropolis, B. in Schaeffer, C. F. A., Stratigraphie Comparée, 1948, figs. 242, 15 and figs. 255, 39 & 57 and 15 & 25, 252, 26Google Scholar.

page 175 note 3 Cf. a copper knob and a copper staff-head from Nuzi. R. Starr, op. cit., pl. 127 E and 126 I.

page 175 note 4 Cf. almost identical symbols from Nuzi. R. Starr, op. cit., p. 481 and pl. 127 G.

page 175 note 5 Mallowan, M. E. L., Iraq XVI, Pt. 1, p. 87Google Scholar.

page 176 note 1 Similar iron hoes were equally common in previous seasons as well. Cf. ND 2176 and 4260 from Assyrian levels on the Acropolis.

page 176 note 2 Cf. earlier finds from Nimrud, such as ND 3364 and 3365, and related forms from Nineveh: Thompson, R. Campbell and Hutchinson, R. W., Archaeologia LXXIX, 1929, pl. LVI, 277Google Scholar.

page 176 note 3 Although parallels for this form would seem to be almost non-existent, it may be mentioned that a small knife with a very similar handle was found in an Iron Age cemetery at Verghina near Salonica. Information kindly supplied by E. Andronicos.

page 176 note 4 Cf. examples from the Achaemenian settlement at Susa. R. Ghirshman, op. cit., pl. XVIII, 3.

page 176 note 5 Identical examples from Tell Billa (Iraq Museum Nos. 22086 and 22089) Nineveh (R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hutchinson, op. cit., pl. LVI, 280).

page 176 note 6 See examples from Polistes Chrysochou in the Fitzwiiliam Museum, Cambridge.

page 176 note 7 A fairly good parallel is represented by ND 4221 from Room 12 of the N.W. Palace.

page 177 note 1 Rcuther, O., Die Innenstadt von Babylon, 1926, p. 24 and fig. 24Google Scholar.

page 177 note 2 Cf. examples from Susa (R. Ghirshman, op. cit., pl. XIX, 1–3) and Nineveh (R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hutchinson, op. cit., pl. LVI, 253 and 255).

page 177 note 3 Local parallels include an identical example from Tell Billa. Iraq Museum No. 16149.

page 177 note 4 A very similar instrument was found just above the stone floor of Tashmetum sanctuary in Ezida, ND 4146.

page 178 note 1 In the reliefs harp players can be seen using a pointed plectrum. See Gadd, C. J., The Stones of Assyria, 1936, pl. 22Google Scholar and Meissner, B., Babylonien und Assyrien I, 1920, p. 334Google Scholar.

page 178 note 2 ND 4206–4211. (In these examples the ends of the ring were splayed at right angles to the stem, instead of being bent upwards.)