Tell Brak 1990: The Glyptic

Tell Brak 1990: The GlypticAuthor(s): Donald MatthewsSource: Iraq, Vol. 53 (1991), pp. 147-157Published by: British Institute for the Study of IraqStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4200343 .

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147

TELL BRAK 1990: THE GLYPTIC

By DONALD MATTHEWS

The seals and seal impressions discovered at Tell Brak in the 1990 season are immediately

published here, without a full discussion which will be included in a larger study of the Brak

glyptic which I am now undertaking. Some comparisons can be found in the treatment of the Brak material from the Mallowan excavations in the Ashmolean catalogue (Buchanan

1966). The seals and sealings were for the most part found in the FS and SS sites, with some

others from the surface of the tell. FS is an area mainly of private houses which were

frequently rebuilt. The two latest levels consist for the most part of very large private houses

(Oates 1985, 165; Oates 1987, 179). In Level 3 there is a small monumental building contemporary with the Late Agade layer above the main SS complex (Oates 1987, 178-9

fig. 2, 3). North of it was an area of small domestic structures. Level 5 contains a larger monumental building approximately contemporary with the main structure in SS (see the

preceding article, p. 132f). SS consists of the large ceremonial complex described in the previous article. The

structure was deliberately and ritually filled, and very little material survives in situ. At least one late Akkadian layer overlies this complex, and in a few places Early Dynastic material under the complex has been excavated.

SS 549 is the deposit of metal, valuables and clay sealings on the pavement of the south

courtyard (8) of the monumental complex, in front of the doorway leading to courtyard 7, described in the preceding article (p. 135) and in Oates and Oates 1989, 202-4. It furnished most of the impressions of the magnificent Akkadian seal 34, and is also a source of sealed

dockets (1, 3). Also from this deposit are the actual seals 9 and 15, and the impression 26.

Room 18, south-west of the south courtyard, was the greatest source of impressions,

accounting for most of the other sealed dockets (1, 3), an impression of 34, and also designs 5, 11, 20, 25, 27, 28 and 29. SS 809 is the main room fill; underneath, sealings were found

10-20 cm above the floor in SS 812. Many of the dockets were found in groups scattered

over the floor of the room. The floor was excavated in four quadrants, north (SS 813), east

(814), south (815) and west (816). About one third of the room, on the south-eastern side, was not excavated.

The eastern side of the courtyard, next to Room 30 (SS 580 (fill), 585 (floor)), is most

remarkable for the statue of a human-headed bull; but it also produced a good supply of

sealings, designs 2, 4, 6, 10, 21 and another impression of the large seal 34. The distribution

of the impressions of the three designs most frequently attested, 1, 3 and 34, in these three

contexts, provides further evidence for the homogeneity of the material (see in the preceding article, p. 135).

The clay dockets (Oates and Oates 1989, 204), significantly, are always impressed with

seals engraved in a 'provincial' style (1, 3, 7, 11). They are oval in shape with a triangular or

square cross-section, like a rounded version of two pyramids joined base to base, and sealed

all over, sometimes with string marks. In two cases (3: TB 11027a, b) a cuneiform

annotation was added, but for the most part they are anepigraphic. The seals are not

inscribed themselves. The dockets normally have a number, between one and six holes

pressed into the clay, often with grooves at either end. There are sometimes other marks

made in the clay, an L-shape, cross or parallel grooves. The variation in these factors is not

random and must somehow denote specific distinctions which were useful in accounting for

the transactions involved. 1 is normally on triangular sectioned dockets, the numbers being flanked by grooves, with no additional marks. Most of the cases came from the deposit SS 549, and it may be significant that the exceptions, which do have additional marks (Regs.

4389, 4390), came from Room 18. 3 is usually on square sectioned dockets, the numbers not

flanked by grooves, with additional markings and stringmarks. Six impressions were found in

the deposit SS 549, mainly in fragmentary condition (though TB 10008 at least is clearly not



148 DONALD MATTHEWS

a docket of the type with seal 1, such as is normally found in this deposit), but the majority come from Room 18. 7 belongs to the same docket type as 3, but is from the surface; ll's

docket is more like l's, but was found in Room 18.

The administrative practice illustrated by these bullae is sophisticated and appropriate to

the high level of civilisation evident in the architecture of the building in which they were

found. It comes at the end of a long period of development from the sealed clay balls used at

Uruk before the invention of writing. The almost complete absence of seal impressions on

cuneiform tablets in the Early Dynastic and Akkadian periods throughout Mesopotamia demonstrates that we are not necessarily dealing here with a more primitive provincial

practice, despite the local style used in the seals concerned; but a new method of accounting became needed with the administrative advances of the Ur III period, and with the use of

seals in conjunction with writing, elaborate types of bulla were henceforth redundant.

References: Buchanan, ?., 1966. Catalogue of the Near Eastern seals in the Ashmolean Museum I: Cylinder seals. Oxford, University

Press. Coll?n, D., 1982. Catalogue of the Western Asiatic seals in the British Museum?Cylinder Seals II: Akkadian?Post

Akkadian-Ur III periods. London, British Museum Publications.

Oates, D., 1985. Excavations at Tell Brak, 1983-4. Iraq 47, 159-73.

Oates, D., 1987. Excavations at Tell Brak, 1985-6. Iraq 49, 175-91.

Oates, D. and Oates, J. 1989. Akkadian buildings at Tell Brak. Iraq 51, 193-211.

Parayre, D. 1990. Seals and seal impressions from Tell Leilan 1985. American Journal of Archaeology 94, 556-67.

Catalogue: The order of the Catalogue is stylistic, starting with two provincial styles, one with small

busy figures, hatched bands, and tubular drillwork (1-11), the other with large angular animals and spiky forms (12-16). There follow standard Mesopotamian styles, Early

Dynastic (21-29) and Akkadian (30-34). I have cited further impressions of the seals which

were found in previous seasons.

Dimensions, in centimetres, are of the seal design only, height x width (i.e. circumference) for impressions; height x diameter (marked 'diam.') for actual seals. The drawings are

composites from several impressions where multiple rollings are described. The scale is

140%. I am indebted to David and Joan Oates for inviting me to work on the seals and for their

assistance on and off site. 1 and 3 were drawn by Helen McDonald.

1. TB 10019, Reg. 4042, SS 549, as above. Docket, triangular section, incomplete, 3 holes

flanked by grooves. TB 10020, Reg. 4043, SS 549, as above. Docket fragment, no holes or grooves extant.

TB 10023, Reg. 4002, SS 549, as above. Docket, triangular section, 4 holes flanked by

grooves. Oates and Oates 1989, 211, Plate XXVII?, c.

TB 10024, Reg. 3184, SS 223, top of fill in ceremonial complex. Docket, triangular section, 3 holes on edge flanked by grooves. Oates and Oates 1989, 211, Plate XXVII/. TB 10029, Reg. 3974, SS 549, as above. Docket, triangular section, 4 holes on edge flanked by grooves, hole at one end.

TB 10030, Reg. 3975, SS 549, as above. Docket, triangular section, 6 holes on edge, no

grooves. TB 10031, Reg. 3976, SS 549, as above. Docket fragment, probably triangular section, no grooves or holes extant.

TB 11023, Reg. 4388, SS 813-16, on floor of Room 18. 13 dockets, triangular section, with between 1 and 4 holes, usually flanked by grooves. TB 11023, Reg. 4389, SS 813-16, on floor of Room 18. 5 dockets, triangular section, with between 1 and 4 holes, not flanked by grooves. L-shaped mark on side.

TB 11023, Reg. 4390, SS 813, on floor of Room 18. Docket, triangular section, 2 parallel grooves on base, 2 holes on top with deeply incised line on either side.

Ht. 2-8 (ext). Man, holding staff; detached heads of horned animals.



TELL BRAK 1990: THE GLYPTIC 149

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150 DONALD MATTHEWS

2. TB 11029, Reg. 4641, SS 585, floor of courtyard west of Room 30. Rollings on

fragment of door sealing. 2-19 ? 3?4(?). Plate XXVIII^. Three rows of detached frontal lion heads, the upper and lower rows facing

outwards, the middle row sideways. This arrangement means that there is no 'right

way up5. The drawing shows a repetition after four heads in each row, but this is

uncertain.

3. TB 10008, Reg. 3979, SS 549, deposit see above. Docket, trapezium in section, two

longitudinal holes, cross on base.

TB 10009, Reg. 3980, SS 549, as above. Docket, oval with two flat surfaces, both

sealed, and sealed around the edge, one end damaged, apparently no numbers. TB 10010, Reg. 3981, SS 549, as above. Fragment of one face of docket. TB 10011, Reg. 3982, SS 549, as above. One rolling on fragment with heavy string impressions on back?probably not docket.

TB 10012, Reg. 3983, SS 549, as above. Trace of one rolling on small fragment, possibly docket.

TB 10013, Reg. 3984, SS 549, as above. Docket, triangular section, worn, broken; no numbers extant.

TB 11025, Reg. 4392, SS 813-16, on floor of Room 18. 6 dockets, rectangular section,

string marks on end. All have cross mark and two parallel lines. TB 11025, Reg. 4393, SS 813-816, on floor of Room 18. 5 dockets, rectangular section,

string marks, lines and cross mark as Reg. 4392; also have 3-5 holes (no flanking grooves). TB 11025, Reg. 4394, SS 813-16, on floor of Room 18. 6 dockets, rectangular section,

string marks, with L-shape. 5 of the dockets have between 1 and 5 holes (without flanking grooves)?one of them has two parallel lines as well. TB 11025, Reg. 4395, SS 815, on floor of Room 18. 2 dockets, one with 5 holes, the other with two parallel lines.

TB 11027a, Reg. 4396, SS 815, on floor of Room 18. Fragment with two lines of cuneiform inscription (Inscriptions Register no. 41). TB 11027b, Reg. 4397, SS 816, on floor of Room 18. Fragment with cuneiform sign. Reg. 4645, SS 585, floor of courtyard west of Room 30. 2 fragments, one of them

probably originally discoid.

At least five rows of detached heads. The central row has the heads of human- headed bulls, with beards and horns; the other rows are stylised lion heads. All the heads are seen frontally, lying sideways. Oates and Oates 1989, Plate XXVIIrf, e\ the reconstruction of the design p. 205 fig. 6 should now be corrected as above.

4. TB 11038, Reg. 4611, SS 585, floor of courtyard west of Room 30. Many overlapping impressions on fragments of door sealing. 2-4 x 2-8.

The drawing is a composite from many rollings and has been regularised. A central

guilloche with four rows of small items, two above and two below. Most of the figures are small heavily stylised lion heads on their sides, but two of them in the top row are

replaced by scorpions. The design probably repeats after three heads. 5. TB 11028a, Reg. 4441, SS 815, on floor of Room 18. Two rollings on concave surface

of, probably, a door sealing, but reverse is damaged. 2? 16 x 3-3. Plate XXVIIL?. Tall stand, perhaps with flames at the top; small squatting man above vessel on

stand (?); scorpion; three stylised lion heads, two of them on their sides; bull head; two more squatting men.

6. TB 11033, Reg. 4609, SS 585, floor of courtyard west of Room 30. Door sealing fragment. Ht. of design at least 1-6.

There are two fragmentary and distorted rollings. It is uncertain whether they were made by the same seal, but the style is the same. The first has been straightened with

respect to the upper edge, but no such guide was available for the other.

(i) Man holds object above table; man holds two animals by their hindlegs; traces of other objects.

(ii) Seated and standing men above area with diagonal lines and circled dots.




11.

13.

12.

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18.

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152 DONALD MATTHEWS

7. Reg. 4444; from surface, slope below the HH (Mitanni palace) site. Four rollings on

one end of oval bulla with four-sided section. Small string holes visible in broken

surface but not at the preserved end. Deeply impressed hole in surface (a number?).

Partially burnt. l-9(ext) x 3-2(ext). The field is divided into registers by a herringbone-hatched band. Above, two

squatting humans or monkeys flank a plant(?), unclear objects behind them. Below,

perhaps trace of frieze of horned animals.

8. TB 11037, Reg. 4607, SS 414, floor in area of large stoneware jar, east gate of

courtyard 8. One impression, slightly overrolled at one end, on clay strip, rounded tab

end broken. 1-8 x 3-4(?). The same design was discovered in 1984 on another clay strip, broken at both ends

(Oates 1985, 173, Plate XXVL?): TB 6024, Reg. 1236, SS 176, in what must be a

courtyard of the monumental complex. The field is divided into registers by a hatched band. Striding birds above; horned

animals below.

9. TB 11019b, Reg. 4552a, SS 549, deposit see above. Fragment of bone seal, stained

blue-green in copper deposit. l-56(ext.) x diam. 1-04.

Small part of design showing bird with a larger unidentifiable figure on one side; circled dots.

10. TB 11019a, Reg. 4551, SS 580, fill of courtyard west of Room 30. Fragment of white

composition seal, top broken off. 0-78 (ext.) x diam. 0-86.

The design is hard to understand: there are two pairs of feet, members containing circled dots, and a hatched object.

11. TB 11024, Reg. 4391, SS 813, floor of Room 18. Three rollings on docket with

triangular section, no sign of string but a number consisting of 2 grooves and 4 small

holes is pressed into the clay. l-6(ext.) x 3-2. A chariot with four wheels and a high front with two 'eyes' is drawn by an animal.

One man, holding a spear or goad(?), sits on the chariot; another stands behind. Cf.

Buchanan Ashmolean no. 255 (Kish). 12. TB 11030, Reg. 4440, FS 1667, bricky fill north of level 3 room FS 90.5. Material is

mostly level 3 but there is a possibility of contamination from the foundation trench of

the level 2 wall 666. Two rollings on large fragment of door sealing with impression of

string across the sealed surface. 2*9 x 4-0.

The design is so stylised that it is hard to understand the details. Horned animal with

one raised foreleg faces bird or snake; man, perhaps seated, grasps on one side an object like a chair with a spiral curl, and a fish(?) on the other. Beneath the fish(?), a spiky

object. 13. TB 11034, Reg. 4443, surface. Single rolling on a flat clay strip. 2-4 ? 3-7.

Man holding something in one hand follows a large stag which is above a spiky

object (perhaps bird??). 14. TB 11041, Reg. 4272, SS 560, scraping surface east of Room 10. Impression on grit

tempered buff jar sherd. 1-8 x 3-4.

Large horned animal above spiky object; scorpion; man. An almost identical

impression was found on a sherd at Tell Leilan: Parayre 1990, 558 fig. 28:4. 15. Reg. 4547, SS 549, deposit, see at top. Seal, composition, broken. 2-7 x diam. 1-52.

Man, apparently raising hand with splayed fingers; two animals, orientation unclear,

flanking vertical member; star; scorpion. 16. TB 11042, Reg. 4325, surface. Single rolling on side of lower part of the chassis of a

baked clay chariot, buff fabric, with axle hole and pierced projection in front. l-4(ext.) x 3?8(?).

Orientation uncertain. Two ?-shaped objects (animals?) with 'branches' beneath

them; trace of spiky object above one of them; object with two points, conceivably legs. 17. TB 11018, Reg. 4270, SS 314, clearance of baulk in the Late Agade level overlying the

monumental complex. Seal, calcite, worn. 2-53 x diam. 0-78-0-88.

Lattice with oval depressions.




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154 DONALD MATTHEWS

18. Reg. 4271, SS 335, under the platform of the ceremonial building, east side.

Fragment of seal, light material, perhaps clay, surface badly encrusted. 1-92 x diam.

1-24.

Lattice.

19. Reg. 4644, FS 1645, level 2 fill, just south of the north wall of the main level 2 building. The floor of the building was not found in this area and there may have been some Mallowan disturbance. One rolling on tiny burnt clay fragment, stringmark(?) on back.

0-9(ext.) x l-2(ext.) Star; head (of bird?).

20. Reg. 4447, SS 812, fill of Room 18. Small fragment with flat surface and rounded back,

probably of door sealing. 0-8 (ext.) x 2-7(ext.). The drawing shows the visible traces. The two bands are not quite parallel and while

this could be due to distortion it is most likely that they represent two rollings. Human (?) feet; triangular furniture?

21. TB 11032, Reg. 4642, SS 585, courtyard floor west of Room 30. At least three rollings on fragment of door sealing. 2-4 x 4-4(ext.).

Boat-god punting with a double pole, bearing a bull and a plant; unclear objects above bull and beside pole.

22. TB 11028c, Reg. 4608, SS 567, upper fill east of Room 31 in the monumental complex. Four rollings on door sealing fragment. 2-34 x 4-4(?).

The relationship between the two halves of the drawing is a guess, assuming that

each fragment has part of the same seated man in the lower register, centre. If the vase with a tube at bottom right is repeated bottom left then most of the design is preserved. Upper register: seated and standing man on either side of unclear object; plant (?); man and animal; rectilinear structure. Below: two seated men flanked by three attendants; seated man drinking from vase through tube; plant(?).

23. TB 11040, Reg. 4548, SS 825, fill of Room 15 and some adjacent material from

courtyard 8. Impression on sherd, gritty buff paste, shoulder and base of neck of jar. Incised lines and circles near sealing. 1-12 x 3-2(ext.).

The impression is blurred and unclear. A man holds a tree, behind him perhaps a snake (but possibly this line is a combination of his arm and a tail). The rest of the

design probably consisted of crossed animals but the number of elements is uncertain. A lion(?) can be seen behind the man, with the forequarters of a horned animal above; there is a pair of hindlegs to the right of the tree.

24. TB 11036, Reg. 4643, SS 834, lower fill of Room 15 and adjacent part of courtyard 8,

just above floor. Two rollings on door sealing fragment. 2-5(ext.) x 2-0(ext.). It is uncertain whether the two fragments join. Man grasping bull by tail; tail of

another animal; traces of tail and feet.

25. TB 11028b, Reg. 4442, SS 815, on floor of Room 18. Two rollings on flattish curved outer edge, probably of door sealing. 2-4 x 3-8(ext.)?

Rampant lion crossing horned animal; another animal with head bent back, grasped by hero who also holds stag; crescent-disk, fish(?) and dots; snake (?) round hero's head.

Strong hatching on animal bodies and necks.

26. TB 11028d, Reg. 4552b, SS 549, deposit see above. Three main rollings on clay lump with cloth and stringmarks, stained green from the copper in the deposit. 1-9 x 2*5.

The field is divided into two by a double horizontal line. Above: human, antelope, lion crossed with plant, stag, human. Below: three birds pecking ground, two stars.

27. Reg. 4445, SS 812, Room 18, lower fill. Two rollings on door sealing fragment, peg and

string impression on reverse. 2-0(ext.?) x 2T(ext.).

Rampant animals. The two fragments could join if the shape above the tail is

understood as a fore-hoof, but this would yield rather a large cylinder. In that case the

animals would be crossed.

28. TB 11031, Reg. 4386, SS 812, lower fill of Room 18. Probably three rollings on door

sealing fragment. 2-5(ext.) x 4-7(ext.).




31.

30.

33.

34.

35. (a) (b)

X

Fis. 4



156 DONALD MATTHEWS

Crossed animals, the one on top perhaps a lion with a mane. On left, another

rampant animal, perhaps grasped by a human(?); small bird below. Terminal area, divided by two horizontal lines: above, inscription in two or three lines; below,

scorpion. Some of the forms in the inscription area may be due to overrolling. Another

impression shows an object with three lobes, conceivably an E.D. Ill hero with curly hair, like 29.

29. Reg. 4387, SS 809, fill of Room 18. Rolling on fragment of flat piece of clay. 1-9 (ext.) ? 2-9(ext.).

Curly-haired hero grasps animal; terminal area divided by two horizontal lines,

inscription in at least two lines above. Possibly overrolled.

30. TB 11016, Reg. 4267, FS 1603, just above a surface of packed sherds and stones

overlying level 3 in the northern part of the site. There was Mallowan disturbance

down to that surface. Seal, straight-sided, 'black stone'. The design is a standard Early Akkadian contest scene (cf. Coll?n 1982, pi. VII). The stone has not been examined by a geologist, but at that time it normally meant serpentine. Later greenstone facies

became more popular and, after the Akkadian period, chlorite (see Coll?n 1982, 26). 2-05 x diam. 1-2. Plate XXVIII?.

Lion, antelope, hero, bull, lion; dagger. 31. TB 11035, Reg. 4549, surface, below FS near top of wadi on west side. Two main

rollings on container sealing, reddish clay, large string/rope marks on reverse.

1-8 x 2-8(ext.). Man holding goat by tail and horn; man in long dress; seated person; standing man.

32. TB 11017, Reg. 4269, surface, in area of Naram-Sin's palace. Fragment of seal, fine

grained dark porous stone. 1-85 x diam. 1-0(ext.).

Constable-god apprehending bird-man; star.

33. TB 11015, Reg. 4268, FS 687, floor in north-east part of the site, earlier level 2 when

the area consisted of a kitchen and associated rooms. Seal, 'black stone', slightly concave. 3-27 x diam. 2T7.

Three standing gods in simple horned headdresses, each with a long implement at the

waist, face a seated god with an elaborate horned headdress. Rays project from the

shoulders of the seated god and the middle standing god. The first standing god pours a

libation into a large vessel with vegetation growing out of it; star above.

34. TB 10007, Reg. 3177, SS 502, South Courtyard, fill adjacent to courtyard facade, east

side. Four rollings on sealing with matting or basket impression on reverse.

TB 10007, Reg. 3978, SS 549, deposit see above. Sealing with stringmark. TB 10014a, Reg. 4003, SS 549, deposit see above. Two rollings on sealing fragment with possible cloth impression. TB 10014b, Reg. 4004 and 4005, SS 549 deposit see above. Rollings on two sealing

fragments, each with possible cloth impression. TB 10014b, Reg. 4006, SS 549, deposit see above. Two rollings on sealing fragment. TB 10014b, Reg. 4007 and 4008, SS 549, deposit see above. Rollings on five sealing

fragments. TB 10015a, Reg. 4009, SS 549, deposit see above. Rolling on sealing fragment with

string and cloth (?) impressions on back.

TB 10015b, Reg. 4010, SS 549, deposit see above. Rolling on sealing fragment. TB 11026, Reg. 4449, SS 812, lower fill of Room 18. Rolling on fragment of

container(?) sealing with string and reed or wood impressions on back.

TB 11026, Reg. 4553, SS 585, floor of courtyard west of Room 30. About seven

rollings on three fragments of a large door sealing, two of which join. The material discovered in 1988 was published in Oates and Oates 1989, 205 fig. 7,

211, Plate XXVI?z-?\ The impression Plate XXVI? is the best one yet discovered and

forms the basis of the present drawing; but the central part of the design is largely derived from the 1990 impressions. As presently reconstructed, ht. 4-05 x circum. 8-7.

Two deities dressed in flounced robes sit on decorated stools facing each other. The




one on the right has a horned headdress; the other's head is damaged. Their stools and

the feet of each god rest on animals, two on each side back to back. On the left, the

animals are resting, and on the right, standing. Each god extends a hand to a rampant herbivore at the knee. In the upper field between them, a star-spade in the centre. On

its right, an inscription in two lines, the first line reading dub-sar. Left of the star-

spade, a small scene on a groundline, containing a nude man and perhaps a bird-

demon^?). In the field behind the two gods, a procession of four figures, the first three being

gods with horned headdresses. The first god has rays extending from his shoulders. He

overcomes the second god, who crouches looking back at his assailant; he holds a bent

weapon. Both of these gods wear short tunics. The third god holds a mace over his

shoulder and a dagger(?) at his waist. He wears a garment rolled up in front. The

fourth figure is beardless, a woman (?) wearing a plain long dress with a decorated

fringe down the front. All the main figures on the seal, except the attacking god, have

long plaits down their backs, generally ending in a large curl.

35. TB 11039, Reg. 4550, from surface of tell below the SS complex. Two impressions on

sealing with string and cloth marks on back, made by stamp seal of width 2-3(ext.),

perhaps originally 2-4. Ht. perhaps originally about 2-2. Two animals crossed at the neck, snake above. I am unable to fit the lower fragment

onto the upper: it probably shows legs and tails but there could be another snake.

36. TB 11020, Reg. 4546, FS 1717, floor of Level 3 room FS 90.8, at the north end of the

site with bin and storage jars. Clay cylinder, complete, hole not central. 2-89 x diam.

1-54.

This cylinder was rolled rather carelessly over another cylinder to form an

impression. The design is unintelligible but it includes human and animal figures and a

triangle of six small drillings.



Tell Brak 1990: The Glyptic

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