For the next three months, Manarat Al Saadiyat is set to play host to some of the region’s most stunning ancient artefacts, as TDIC’s Splendours of Mesopotamia exhibition finally lands in the capital. Organised in association with The British Museum, this first-of-its kind show brings together some of the most academically lauded finds of the ancient region of Mesopotamia, which covers parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Ahead of the show’s opening on Tuesday, we spoke to Dr Paul Collins – The British Museum’s Middle East expert and lead curator of the Zayed National Museum project – to find out more about the six most significant discoveries about to wow the city.
Carnelian bead headdress
Origin: Royal cemetery in Ur, 2600 BC
‘Judging by the inscriptions in the tomb in which it was found, we believe this belongs to one of the queens of Ur. Alongside it were similar headdresses and jewellery, but of a lower quality, suggesting they belonged to sacrificial victims buried with her to accompany their ruler to the next world. The piece reflects the empire’s connections with the wider world, since none of the materials used are found in the region. The lapis lazuli came from Afghanistan, the carnelian would have come via the Gulf from areas near where the UAE is today and the gold probably came from Iran or Turkey. It was discovered in the early 1930s, and, since the materials used don’t actually decay in soil, it came out looking very fresh.’
Spouted gold cup
Origin: Royal cemetery in Ur, 2600 BC
‘As with the headdress, the gold would have been imported. It has a very unusual shape with this spout attached to it, causing lots of speculation as to its exact purpose. One idea is that it might have been a feeding bottle for a baby, which would have been filled with milk. Another theory is that it was used as a vessel for grape and hop-based drinks, which in the ancient world would have contained a lot of debris, so the spout may have been used as a sort of filter. Similar cups made of pottery were also found on the site, so this was a high status version most likely used by a person of royalty.’
Magnesite statue of Ashurnasirpal II
Origin: Ishtar Sharrat-nihi temple in Nimrud, 883-859 BC
‘This statue is of a king who began the process of establishing the empire. The inscription on his chest recalls his expedition towards the Mediterranean, that push from northern Iraq towards the great wealthy cities of the west. It’s made of this immensely hard stone called magnesite, which is extremely difficult to carve and would blunt tools almost immediately, so the stone itself represents prestige and power, because only he could have had it carved in this fashion. It would have been set up in front of a temple to his goddess, Ishta, as an expression of his piety and to acknowledge that the gods are responsible for his achievements.’
Copper alloy bowl
Origin: Palace in Nimrud, 900-700 BC
‘This object came from the Mediterranean world, so it’s either a gift or a tribute sent back to Nimrud from either Syria or the Venetian world and the cities of modern day Lebanon. Another indicator of high status, this is the sort of thing that would have been used at the king’s court. This particular one is incised with a design showing Egyptian-looking imagery. Egypt, of course, was the other great civilisation of the ancient world, and the country’s art influenced the Venetian world of the eastern Mediterranean. It is made from a hammered copper sheet, while the design itself is incised with a sharp implement, sometimes hammering from the back so the designs stand out.’
East India House inscription
Origin: Babylon, 604-562 BC
‘This comes from the final civilisation of Mesopotamia, the Babylonian empire. It’s an inscription of the famous king Nebuchadnezzar II, who conquered the Assyrians and inherited their empire. He established his royal centre at the ancient city of Babylon and rebuilt it on a grand scale. This inscription records the rebuilding of the city to become the greatest city in the world, mentioning the temples and the palaces that he built. The inscription was then buried in the foundations of a temple, a record for posterity and for the gods. The type of script used is very old-fashioned, an attempt by the king to tie himself into 3,000 years of history and civilisation.’
The Til Tuba relief
Origin: Nineveh, 660-650 BC
‘This is the largest series of reliefs in the exhibition, three huge slabs of carved gypsum. They are slid together to form a huge diorama depicting a battle which took place in about 657 BC between the Assyrians and the Elamites from south west Iran. It’s told like a comic strip, and recounts the story of the defeat of the Elamite king, with him falling out of his chariot, being chased into a wood and having his head cut off and carried back to Assyria. So it’s pretty brutal, but it marks a fundamental change in our history, where you start to get stories being told out in that sort of detail.’
Splendours of Mesopotamia, presented by TDIC, opens on March 29 at Manarat Al Saadiyat and runs until June 27. Entry is free.
